About St. Joseph of the Forest · Silver Springs, Florida
St. Joseph of the Forest is a Catholic mission church serving the Silver Springs area of Marion County, Florida. It operates under the pastoral care of Our Lady of the Springs Parish in nearby Ocala and falls within the Diocese of Orlando. The mission offers a small, intimate Catholic presence in the Ocala National Forest region, hosting weekend and weekday Masses plus regular confession and first-Friday adoration for the surrounding rural community.
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Bill Zamborsky
- Diocese
- Diocese of Orlando
Why belong here
St. Joseph of the Forest offers a small, close-knit Catholic community in the rural Silver Springs area, ideal for residents of eastern Marion County who would otherwise travel long distances to attend Mass. Worshippers find the warm intimacy of a mission church, regular Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Wednesday Mass, Saturday confessions, and First Friday Eucharistic Adoration—all supported by a dedicated team of clergy and staff from the parent parish of Our Lady of the Springs in Ocala.
Mass times at St. Joseph of the Forest
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (until 3:20 PM) or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
About St. Joseph of the Forest Mission
St. Joseph of the Forest Mission is a small Catholic mission church located at 17301 E. State Road 40 in Silver Springs, Marion County, Florida. It is administered as a mission of Our Lady of the Springs Parish in Ocala and falls within the Diocese of Orlando. The mission serves Catholics in the rural Silver Springs area and the eastern reaches of Marion County, including portions of the Ocala National Forest region. Worship is offered in English in an intimate setting, with weekend Vigil and Sunday Masses as well as a midweek Wednesday Mass.
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Joseph of the Forest Mission is served by the clergy and lay staff of Our Lady of the Springs Parish. The pastor leads worship at both the Ocala parish and this Silver Springs mission. A deacon assists with liturgical and pastoral duties, while a parish secretary and bulletin editor keep communications running smoothly.
- Pastor — Fr. Bill Zamborsky
- Deacon — Deacon Bruce Gesinski
- Parish Secretary — Teresa Noles
- Bulletin Editor — Anne Bowman
Contact and Visiting
Visitors and parishioners can reach the mission by phone or email through the contact information below. The mission shares a single website with Our Lady of the Springs, where bulletins, schedules, online giving, and other resources are posted. Visitors should consult the parent parish website for current information, especially around Holy Days and special liturgical seasons.
- Address: 17301 E. Highway 40, Silver Springs, FL 34488
- Phone: (352) 625-4222
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ourladyofthesprings.org
History and Heritage
As a mission of Our Lady of the Springs Parish in Ocala, St. Joseph of the Forest has been served over the years by priests assigned to that parish. A documented priest-in-charge is Father William Neumann, who served the mission in 1991 while pastoring Our Lady of the Springs and overseeing St. Hubert of the Forest Mission in Astor; he was ordained for the Diocese of Orlando in 1975 and was honored as a jubilarian in 2025. In 2023, a supporting nonprofit corporation—'St. Joseph of The Forest Catholic Mission Silver Springs, Inc.'—was established under Florida law, with William Zamborsky listed as president.
- Mission of Our Lady of the Springs Parish, Ocala
- Diocese of Orlando
- Father William Neumann served the mission in 1991
- Father Bill Zamborsky is the current pastor
- Supporting nonprofit corporation filed April 12, 2023
Diocese and Affiliation
St. Joseph of the Forest Mission is part of the Diocese of Orlando, the Roman Catholic diocese that covers central Florida, including the counties of Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia. The mission is administered as part of the Marion County deanery, and its operations are coordinated through Our Lady of the Springs Parish in Ocala. The diocese's website maintains a directory listing St. Joseph of the Forest among the missions of the Diocese of Orlando.
- Diocese: Diocese of Orlando
- Deanery: Marion County
- Parent parish: Our Lady of the Springs, Ocala
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. William Neumann1991
Served St. Joseph of the Forest Mission in Silver Springs in 1991 while pastoring Our Lady of the Springs in Ocala; also continued to oversee St. Hubert of the Forest Mission in Astor. Ordained June 1, 1975, for the Diocese of Orlando at St. Charles Borromeo Parish. Celebrated 50 years of priesthood in 2025.
- Fr. Bill ZamborskyPresent (at least 2023–)
Current pastor of Our Lady of the Springs Parish and St. Joseph of the Forest Mission; listed as President of the supporting corporation 'St. Joseph of The Forest Catholic Mission Silver Springs, Inc.'