On a quiet block of Washington Street in the Village of Grafton, a stone church and its adjoining school complex anchor a Roman Catholic parish that has been gathering on the same patch of Ozaukee County soil since 1849. St. Joseph Catholic Parish, affiliated with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and identified by the motto "The Hands of Christ...Open to All," celebrated its 175th anniversary in November 2024. The parish operates a K3 through Grade 8 school, a full sacramental life, and ministries that run from the nursery class through the senior social calendar. People in the pews on any given weekend might include families whose great-great-grandparents were christened at the original 1860 stone church, alongside newcomers who joined the parish just last Sunday.
The parish motto and the mission behind it
The phrase "The Hands of Christ...Open to All" is more than a slogan; it is the mission statement the parish community uses to describe itself. Stated plainly: "United in faith and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we at Saint Joseph Parish are a faith community rooted in Christ that strives to live our baptismal call through proclaiming God's word, celebrating Christ's presence among us, and reaching out to God's people in lives of stewardship and service." The four pillars that follow from that call are prayer, liturgy, education, and social outreach.
175 years of Catholic life in Grafton
St. Joseph's roots reach back even before the parish's formal founding. German immigrants settled the area in the mid-1800s, and missionary priests known as "circuit riders" rode out from Milwaukee on horseback to keep the Word of Christ alive among them. The parish itself was established on November 7, 1849, with the people of Grafton founding St. Joseph Parish under the guidance of two circuit riders, Fr. Joseph Salzmann and Fr. Joseph Sadler. The first Mass was celebrated at the Grafton Courthouse.
A permanent place of worship followed in 1860: a simple stone church with a small wooden steeple and cross. Lightning struck in 1864 and destroyed much of the building, but a mission society from Bavaria sent money to help rebuild. The arrival of the railroad and industry in the 1880s brought a new wave of growth, and in 1897 a larger church, ornately designed in a Western European style, replaced the original.
A school began in 1890 with a lay teacher; a larger school with living quarters for the sisters on the upper level was built in 1922, and a new school building followed in 1956. After the freeway brought Grafton within easy reach of Milwaukee and subdivisions began to spring up, Mass attendance grew so quickly that a new worship space was needed. On Christmas Eve, 1968, Mass was celebrated for the first time in the current church.
The 1970s brought the local adjustments of Vatican II and the establishment of a Parish Council; the reinstatement of the Permanent Diaconate in 1977 added another tier of service. As the priest shortage of the 1980s unfolded, more lay ministers were hired to carry out parish administration alongside the pastor, and Sacrificial Giving (encouraging parishioners to tithe 10 percent in time, talent, and treasure) was introduced in 1983. In 2000, ground was broken for a major addition on the feast of St. Joseph; Archbishop Rembert Weakland joined the parish for the dedication on the feast of St. Joseph in 2001.
The parish marked its 175th anniversary on November 7, 2024. The celebration included installation of a Holy Family statue at the front of the church, a memorial book, a video, and a catered reception after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on November 10. The statue depicts the Holy Family as the first to welcome visitors at the main entrance, a visual echo of "Go to Joseph," the ancient invocation that ties the patron saint to guardianship of the Bread of Life.
Mass and Reconciliation schedule
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Daily Masses are offered Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday evening at 5:00 p.m., and on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. in the Reconciliation Chapel, located in the north vestbule colonnade. Eucharistic Adoration is also offered, and recorded homilies are available on the parish's YouTube channel.
The current church building
The current church, first used on Christmas Eve 1968, sits in the middle of a parish campus that has grown to accommodate the school, parish offices, lower level conference rooms, and the Gathering Hall used for ministry meetings and parish events. The architecture is mid-century modern, with the furnishings and additions of the 2001 dedication shaping the present worship space. A Holy Family statue now stands at the end of the canopy that covers the main entrance, greeting parishioners and visitors as they arrive.
Parish staff and leadership
St. Joseph Parish is led by Fr. Tim Schumaker, who was ordained a priest on May 15, 2021 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist by Archbishop Jerome Listecki. After serving three years as Associate Pastor at St. Dominic Parish in Brookfield, Fr. Tim was appointed Administrator of St. Joseph Parish in June 2024.
