About St. Joseph · Worcester, New York
St. Joseph's Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the hamlet of Worcester, Otsego County, New York, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The parish was organized on April 10, 1874, with the first church edifice erected in 1875 at a cost of $1,900, and named in honor of Judge Joseph P. Daily of New York, a major early benefactor. Today it is served by Fr. Joseph Xavier Arockiasamy, who also pastors neighboring St. Vincent de Paul in Cobleskill, and offers Mass in English on weekends and weekdays, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and a vibrant program of ministries, faith formation, and community outreach.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Xavier Arockiasamy
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Joseph's offers the warmth of a small, multigenerational Catholic community rooted in rural Otsego County for nearly 150 years. Parishioners can encounter the Lord through weekend and weekday Mass, weekly Friday Eucharistic Adoration following the noon Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday, and a strong faith formation program for children and youth that includes sending high-schoolers to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). A wide range of lay ministries — Knights of Columbus, Altar Rosary Society, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Bereavement Group, Right to Life, Music Choir, and more — invite every parishioner to put their faith into action.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Friday: 11:00 AM (following the noon Mass)
Welcome to St. Joseph's Church
St. Joseph's Church in Worcester, NY is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Albany whose Mission Statement is 'To form Missionary Disciples through encountering the Lord in Word, Sacraments and one another to transform the communities in which we live.' Its Vision Statement declares that 'St. Joseph is a Vibrant, Welcoming, Evangelizing and Transforming Catholic Community!' The parish warmly welcomes all visitors and invites them to encounter Christ through Mass, Adoration, the Sacraments, and a wide array of lay ministries.
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious Education for children runs from September through May on Sundays at 9:00 AM, with a modest fee of $10 per child up to $25 per family. The parish also has a Youth Ministry program, coordinated by Jeanette Castro, that prepares high-schoolers to attend the biennial National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). Recent NCYC delegates — three youth and an adult chaperone — traveled to Indianapolis, where they took part in a Catholic Relief Services 'Helping Hands' rice-bagging service project, with that year's meals sent to Burkina Faso.
- Religious Education: Sundays 9:00 AM, September through May
- Fee: $10 per child / $25 max per family
- Youth Ministry contact: Jeanette Castro — (607) 287-0254
- National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC): biennial pilgrimage for high-school youth
- Coordinator for Discipleship Formation for Children: Corinne Connington
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is served by a small staff under the leadership of its pastor, Fr. Joseph Xavier Arockiasamy. Joan DeBenedittis serves as Parish Secretary, Terry Hait as Music Director (with guitarist Richard Gruber), Mike Argiras as Bookkeeper, and Kelly Daniels as Cemetery Manager. Corinne Connington is Coordinator for Discipleship Formation for Children. Parish Trustees are Diane Fedor and William Fredette; Cheryl Jory chairs the Pastoral Council and Amy Muehl chairs the Finance Council.
- Pastor: Fr. Joe X. Arockiasamy
- Secretary: Joan DeBenedittis
- Cemetery Manager: Kelly Daniels
- Coordinator for Discipleship Formation for Children: Corinne Connington
- Music Director: Terry Hait — (607) 652-3347
- Guitarist: Richard Gruber
- Bookkeeper: Mike Argiras
- Trustees: Diane Fedor & William Fredette
- Pastoral Council Chairperson: Cheryl Jory
- Finance Chairperson: Amy Muehl
Parish Ministries
The parish maintains an active roster of lay-led ministries, with training provided for liturgical roles. Anyone in 3rd grade or older is welcome to serve as an altar server. Most ministries can be joined by contacting the parish office at (607) 397-9373 or the ministry's listed contact.
