About St. Joseph · Shelbyville, Indiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Shelbyville, Indiana, founded in 1868 as the second Catholic congregation in Shelby County (after St. Vincent de Paul near Prescott). The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Parish #149) and today shares ministry with its sister parish, St. Vincent de Paul, under a single pastoral team led by Very Rev. Michael Keucher, VF. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, and the parish operates St. Joseph School (preschool through 5th grade) and a 24/7 Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel. With 828 registered families, St. Joseph remains the heart of Catholic life in Shelby County, serving both long-established and growing Hispanic communities.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Very Rev. Michael Keucher, VF
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Parish #149)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is the historic Catholic parish of Shelbyville and a welcoming bilingual community where English- and Spanish-speaking families worship side by side. The parish offers the full sacramental life — daily and Sunday Mass in English plus a Spanish Sunday Mass, frequent Confession times, a 24/7 Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel, and ongoing faith formation for children, youth, and adults (including OICA/RCIA, Confirmation prep, and a Charismatic prayer group). With its own parish school (PK–5), an active Hispanic Ministry, outreach and events programs, and a joint pastoral team linking it to nearby St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph is a place where families can put down roots, encounter Christ in the Eucharist, and grow in faith together.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday — 8:00 AM (St. Vincent)
- Sunday — 11:45 AM (St. Joseph)
- Saturday — 4:00 PM (St. Joseph)
- Monday — 5:30 PM (St. Vincent)
- Tuesday & Friday — 7:45 AM (St. Joseph)
- Wednesday — 7:45 AM (St. Vincent)
- 3rd Friday — 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM (St. Joseph)
- Note: No confessions before daily Masses when a substitute priest celebrates
Adoration times
- 24/7 in the Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph
- Monday — 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM (St. Vincent)
- Friday — 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (St. Joseph)
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church was founded in 1868 when Bishop Maurice de Saint Palais authorized Father John Gillig, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul, to seek land for a new parish in Shelbyville. Ground was broken on August 6, 1868 for the first church building on East Broadway — that original structure still stands today as the rectory. The first Mass was celebrated in June of 1868, before the building was even finished. For the first two years the parish was served by visiting priests from St. Vincent; in 1870 Rev. Francis J. Rudolph became its first pastor and personally acquired a frame house to start the parish school. The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis opened the school with 60 children in 1873. Father Adelrich Kaelin arrived in 1886 as the first resident pastor and built the first rectory, and a new (and current) church was begun with a groundbreaking on September 8 and dedicated on August 2 of the following year. In 2018 the parish celebrated 150 years with 'The St. Joe Show,' a play written by current pastor Fr. Michael Keucher.
- 1826 — Leo and Margaret Worland become the first Catholic family in the area
- 1828 — First Mass in Shelby County offered by Rev. George Elder
- 1839 — St. Vincent de Paul Church near Prescott is dedicated
- Aug 6, 1868 — Ground broken for the first St. Joseph church (now the rectory)
- 1870 — Rev. Francis J. Rudolph appointed first pastor
- 1873 — Parish school opens with 60 children under the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis
- 1886 — Fr. Adelrich Kaelin becomes first resident pastor; builds the first rectory
- Sept 8 — Groundbreaking for the present St. Joseph church
- Aug 2 — Dedication of the new (current) church
- 2018 — 150th anniversary; 'The St. Joe Show' dramatizes parish history
Mission and Purpose
St. Joseph Catholic Church exists to foster sanctifying encounters with Jesus Christ through prayer and sacrament, service and outreach, and education and formation. The parish joyfully shares its gifts to nourish the community, working in tandem with its sister parish, St. Vincent de Paul. With a bilingual (English/Spanish) identity, a parish school, perpetual adoration, and a robust sacramental and formation schedule, St. Joseph aims to be a place where every family can encounter Christ and grow as missionary disciples.
- Prayer and Sacrament
- Service and Outreach
- Education and Formation
- Bilingual (English / Spanish) ministry
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul share a single worship schedule across two historic church buildings in Shelby County. Daily Masses are celebrated Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, with a First Saturday morning Mass. The weekend schedule includes a Saturday Vigil and three to four Sunday Masses — including a weekly Spanish Mass. In June and July all Masses temporarily move to St. Vincent de Paul (4218 E. Michigan Road) while St. Joseph undergoes renovation.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM (SJ)
- Sunday — 7:00 AM (summer only), 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM (English); 12:15 PM (Spanish)
- Monday — 5:00 PM (SV)
- Tuesday — 8:15 AM (SV)
- Wednesday — 8:00 AM (SV)
- Friday — 8:15 AM (SV)
- First Saturday — 8:15 AM (SV)
Other Devotions and Prayer Opportunities
Beyond the Mass and Confession schedule, the parish offers a steady rhythm of prayer throughout the week — including a daily rosary before weekend Masses, a Wednesday rosary at St. Vincent, and a phone-in rosary Monday through Thursday evenings. A Spanish-language Charismatic prayer group with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and an Apologetics Bible Study both meet Friday evenings in the school cafeteria.
- Rosary — 30 minutes before every weekend Mass
- Rosary — Wednesdays 5:30 PM (St. Vincent)
- Call-In Rosary — Mon–Thu 8:00 PM (516-597-9420)
- Charismatic Prayer Group with Exposition — Fridays 6:00–8:00 PM
- Apologetics Bible Study (Defensa de la Fe) — Fridays 6:00–8:00 PM, school cafeteria
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Joseph offers formation at every age and stage — from preschool through adult initiation. Children not enrolled in the parish school can prepare for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion through the Wednesday-evening Catechism program; high-school youth meet every other Sunday for Confirmation preparation; and adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or full reception into the Catholic Church enroll in OICA (the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, the Spanish-language equivalent of RCIA).
