About Sts. Mary & Joseph Parish - St. Joseph · Kingston, Massachusetts
Sts. Mary & Joseph Parish – St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic parish in Kingston, Massachusetts, part of the Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative within the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish serves Kingston and Plympton and shares clergy and faith-formation staff with neighboring St. Mary Parish in Plymouth. In June 2018, St. Joseph entered the collaborative alongside St. Mary under the Archdiocese of Boston's 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral plan, sharing a pastor, vicars, deacons, and faith-formation directors. Today the parish gathers at 272 Main Street, Kingston, offering Mass in English (with one Sunday Mass and a Wednesday evening Mass in Portuguese through the collaborative) along with faith formation for Grades 1–8 and a full menu of service, outreach, and liturgical ministries.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Saint Joseph (Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patron of the Universal Church and of workers)
- Rector
- Rev. Jack Graham
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a warm, Eucharist-centered community that takes seriously its role as a Catholic home for Kingston and Plympton. Parishioners find a complete rhythm of Catholic life here: daily and Sunday Mass in English (with a Portuguese Mass offered collaboratively at St. Mary), weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular Confession, faith formation for Grades 1–8 with First Communion and Confirmation preparation, plus a full range of parish-service and outreach ministries — from Baptism Preparation and Hospitality to an Offertory Counting team, Altar Flower & Church Decor, and ongoing outreach to those in need. The parish is part of a collaborative with St. Mary Plymouth, which means fuller priestly coverage, a shared music director, and a broader community of faith to journey with.
Mass times at Sts. Mary & Joseph Parish - St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 PM @ SAINT JOSEPH (during Adoration)
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM @ SAINT JOSEPH
- Sunday 6:00 PM – 6:40 PM @ SAINT MARY (Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM @ SAINT MARY (Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Wednesday 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM @ SAINT MARY (Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Saturday 9:00 AM @ SAINT MARY
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM @ Saint Joseph
- Wednesday 6:50 PM – 7:30 PM (Portuguese) @ Saint Mary
About Sts. Mary & Joseph Parish – St. Joseph
St. Joseph Parish serves the towns of Kingston and Plympton on Massachusetts' South Shore from its church at 272 Main Street. Since June 2018 it has shared pastoral leadership with neighboring St. Mary Parish in Plymouth through the Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative, part of the Archdiocese of Boston's 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral plan. The collaborative vision statement describes a 'growing, joyful, prayerful, Eucharist-centered, vibrant Catholic Community of believers who welcome all people in the name of Jesus Christ,' committed to sacraments, lifelong faith formation, charitable works, and stewardship. Fr. Jack Graham serves as Pastor, with Fr. John Culloty as Senior Vicar and Fr. Valdir Mesquita Lima as Parochial Vicar; three deacons assist the collaborative.
History of St. Joseph Parish
Catholic life in Kingston stretches back to the 1850s, when Mass was first said in town for one of the area's earliest Irish families. A formal mission from St. Peter's Church in Plymouth was established in 1873, and in 1882 a chapel was built at 261 Main Street. The community was raised to an independent parish in October 1908 and took the name St. Joseph's. The present church at 272 Main Street was dedicated on December 1, 1935, and the parish marked its centennial in 2008. Our Lady's Hall, the parish center, was dedicated on May 13, 2006.
- 1850s — First Catholic Masses celebrated in Kingston
- 1873 — Mission established from St. Peter's Church, Plymouth
- 1882 — First chapel built at 261 Main Street
- 1908 — Independent parish of St. Joseph established (October 19)
- December 1, 1935 — Present church at 272 Main Street dedicated
- May 13, 2006 — Our Lady's Hall dedicated
- October 2008 — 100th anniversary celebrated
- June 2018 — Enters Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The collaborative Faith Formation program ministers to children in Grades 1–8 and is led by Co-Directors Michelle and Rick Davies (781-679-5859). The model combines monthly in-person classes with at-home eLearning lessons through the St. Mary Press 'Connect! Bringing Faith to Life' curriculum. Parents are recognized as the primary teachers of the faith, and the program supports them with age-appropriate curriculum, sacrament preparation, youth ministry, and extracurricular activities, as well as adult enrichment opportunities.
- Grades 1, 3, 4, 5 — 'Connect!' curriculum
- Grade 2 — First Communion Prep using 'Blessed' by Dynamic Catholic
- Grade 6 — Continuation of 'Connect!'
- Grades 7 & 8 — Confirmation Preparation
- Contact: [email protected] / [email protected]
Sacrament Preparation
Sacrament preparation is integrated into the Faith Formation program. The Grade 2 'Blessed' year focuses on the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the first half and First Holy Eucharist in the second half. Confirmation preparation spans Grades 7 and 8. Families preparing for Baptism are welcomed through the Baptism Preparation ministry, and the parish is currently seeking leaders for a Baptism Family Follow-Up ministry to keep newly baptized families connected to the parish community.
- First Reconciliation & First Communion (Grade 2)
- Confirmation (Grades 7–8)
- Baptism Preparation (parents contact the parish office)
Parish Service Ministries
The collaborative offers a range of behind-the-scenes and parish-life ministries that invite parishioners to share their time and talents. Several ministries are currently being relaunched and need new leaders — a great opportunity for someone wanting to help shape a ministry from the ground up.
- Altar Flower & Church Decor
- Offertory Counting
- Baptism Preparation
- Baptism Family Follow Up
- Office Help
- Special Events Committee
- Hospitality Ministry
Outreach Ministries
The collaborative's outreach ministries exist to serve those in need both within the parish and in the wider Kingston–Plymouth community. The parish website lists an Outreach section inviting parishioners to call the main office (781-585-6679) to learn more about current needs and how to get involved.
Liturgical & Music Ministries
Liturgical life at St. Joseph is supported by a Collaborative Music Director, Jeff Marani ([email protected]), who oversees music across both parishes of the collaborative. Parishioners can serve as lectors at weekend and Vigil Masses through the Lector Availability signup on the parish website, choosing from any of the published Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 8:30 AM / 11:30 AM Masses throughout the year.
- Lector Ministry (signup via stsmaryjoseph.org/lector-availability-1)
- Collaborative Music Director — Jeff Marani
Clergy & Staff
The collaborative is served by Pastor Fr. Jack Graham, Senior Vicar Fr. John Culloty, Parochial Vicar Fr. Valdir Mesquita Lima (who celebrates the Portuguese Masses and hears Portuguese-language confessions), and three deacons: Kevin Winn, Paul Key, and Matthew Bensman. The team is rounded out by Business Manager Tyler DeCost, Collaborative Secretary Elizabeth Petrell, Faith Formation Co-Directors Michelle and Rick Davies, Facilities Manager Steve Medlin, and Collaborative Music Director Jeff Marani.
- Rev. Jack Graham — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. John Culloty — Senior Vicar ([email protected])
- Rev. Valdir Mesquita Lima — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon Kevin Winn, Deacon Paul Key, Deacon Matthew Bensman