About St. Joseph of the Holy Family · New York, New York
The Church of St. Joseph of the Holy Family is a Black Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of New York, located at 401–405 West 125th Street at Morningside Avenue in Harlem, Manhattan. Founded in 1859 by German-speaking Catholics from Manhattanville and dedicated in 1860, it is the oldest church building in continuous use north of 44th Street in Manhattan and was designated a New York City Landmark on June 28, 2016. Today the parish is a tri-lingual, multi-cultural faith community — a historic African-American and Latino congregation now joined by a flourishing West African immigrant community — known for its soulful Gospel Choir, Spanish-language Mass, French-language Mass, weekly food pantry, and a deep devotion to St. Joseph as patron of the Holy Family.
- Established
- 1860
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Reverend Joseph Kinda
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Why belong here
St. Joseph of the Holy Family is the oldest church in continuous use north of 44th Street in Manhattan, a New York City Landmark, and one of the most culturally diverse Catholic parishes in New York — a single Sunday gathers English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking, and Burkinabè Catholics under one roof. The parish sustains Harlem through a weekly food pantry and clothing bank and a vibrant religious-education program for children, while its soulful Gospel Choir, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and tri-lingual rosary make the church a true spiritual home for anyone looking for a living, serving, multi-cultural Catholic community.
Mass times at St. Joseph of the Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM (before the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 1:00 PM in French (before the 2:00 PM French Mass)
- By appointment — speak to a priest in the rectory
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Adoration Friday 9:30 AM – 6:45 PM (per Discover Mass listing)
Our History
The parish traces its roots to August 28, 1859, when a group of German Catholics from the Manhattanville area of New York gathered to purchase four parcels of land at the corner of 9th (Morningside) Avenue and 125th Street. After early financial struggles, the church was dedicated on September 5, 1860, by the Very Rev. William Starrs, Vicar General of the diocese. The parish grew under the long tenure of Father Anthony Kesseler (1865–1898), who oversaw the construction of the rectory in 1873–74 and the 1889–90 addition designed by the Herter Brothers. In 2016, after a contested Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing, St. Joseph of the Holy Family was designated a New York City Landmark — the oldest church building in continuous use north of 44th Street in Manhattan.
- Founded 1859 / dedicated 1860 as a national parish for German Catholics
- Oldest church in continuous use north of 44th Street in Manhattan
- Designated a New York City Landmark on June 28, 2016
- Long-serving early pastor Rev. Anthony Kesseler (1865–1898); memorial plaque in the church
- 1889–90 addition designed by the Herter Brothers
- One of its pastors, the future Archbishop Joseph F. Rummel, served here 1924–28
Art and Architecture
St. Joseph of the Holy Family is a textbook American example of the Rundbogenstil ('round-arched style') — a German design language developed between the late 1820s and 1840s by theorists such as Heinrich Hübsch, who sought a middle ground between the Classical and Gothic Revival styles by abstracting elements from Early Christian, Byzantine, Romanesque, and early Renaissance models. Hallmarks of the style — round-arched openings, broad smooth expanses of wall surface, and simple ornament concentrated at the cornice and around windows and doors — are clearly visible in the red-brick, single-towered c. 1860 section. The 1889–90 Herter Brothers addition keeps the same vocabulary but adds dimensionality through irregular massing, a gabled porch, projecting piers, and sawtooth banding. The interior includes stained-glass windows replaced before 1935, a niche above the entrance holding a statue of St. Joseph with the infant Jesus, and an altar plaque honoring Father Kesseler.
- Style: Rundbogenstil (round-arched), an authentic German style
- Materials: red brick, single square bell tower, round-arched openings
- Architects: original c. 1860 builder; 1889–90 addition by the Herter Brothers
- Interior features: stained-glass windows, St. Joseph niche, Kesseler memorial plaque
- Accessibility: ramp along the right side of the church
Devotionals
St. Joseph of the Holy Family maintains an unusually full devotional life, with the Rosary prayed each week in all three of the parish's main languages and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament three days a week. The annual Assumption Day procession in August, with singing, prayer, and liturgical dance modeled on the Burkinabè tradition, has become a signature of parish life.
- Rosary in English: weekdays after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Rosary in Spanish: weeknights 6:30 PM (before the 7:00 PM Spanish Mass)
- Rosary in French: Sunday 1:30 PM (before the 2:00 PM French Mass)
- Rosary on Saturday: 6:30 PM following the Vigil Mass
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Wed, Thu, Fri after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Annual Assumption Day procession (August 15) around 125th Street and Morningside Avenue, preceded by a novena of the Rosary
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. The website highlights Reconciliation (with its regular schedule on Saturday and Sunday) and invites parishioners to inquire at the rectory for the celebration of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage. Children's religious education follows the 8:30 AM Sunday Children's Mass.