Sheri Hanson has served as Pastoral Associate since July 2013. She oversees pastoral care and faith formation, prepares adults and families for the Sacraments of Initiation, First Reconciliation, weddings, and funerals, and coordinates the Ministers of Care, Hospitality team, Human Concerns outreach, the Women's Group, and parish special events. Lisa Jauron, who joined the staff as Business Manager on July 1, 2025, holds an accounting degree from Notre Dame and an MBA from Marquette. The Director of Liturgical Music is Andy Smith, a music educator and choir director with more than fifteen years of experience, ten of those years spent at St. Joseph Parish School. KC Kranich has been Director of Youth Ministry since June 2023, with a background as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at St. Charles Borromeo in Milwaukee and Director of Youth Outreach at St. Francis Borgia in Cedarburg. John Knetzger is Director of Child Ministry, working alongside Hanson on formation for grades 4K through 11 and coordinating the Altar Server program. Madonne Rauch serves as Director of Stewardship and Bookkeeper and represents the parish on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council as Deanery Representative for Ozaukee/Milwaukee.
The Pastoral Council is chaired by John Gassert, with Ashley Medinger as Vice Chairperson and John Krueger as Secretary. Trustees are Chuck Boehm (Treasurer) and Lisa Delorit (Secretary).
Sacraments at St. Joseph
Infant baptisms are scheduled monthly during one of the three weekend liturgies, usually the weekend corresponding to the second Sunday of the month, except during Advent and Lent or in case of other scheduling conflicts. Active and practicing membership is expected of the parents, and a preparation session is required. Each child may have a godfather and a godmother, although only one is required.
Reconciliation is celebrated in the parish through a school-based second-grade preparation program, regular parish confession times, and a deeply scriptural presentation of the four parts of the sacrament: contrition, confession, penance, and absolution. Children preparing for First Eucharist in the second grade receive First Reconciliation during Advent of that school year, with a Saturday retreat and a parent session preceding the celebration; First Communion is celebrated during the Easter Season, normally during all weekend Masses in late April.
Confirmation is celebrated in the eleventh grade of high school. Candidates meet in small groups with adult leaders and receive support from parents and sponsors, with an overnight retreat and the selection of a Confirmation Saint Name as key elements. The 2027 Confirmation Mass is scheduled for Thursday, April 29, at 6:00 p.m. with Bishop Haines.
Weddings at St. Joseph are encouraged to be celebrated within the Eucharistic Liturgy, with couples asked to contact Sheri Hanson ten months ahead of the desired date. A $175 deposit reserves the date. Weddings are usually scheduled for Saturdays with a latest time of 1:30 p.m.; other days and times may be arranged depending on the parish calendar and the availability of the presiding priest or deacon. Weddings are not scheduled during Lent, and Advent weddings are scheduled only in special circumstances.
The Anointing of the Sick can be requested by contacting Fr. Tim Schumaker at 262-375-6500, ext. 103. Funeral planning involves coordinating with clergy, selecting a date, and shaping a service that typically blends liturgical tradition with personal reflection; Sheri Hanson serves as the primary contact for preplanning and immediate need. Holy Orders, as one of the seven sacraments, is presented on the parish's teaching pages, with those exploring a vocation invited to reach out to the parish office.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA (formerly RCIA)
For adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or to complete their initiation, the parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, recently renamed from RCIA to OCIA following a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops vote in November 2021 to bring English liturgical books closer to the original Latin. The process considers both the baptized (in another Christian tradition or Catholic seeking Confirmation) and the unbaptized. The journey has two main parts: Inquiry, in which questions are answered and the Catholic tradition is introduced; and the Rites, in which the whole community prays with and supports the catechumen or candidate. The four traditional groups are now framed as catechumens (unbaptized adults), unbaptized infants, baptized non-Catholic Christians, and baptized Catholics in need of Confirmation. Sheri Hanson, Pastoral Associate, coordinates the process.
The Mass, explained from the altar to the dismissal
The parish's teaching on the Mass walks the assembly through the Introductory Rites (entrance song, Sign of the Cross, greeting, Act of Penitence, Kyrie, Gloria, and Collect), the Liturgy of the Word (readings, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel acclamation, Gospel, homily, Creed, and Prayer of the Faithful), the Liturgy of the Eucharist (preparation of the gifts, Eucharistic Prayer with Preface, Sanctus, epiclesis, institution narrative, anamnesis, offering, intercessions, and Final Doxology ending in the Great Amen), the Communion Rite (Lord's Prayer, Sign of Peace, Fraction Rite with the Lamb of God, reception of Communion on the tongue or in the hand), and the Concluding Rites (announcements, blessing, and dismissal). The word "Mass" itself comes from the Latin Missa, derived from missio, meaning "mission"; the dismissal, "Go, you are sent," sends the assembly out to bring the fruits of the Eucharist into the world.
