About St. Joseph · Strongsville, Ohio
St. Joseph Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Strongsville, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), serving approximately 2,700 registered families in the Diocese of Cleveland. Guided by its mission statement, the parish celebrates the Eucharist, worships God, and uses its gifts to serve all of God's people, branding itself 'Where Faith and Family Come Together.' The parish runs Sts. Joseph and John Interparochial School (shared with neighboring St. John Neumann Parish), a Parish School of Religion (PSR), and more than 50 ministries, including outreach through a long-standing sister-parish relationship in El Salvador.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Andrew J. Gonzalez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a large, multigenerational Catholic community with deep local roots in Strongsville since 1946 — the parish's own tagline is 'Where Faith and Family Come Together' and it has been 'serving God and neighbor since 1946.' With about 2,700 registered families, 580 children in Sts. Joseph and John School, 180 children in PSR, and more than 50 active ministries, there is a place for nearly every interest — from CYO athletics and a vibrant music program, to sacramental preparation, a Respect Life Ministry, a sister-parish partnership in El Salvador, and outreach to the West Side Catholic Center. The parish also invests heavily in accessibility (a hearing loop, sensory box, low-gluten hosts, wheelchair-accessible entrances) so that every member of the family can worship and serve together.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (or by appointment with a priest)
- Thursday before First Fridays, 6:30-8:00 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:30 PM — Evening Prayer with Benediction
Parish History
Founded in 1946 by Father Joseph J. McGraw with about 170 families on the former Maruna homestead, St. Joseph grew from a first Mass in the Strongsville Town Hall on June 30, 1946 to a community of roughly 2,700 families today. Its original Quonset-Hut church — the first such structure used as a church in the Diocese of Cleveland — was destroyed by a tornado on April 11, 1965, just eleven days before the new brick church's first Mass on May 1, 1965. The parish has been served by seven pastors in its 79-year history, and celebrated its 75th anniversary beginning on the Feast of Corpus Christi in June 2021.
- Founded June 10, 1946 by Bishop Edward F. Hoban, Diocese of Cleveland
- First pastor: Father Joseph J. McGraw (1946-1962)
- First Mass: June 30, 1946 at the Strongsville Town Hall
- First Christmas Mass in the Quonset Hut: December 24, 1946
- First priest ordained from the parish: Dennis O'Grady, 1961
- First Mass in the current brick church: May 1, 1965 under Fr. James McDonough
- 75th Anniversary celebration opened June 6, 2021 with Bishop Edward Malesic
Mass & Sacraments
St. Joseph offers a full weekly schedule of Masses, with the Sunday 10:30 AM liturgy live-streamed on YouTube, and weekday Masses in both morning and evening slots throughout the year. The sacrament of Reconciliation is heard Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass and on the Thursday evenings before First Fridays.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM (live-streamed)
- Monday Evening: 6:30 PM
- Tuesday-Thursday Morning: 7:30 AM
- Thursday Evening Prayer with Benediction: 6:30 PM
- Friday Morning: 8:05 AM (Sept-May); 7:30 AM (June-August)
- First Saturday Morning: 8:00 AM
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:00 PM (or by appointment); Thursday before First Fridays, 6:30-8:00 PM
Becoming a Member
New parishioners are warmly welcomed and can register with the parish office by phone (440-238-5555) or by downloading a Registration Form from the website. The parish currently includes approximately 2,700 registered families, with 580 children in Sts. Joseph and John School and 180 children in the PSR program, and offers more than 50 active ministries. Visitors interested in joining the Catholic faith are guided through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process.
- Approximately 2,700 registered families
- 580 children in the school; 180 children in PSR
- Over 50 active ministries
- OCIA (Becoming Catholic) program for adults
- Registration Form available on the website
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Council
The parish is staffed by two parochial vicars, a part-time parochial vicar, two retired deacons, and a seminarian, alongside a parish staff led by a Director of Music Ministry (Luke Massery), Director of Faith Formation (Linda Zvoncheck), Business Manager (Dean Robinson), Director of Facilities (Al Lechler), and Office Manager / website contact (Judy Rawlins). The Parish Pastoral Council, twelve nominated members plus the pastor, meets every other month and seeks to recognize the Holy Spirit's guidance in developing parish priorities.
- Pastor: Fr. Andrew J. Gonzalez
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Arnold Tiplaca; Fr. Greg Olszewski (Part-Time)
- Pastor Emeritus: Fr. Robert J. Sanson
- Deacons: Paul Kutolowski (Retired); Robert Lester (Retired)
- Seminarian: Joe Rohan
- Pastoral Council meets the second Monday of every other month following the 6:30 PM Mass
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is led by Director Linda Zvoncheck with Office Assistant Moira Cohen. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) meets on Wednesday evenings, 6:45-8:00 PM, October through April, in the Sts. Joseph and John School building (Door 'O'); it serves students in grades 1-8 who do not attend Catholic school, with sacramental preparation requiring at least two years of prior religious education.
