One of area's oldest churches still growing, changing
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Waukesha. Photo By SCOTT ASH
Name of Church: St. Joseph Catholic Church
Denomination: Catholic
Mission statement: We are life-affirming, faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus in the culturally diverse and historic St. Joseph Catholic Parish.
Location: 818 N. East Ave.
Contact: (262) 542-2589
Web site: www.stjosephwaukesha.org
Office hours: Monday - Friday 8:30-4:40 PM
Pastor: Father Bill Key
Weekend Mass Schedule: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. (interpreted for the deaf), noon (Spanish)
Daily Mass Schedule: 8 a.m. Monday-Friday
Confession: 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday
Devotions and Prayer Groups:
Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions - after 8 a.m. Mass Tuesdays
Hispanic Prayer Group - 7 p.m. Tuesdays
Rosary - 7 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m. Sunday
Brief History:
1840s - Catholics in the Village of Waukesha, then called Prairieville, first worshipped at what has become St. Joseph Church, making it the fourth oldest active parish in the county.
1888 - The landmark stone church that stands on East Avenue was built.
1920s - A one-room school and chapel are added to the church property. The Hispanic presence begins in Waukesha and at St. Joe's, and the St. Vincent de Paul Conference is formed.
1950s - A permanent school is built on Martin Street and the church building, now 70 years old, is renovated.
1960s - Vatican II brings changes to the Catholic Church, including the first Parish Council in 1969. Mass is celebrated in Spanish for the first time.
1970s - Pastor Fr. Don Surges institutes a major expansion of religious education programs, including CCD and Adult Ed.
1980s - The Church is named an historic landmark and the 100 anniversary of the building is celebrated.
1990s - The parish celebrates 150 years and the School Sisters of St. Francis leave. St. Joe's joins with other churches in the area to provide worship, education, food, fun, shelter, welcome and outreach.
2000s - St. Joe's keeps growing and changing to accommodate the priest shortage and a diverse bilingual, multicultural community.
2007 - A new roof is put on the church. The banding (stripes) on the roof and steeple replicate the banding that was there in the original roof as seen on old pictures.
Ministries: Along with the other Catholic parishes of Waukesha, the parish provides a Catholic School with the middle school campus housed at St. Joseph. The parish has a vibrant St. Vincent dePaul society reaching out to the poor. St. Joseph's has the largest Hispanic ministry in Waukesha County.
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