"TOGETHER" WE ARE ST. JOSEPH
UNITY
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WORSHIP
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EDUCATION
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St. Joseph Parish is 168 years old.
Since its inception, our parish has evolved from a group of staunch settlers, determined to maintain their spiritual growth by trudging to the nearest Catholic Church in Ecorse, to a strong community equally resolute in maintaining its presence in the Trenton community. After establishing a station in 1849, Reverend Charles DePrieter began celebrating Mass in Trenton on a monthly basis. In the beginning, Masses, baptisms, funerals, and weddings were celebrated in private homes. Today, as we continue to grow, we cherish our past, embrace our present status as a vibrant faith community and enthusiastically look forward to our future.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND PARISH GOALS - Adopted September 2008
Being mindful of our responsibility to support our parish school and pay our parish debt, while at the same time planning for a good communication within the parish as well as collaborative efforts between our parish and St. Timothy Parish, our cluster partner, we members of St. Joseph Catholic Church have chosen to focus the next five years on these parish goals...
Youth Ministry Goal:
To establish a vibrant interaction of young people in all the aspects of parish life and in the larger community. To provide educational opportunities which increase parishioners' understanding of the Church doctrine and faith.
Youth Ministry defined: the sharing of the Church and parish in active involvement by and with young people in prayer, service, education and the greater mission of following Christ.
Adult Faith Formation Goal:
To assist adults in attaining greater understanding of what the Church teaches, and an awareness and appreciation of the sacred mysteries we celebrate.
Adult Faith Formation defined: The specific ways in which adults are educated, changed, and strengthened in the understanding and practice of their Christian faith.
Evangelization Goal:
To create ways for inviting and welcoming back inactive Catholics so they are able to share in the blessings and joys of our faith, and experience the same grace we encounter within our parish family.
Evangelization defined: Simply sharing the GOOD NEWS, which in turn touches hearts, invites people into community, opens the eyes that are blind, and builds up a relationship with God.
More history...
In 1873, John and Fannie Keith deeded property to the Diocese of Detroit. Father Debever built a church, allowing the status of community to be elevated to that of a Mission. In 1895, Rev. James Cahalan was appointed as the first resident pastor and the Trenton Mission became St. Joseph Parish. Early 1900 saw men of the parish and newly appointed pastor, Father Command donning overalls and scouring the countryside, gathering, cutting and sizing fieldstone and arranging it into a new parsonage.
When the early church building showed many signs of major construction problems, Father Bourke reluctantly set aside his plans for a parish community center, razed the board and batten structure and constructed a Gothic church in 1931. Appropriately, the long-dreamed-of school was dedicated on the Feast Day of St. Joseph, March 19, 1947. By 1999, the growth of our community resulted in "overflowing attendance" at Mass. A major renovation project was undertaken. In order to provide room for the expansion of the church, the rectory was demolished. Elimination of the parking lot provided room for the addition of an activity center to the school.
Since its inception, our parish has evolved from a group of staunch settlers, determined to maintain their spiritual growth by trudging to the nearest Catholic Church in Ecorse, to a strong community equally resolute in maintaining its presence in the Trenton community. After establishing a station in 1849, Reverend Charles DePrieter began celebrating Mass in Trenton on a monthly basis. In the beginning, Masses, baptisms, funerals, and weddings were celebrated in private homes. Today, as we continue to grow, we cherish our past, embrace our present status as a vibrant faith community and enthusiastically look forward to our future.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND PARISH GOALS - Adopted September 2008
Being mindful of our responsibility to support our parish school and pay our parish debt, while at the same time planning for a good communication within the parish as well as collaborative efforts between our parish and St. Timothy Parish, our cluster partner, we members of St. Joseph Catholic Church have chosen to focus the next five years on these parish goals...
Youth Ministry Goal:
To establish a vibrant interaction of young people in all the aspects of parish life and in the larger community. To provide educational opportunities which increase parishioners' understanding of the Church doctrine and faith.
Youth Ministry defined: the sharing of the Church and parish in active involvement by and with young people in prayer, service, education and the greater mission of following Christ.
Adult Faith Formation Goal:
To assist adults in attaining greater understanding of what the Church teaches, and an awareness and appreciation of the sacred mysteries we celebrate.
Adult Faith Formation defined: The specific ways in which adults are educated, changed, and strengthened in the understanding and practice of their Christian faith.
Evangelization Goal:
To create ways for inviting and welcoming back inactive Catholics so they are able to share in the blessings and joys of our faith, and experience the same grace we encounter within our parish family.
Evangelization defined: Simply sharing the GOOD NEWS, which in turn touches hearts, invites people into community, opens the eyes that are blind, and builds up a relationship with God.
More history...
In 1873, John and Fannie Keith deeded property to the Diocese of Detroit. Father Debever built a church, allowing the status of community to be elevated to that of a Mission. In 1895, Rev. James Cahalan was appointed as the first resident pastor and the Trenton Mission became St. Joseph Parish. Early 1900 saw men of the parish and newly appointed pastor, Father Command donning overalls and scouring the countryside, gathering, cutting and sizing fieldstone and arranging it into a new parsonage.
When the early church building showed many signs of major construction problems, Father Bourke reluctantly set aside his plans for a parish community center, razed the board and batten structure and constructed a Gothic church in 1931. Appropriately, the long-dreamed-of school was dedicated on the Feast Day of St. Joseph, March 19, 1947. By 1999, the growth of our community resulted in "overflowing attendance" at Mass. A major renovation project was undertaken. In order to provide room for the expansion of the church, the rectory was demolished. Elimination of the parking lot provided room for the addition of an activity center to the school.