- PSR for grades 1-8, Wednesdays 6:45-8:00 PM (Oct-Apr)
- Located in Sts. Joseph and John School, 12580 Pearl Road (Door O)
- Office Assistant: Moira Cohen ([email protected])
- Two years of religious education required before First Communion and Confirmation
- Office hours Mon/Tue/Thu 9-5, Wed 9-1 and 4-8:15, Fri 9-12
Sts. Joseph and John Interparochial School
Founded in September 1950 with 160 students under the Sisters of St. Joseph (Rocky River Drive), the parish school is now the interparochial Sts. Joseph and John School shared with neighboring St. John Neumann Parish since the 1977 founding of St. John Neumann and the 1978 renaming of the school. A 1993 capital campaign under Fr. Sanson added a gym, kindergarten classrooms, and an administration wing; today about 580 children attend.
- Opened September 1950 with 160 children taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph
- Renamed Sts. Joseph and John Interparochial School in 1978 with the founding of St. John Neumann
- School address: 12580 Pearl Road, Strongsville
- Gym, kindergarten classrooms, and administration wing added 1993
- Approximately 580 children currently enrolled
Ministries & Community Life
St. Joseph organizes its more than 50 ministries under four commissions — Spiritual Life, Youth & Young Adult, Liturgical, and Social Concerns — and a Community Life Commission. Highlights include the Legion of Mary, Cenacle Prayer Group, Healing Prayer Teams, Seven Sisters Apostolate, CYO athletics, the Knights of Columbus, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, a Senior Group, the annual St. Joseph Serves service day, a Parish Clambake and Turkey Dinner, and Grief and Divorce recovery programs.
- Spiritual Life: Legion of Mary, Cenacle, Seven Sisters, Avilas Group, Fasting Brothers
- Youth: CYO/Athletic Boosters, Youth Ministry: By Teens For Teens, VBS Summer Camp
- Liturgical: Music Ministry, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Greeters, Lectors, Ushers, Sacristans
- Social Concerns: Respect Life, Habitat for Humanity, Sharing Tree, Uniting Ukraine, Feeding Our Family
- Community: Knights of Columbus, Parish Picnic, Parish Clambake, Turkey Dinner, Prayer Shawl Ministry
Sister Parish in El Salvador
Since 2003 St. Joseph has partnered with the Catholic community of San José Villanueva in El Salvador. What began with parishioner mission trips to celebrate Mass in small chapels in local cantones has grown into an ongoing relationship of prayer, financial support, and concrete-chapel construction, with items from closed Cleveland-diocese churches being donated to furnish the chapels. The parish's Education Partnership has provided over $160,000 in scholarships to the community, and the parish prays for its sister community at every weekend Mass.
- Sister parish since 2003 — San José Villanueva, El Salvador
- Mission trips began in 2004 with Fr. Sanson and parishioners
- Several concrete chapels constructed and furnished in the cantones
- Over $160,000 in scholarships provided through the Education Partnership
- Companion priest: Fr. Mario Adin Cruz Zaldivar
Anniversary & Anniversary Year
The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2021-2022, beginning with a Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 6, 2021, celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic and concelebrated by Father Joseph Mamich (pastor), Father Kevin Klonowski, and Pastor Emeritus Father Robert Sanson. A commemorative book including a history of the parish and parish pictures was published, and parish leaders spoke of the parish's growth from a wartime Quonset Hut to a thriving community of more than 2,750 families in 2021.
- 75th anniversary year: 2021-2022
- Opening Mass: June 6, 2021, Feast of Corpus Christi
- Principal Celebrant: Bishop Edward Malesic
- Pastors of record at anniversary: Fr. Joseph Mamich, Pastor Emeritus Fr. Robert Sanson
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph J. McGraw1946-1962
Founding pastor; received letter of appointment June 10, 1946 from Bishop Edward F. Hoban; built the original Quonset Hut church and St. Joseph School; died October 13, 1962 of a heart attack in the rectory.
- Father James McDonough1962-1972
Former English professor at St. John's College; built the current brick church and celebrated its first Mass on May 1, 1965; died suddenly in the rectory on March 17, 1972.
- Father Robert Donahoe1972-1981
Former director of Elyria Catholic High School and professor at Borromeo College of Ohio; developed the Parish Pastoral Council and helped create St. John Neumann Parish, leading to the school being renamed Sts. Joseph and John Interparochial School.
- Father Anthony Dodd1981-1991
Initiated many spiritual programs and brought the parish into the computer age in February 1984; reassigned in the Diocese after a sabbatical.
- Father Robert J. Sanson1991-2011
Former professor at The Catholic University of America; led the 1993 capital campaign that added the gym, kindergarten, school administration wing, Holy Family Center gathering room, and church administration wing; in 2006 renovated the altar and moved the baptismal font; founded the sister-parish relationship with San José Villanueva, El Salvador.
- Father Joseph Mamich2011-2023
Strongsville native; the youngest pastor in the Diocese of Cleveland at his appointment; led parish to debt-free completion of capital projects and began the Parish Endowment Fund; received a kidney donated by parishioner Jim Lechko in 2014; also served as Chaplain of Strongsville's Safety Forces from 2015; appointed diocesan secretary and vicar for clergy and religious in November 2023.
- Father Andrew J. Gonzalez2025-present
Seventh pastor in the parish's 79-year history; installed on April 27, 2025 by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost; had served as parish administrator since November 2023.