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Baptism
- First Communion / First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Marriage (Matrimony)
- Children's catechism (follows 8:30 AM Sunday Mass)
- Special Mass Intentions
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation is offered for children, youth, and adults, with the parish describing the program as a place to 'grow spiritually and learn the Catholic faith.' The 8:30 AM Sunday Children's Mass is the anchor of the children's program, with catechism classes immediately following the Mass. The 10:00 AM Gospel Mass, with music led by the parish Gospel Choir, is a major part of adult faith formation in song and preaching.
- Children's Mass — Sunday 8:30 AM
- Children's catechism — immediately after the 8:30 AM Mass
- Faith formation programs for children, youth, and adults
- Gospel Choir leading the 10:00 AM Sunday Gospel Mass
Outreach: Food Pantry & Clothing Bank
For generations the parish has sponsored a weekly food pantry and clothing bank serving the wider Harlem community, and this is one of the most visible signs of its ongoing mission. The pantry distributes fresh produce and grocery items in Keoing Hall on the lower level of the parish complex, and the parish actively recruits volunteers to pack grocery bags, transport boxes (20–30 lbs or more), break down cardboard, distribute food to clients, and carry heavy shopping carts up a flight of stairs.
- Weekly food pantry (every other Saturday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, per FoodHelpline)
- Clothing bank for the community
- Distribution out of Keoing Hall (lower level)
- Volunteer roles: pack groceries, transport boxes, set up tables, distribute, assist clients
- Thursday and Friday evenings 5:00–7:00 PM packing in Keoing Hall
- Saturday mornings 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM distribution
- No appointment or ID required; guests bring bags to carry food home
Volunteer
Volunteers are the backbone of the parish's food pantry and community outreach. The parish welcomes new volunteers to sign up online through its Volunteer page, and the website lists the specific roles, times, and physical requirements of each. Roles are flexible, and anyone interested in helping in another way is invited to complete the form and indicate when they are available.
- Pack Groceries — pack grocery bags, tear down boxes, distribute
- Transport Boxes — lift 20–30 lb boxes or move ~50 lb carts, may carry bags up a flight of stairs
- Setup — bag fresh produce and set up tables
- Evening pack sessions: Thu/Fri 5:00–7:00 PM in Keoing Hall
- Saturday distribution: 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Become a Parishioner & Contact
Newcomers are warmly invited to register through the parish's online Become a Parishioner form, after which the office follows up to confirm registration. Visitors can also sign up for regular email and text updates with parish news and events. The rectory office is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; the church building has longer hours and is wheelchair-accessible via a ramp along the right side of the church.
- Parishioner registration form (online)
- Email and text alerts sign-up
- Rectory office: Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Church building: Sun 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; Mon & Tue 8:30 AM–1:00 PM; Wed–Fri 8:30 AM–7:00 PM
- Phone: (646) 398-9151
- Address: 401–405 W 125th Street (Morningside Avenue), New York, NY 10027
- Accessibility: ramp on the right side of the church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Joseph Hartman1859
First priest assigned to minister to the German-speaking Catholics of Manhattanville; services initially held at the Academy and Convent of the Sacred Heart.
- Rev. Francis Karel1860–1864
First pastor assigned to the new church.
- Rev. Francis A. Gerber, OSF1864–1865
Served briefly before the parish fell into financial difficulty.
- Rev. Anthony Kesseler1865–1898
Longest-serving early pastor; oversaw 1871 enlargement, 1873–74 rectory, and 1889–90 Herter Brothers addition. Drowned at sea on the La Bourgogne, July 4, 1898.
- Rev. Francis X. E. Albert1898–1924
- Most Reverend Joseph F. Rummel1924–1928
Later Archbishop of New Orleans.
- Rev. Gerard H. Huntman1928–1940
- Monsignor Joseph M. Walsh1940–1946
- Monsignor George A. Kreidel1946–1950
- Monsignor Edwin C. Koenig1950–1971
- Monsignor Emil N. Kamora1972–1982
- Monsignor Howard W. Calkins1982–1997
- Rev. Philip J. Kelly1998–2011
- Rev. David E. Nolan2012–2019
- Rev. Joseph Kinda2019–present
Priest from Burkina Faso sent by the Archdiocese to minister to the West African immigrant community in Harlem.