About St. Joseph · Slaton, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Slaton, Texas, in the Diocese of Lubbock, founded in 1912 to serve the small but devout German-Catholic farming community that had settled along the railroad in the South Plains. Today the parish shares worship with its mission church, Our Lady of Guadalupe (established 1952), offering Masses in both English and Spanish and a steady schedule of sacraments, faith formation, and community life. The current pastor is Rev. Jacob Powell (assigned July 1, 2025), assisted by three deacons and a small parish staff. The parish is well known across West Texas for its annual Slaton Sausage Festival and Oktoberfest, a beloved fundraiser rooted in the community's German Catholic heritage.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Jacob Powell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lubbock
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a bilingual, multi-generational Catholic community that takes seriously both the Eucharist and the parish's German-Catholic and Tejano heritage. Parishioners are drawn by a schedule that includes daily and weekend Masses in English and Spanish, regular Reconciliation, First Friday Adoration, faith formation for children and teens, and active youth ministry. The parish's signature fundraiser, the Slaton Sausage Festival and Oktoberfest, brings the whole town together each fall and is a vivid expression of the church's continuing role at the heart of Slaton life.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
- After Tuesday Mass (12:00 PM)
- After Thursday Mass (7:00 AM, at Our Lady of Guadalupe)
- Sundays at Our Lady of Guadalupe before Mass: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- By appointment — contact Fr. Powell
Adoration times
- First Friday at 7:30 AM (with Mass)
Welcome to St. Joseph Catholic Church
The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant faith community in Slaton, Texas, committed to growing together in our relationship with Jesus Christ and serving our neighbors with love and compassion.' Whether a visitor is a lifelong Catholic or exploring the faith for the first time, the parish family extends a warm welcome. The community supports worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth as members journey together in faith.
- Parish motto / tagline: 'A welcoming Catholic community in Slaton, Texas, dedicated to growing in faith and serving with love.'
- Open invitation to new parishioners
- Online giving available via the parish website
History & Heritage
St. Joseph was established in 1912 as one of five German-Catholic colonies recruited by Father Joseph Reisdorff, a priest who moved from St. Louis to Texas in December 1891 for the drier climate. Reisdorff served as the parish's first priest, recruiting German Catholic settlers from the Midwest and German Lutherans from Central Texas to farm and worship in Slaton. He remained parish priest until going on sick leave in 1917 and died in 1922; he is buried in Jefferson City, Missouri. The parish later added its Spanish-language mission, Our Lady of Guadalupe (est. 1952), and today remains a small but living embodiment of both German-Catholic and Hispanic Catholic heritage on the South Plains.
- Founded 1912
- Founding pastor: Rev. Joseph Reisdorff (1912–1917)
- Companion mission: Our Lady of Guadalupe, est. 1952
- Part of the Diocese of Lubbock
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Rev. Jacob Powell, pastor (assigned July 1, 2025). He is assisted by three deacons — Pete Paniagua, Eric Hybner, and Adam Behnke — and a small lay staff that includes a parish secretary, office manager/financial secretary, and the Parish Catechetical Leader. Fr. Powell also publishes his homilies online through the parish website.
- Pastor: Rev. Jacob Powell (assigned July 1, 2025)
- Deacon Pete Paniagua (also leads OCIA)
- Deacon Eric Hybner
- Deacon Adam Behnke
- Office Manager / Financial Secretary: Karen Banehorst
- Parish Catechetical Leader, Young Leaders, Walking with Faith, Food & Friends: Jared Warsing
- OCIA: led by Rev. Jacob Powell (diocesan record) / Deacon Pete Paniagua (alternate listing)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Joseph's faith formation programs serve children and adults at all stages of their spiritual journey, from sacramental preparation through ongoing adult formation. The parish's catechetical leader, Jared Warsing, coordinates the PCL (Parish Catechetical Leader) ministry along with the Young Leaders program and the Walking with Faith, Food & Friends (WFFF) initiative.
- Religious Education (children and adults)
- First Communion preparation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Young Leaders (YL)
- Walking with Faith, Food & Friends (WFFF)
Youth Ministry
The parish's Youth Ministry offers engaging programs for teens and young adults to grow in faith, fellowship, and service — connecting the younger generation of Slaton Catholics to the parish's sacramental life and to one another.
- Programs for teens and young adults
- Fellowship and service components
- Connected to the parish's PCL/Young Leaders work
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The parish website lists preparation pages for Baptism, First Communion, and Marriage as the primary entry points for families and individuals; Reconciliation is available weekly as listed in the schedule. Adults seeking full initiation into the Church are welcomed through the OCIA process led by Fr. Powell and the deacons.
- Baptism — welcome into the family of Christ
- First Communion (First Eucharist) preparation
- Marriage / Holy Matrimony preparation
- Reconciliation (see Mass & Confession schedule)
- OCIA for adults
The Slaton Sausage Festival & Oktoberfest
The Slaton Sausage Festival is the parish's signature annual fundraiser and one of the most recognizable German-Catholic traditions on the Texas South Plains. Now in its sixth decade, the festival was expanded in recent years with an Oktoberfest Saturday featuring live local bands, while Sunday remains the main event — smoked German sausage by Keeter's Meat Company, grilled chicken, German potato salad, sauerkraut, green beans, bread, and homemade cakes prepared by churchgoers. A beer garden with a live brass band is part of the Sunday celebration. Longtime volunteer David Buxkemper has helped run the festival for more than 30 years.
- Held annually at the St. Joseph Parish Hall, 205 S. 19th St.
- More than 50 years running as of the early 2020s
- Oktoberfest Saturday added in recent years with live music
- Sunday features Keeter's Meat Company German sausage and parish-made sides and cakes
- Facebook: facebook.com/slatonsausage
Parish Bulletin & Communications
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin with parish news, announcements, and a liturgical calendar, and maintains an online bulletin archive. Fr. Powell also publishes his homilies on the parish website for parishioners who wish to revisit or catch up on a recent homily.
- Weekly Parish Bulletin
- Bulletin Archive (online)
- Father Powell's Homilies
- Liturgical Calendar
- Parish Calendar
Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission Church
Our Lady of Guadalupe (est. 1952) is the parish's companion Spanish-language mission church, located at 705 S 4th St, Slaton, TX 79364. It hosts the Sunday Spanish Mass, the Wednesday evening Mass, the Thursday morning Spanish Mass, and Sunday Confessions before Mass. The mission shares clergy and staff with St. Joseph and is fully part of the same parish community.
- Address: 705 S 4th St, Slaton, TX 79364
- Established 1952 (Diocese of Lubbock / GCatholic)
- Sunday Spanish Mass: 8:30 AM
- Thursday Spanish Mass: 7:00 AM
- Wednesday Mass: 5:30 PM
- Confessions Sundays 7:45–8:15 AM
Visit Us
Parishioners and visitors are invited to stop by the parish office during office hours, join a weekend Mass, or call to schedule a confession or a meeting with Fr. Powell. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, at 205 S 19th St, Slaton, TX 79364.
- St. Joseph Church: 205 S 19th St, Slaton, TX 79364
- Our Lady of Guadalupe: 705 S 4th St, Slaton, TX 79364
- Phone: 806.828.3944
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Reisdorff1912 – 1917
Founding pastor of St. Joseph; recruited German-Catholic settlers to Slaton and served the parish until he went on sick leave in 1917. Died 1922.