About St. Joseph the Worker · Dayton, Texas
St. Joseph the Worker is a Roman Catholic parish in Dayton, Texas, in the Diocese of Beaumont. The parish was established in 1967 when Bishop John L. Morkovsky sent its first resident pastor, Father Paul Fee, to serve some 150 Catholic families in the area. Together with its mission church, St. Anne in Eastgate, St. Joseph the Worker worships in English and Spanish, runs a parish school of religion (CCE) for K–12 youth, and serves the Dayton community with a food pantry, parish cemetery, and a variety of lay ministries. The current pastor is Father Peter Phong Nguyen, S.V.D., of the Society of the Divine Word.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker
- Rector
- Father Peter Phong Nguyen, S.V.D.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Beaumont
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker is a growing, bilingual Roman Catholic community that takes its mission statement seriously — 'united by faith in God, nourished by Jesus through both the Word and the Eucharist and empowered by the Holy Spirit' — and meets both spiritual and physical needs through prayer, faith formation, evangelization, stewardship, fellowship, and social justice. Families will find a parish school of religion (CCE) for K–12, Confirmation preparation, First Communion, OCIA/RCIA, a food pantry serving the wider Dayton community, multiple choirs, and an active parish council. Sharing a pastor with St. Anne Mission in Eastgate, the parish offers a personal, small-town Catholic home for English- and Spanish-speaking families across Liberty County.
Mass times at St. Joseph the Worker
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM (at St. Joseph) or by appointment
- Sunday: 7:30 AM (at St. Anne Mission, Eastgate) or by appointment
History of St. Joseph the Worker, Dayton
St. Joseph the Worker traces its roots to 1919, when Father Edward I. Casserly, S.S.J., began celebrating Mass in the Louis St. Julian home in Dayton. A small frame church was completed in 1939 on land purchased by Father Michael McCormack, S.S.J., and the parish was formally established in 1967 with Father Paul Fee as its first resident pastor under Bishop John L. Morkovsky. The current multi-purpose church was dedicated on May 26, 1968, with an altar made of native stone. In July 1967, St. Anne in Eastgate became a mission of the new parish.
- 1919 — First Mass in Dayton (St. Julian home) by Fr. Edward I. Casserly, S.S.J.
- 1939 — First frame church completed under Fr. Michael McCormack, S.S.J.
- 1966 — Dayton transferred to the newly formed Diocese of Beaumont
- 1967 — St. Joseph the Worker constituted; Fr. Paul Fee appointed first resident pastor
- 1967 — St. Anne, Eastgate becomes a mission of St. Joseph the Worker
- 1968 (March 3) — First Mass in the new building
- 1968 (May 26) — Dedication by Bishop John L. Morkovsky
Parish Staff
St. Joseph the Worker is served by a Society of the Divine Word (S.V.D.) pastor, a permanent deacon, and a small lay staff who together coordinate the parish's worship, faith formation, music, outreach, and facilities.
- Pastor: Fr. Peter Phong Nguyen, S.V.D. — [email protected]
- Deacon: Roy Culver
- Director of Faith Formation: John Cox, O.P. — [email protected]
- Parish Secretary: Daisy Salinas
- Office Assistant: Bernice Gracia
- Choir Director (English): Anne Marie
- Choir Director (Spanish): Grasiela Magaña
- Choir Director: Geralyn Moulds
- Facilities Manager: Doris Stark
- Cemetery Contact: Candy Rucka — 936.346.1286
Faith Formation and Religious Education (CCE)
The parish school of religion is called Continuing Christian Education (CCE) and provides systematic catechesis for children from kindergarten through 12th grade, together with sacramental preparation. CCE is the parish's Total Catechesis program, combining structured doctrine and sacramental preparation at age-appropriate levels.
- CCE 1st–5th Grade — Tuesday, 6:00 PM–7:30 PM
- CCE 6th–8th Grade — Wednesday, 6:00 PM–7:30 PM
- Confirmation preparation — Wednesday, 6:00 PM–7:30 PM
- Director: John Cox, O.P. — [email protected]
- Topics covered: basic doctrine, prayer, Christian morality, liturgy, and the Sacraments
Sacraments
St. Joseph the Worker prepares and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with First Communion and Confirmation typically prepared for through the CCE program and adult initiation through OCIA/RCIA.
- Baptism — preparation required; contact the parish office
- First Holy Communion — sacramental preparation within CCE
- Confirmation — Wednesday evening CCE sessions
- Marriage — contact the parish office for preparation
- OCIA / RCIA — Christian Initiation of Adults
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion for the sick — by appointment
- Confession / Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30 PM or by appointment
Music and Liturgy
Music at St. Joseph the Worker is led by a team of three choir directors who serve the English, Spanish, and combined parish liturgies across St. Joseph the Worker and St. Anne Mission.
- Choir Director (English Masses) — Anne Marie
- Choir Director (Spanish Masses) — Grasiela Magaña
- Choir Director — Geralyn Moulds
Outreach and Community Life
The parish pursues its mission of meeting both the spiritual and physical needs of its growing parish family through stewardship, fellowship, and social justice. A parish food pantry is highlighted as one of the parish's wider community ministries.
- Parish food pantry serving the Dayton community
- Parish Council (lay leadership)
- Parish Registration program (members can join and download a registration form on the website)
- Fellowship and stewardship activities for parishioners
St. Anne Mission, Eastgate
St. Anne Mission sits on CR 622 at FM 686 in Dayton/Eastgate, Texas, and has been a mission of St. Joseph the Worker since July 1967. The parish's S.V.D. pastor serves the mission together with the main church, and it offers its own Sunday morning Mass and confessions schedule.
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM
- Sunday Confessions — 7:30 AM, or by appointment
- Address: CR 622 at FM 686, Dayton/Eastgate, Texas
- Pastor: Fr. Peter Phong Nguyen, S.V.D.
Parish Cemetery
The parish maintains a cemetery for the Dayton community, with inquiries handled by a dedicated parish cemetery contact.
- Cemetery Contact: Candy Rucka
- Cemetery Phone: 936.346.1286
Contact, Location, and Office Hours
The parish office is located on S. Cleveland Street in Dayton and is open weekday mornings. Mail is received at the parish PO Box. The parish can be reached by phone, email, or through its Facebook page and website.
- Address: 804 S. Cleveland St., Dayton, TX 77535
- Mailing: PO Box 640, Dayton, TX 77535
- Phone: (936) 258-5735
- Rectory (Emergency): 936.258.9499
- Office Email: [email protected]
- Father's Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Website: www.stjosephdaytontx.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Paul Fee1967–
First resident pastor of St. Joseph the Worker, appointed by Bishop Morkovsky when the parish was formed in 1967; oversaw the construction and 1968 dedication of the new church building and continued to serve the St. Anne Mission.