A Parish Rooted in Stuart Since 1916
St. Joseph Catholic Church has been the heart of Catholic life on Stuart's southeast side for more than a century. The parish traces its beginnings to 1916, when local farmer George Zamits donated land he had purchased from Stuart's first settler, Hubert Bessey. A group of Catholic men, equipped with little more than hammers, saws, and a plan, built Stuart's first Catholic church in a town of dirt roads and roughly 700 residents. On March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, the first Mass was celebrated with 35 people in attendance.
The original frame church served the area for 31 years. By 1947 the congregation had outgrown it, and a parishioner named Ben Hodapp came up with an inventive solution: move the old chapel from Camp Murphy, the World War II training site in Hobe Sound that is now Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The chapel, which had been a house of worship for soldiers in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, had stood unused since the war ended in 1945. It was so heavy it had to be sawed in half, hauled overland, floated north on the Indian and St. Lucie rivers by barge (a trip that took a day or two), and then reassembled on what is now East Ocean Boulevard. The first Mass in that second church was celebrated on Thanksgiving Day 1947.
Fire destroyed the second church in early 1960. A third building was erected on what is now the Family Center site and dedicated by Miami Bishop Coleman F. Carroll on July 23, 1961. That same year, the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine founded St. Joseph School. Today, the Sisters of the Most Holy Soul of Christ from Poland serve in the church and school. The current church, which seats about 1,100 people, was dedicated on December 12, 1981, by Archbishop Edward McCarthy.
St. Joseph has been the mother parish for the surrounding Catholic communities. New parishes carved from its boundaries, with help from St. Joseph, include St. Christopher in Hobe Sound (1952), St. Jude in Tequesta (1962), St. Lucie in Port St. Lucie (1965), Holy Cross in Indiantown (1967), St. Martin de Porres in Jensen Beach (1973), Holy Redeemer in Palm City (1983), and St. Andrew in Stuart (1999). The parish now serves more than 2,500 families.
Mass Schedule and the Seven Sacraments
The church offers a full weekly schedule of Masses. Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. The Saturday schedule includes an 8:30 a.m. daily Mass and the 4:00 p.m. Vigil. Sunday Masses are offered at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. The 8:30 a.m. weekday Mass, the Saturday 8:30 a.m. Mass, the Saturday Vigil, and the Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass are livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel.
The seven Catholic Sacraments are central to parish life. Infant Baptism is normally celebrated on the third Sunday of the month, with parents required to be registered and active members for at least three months before beginning preparation. Baptism Preparation Classes are held the first or second Sunday of each month at 9:15 a.m. in the Pastoral Office Conference Room. Godparents must be at least 16, confirmed Catholics in good standing, and may be married or single; if married, the marriage must have taken place in the Catholic Church. The two godparents do not have to be married to each other.
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are usually received in the second grade, after at least two consecutive years of religious instruction, with children celebrating First Eucharist in the spring. Confirmation preparation is a two-year program open to any high school student, with the sacrament typically received in the tenth grade. Confirmation sponsors must be confirmed practicing Catholics over 16, may not be the candidate's parents, and must be present at Confirmation and the rehearsal.
Wedding Masses are celebrated on Saturdays, beginning no earlier than noon and no later than 1:00 p.m. Couples must be registered in the parish for at least six months, attend Mass regularly, and use the envelope system before beginning the approximately six-month marriage preparation process, which is coordinated by Sacramental Coordinator Angela Trybul. Tentative wedding dates are confirmed only after an interview with a parish priest.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated with a special liturgy twice a year during Lent and Advent, and is available at any time by calling the parish office. The parish also accompanies those considering a vocation to the priesthood, diaconate, or religious life, and can connect them with the diocesan Vocation Office.
Reconciliation, Adoration, and Devotional Life
Confessions are heard on Saturdays from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 to 3:30 p.m., and on Thursdays before the First Friday of each month at 3:00 p.m. Weekday confessions are available by appointment with a priest. Penitential Services are held during Advent and Lent for the wider parish community.
St. Joseph is one of the parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach with a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration around the clock. Adorers sign up for a weekly holy hour through an online scheduler. The ministry frames adoration as an intimate conversation with Christ, a place to pray the Psalms, read the lives of the saints, pour out one's heart, sit quietly, and listen. Suggested ways to spend the hour include praying the Liturgy of the Hours, meditating on Scripture, interceding for others, praying the Rosary, or simply being present.
A weekly Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Rosary Makers gather weekly to craft rosaries for missions and for the parish. Eucharistic Revival Holy Hours are held seasonally.
Formation for Children, Teens, and Adults
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides religious education for children not enrolled in the parish school, with classes beginning in September and continuing through the academic year. The program walks students through Catholic doctrine developmentally and prepares them for the sacraments. Director of Faith Formation Anthuanette Hidalgo oversees the program, and Administrative Assistant Bonny Condon handles registration. Handbooks, registration forms, and directives for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation are published in both English and Spanish, and a full calendar is posted online.
For teens, the two-year Confirmation program leads high school students toward the sacrament in tenth grade. Adult Faith Formation offers Bible studies, topical presentations, retreats, prayer services, and seasonal discussions throughout the year, with the goal of forming mature disciples in faith and service. The ministry welcomes Catholics who have been away from the practice of their faith as well as those looking to go deeper.
