About St. Joseph The Worker · Chester, Vermont
St. Joseph The Worker is a small Roman Catholic parish in the village of Chester, Vermont, situated in the southeastern part of Windsor County in the Diocese of Burlington. The parish was established in 1946 and built its present stone church in 1969, and it is now administered as one of the worship sites of Holy Family Parish together with Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Springfield. Mass is celebrated twice a week — Wednesday morning and the Saturday 4:00 pm vigil — with confessions heard before the vigil Mass.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker
- Rector
- Fr. Rogelio Organiza (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker offers a small, intimate Catholic community in the heart of rural Chester, with the dignified simplicity of a stone church built in 1969 and a patron saint (St. Joseph the Worker) honored locally with a May 1 feast and even a parish pilgrimage to St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal. As part of Holy Family Parish, worshippers here can also draw on the wider resources of neighboring Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Springfield, including a 24-hour Adoration Chapel in the Nolin-Murray building and a robust slate of faith formation programs. It is an ideal home for Catholics who value a quieter village parish rhythm while still being connected to the broader Diocese of Burlington.
Mass times at St. Joseph The Worker
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm (before the 4:00 pm vigil Mass)
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration listed as a regular devotion at St. Joseph the Worker (see parish schedule); a 24-hour Adoration Chapel is available at the Nolin-Murray building of the partner Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary site in Springfield
Parish History
St. Joseph the Worker in Chester was established in 1946, a post-war Catholic foundation serving the small town of Chester and surrounding hill towns in southeastern Vermont. The older Holy Name of Mary mission in Proctorsville became a mission of St. Joseph the Worker in September 1946, a relationship that endured for roughly fifty years. The parish built its present stone church on South Main Street in 1969, and that building still houses the worshipping community today.
- Established 1946
- Present stone church built 1969
- Holy Name of Mary, Proctorsville attached as a mission in September 1946
Patron Saint — St. Joseph the Worker
The parish takes its name from St. Joseph the Worker, whose feast day is celebrated on May 1. Pope Pius XII instituted this feast in 1955, intentionally offering a Catholic alternative to the secular May Day: a celebration of the dignity of labor and of workers' universal rights. As the patron of carpenters and of all who labor, St. Joseph also embodies the holiness of ordinary daily work, undertaken for the support of family and neighbor.
- Feast day: May 1
- Feast instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955
- Inspiration for Pope John Paul II's encyclical Laborem Exercens on human work
A Miraculous Bequest and a Pilgrimage
At one point in its history St. Joseph the Worker was struggling financially, and the staff prayed for St. Joseph's intercession. The very next day they received word that a parishioner had died and left money to the parish. To thank St. Joseph, the staff made a pilgrimage to St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, and the parish distributed books highlighting the miracles of St. Joseph to the community.
- Parish pilgrimage to St. Joseph's Oratory, Montreal
- Parishioner bequest arrived the day after the staff's prayers
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Joseph the Worker uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method for children ages 3–12, drawing on the Montessori-based atrium approach to Scripture and liturgy. The parish also offers broader faith formation groups for older youth and adults, and runs occasional parish activities such as exercise classes and summer gatherings to build community beyond the classroom.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–12)
- Faith formation groups
- Exercise classes
- Summer activities
Outreach and Community Life
The parish maintains a prison ministry and supports several outreach efforts coordinated through Holy Family Parish. Men's and women's prayer groups, faith formation classes, and informal social activities — including exercise classes and seasonal summer events — give parishioners multiple ways to stay connected beyond Sunday Mass.
- Prison ministry
- Men's prayer group
- Exercise and summer social activities
Sacraments
St. Joseph the Worker celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments either at the Chester church or in coordination with the partner Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary site in Springfield. Reconciliation is scheduled weekly before the Saturday vigil and is available by appointment at any time.
- Baptism — by arrangement
- First Communion and Confirmation — through parish faith formation
- Marriage — preparation and celebration by arrangement
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:30 pm and by appointment
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
St. Joseph the Worker is currently administered by Fr. Rogelio Organiza as one of the two worship sites of Holy Family Parish. The parish shares a single pastor/administrator with Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Springfield (10 Pleasant Street), which serves as the mailing address for parish business. The Diocese of Burlington is led by Bishop Christopher J. Coyne.
- Fr. Rogelio Organiza — Administrator
- Mailing address: Holy Family Parish, 10 Pleasant Street, Springfield, VT 05156
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, Bishop Christopher J. Coyne
Recent Pastoral Changes (2022)
On March 8, 2022, Bishop Christopher Coyne announced that he had removed Father Peter Williams as pastor of Holy Family Parish for what the Bishop described as 'serious disobedience and disrespect shown to the office of the bishop.' Father Henry Furman, then pastor of St. Michael Parish in Brattleboro, was appointed administrator until a more permanent priest could be assigned. Fr. Rogelio Organiza now serves as the parish's current Administrator.
- March 8, 2022: Fr. Peter Williams removed as pastor
- Fr. Henry Furman appointed interim administrator (March 2022)
- Fr. Rogelio Organiza currently administers Holy Family Parish
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Joseph the Worker is located on South Main Street in the village of Chester, Vermont, within easy reach of I-91 and the rural southeastern Windsor County. The parish mailing address and main office phone are routed through Holy Family Parish in Springfield, so visitors and newcomers are encouraged to call ahead to confirm Mass times, especially around Holy Days or in winter weather.
- Physical address: 96 S. Main Street, Chester, VT 05143
- Mailing address: Holy Family Parish, 10 Pleasant Street, Springfield, VT 05156
- Phone: (802) 875-2610 (Chester) / (802) 885-3400 (Springfield office)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: holyfamilyvermont.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Peter Williams
Pastor of Holy Family Parish; removed by Bishop Christopher Coyne on March 8, 2022 for 'serious disobedience and disrespect shown to the office of the bishop'.
- Father Henry Furman2022
Appointed Administrator of Holy Family Parish by Bishop Coyne in March 2022, concurrently serving as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Brattleboro.
- Fr. Rogelio Organizacurrent
Current Administrator of Holy Family Parish (which includes St. Joseph the Worker, Chester).