About St. Joseph · Rockville, Connecticut
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic faith community in Rockville (part of Vernon), Connecticut, in the Diocese of Norwich. Founded on April 26, 1905 by Polish immigrants, it remains a multicultural parish celebrating Mass in both English and Polish each week. The parish describes itself as invoking the Holy Spirit to put the love of Christ into action through spiritual nourishment, Gospel living, outreach to those in need, and sharing the gifts received from God. Today's parish is pastored by Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny with the assistance of Rev. Rafal Walczyk O.S.P.P.E. and continues the Pauline Fathers' tradition of ministry to the Rockville area.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny
- Diocese
- Diocese of Norwich
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a parish where a Catholic can worship in either English or Polish every Sunday, draw on a deep well of Eucharistic devotion through daily Mass, multiple weekly Adoration hours, a Thursday Holy Hour with confession, and the Divine Mercy and First Friday/First Saturday devotions. The community puts its multicultural identity into action through small faith groups such as Magnificat and St. Francis deSales, family events like the annual Assumption Day Parish Picnic, religious education and a Vacation Bible School for children, retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey since the 1950s, and the pastoral availability of Father Tadeusz Zadorozny and Fr. Rafal Walczyk. Whether you are a long-time Rockville family, a new arrival, or a Polish-speaking Catholic in northeastern Connecticut, St. Joseph offers a place to belong and to grow in the sacramental and devotional life of the Church.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays following the 7:30 AM Mass (during morning Adoration)
- Saturdays before the Vigil Mass, 3:00–3:45 PM
- First Friday following the 7:30 AM Mass
- Thursday 7:00–8:00 PM during the Holy Hour (7–8 PM)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday evenings, 7:00–8:00 PM (with Confessions)
- Friday during Divine Mercy at 3:00 PM
- Saturday following the 7:30 AM Mass until 9:00 AM in the Main Church
- Saturday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM in the Chapel in the Parish office building
- First Saturday Adoration following the 7:30 AM Mass
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic faith community in Rockville (Town of Vernon), Connecticut, in the Diocese of Norwich. The parish describes its mission as invoking the Holy Spirit to put the love of Christ into action — providing spiritual nourishment, living the Gospel, reaching out to those in need, sharing gifts, and extending Christ's love to all people. The parish proudly describes itself as 'a multicultural Catholic community since 1905.'
- Founded April 26, 1905 for Polish immigrants
- Diocese of Norwich (Hartford Province)
- Bishop: Most Rev. Michael Richard Cote
- Current pastor: Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny (since 2021)
- Assistant vicar: Rev. Rafal Walczyk O.S.P.P.E.
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph was established in 1905 to serve Polish immigrants settling in Rockville. Its first pastor, Rev. Charles Wotypka, led a string of Polish-speaking clergy through the first half of the 20th century. Under Fr. Hyacinth Lepak (1949–1975) the parish transitioned into a multi-ethnic community. From 2008 to 2021 it was shepherded by Pauline Fathers (O.S.P.P.E.), and since 2021 Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny has served as pastor, maintaining the parish's English-and-Polish liturgical tradition.
- 17 pastors recorded from 1905 to today
- Fr. Hyacinth Lepak (1949–1975): began retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey
- Pauline Fathers (O.S.P.P.E.) era: 2008–2021
- Distinctly Polish heritage preserved alongside multicultural American Catholic identity
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Joseph celebrates Mass daily in English, with a Sunday Mass in Polish and an additional First Saturday/First Friday Mass in Polish. The parish also live-streams its Sunday 10:00 AM Mass for those unable to attend in person. Lauds (Morning Community Prayer) precede daily Mass at 7:20 AM, and the Rosary is prayed half an hour before each Mass.
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (Polish), 10:00 AM (English)
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM (English)
- Tue 7:00 PM; Mon & Wed–Sat 7:30 AM (English daily Mass)
- First Friday: 8:00 PM (Polish); First Saturday: 7:00 PM (Polish)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Faith Formation program with registration open for the 2026–2027 year, and is launching its first 'Totally Catholic' Vacation Bible School on August 3–6, 2026 for children in kindergarten through entering sixth grade. Adult formation is supported through resources listed on the 'Exploring the Catholic Faith' page (USCCB, FORMED, Word on Fire, etc.).