- First Communion / First Reconciliation prep — Wednesdays 6:15–7:30 PM (school)
- Confirmation prep — 9th grade; every other Sunday 4:30–5:30 PM
- OICA (RCIA) — Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM, beginning in September
- High School Youth Group — Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM
- Quinceañera preparation (twice-yearly retreat)
- Presentations of 3-year-olds during Sunday Mass
St. Joseph Catholic School
Founded as part of the parish in 1873 under the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Joseph School today serves preschool through fifth grade with 138 students enrolled. Located at 127 E. Broadway in Shelbyville, the school shares the parish campus and continues the parish's commitment to forming young people in faith and learning. Principal Stephen Hoffman leads the school, supported by secretary Kathleen Simpson.
- Preschool through 5th grade
- 138 students enrolled
- Principal: Stephen Hoffman ([email protected])
- School Secretary: Kathleen Simpson
- Address: 127 E. Broadway, Shelbyville, IN 46176
Hispanic Ministry (Ministerio Hispano)
The Hispanic Ministry at St. Joseph, coordinated by James Velez, is a vibrant part of parish life. A weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish is offered at 12:15 PM, and the ministry provides sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Quinceañera), OICA adult initiation, Bible study, a Charismatic prayer group with exposition, and a high-school youth group. Spanish-language office assistance is available Thursday and Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the parish office.
- Spanish Mass — Sundays 12:15 PM
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Quinceañera prep
- OICA — adult initiation (Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM)
- Apologetics Bible Study (Defensa de la Fe) — Fridays 6:00–8:00 PM
- Charismatic Prayer Group with Exposition — Fridays 6:00–8:00 PM
- High School Youth Group — Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM
- Office assistance en español: Thursday & Friday 8 AM–4 PM
Parish Staff and Ministry Team
St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul share one pastoral team. Fr. Michael Keucher, VF serves as pastor of both parishes, with Deacon Charlie Giesting assisting. The staff includes a pastoral associate, parish catechetical leader, Hispanic ministry coordinator, music director, two administrative assistants, a school principal and secretary, and coordinators for outreach, buildings and grounds, cemetery, and finance.
- Pastor — Very Rev. Michael Keucher, VF ([email protected])
- Deacon — Charles 'Charlie' Giesting
- Pastoral Associate — Shona Duerstock
- Parish Catechetical Leader — Cathy Lampton
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator — James Velez
- Music Director — Matthew Nelson
- Administrative Assistants — Kellie Goebel, Paula Perry
- School Principal — Stephen Hoffman
- Outreach & Events — Gaye McKenney
- Buildings & Grounds (SJ) — Bryan Fischer
- Technology Support — Felicia Vogel
- Maintenance — Andrea Purdue
Sacraments at St. Joseph
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments and accompanies families through the sacramental life from infancy through marriage and anointing. Baptismal preparation is offered in both English and Spanish; First Communion and Confirmation follow multi-year formation tracks; and Fr. Mike is personally available for Anointing of the Sick at any time and for Marriage preparation at least six months in advance.
- Baptism — bilingual prep classes held the 2nd Sunday of Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — 1–2 years of catechesis
- Confirmation — 9th-grade program; annual Mass with the Archbishop
- Anointing of the Sick — call Fr. Mike any time
- Matrimony — begin with Fr. Mike (or James & Angélica for Spanish) 6+ months ahead
- Holy Orders / Marriage discernment — contact Fr. Mike
- OICA (RCIA) — adult initiation, Wednesdays in September
- Quinceañeras — Confirmation prep plus a twice-yearly retreat
Outreach, Cemetery, and Parish Life
Beyond worship and formation, St. Joseph runs an active outreach and events ministry (Coordinator: Gaye McKenney) and cares for the parish cemetery on the St. Joseph grounds (Kellie Goebel). Weekend liturgies depend on the generous service of lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, altar servers, and musicians (Music — MOA). The parish also maintains its buildings and grounds with volunteer leadership and offers hall rentals at St. Vincent de Paul for parish and community events.
- Outreach & Events — Gaye McKenney ([email protected])
- St. Joseph Cemetery operations — Kellie Goebel
- Liturgical ministries — Lectors, EMHCs, Ushers, Altar Servers, Music (MOA)
- Buildings & Grounds (SJ) — Bryan Fischer; (SV) David Adams
- Hall Rentals (SV) — Karen Kuhn, 317-372-5466
- Finance Councils — Bryan Fischer (SJ), Margaret Haehl (SV)
Visiting, Contact, and Getting Involved
St. Joseph welcomes new parishioners and visitors. Registration is available through ShelbyCatholic.org. The joint parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 228 E. Hendricks Street in Shelbyville, and Spanish-language assistance is available Thursday and Friday. The parish office number is 317-398-8227 and email is [email protected]. Fr. Mike can be reached directly at 812-391-0047 or [email protected].
- Parish office: 228 E. Hendricks St., Shelbyville, IN 46176
- Phone: 317-398-8227
- Email: [email protected]
- Fr. Mike direct: 812-391-0047 / [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Spanish assistance: Thu & Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Register online at ShelbyCatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis J. Rudolph1870–
First pastor of St. Joseph (also serving St. Vincent de Paul). Personally acquired land and a large frame house with his own money to start the parish school.
- Fr. Adelrich Kaelin1886–
First resident pastor of St. Joseph; the first priest to actually live at the parish and the first responsible for St. Joseph alone. Built the first rectory.