Huntsville / Alabama / United States
about our parish... Saint Joseph Church was established in 1950 by the Salvatorians as a mission to the black community of Huntsville, Alabama. The Beasley mansion was purchased for this purpose. Originally, masses were celebrated in the Mission House; the first mass was celebrated on September 14, 1952. The Salvatorian sisters opened the first Saint Joseph School on September 4, 1956 in two rooms of the mission house. This educational facility has been fully accredited by the State of Alabama since 1975, when it became the first parochial school in Huntsville to attain that distinction. In 1965, the school was fully integrated. Today the enrollment is approximately 200 students, Kindergarten through Eighth grades. In 1979, Saint Joseph School was re-dedicated as the Holy Family School, serving Saint Joseph and Saint Mary of the Visitation Parishes. While the school is located on the campus at Saint Joseph Church, it is subsidized by the two parishes. Also in 1979, Saint Joseph Mission was established as a canonical parish of the Birmingham Diocese and was renamed Saint Joseph Catholic Church. Today the church is staffed by Salvatorian Priests, Sisters, Lay Salvatorians, and Lay People; these people coordinate several dozen parishioners who offer their time and talent to build up the community of Saint Joseph so that the community in turn can reach out beyond itself in service. From a humble beginning of 12 families, the church has grown to approximately 550 families to date.
