About St. Joseph · White Pigeon, Michigan
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish located in the village of White Pigeon, Michigan, in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The church sits along US 12 west of Sturgis and serves as a mission-style community, sharing pastoral leadership with nearby Holy Angels Parish in Sturgis under Pastor Rev. Andrew Raczkowski. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with a special weekday Mass on the first Thursday of each month that is paired with extended Adoration and the sacrament of Reconciliation. The parish describes itself as 'a welcoming and caring family – faithful to Jesus and to the Roman Catholic Church – committed by example to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by embracing the beatitudes in order to grow in holiness, all for the glory of God.'
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Raczkowski
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo
Why belong here
St. Joseph Catholic Church offers a small, close-knit Catholic community where members truly know one another. The parish provides the full sacramental life — weekend and weekday Mass, monthly Adoration with Benediction, regular Reconciliation, OCIA for adults, CCD religious education for children, and a vibrant outreach through St. Joseph Cares that supports parishioners and neighbors in White Pigeon with prayer, visits, food, hygiene supplies, and assistance with utility bills. Sharing a pastor with Holy Angels in Sturgis, the parish pairs intimate country-style community life with the resources of a larger diocesan cluster.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Thursday of the month: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
- Or by appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM (Benediction to follow)
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Joseph Catholic Church describes itself as 'a welcoming and caring family – faithful to Jesus and to the Roman Catholic Church – committed by example to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by embracing the beatitudes in order to grow in holiness, all for the glory of God.' The parish sits in White Pigeon, Michigan, along US 12 west of Sturgis, and its bulletin tagline is 'United in Christ through the Eucharist.' Visitors are invited to 'Join Us For Mass' through the home page, and the About page currently advertises an opening for a musician to lead weekend Masses on piano/keyboard.
- Parish mission: a welcoming and caring Catholic family committed to proclaiming the Gospel and growing in holiness
- Theme: 'United in Christ through the Eucharist'
- Active recruitment: musician for Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM Masses
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is currently served by a priest team shared with Holy Angels in Sturgis, along with a small lay staff. Office contacts are centralized through the parish phone line and email.
- Rev. Andrew Raczkowski — Pastor — (269) 651-5200 ext. 15 — [email protected]
- Fr. Raul Gomez — Associate Pastor — [email protected]
- Stephanie Crone — Parish Secretary — (269) 483-7621 — [email protected]
- Lauren McDonald — Director of Religious Education — (269) 483-7621 — [email protected]
- Jim Auskalnis — Head of Building & Grounds
- Jim Takace — Head of Maintenance
Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council advises Pastor Fr. Andrew on parish direction and meets quarterly or as needed.
- Fr. Andrew Raczkowski
- Jim Patmalnieks — Chairman
- Warren Atkins
- Bruce Blonde
- Mike Miller
- Evangelina Rubio
- Greg Sete
Finance Council
The Finance Council assists Fr. Andrew with the parish budget and financial stewardship. It meets quarterly on the first Thursday of the month.
- Tina Schumacher
- Tena Jakubowicz
- Barb Sete
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Joseph offers the two classical paths of Catholic faith formation: OCIA for adults entering the Church, and CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes for children. Programs are organized by parish volunteers and the Director of Religious Education, Lauren McDonald.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — organized and taught by Greg Sete and Barb Sete
- C.C.D. — parish religious education program for school-age children; CCD classes have resumed in past years in January
- Director of Religious Education: Lauren McDonald — [email protected]
Ministries & Outreach
Parish life at St. Joseph is organized around a handful of lay-led ministries that combine spiritual support with practical help for parishioners and the wider White Pigeon community.
- St. Joseph Cares — outreach ministry meeting monthly; sends cards, prays together, visits the sick, brings communion, attends visitations/funerals, supports the priest, and helps White Pigeon neighbors with food, hygiene supplies, and utility bills
- Prayer Line — parishioners commit prayer hours and sometimes gather at church to pray the rosary for those in need; coordinated by Ginger Sherman (269-464-9976)
- Liturgy ministry — coordinating Mass music and liturgical roles
- Protecting God's Children — Safe Environment compliance with the Diocese of Kalamazoo's Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are available to parishioners and seekers through the parish office, with sacramental preparation tailored to each.
- Baptism — schedule via the parish office at (269) 483-7621 for Baptismal preparation
- Confirmation — completes baptismal grace; catechesis required
- Reconciliation — see scheduled times above or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — call Fr. Andrew Raczkowski at (269) 651-5200
- Marriage — preparation for engaged couples
- Holy Orders — inquiries to Fr. Andrew or Diocese of Kalamazoo Office of Vocations, Rev. José Haro (269-342-0621, [email protected])
Parish Communications
The parish shares news and announcements primarily through its website, weekly bulletins (downloadable as PDFs), and the diocesan Flocknote email network.
- Official website: https://stjosephwhitepigeon.org/
- Weekly bulletins posted under /about/bulletins/ (Adobe Acrobat required to view PDFs)
- Diocesan Flocknote network used for parish updates (Diocese of Kalamazoo)
- Parish email: [email protected]
Visit & Contact
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located at 16603 US 12, White Pigeon, MI 49099, on the historic Chicago Road corridor (US 12) west of Sturgis. Visitors can reach the parish office at (269) 483-7621 or by email at [email protected].
- Address: 16603 US 12, White Pigeon, MI 49099
- Phone: (269) 483-7621
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stjosephwhitepigeon.org/
- Diocese: Diocese of Kalamazoo