1315 Travis Street, El Paso, Texas 79903
Phone: 915-566-9396
Fax: 915-566-5606
Email: [email protected]
Pastor: Rev. Edward Carpenter
Secretary: Verónica Méndez
Bookkeeper: Alma Dominguez
Religious Formation: Dee Dee Sianez
MASS SCHEDULE
Sat: anticipated 5 p.m. [English]
Sun: 8 a.m., 10 a.m. [English], 12 p.m. [Spanish]
Weekdays: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri: 7 a.m. [English]
Holy Days: anticipated 7 p.m.; 7 a.m.; 7 p.m.
St. Joseph
St. Joseph was established to serve the Government Hill area which was the neighborhood east of the railroad tracks at Cotton Street. After a group of Catholic women approached Bishop Schuler in September 1916 about the need for a church in Government Hill, he agreed to a chapel for neighborhood families. The women quickly formed a Ladies Aid Society which soon raised several thousand dollars. Bishop Schuler and Father Francis Roy selected the site at Hueco Street and purchased 16 lots. The church was quickly built by Joseph Morgan and financed by him until the community could support the new parish. St. Joseph was erected as a parish on December 8, 1916 and the church was dedicated on Christmas Day by Bishop Schuler and the first pastor, Father James H. Maloney, who celebrated Mass at an altar made from cardboard and linen cloth.
In the first few years, attendance was so low that Bishop Schuler considered closing the new chapel. The new pastor in 1918, Father Henry Swift, S.J., formed a parish committee that was able to pay all the debts of the church and raise money to install sidewalks and a fence. In November 1921, Rev. Stanislaus Gillow, S.J. was named pastor and was succeeded by Father Andrew Doherty, S.J. in August 1922. By that time, the population of Government Hill had grown to the point that St. Joseph Church was overcrowded every week with many parishioners now having to stand outside on the sidewalk to celebrate Mass. Father Doherty formed a building committee for a new church, community hall and school which were completed in late 1923. The school was opened in October under the direction of the Sisters of Loretto with Sister Mary Julius Billick as the first principal.
Father Doherty stayed as the pastor at St. Joseph until August 1925 when Father Gillow returned. He added a third Sunday Mass because of the continued growth of the congregation, organized religious formation classes for children, and founded the St. Joseph’s Parent Teacher Association to help increase the school’s enrollment. By the time Father Gillow left St. Joseph in 1936, the entire debt was fully paid. He was succeeded by Father Patrick A. Ryan, S.J. who built the Shrine of St. Jude in 1937. A building campaign for a new church, school and rectory for St. Joseph Parish began in 1938. In May 1948, Bishop Metzger blessed a new gymnasium.
At the end of 1949, Bishop Metzger placed St. Joseph under the direction of diocesan clergy after 30 years of service by Jesuit priests. Rev. Henry Buchanan became the first diocesan pastor in January 1950. Today, St. Joseph serves 800 families with Father Ed Carpenter as the pastor. St. Joseph School continues to thrive with full enrollment under the leadership of the principal, Brother Edwin Gallagher, and the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis.
Courtesy Catholic Diocese of El Paso
Phone: 915-566-9396
Fax: 915-566-5606
Email: [email protected]
Pastor: Rev. Edward Carpenter
Secretary: Verónica Méndez
Bookkeeper: Alma Dominguez
Religious Formation: Dee Dee Sianez
MASS SCHEDULE
Sat: anticipated 5 p.m. [English]
Sun: 8 a.m., 10 a.m. [English], 12 p.m. [Spanish]
Weekdays: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri: 7 a.m. [English]
Holy Days: anticipated 7 p.m.; 7 a.m.; 7 p.m.
St. Joseph
St. Joseph was established to serve the Government Hill area which was the neighborhood east of the railroad tracks at Cotton Street. After a group of Catholic women approached Bishop Schuler in September 1916 about the need for a church in Government Hill, he agreed to a chapel for neighborhood families. The women quickly formed a Ladies Aid Society which soon raised several thousand dollars. Bishop Schuler and Father Francis Roy selected the site at Hueco Street and purchased 16 lots. The church was quickly built by Joseph Morgan and financed by him until the community could support the new parish. St. Joseph was erected as a parish on December 8, 1916 and the church was dedicated on Christmas Day by Bishop Schuler and the first pastor, Father James H. Maloney, who celebrated Mass at an altar made from cardboard and linen cloth.
In the first few years, attendance was so low that Bishop Schuler considered closing the new chapel. The new pastor in 1918, Father Henry Swift, S.J., formed a parish committee that was able to pay all the debts of the church and raise money to install sidewalks and a fence. In November 1921, Rev. Stanislaus Gillow, S.J. was named pastor and was succeeded by Father Andrew Doherty, S.J. in August 1922. By that time, the population of Government Hill had grown to the point that St. Joseph Church was overcrowded every week with many parishioners now having to stand outside on the sidewalk to celebrate Mass. Father Doherty formed a building committee for a new church, community hall and school which were completed in late 1923. The school was opened in October under the direction of the Sisters of Loretto with Sister Mary Julius Billick as the first principal.
Father Doherty stayed as the pastor at St. Joseph until August 1925 when Father Gillow returned. He added a third Sunday Mass because of the continued growth of the congregation, organized religious formation classes for children, and founded the St. Joseph’s Parent Teacher Association to help increase the school’s enrollment. By the time Father Gillow left St. Joseph in 1936, the entire debt was fully paid. He was succeeded by Father Patrick A. Ryan, S.J. who built the Shrine of St. Jude in 1937. A building campaign for a new church, school and rectory for St. Joseph Parish began in 1938. In May 1948, Bishop Metzger blessed a new gymnasium.
At the end of 1949, Bishop Metzger placed St. Joseph under the direction of diocesan clergy after 30 years of service by Jesuit priests. Rev. Henry Buchanan became the first diocesan pastor in January 1950. Today, St. Joseph serves 800 families with Father Ed Carpenter as the pastor. St. Joseph School continues to thrive with full enrollment under the leadership of the principal, Brother Edwin Gallagher, and the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis.
Courtesy Catholic Diocese of El Paso