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) walks those exploring Catholicism or completing their initiation through the Rite of Christian Initiation, with sessions running through the year and the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist celebrated at the Easter Vigil. A parallel Spanish-language process, OICA, is offered for Hispanic adults.
The parish also subscribes to FORMED, a Catholic digital library of videos, audio talks, and reading plans, and highlights current recommendations and family activities for use at home.
Hispanic Ministry and Spanish-Language Mass
St. Joseph is a bilingual parish with a strong Hispanic ministry serving the growing Spanish-speaking community in Stuart, Palm City, and Hobe Sound. Two weekly Masses are celebrated in Spanish: Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. The Saturday Spanish Mass is livestreamed on the parish Facebook page.
All sacramental preparation is offered in Spanish as well, including Bautismo (third Saturday of the month at 11:00 a.m., with pre-baptismal classes the first Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Life Center), Primera Comunión, Reconciliación, Matrimonio, and Unción de los Enfermos. Full information is available in Spanish, and bulletin announcements are regularly translated.
Hispanic parishioners have their own devotional and faith-sharing groups, including Adoradores (Spanish-speaking Eucharistic Adoration), Emmaus, and Juan XXIII, along with the Spanish-language Coro. The parish also celebrates Quinceañeras, accompanying young women and their families through the preparation process.
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and shares a long history with the parish, having been founded in 1961 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine. Today the school is staffed in part by the Sisters of the Most Holy Soul of Christ from Poland, and the Sisters serve as classroom assistants and in faith formation alongside the lay faculty. The school is a particular point of pride for the parish. Families interested in enrollment are encouraged to contact the school office directly.
Ministries, Volunteers, and Outreach
St. Joseph runs an active volunteer program. More than thirty ministries are offered, ranging from liturgical roles such as Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Ushers, Greeters, and Music Ministries, to formation roles in the Parish School of Religion and Children's Liturgy of the Word.
The parish music program is led by Music Director Michael Taylor, with separate choirs for adults and children and a Spanish-language Coro. Eucharistic Adoration has its own roster of weekly hour-holders. Two of the most active fellowship ministries are Coffee and Donuts, served after the 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. Sunday Masses, and the Parish Breakfast. Hospitality also extends to the parish picnic and the Easter Egg Hunt.
Outreach flows through the parish's St. Vincent de Paul Society, which assists families in need regardless of whether they are registered parishioners. The Carpenter's Kitchen ministry prepares meals for those experiencing food insecurity, and the parish regularly holds food drives for House of Hope, the local community resource center. The Angel Tree program at Christmas provides gifts for children in need. The parish also takes part in annual giving through the Diocesan Services Appeal, supporting ministries across the five counties of the Diocese of Palm Beach.
Other parish groups include the Men's Group, which meets Wednesday evenings in the Parish Life Center; the Spirit and Grace Prayer Group; a Singles Ministry; Small Groups; a Scripture Study Group; Rosary Makers; and the local council of the Knights of Columbus (Council 6241). Newcomers are invited to an annual Newcomers Luncheon, and coffee and donuts after Sunday Mass provide an informal way to meet other parishioners.
Stewardship, Giving, and the Legacy Society
The parish approaches giving as part of Christian stewardship, encouraging parishioners to share time, talent, and treasure. Online giving is handled through ParishSOFT, allowing one-time or recurring contributions by direct debit or credit card; the system also produces annual contribution statements for tax purposes. The parish provides personalized Offertory Cards for use at Mass for those who give electronically.
Beyond the weekly offertory, St. Joseph offers a full range of planned giving options. Gifts of stock or securities can be transferred directly to the parish; life insurance policies may be donated; and matching gift programs through employers can multiply contributions. Bequests and other planned gifts are honored through the St. Joseph Legacy Society, whose members are remembered in prayer, recognized annually, and listed on the parish's Legacy Wall. Director of Development Carmela Rincon works with parishioners considering any of these options. The parish also partners with MyCatholicWill to help members prepare a free will.
The annual Diocesan Services Appeal supports ministries across the Diocese of Palm Beach; gifts should be designated to St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Engraved Brick Program and a Memorial Fountain offer additional giving opportunities for those wishing to leave a permanent mark on the parish campus.
Clergy, Staff, and Parish Governance
The parish is served by Pastor Rev. Noel McGrath and Parochial Vicar Rev. Paul Vincent, along with three deacons: Lawrence Crary, Laurence Condon, and Michael Burke. The Sisters of the Most Holy Soul of Christ, including Sr. Anita and Sr. Martina, serve in the school and assist with faith formation. Michael Taylor serves as Music Director, and Anthuanette Hidalgo as Director of Faith Formation.
Parish governance is shared with the Pastoral Council, an advisory body drawn from across parish life whose role is to assist the pastor in fostering full participation in the life and mission of the parish and the wider Church. Members include Maria Acosta, Don Hall, Juan Carlos Herrera, Chris Ladue, F. Shields McManus, Barbara Merlin (Chair), Maria Valdez, Deborah Walker, and Marie Wierzbicki. The Parish Finance Council, chaired by Deacon Larry Crary and including Fernando Giachino, Erin Heck, Robert Ivany, Anthony Losh, Craig Price, and Ashley Vitale, oversees the parish's temporal affairs.
The parish office, located at 1200 SE 10th Street in Stuart, is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on weekdays. The main phone line is (772) 287-2727, and visitors are warmly invited to introduce themselves to the priests and deacons after Mass.