About St. Joseph · Zell, Missouri
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zell, Missouri is a small but historic rural parish of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, serving about 250 families in Ste. Genevieve County. The parish was founded in 1845 on land settled by German Catholics in the 1830s, and its current cruciform church, built and expanded between 1847 and 1918, is filled with imported German art and rare Caen-stone altars. The parish's mission, in the words of its pastor, is 'the glory of God and the salvation of souls.' Today St. Joseph offers weekend and weekday Mass, perpetual adoration, a Parish School of Religion, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Vincentian Marian Youth, an evangelization team, and devotional traditions reaching back 175 years.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Ryan Weber
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Joseph in Zell is a small, multigenerational rural Catholic community where many families are descendants of the original 1840s German Catholic settlers, giving the parish a deep sense of continuity and belonging. It offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — daily and weekend Mass, two weekly periods of Eucharistic adoration, Saturday confessions, rosary before weekday Mass, and Marian devotions like Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Tuesdays — alongside concrete works of mercy through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Christmas Giving Tree, youth formation through Vincentian Marian Youth, and small faith groups for adults. Visitors and newcomers are personally welcomed by Father Weber, who invites anyone exploring their faith to reach out and be accompanied on the journey.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 PM
- First Saturday 9:00 AM (with the 9:00 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 – 7:00 PM
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish traces its origin to a missionary outreach of Ste. Genevieve Parish, the oldest parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. In 1839, during the Spanish regime, Father F.X. Dannebrog and Father A.H. Gandolfo began monthly visits to French Village, River Aux Vases, and Zell. The German Catholic settlers who had arrived in 1837 (and called their settlement Nouvelle Alsace) welcomed the mission, and on May 1, 1845 — the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker — the first deed was signed for a church dedicated to St. Joseph. The parish was built and organized by 1847, and Father Francis X. Weiss arrived as the first pastor in spring 1848 to 632 parishioners.
- 1839 – Ste. Genevieve missionaries begin monthly visits to Zell under the Spanish regime
- 1837 – German Catholic immigrants settle the area as 'Nouvelle Alsace'
- 1840 – Settlement renamed Zell
- May 1, 1845 – Deed signed for the church; dedicated to St. Joseph on his feast day
- 1847 – Parish built and organized
- Spring 1848 – Father Francis X. Weiss arrives as first pastor (632 parishioners)
- 1909 – Father Henry Pigge builds the present steeple and entrance
- c. 1918 – Father Heimersheid adds transepts and apse, giving the church its cruciform shape
- 1960 – Father Leibinger builds the present convent
- 1962 – Interior renovated; marble altars, communion rail, and murals added
- 1964 – New rectory built
- May 14, 1995 – Father James Hanson dedicates the Fatima Shrine for the 150th anniversary
- 2020 – Parish celebrates its 175th anniversary
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Father Ryan Weber, who serves as pastor and personally invites newcomers and those exploring their faith to reach out to him. He is assisted by Permanent Deacon Allen Engelmann, who has also helped lead parish prayer events and evangelization efforts. The parish office can be reached at 573-883-3481, and Father Weber directly at 314-775-1297 or [email protected].
- Father Ryan Weber — Pastor ([email protected], 314-775-1297)
- Deacon Allen Engelmann — Permanent Deacon
- Shelley Naeger — Parish Child Safety Coordinator ([email protected], 573-883-3481)
- Parish Office — 573-883-3481, [email protected]
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Joseph is built around the Parish School of Religion (PSR), which teaches the Gospel to children in 1st through 8th grades who attend other day schools. With the closure of the parish elementary school at the end of the 2024-25 school year, the parish is hiring a religious education coordinator to oversee the PSR and developing additional faith formation and family outreach programs.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — grades 1–8; contact [email protected]
- Small Faith Groups — parishioner-led gatherings for prayer, Gospel study, and growing in virtue
- Confirmation preparation — middle school students via PSR; adults via the parish office
St. Joseph School and Early Childhood Programs
The parish has long operated a Catholic school serving the Zell area. Announced in December 2024, St. Joseph School (K-5) will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year due to declining enrollment (27 students in the current year, projected under 30 for 2025-26), but the preschool, latchkey afterschool program, and summer camp will continue. The parish previously devoted 100% of preschool, PSR, and summer camp income, and 88% of overall parish budget, to subsidizing the elementary school.
