About St. Joseph's · Morganza, Maryland
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a small historic parish in the unincorporated community of Morganza, St. Mary's County, in Southern Maryland, long served by Jesuit missionaries out of Newtown. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Washington and today is pastored by Fr. Drew Royals, who guides a family-centered community centered on the Holy Eucharist, the sacraments, and traditional Catholic formation. The parish sits along Point Lookout Road (Route 5) and is known for its strong devotional life — daily Mass, regular confession, Eucharistic adoration, and Stations of the Cross during Lent — all in a setting the parish describes as 'a witness to the enduring faith of Southern Maryland.'
- Established
- 1700 (canonical establishment per Archdiocese of Washington; current church built 1860)
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew F. 'Fr. Drew' Royals
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. Joseph's offers a rare combination in Southern Maryland: a small, family-sized parish where the pastor himself teaches the children and meets with parents for sacramental preparation. Daily Mass is available multiple days a week (including a Latin Mass on Tuesdays), confession is offered before and after nearly every Mass, and the church is open for personal prayer and Eucharistic adoration for several hours most days of the week. It is also the kind of place where coffee and donuts after the 10 AM Sunday Mass are a real parish tradition, and where generations of Morganza-area Catholic families have worshipped since before the American Revolution.
Mass times at St. Joseph's
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday — before and after 8:00 AM Mass; before 10:00 AM Mass
- Tuesday — before and after 5:00 PM Mass (4:30–5:00 PM)
- Wednesday — before and after 5:00 PM Mass (4:30–5:00 PM)
- Friday — before and after 5:00 PM Mass (4:30–5:00 PM)
- Saturday — 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM (before 5:00 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Sunday: 5:30 AM – 7:15 PM (church open for prayer / Eucharistic Adoration)
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM
- Saturday: 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM
- Monday and Thursday: Church closed
About St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Morganza
St. Joseph's is a parish of the Archdiocese of Washington located in the small unincorporated community of Morganza in St. Mary's County, Southern Maryland. The parish's own website describes it as 'a witness to the enduring faith of Southern Maryland,' named in honor of St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family. The community gathers around the Holy Eucharist and traditional Catholic practice, and currently numbers among its ministries a parent-focused Religious Education Program, regular Eucharistic adoration, and a Sunday coffee-and-donuts fellowship after the 10 AM Mass.
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Washington
- Pastor: Rev. Andrew F. 'Fr. Drew' Royals
- Canonical establishment: 1700
- Current church building: 1860
History
Catholic life at Morganza reaches back to the Jesuit mission era of colonial Maryland. Missionaries stationed at Newtown served the 'St. Joseph's Forest' mission among scattered Catholic families across St. Mary's County. By the mid-1700s the mission was a regular stop on the circuits ridden by priests such as Fr. Joseph Mosley, S.J. The Archdiocese of Washington records a canonical establishment date of 1700 for the parish; the present brick church on Point Lookout Road was constructed in 1860 on a hilltop and has been in continuous use since. In the early 20th century, John LaFarge, S.J. — later celebrated for his interracial-justice writings — founded a parochial school for white children in 1926 and a school for Black children in 1927, both associated with St. Joseph's.
- 1700 — Canonical establishment (per Archdiocese of Washington)
- 1759 — Catholic presence in Morganza noted in local histories
- 1860 — Current church built on Route 5
- 1904 — Current parish cemetery (4 acres) purchased across from the church
- 1926 — Parochial school for white children opened by Fr. John LaFarge, S.J.
- 1927 — Parochial school for Black children opened
Meet Fr. Drew Royals, Pastor
The current pastor is Rev. Andrew F. Royals, known to the parish as 'Fr. Drew.' He was ordained a Catholic priest for the service of the Archdiocese of Washington in 2006, and previously served parishes in Bowie and Rockville, Maryland, as well as in the District of Columbia. He studied theatre arts at Providence College in Rhode Island (where his favorite role was Sir Thomas More in 'A Man For All Seasons') before spending five years at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, studying systematic theology. He describes himself as 'faithful to my bishop,' supportive of his brother priests, and inspired by Pope St. John Paul II.