- Faith Formation Registration 2026–2027
- VBS 2026 'Totally Catholic' — Aug 3, 4, 5, 6 (9 AM–12 PM)
- Volunteers needed for VBS
- Catholic resource links: USCCB, FORMED, Word on Fire, St. Paul Center
Small Groups & Retreats
Parishioners gather regularly in small faith groups. The Magnificat Small Groups visit the Trappist monks of St. Joseph's Abbey, and the St. Francis deSales Small Group brings families together to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and study Encyclicals and Church documents. Retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey have been a regular feature of parish life since the 1950s and especially since the 1980s, for college-age through retired parishioners.
- Magnificat Small Groups — Trappist monastery visits
- St. Francis deSales Small Group — Liturgy of the Hours and study of Church documents
- Retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey (since the 1950s; regular since the 1980s)
Sacraments
Online forms on the parish website make it easy to schedule a Baptism, begin marriage preparation, register for Religious Education, or join the parish. A dedicated page explains the Sacrament of Holy Orders (bishop, priest, deacon) for those discerning a vocation.
- Baptism — online scheduling
- Marriage — online inquiry / 'Get Married' form
- Religious Education / Faith Formation
- Holy Orders — vocation information on the parish website
Parish Life & Events
Community life at St. Joseph features an annual Parish Picnic following the 10:00 AM Mass celebrating the Assumption (with flowers, herbs, and first fruits brought for blessing), Vacation Bible School week, regular Adoration Chapel gatherings, and seasonal schedule changes noted on the website (e.g., Father's away weeks with visiting priest coverage). The parish office and Adoration Chapel are located in the Parish Office Building on West Street.
- Annual Parish Picnic on the Solemnity of the Assumption
- VBS week (first week of August)
- Live-streamed Sunday 10:00 AM Mass
- Online giving available via the parish website
Parish Leadership & Clergy
St. Joseph is pastored today by Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny, who succeeded the Pauline Fathers who led the parish from 2008 to 2021. He is assisted by Rev. Rafal Walczyk O.S.P.P.E. as assistant vicar. The parish is part of the Diocese of Norwich, under Bishop Most Rev. Michael Richard Cote, and falls within the Hartford ecclesiastical province.
- Pastor: Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny (2021–present)
- Assistant Vicar: Rev. Rafal Walczyk O.S.P.P.E.
- Diocesan Bishop: Most Rev. Michael Richard Cote (Diocese of Norwich)
- 17 pastors documented in the parish history since 1905
Visiting or Joining the Parish
Newcomers can register online, schedule a Baptism, request marriage preparation, or sign children up for Religious Education straight from the parish homepage. Mass is offered most days of the week, with confession before every Vigil Mass and during the Thursday Holy Hour. The parish office can be reached at (860) 871-1970 or [email protected].
- Register as a parishioner — online form
- Schedule a Baptism — online form
- Religious Education information — online
- Get Married — online inquiry form
- Office: 33 West St., Vernon/Rockville CT 06066 — (860) 871-1970 — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles Wotypka1905–1908
First pastor; founded the parish for Polish immigrants on April 26, 1905.
- Rev. Joseph Culkowski1908–1909
- Rev. Maximilian Soltysek1909–1917
- Rev. Leon Wierzynski1917–1918
- Rev. Franciszek Wladasz1918–1922
- Rev. Stefan Bartkowski1922–1927
- Rev. Zygmunt Woroniecki1927–1949
- Rev. Hyacinth Lepak1949–1975
Began transforming the parish into a multi-ethnic community beginning in the 1950s; began retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey.
- Rev. Aloysius Kisluk1975–1988
- Rev. Joseph Hanks1988–1994
- Rev. Joseph M. Olczak1994–2008
- Fr. Krzysztof Wieliczko O.S.P.P.E.2008–2010
First Pauline Father assigned to the parish.
- Fr. Krzysztof Drybka O.S.P.P.E.2010–2021
Order of St. Paul the First Hermit (Pauline Fathers).
- Fr. Bogdan Olzacki O.S.P.P.E.2016–2021
Concurrently served alongside Fr. Drybka during the Pauline era.
- Rev. Tadeusz Zadorozny2021–present
Current pastor; transition back from Pauline Fathers leadership.