- Preschool — remains open
- K-5 Elementary — closing end of 2024-25 school year; archdiocese will assist 17 current families in transferring to nearby Catholic schools
- Latchkey afterschool program
- Summer camp
- PSR continues with a new religious education coordinator
Parish Ministries and Get Involved
St. Joseph offers a rich mix of service, fellowship, and formation groups for all ages — from the parish's long-standing tradition of aid to the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, to youth mission through Vincentian Marian Youth, to fellowship and fundraising through the Ladies Sodality, to the three-day Cursillo experience for adults seeking a deeper faith life.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — quiet, personal aid to needy families; collection boxes at each entrance
- Vincentian Marian Youth (SEMO) — grades 9–12; service to people in poverty and faith formation
- Ladies Sodality — monthly drawings and annual Quilt Bingo
- Cursillo — three-day short course in the Catholic faith; [email protected]
- Christmas Giving Tree — gifts for Head Start children
- Parish Evangelization Team — partnered with the Archdiocesan Office of Evangelization and Discipleship
Sacraments
St. Joseph celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with preparation for each provided either through the parish office, the PSR, or Father Weber personally. The parish especially emphasizes preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage, and Father Weber encourages young men discerning a vocation to priesthood to call him at the rectory.
- Baptism — contact the parish office to prepare
- Confirmation — middle school through PSR; adults through the parish office
- Eucharist (First Communion) — preparation through PSR
- Anointing of the Sick — call Father Weber as soon as serious illness begins
- Marriage — contact a priest immediately after engagement
- Holy Orders — call Fr. Weber (573-883-3481) or the Archdiocesan Vocation Office (314-792-6460)
Devotions and Marian Shrines
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish maintains a strong devotional life including weekly Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotions and Benediction on Tuesday evenings, daily recitation of the Rosary before weekday Mass, and the Fatima Shrine on the parish grounds, which was dedicated by Father James Hanson on Mother's Day 1995 to commemorate the parish's 150th anniversary.
- Tuesday 7:00 PM — Our Lady of Perpetual Help Devotions and Benediction
- Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 AM — Rosary before 8:00 AM Mass
- First Saturday 8:30 AM — Rosary before Mass
- Fatima Shrine — dedicated May 14, 1995 for the 150th anniversary
The Church Building and Cemetery
St. Joseph's cruciform church is one of the most architecturally distinctive small parish churches in the area. The 1918 transepts and apse, the Caen-stone altars, the German-imported Stations of the Cross, and the 1909 steeple together create a building that is more than a worship space — it is a memorial to the German Catholic heritage of the community. The parish cemetery, on the same grounds, is the resting place of Father Henry Pigge and contains a beautiful rock altar built by Father Weinig, which is still used for the Memorial Day Mass.
- 1909 steeple and entrance — added by Father Henry Pigge
- 1918 transepts and apse — added by Father Heimersheid (cruciform shape)
- Main altar and sanctuary — replica of the Lady Chapel of the Jesuitenkirche, Cologne
- Three altars and communion rail — rare Caen stone
- Stations of the Cross — imported from Germany by Father Heimersheid
- 1962 interior renovation — marble altars, communion rail, murals (Father Leibinger)
- Rock cemetery altar — built c. 1919–1938 by Father Weinig, used for Memorial Day Mass
- Father Henry Pigge — first priest buried in the parish cemetery (d. 1912)
Contact and Visit
St. Joseph warmly welcomes visitors and new parishioners. Father Weber asks newcomers to the area to reach out so he can welcome them in person, and encourages anyone with questions about their faith or next steps to contact him. Sign-up for new parishioner families is available on the parish website via a link and QR code.
- Address — 11824 Zell Rd., Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
- Parish Office — 573-883-3481, [email protected]
- Father Weber — 314-775-1297, [email protected]
- PSR — [email protected]
- Website — http://stjzell.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis X. Weiss1848 – first pastor
Arrived spring 1848 to 632 parishioners; organized the newly built parish.
- Father Henry Piggeuntil 1912 (37 years as pastor)
Built the present steeple and entrance in 1909; died April 21, 1912; first priest buried in the parish cemetery.
- Father Engelbert Heimersheidaround 1918
Enlarged and repaired the church with transepts and an apse, giving it its cruciform shape; modeled the altar and sanctuary after the Jesuitenkirche in Cologne; imported the Stations of the Cross from Germany.
- Father Francis Weinigc. 1919–1938
Built the rock altar that still adorns the parish cemetery, used for the Memorial Day Mass.
- Father Leibingerearly 1960s
Built the present convent (1960), renovated the church interior with marble altars and murals (1962), and built the new rectory (1964).
- Father James Hanson1995 (at least)
Dedicated the Fatima Shrine on Mother's Day, May 14, 1995, for the parish's 150th anniversary.
- Father Henry Purcellpre-2024
Referenced as pastor of St. Joseph in St. Louis Review coverage of parish evangelization efforts (before Father Weber's assignment).
- Father Ryan Weberpresent
Current pastor; led the parish through the 175th anniversary and the difficult 2024-25 closure of the parish elementary school.