- RCIA / OCIA — formation for adults seeking to become Catholic
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God; training provided
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — assist with distribution of Holy Communion
- Communion to the Sick and Homebound
- Knights of Columbus — Sean Filipowski, (973) 897-8102
- Liturgy Committee — Teresa Millias, (607) 397-9342
- Music Choir — Terry Hait, (607) 652-3347
- Altar Rosary Society — Jeannie Swenson, (518) 294-6727
- Altar Servers — 3rd grade and up; contact Fr. Joe
- Bereavement Group — Debi Sanna, (607) 397-1864
- Religious Education — teaching and assisting
- Right to Life — contact the Parish Office
- Usher / Hospitality — greeting and collections at Mass
Volunteer Opportunities
Beyond its ministries, the parish invites volunteers to keep its buildings and grounds beautiful and its hospitality warm. There is a particular need for hands to help with the parish hall, which is used frequently and requires constant care.
- Altar Linens — Teresa Millias, (607) 397-9342
- Building & Grounds — mowing, plowing, planting, painting
- Cleaning St. Joseph's Church (weekly) — Chris Gartung, (607) 397-8131
- Coffee Hour — Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass
- Cleaning the parish hall — mop, windows, general maintenance
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptisms are typically celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of the month; couples should arrange weddings at least six months in advance; the Anointing of the Sick is available on request through the Parish Office; and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is offered for those interested in becoming Catholic or completing their initiation. Confession is heard every Saturday from 3:00–3:30 PM.
- Baptism — 3rd Sunday of the month
- Matrimony — arrange 6 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through Parish Office
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) — for adults seeking full initiation
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
Events & Parish Life
The parish calendar features a Lenten Fish Fry every Friday during Lent and ongoing youth, fellowship, and outreach events. The parish also regularly sends groups to regional Catholic gatherings, most notably the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). Upcoming events are posted on the parish website and Facebook page.
- Fish Fry — all Fridays during Lent
- NCYC pilgrimage (biennial)
- Sunday Coffee Hour after the 10:30 AM Mass
- Diocesan and community events as posted on the website
Parish Cemetery
St. Joseph's Cemetery adjoins the parish on Main Street in the hamlet of Worcester and remains an active Catholic cemetery managed on behalf of the parish. Kelly Daniels serves as Cemetery Manager for current arrangements and records.
- Cemetery Manager: Kelly Daniels
- Location: Main Street, Worcester, NY
- Active parish cemetery maintained for Worcester-area Catholic families
Visit, Contact & Stay Connected
Parishioners and visitors are invited to worship with St. Joseph's and to follow the parish online for the latest news, bulletins, and schedule updates. The parish office can be reached by phone at (607) 397-9373 or by email at [email protected]. A 'Parish Map' link on the website offers driving directions, and the bulletin is updated regularly with Mass intentions, ministry news, and parish events.
- Phone: (607) 397-9373
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://parishes.rcda.org/st.josephschurch/
- Alternate website: https://www.stjosephworcester.com/
- Facebook: facebook.com/stjosephworcester (St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church – Worcester, NY)
- Instagram: joevin138
- Parish Map / Directions link available on the website
History & Pastoral Succession
Founded on April 10, 1874, the parish was shepherded at its start by Father J. J. Brosnan, who oversaw the building of the first church in 1875. In June 2017, Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger appointed Father Paul J. Mijas, a priest of the Diocese of Radom (Poland), as Priest-Administrator; Father Mijas served the parish until 2018 before moving to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany. Since March 22, 2020, the parish has been served by Father Joseph Xavier Arockiasamy, who also pastors St. Vincent de Paul in Cobleskill.
- 1874 — parish organized (April 10)
- 1875 — first church edifice erected ($1,900)
- Father J. J. Brosnan — first pastor
- 2017 — Father Paul J. Mijas appointed Priest-Administrator (June 3)
- 2020 — Father Joseph Xavier Arockiasamy named pastor (March 22)
- 2025 — Father Arockiasamy celebrates 40th priestly anniversary
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. J. Brosnan1874 (first pastor)
First pastor at the parish's founding; oversaw construction of the first church edifice in 1875.
- Rev. Paul J. Mijas2017–2018
Appointed Priest-Administrator by Bishop Scharfenberger effective June 3, 2017; previously served in the Diocese of Radom (Poland) and the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
- Rev. Joseph Xavier ArockiasamyMarch 22, 2020–present
Also pastors St. Vincent de Paul in Cobleskill; celebrated his 40th priestly anniversary in April 2025.