Because sharing at the Eucharistic Table is a sign of unity in the Body of Christ, only Catholics may receive Communion at St. Joseph; those who do not receive still participate by praying for unity with Christ and one another. Those who do receive are asked to fast (except for medicine) for one hour before receiving.
Music ministries
Music at St. Joseph is overseen by Director of Liturgical Music Andy Smith. The Adult Choir (18 and older) rehearses on Thursday evenings from September through June and sings at one Mass each weekend during those months. The Resurrection Choir sings at parish funerals, with about an hour and a half of time commitment per funeral including rehearsal. Cantors lead the sung prayer at weekend liturgies and are scheduled about twice a month. Instrumentalists are called upon as needed. The Music Ministries schedule, posted on the parish site, lists assignments for Altar Servers, Cantor, Choir, and Minister of the Word.
Liturgical ministries for the assembly
Parishioners of high school age and older are invited to serve at the altar and around it. Altar Servers (at least 11 years old or in fifth grade) assist at the Lord's table for weekend and Holy Day liturgies, scheduled one to two Masses every two months. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion help distribute the Eucharist whenever needed. Lectors proclaim the readings and petitions; orientation is provided. Ministers of Hospitality (ushers) greet, assist with seating, take up the collection, guide the congregation for Communion, and hand out bulletins, scheduled in teams for four-month stretches. Ministers of Care visit the elderly, residents of assisted living homes, Lasata, Aurora Medical Center, and others unable to attend Mass, with regular visits on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings. Liturgical Art and Environment volunteers handle seasonal setup, flower care, and design. Linen Launderers, Sacristans, and Sacramental Supply Coordinators keep the physical elements of worship prepared.
Christian formation for children
Christian formation at St. Joseph Parish is described as "lifelong," from the first introduction of newborns to the Christian community in Baptism all the way through grief support for adults. For children, the parish offers Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for 4K and 5K, Christian Formation Sessions for grades 1, 3, 4, and 5, First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation in grade 2, Vacation Bible School for campers entering 4K through fifth grade, Middle School Ministry (Edge) for grades 6 through 8, High School Ministry (Life Teen) for grades 9 and 10, and Confirmation in grade 11. Edge meets on most Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.; Life Teen meets two Sunday nights each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Youth Mission Trips and Special Programming take the older teens out of the parish. The 2027 Youth Mission Trip is planned for St. Louis, Missouri, with the group expected to serve communities through home repair projects, prayer, and relationship building. All high school youth (grades 8 through 12) and young adults (ages 18 to 24) are invited. The parish also plans to send a delegation to the 2027 National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis on November 18 to 20, 2027.
St. Joseph Parish School
The parish school, also called SJPS, enrolls students in K3 through Grade 8 and shares the parish campus. Principal Christine Jackson, a lifelong Catholic educator with more than thirty years of experience, took the helm after teaching third grade at St. Joseph Parish School for ten years and serving on the school's interim leadership team. She is partnering with Marquette University and the Archdiocese on a strategic planning process. The school carries the same motto as the parish, "The Hands of Christ...Open to All," and operates under the four-pillar framework of Teaching, Learning, Leading, and Serving as the Hands of Christ. Andy Smith continues to teach music at the school, and the music program has produced nine musicals staged in Doherty Hall.
Adult and family ministry
Adult ministry encompasses Marriage and Baptism preparation, Adult Confirmation, OCIA, Grief Support, Adult Educational and Formation Programs, and Senior Social events. The Adult Formation Series, led by Sheri Hanson, builds prayer, reflection, and discussion in small groups within a large-group setting, with topics including Getting the Most out of Scripture, Themes and Storylines of the Old Testament, Lectio Divina, the Old Testament Prophets, Psalms and Wisdom, Scripture for Life, Catholic Moral Tradition, Exploring Catholic Social Teaching, and the Sermon on the Mount. The Monday night group also watches and discusses "The Chosen." January through April brings participation in the Archdiocesan program Emmaus 90.
The Men of St. Joseph gather on Tuesday mornings from 6:00 to 7:30 a.m. for the 13-week "That Man is You" program, which combines modern science with Church teaching and the wisdom of the saints to develop authentic male leaders. Previous sessions include "Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother" and "Become a Man After God's Own Heart."