- Ordained: 2006 (Archdiocese of Washington)
- Previous assignments: Bowie, MD; Rockville, MD; Washington, D.C.
- Education: Providence College (theatre arts); Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Emmitsburg
Lenten & Triduum Schedule
During Lent, Stations of the Cross are prayed at 5:00 PM on Fridays. On Good Friday, the parish gathers at Queen of Peace Cemetery in Helen at 12:00 Noon for Stations of the Cross, with the solemn liturgy of Good Friday at 6:00 PM. Holy Thursday Mass is at 5:00 PM, followed by Adoration at the Repository until 10:00 PM; the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday is celebrated at 8:00 PM (with no 5:00 PM Saturday Mass and confessions available 4:00–5:00 PM).
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays in Lent, 5:00 PM
- Good Friday — Stations at Queen of Peace Cemetery at 12 Noon; liturgy at 6:00 PM
- Holy Thursday — 5:00 PM Mass, Adoration at the Repository until 10:00 PM
- Holy Saturday — 8:00 PM Easter Vigil
Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation
St. Joseph's runs a family-centered, parent-focused Religious Education Program. The Sunday-morning format begins with 10:00 AM Mass, then gathers families in the parish hall for coffee and donuts, followed by a brief in-person catechetical lesson with Q&A led by the pastor for the parents, with at-home study materials provided for the children. Sacramental preparation for Penance, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation follows once regular Sunday Mass attendance is established; readiness is determined through parental interviews with the pastor.
- Begins with 10:00 AM Mass
- Coffee & donuts in the parish hall
- In-person catechetical lesson with Q&A by the pastor (for parents)
- Simultaneous children's catechesis across the hall
- At-home study materials for deeper instruction
- Sacramental readiness requires regular Sunday Mass, in-person catechesis, and a pastor interview
Funerals & Cemetery
The parish accompanies families through the full Catholic Funeral Rites, which begin at the home, proceed to the church, and end at the cemetery. Funeral Masses are typically celebrated at 10:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday; Saturday funerals are generally not available due to prior commitments. The parish uses both the on-site St. Joseph's Parish Cemetery (4 acres across from the church, purchased in 1904) and the Archdiocesan St. Mary's Queen of Peace Cemetery in Helen for interments.
- Funeral Mass typically at 10:00 AM, Mon–Tue–Wed–Fri
- Stations of the Cross at Queen of Peace Cemetery on Good Friday
- St. Joseph's Parish Cemetery — across from the church
- Old St. Joseph's Cemetery — at the bottom of the hill on Route 5 (cleared after years of overgrowth)
Parish Life & Fellowship
Beyond the sacraments, parish life centers on a small set of simple, family-friendly traditions. Coffee and donuts are served in the parish hall after the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass, and volunteers can sign up online for set-up and clean-up duties. The parish keeps parishioners informed through a weekly bulletin (announcements, Mass readings, and events) and a Flocknote account for schedule changes and news.
- Sunday Coffee & Donuts after 10:00 AM Mass
- Sunday Donut Volunteers sign-up
- Weekly parish bulletin
- Flocknote email/text updates
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish warmly invites new members to register via the Register page on its website. The office is open weekdays (excluding Mondays, Thursdays, and holidays) from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The building is wheelchair accessible, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 175, Morganza, MD 20660.
- Office hours: Weekdays (except Mon/Thu/holidays), 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Phone: 301-475-3293
- Email: [email protected]
- Physical: 29119 Point Lookout Road, Morganza, MD 20660
- Mailing: P.O. Box 175, Morganza, MD 20660
- Wheelchair accessible
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew F. Royals
Current pastor; ordained for the Archdiocese of Washington in 2006; previously served parishes in Bowie and Rockville, MD and in the District of Columbia.