About St. Joseph · Salisbury, Missouri
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Jefferson City serving the small rural community of Salisbury in Chariton County, Missouri. The parish's present sandstone church, one of only a few 'rock churches' in the state, was designed by St. Louis architect Joseph Conradi and dedicated in 1905. St. Joseph is part of an associated-parishes grouping with St. Boniface in Brunswick and St. Mary of the Angels in Wien, and its current pastor, Rev. Jeremy A. Secrist (appointed September 2023), shepherds all three. The parish also operates St. Joseph Catholic School, a PK-8 program that has served Salisbury-area children since 1891.
- Established
- 1874 (first church); 1890 (first resident pastor); 1905 (present sandstone church)
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Jeremy A. Secrist
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the rare chance to worship in a historic, native-sandstone Gothic church — one of only a few rock churches in Missouri — with soaring vaulted arches and a celebrated 1905 Pfeffer pipe organ that has just been painstakingly restored. The parish combines deep rural roots (the congregation organized in 1870, with the present church dating to 1905) with a vital parish school that has served Salisbury-area children since 1891. As part of a three-parish grouping with Brunswick and Wien under Fr. Jeremy Secrist, the community is small enough to know one another well but firmly connected to the wider Diocese of Jefferson City.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
Catholic life in Salisbury began in 1870, when the first movement was made to organize a local congregation. In 1874 Fr. M. Busch, pastor at Glasgow, helped the Salisbury Catholics build a frame church a quarter-mile northeast of the present site. Fr. John L. Gadell became the first resident pastor in 1890, purchasing the present property and erecting a school and convent by 1891. Fr. John Hennes built a new rectory in 1896, and by 1903 Fr. Joseph F. Lubeley found the frame church too small. The cornerstone of the present sandstone church was laid July 4, 1904; the first Mass was offered July 10, 1905, and the church was dedicated November 16, 1905.
The 1905 Sandstone Church
St. Joseph's present church is a Gothic Revival edifice built of native Missouri sandstone, making it one of the very few rock churches in the state. St. Louis architect Joseph Conradi designed the 110-by-40-foot building, which seats about 300 and rises to a spire as high as the building is long. Soaring vaulted arches, dramatic stained-glass windows and resilient acoustics define the sanctuary. A new altar, a restored crucifix, a historic tabernacle table, and an antique pulpit are featured pieces.
- Architect: Joseph Conradi, St. Louis
- Style: Gothic Revival; native sandstone
- Dimensions: 110 × 40 feet; seats ~300
- Cornerstone laid: July 4, 1904
- First Mass: July 10, 1905
- Dedicated: November 16, 1905
2024–2025 Renovation and Consecration
Over the decades, heat and moisture seeping in through the roof and stones damaged the ceiling and plaster, and the building was no longer safe. Masses were offered in the school gym while the parish worked with diocesan director of buildings and properties Brad Copeland on repairs. Bishop W. Shawn McKnight consecrated the renewed church and a newly built altar on February 23, 2025, concelebrated by Fr. Jeremy Secrist, Fr. Benjamin Armentrout (who grew up in the parish), dean Fr. Gregory Oligschlaeger, former pastor Fr. Boniface Nzabonimpa, and neighboring priests.
The Pfeffer–Soer Pipe Organ
The church's 1905 organ case, built by J. G. Pfeffer & Sons Co. of St. Louis, has been painstakingly restored — repaired, enlarged, repainted and re-gilded. The Christopher Soer Pipe Organ Co. of Union, Missouri rebuilt the interior with re-scaled pipework from two other diocesan organs, a new solid-state relay, and a modest, congregational-friendly specification. A dedicatory organ-and-trumpet concert by Nashville artists Andrew Reisinger and Joel Treybig was held on March 8 to mark the new two-manual instrument.
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School, located at 105 N Willie Ave, has been a vital part of the parish and the Salisbury community since its dedication in February 1891. The school offers spiritual, intellectual, social and moral development for students PK–8, with Mass celebrated three times a week and the pastor actively involved in religious education. The school follows the curriculum of the Diocese of Jefferson City, and daily life is shaped by prayer — including a 2:00 p.m. prayer bell, prayer before and after meals, and team prayer before athletic events.