The Women's Group, organized by Sheri Hanson, plans events twice a month during the school year and runs trips to local pilgrimage sites such as the Basilica of St. Josaphat and Holy Hill. Past gatherings have featured guest speakers, including Joan Carey from First Fruits, a place for women to grow in faith together. The 50 Plus Group provides social opportunities for senior parishioners.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Gathering Hall on the third Thursday of each month, September through May, knitting and crocheting shawls for the sick, grieving families, hospice patients, and others in need, along with hats, scarves, and baby items for outreach programs.
Ozaukee County Catholic Young Adult Ministry is open to all young adults in their twenties and thirties, married or single, with children or without. The group meets twice a month on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.
Outreach to the wider community
The parish's active areas of ministry include Human Concerns, Creation Care, Grief Support, Los Toros Mission, Mental Health, the St Ben's Meal Program, St Vincent de Paul, and Substance Addiction. These groups extend the parish's mission "The Hands of Christ...Open to All" beyond the church doors into the lives of those experiencing hunger, loss, homelessness, addiction, or mental health challenges.
The cemetery and memorials
St. Joseph Parish maintains a parish cemetery, with information available through the parish office. Memorials can be arranged through the office as well. Funeral planning involves the Vigil Service (often at the funeral home), the Funeral Liturgy (usually a Funeral Mass), and the Rite of Committal at the graveside, following the Order of Christian Funerals. Eulogies are typically encouraged to be shared during visitation or at the Vigil Service rather than at the Funeral Mass itself.
Devotions the parish keeps close
Devotion to Mary runs through the parish's prayer life. The Angelus, the Holy Rosary (in prayer and audio form), the Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Stations of the Cross are all part of the parish's regular devotional rhythm. Marian art is featured on the parish site. The parish also keeps the Novena to St. Joseph as a regular devotion, in keeping with its patron. Eucharistic Adoration is offered regularly.
Worship aids and the liturgical year
The parish follows the General Roman Calendar and the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America, with the liturgical year beginning on the First Sunday of Advent. Six seasons make up the year: Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Sacred Paschal Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time. Sundays and solemnities are marked in white; the Paschal Triduum in red; Advent and Lent in purple; and Ordinary Time in green; rose appears on the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The parish also observes the Seven Churches Visitation on Holy Thursday, a tradition credited to St. Philip Neri in sixteenth-century Rome.
Catholic beliefs as the parish teaches them
St. Joseph teaches the Nicene Creed as the succinct expression of Catholic belief: one God, Father almighty; one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, consubstantial with the Father; the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church; one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come. The parish teaches that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is really present under the appearances of bread and wine; the bread and wine are completely changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, leaving behind only their sensible appearances. The Eucharist is both a sacrament and a sacrifice, making present again in an unbloody manner the sacrifice Jesus offered once for all on Calvary.
The parish also teaches devotion to Mary as Mother of God, citing the teaching that Mary was preserved by God's grace from all sin throughout her life, was taken up body and soul into Heaven at the end of her life, and reigns with her Son as Queen of the Universe. Catholics do not make Mary equal to her Son; He is true God, and she, though the most exalted of all creatures, is still a creature. Only Jesus Christ, because He is both God and man, is the perfect Mediator between God and men.
On the last things, the parish teaches that death is the separation of mortal body and immortal soul, that each human person is judged by God at the moment of death based on conduct in this life, that heaven is the eternal state of perfect happiness resulting from the face-to-face vision of God, that hell is the eternal state of those who have freely rejected God, and that purgatory is an intermediate state of purifying suffering for those who die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified. Catholics are taught to keep the seven precepts of the Church: to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days, to go to Confession at least once a year, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter Season, to observe the days of fasting and abstinence, to help provide for the needs of the Church, and to obey the marriage laws of the Church.
Communication and giving
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin through ParishesOnline, a monthly calendar through its Church Community Builder site, and an email newsletter through Constant Contact. Recorded homilies are available on the parish's YouTube channel. The parish is active on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Online giving is available through Pushpay, and a dedicated St. Joseph Pushpay App is offered for recurring gifts. In 1983, the parish introduced Sacrificial Giving, encouraging parishioners to take seriously the scriptural mandate of tithing 10 percent back to God in time, talent, and treasure; the Stewardship program continues today with an annual report and dedicated staff time from Director of Stewardship Madonne Rauch.
Joining the parish
Those who wish to register as parishioners of St. Joseph are invited to do so through the Join Our Parish page. The parish welcomes new members of every background and circumstance, in keeping with its motto "The Hands of Christ...Open to All."