- Address: 105 N Willie Ave, Salisbury, MO 65281
- Phone: (660) 388-5518
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.school.stjoe.church
- Principal: Mrs. Kelsey Emmerich
- Grades served: Preschool (3–4) through 8th grade
- Daily bell: 7:50 a.m.; Dismissal: 3:25 p.m. (Preschool 3:10 p.m.)
- Extended Care: 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Religion is taught as a subject in every grade. Sacramental preparation is incorporated into the school day: Reconciliation and First Communion are prepared in 2nd grade, and Confirmation in 7th and 8th grade. Prayer services, the rosary, Stations of the Cross, May Crowning, and Reconciliation are part of the rhythm of the school year. Students also take part in service projects for the parish and wider community.
Athletics & Extracurriculars
St. Joseph offers a robust, no-cut extracurricular program for grades 5–8, with every child given the opportunity to participate.
- Football (7th–8th grade boys)
- Cross country (7th–8th boys and girls)
- Basketball (5th–8th boys and girls)
- Track (7th–8th boys and girls)
- Band (5th–8th boys and girls)
- Student Council (3rd–8th)
- Bellarmine Speech League (5th–8th)
- Quiz Bowl (7th–8th)
A Brief School History
St. Joseph Catholic School was dedicated in February 1891. The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood from O'Fallon, Missouri, taught there beginning in 1899; boarders from the surrounding county lived with the Sisters. The first four-year high school was recorded in 1920 and became fully accredited in Missouri on May 16, 1924 — the date of its first graduating class of four students. The Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict of Atchison, Kansas arrived in 1938. A new grade school building with four classrooms, a gymnasium and a kitchen was dedicated October 6, 1957; a brick addition with six classrooms, locker rooms and offices followed in 1964–65. The high school closed in 1971; the kindergarten, discontinued earlier, was reopened in 1980; and in 2019–2020 a 3-4 preschool opened alongside a new junior-high addition.
Clergy, Staff & Associated Parishes
St. Joseph is currently served by Rev. Jeremy A. Secrist (ordained 2004), who was appointed pastor effective September 20, 2023. He also serves as pastor of St. Boniface Parish in Brunswick and St. Mary of the Angels Parish in Wien, and is the Bishop's Delegate for Church Pipe Organs in the Diocese of Jefferson City. The parish is grouped with those two communities within the Central Deanery, Chariton County, Missouri.
- Pastor: Rev. Jeremy A. Secrist
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Parish phone: (660) 388-5590
- Associated parishes: St. Boniface (Brunswick); St. Mary of the Angels (Wien)
- Deanery: Central
- County: Chariton
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at (660) 388-5590, by email at [email protected], or in person at 301 W Williams St, Salisbury, MO 65281. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:15 p.m. (Vigil) and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. School inquiries are directed to 105 N Willie Ave, Salisbury, MO 65281, (660) 388-5518.
- Parish address: 301 W Williams St, Salisbury, MO 65281
- School address: 105 N Willie Ave, Salisbury, MO 65281
- Diocesan page: https://diojeffcity.org/st-joseph-salisbury/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. M. Busch1874
Pastor at Glasgow who induced the Salisbury congregation to build their first Catholic church.
- Fr. John L. Gadell1890–
First resident pastor of St. Joseph; purchased the present church site; oversaw construction of school and convent (1891).
- Fr. John Hennes1896–
Succeeded Fr. Gadell; built a new rectory.
- Fr. Joseph F. Lubeley1903–
Found the frame church inadequate; laid the cornerstone of the present sandstone church on July 4, 1904.
- Rev. Boniface K. Nzabonimpauntil September 2023
Previous pastor; reassigned to St. Joseph Parish, Edina, and St. Aloysius Parish, Baring, on September 20, 2023.
- Rev. Jeremy A. SecristSeptember 2023–present
Current pastor; also serves St. Boniface Parish, Brunswick, and St. Mary of the Angels Parish, Wien; serves as Bishop's Delegate for Church Pipe Organs.