A Parish Born of the Suburban Exodus
St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church stands in Warrington, Pennsylvania, at the intersection of County Line and Easton Roads in Bucks County, across from the former Willow Grove Naval Air Station. The parish was founded in 1922 in what was then a rural area straddling both Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The first parishioners struggled just to get a church started, but as the suburban exodus that reshaped the Philadelphia region took hold in the decades that followed, the parish grew along with the surrounding neighborhoods. Today, St. Joseph counts a parish population of 12,085 people across 3,881 registered households. The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Michael J. Pawelko, with Deacon Frank assisting, and a small but committed staff of lay men and women. Fr. Michael, now in his third autumn at the parish, has called St. Joseph a special place and a special parish family.
The parish falls within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is the spiritual home for Catholics across a wide swath of central Bucks County, with formal boundaries running south of Street Road from Lower State Road to Norristown Road, to County Line Road, to Blair Mill Road, to Moreland Road, to Maple Avenue, to Horsham Road, to Limekiln Pike, to Lower State Road, and back to Street Road.
The Mass Schedule, Every Day of the Week
St. Joseph's gathers for Mass every day of the week. Saturday Vigil Mass begins at 4:00 p.m. Three Sunday Masses are offered at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. Daily Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and Holy Days bring a 5:30 p.m. Vigil the evening before and three Masses on the day itself at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 7:00 p.m.
Confessions are heard on Saturday mornings from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m., after the daily Mass, and again on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m., before the Vigil Mass. The parish recommends arriving a few minutes early, especially for the afternoon session, and reminds penitents that Lent brings additional Penance Services for families and students.
Parishioners who are homebound or traveling can also follow along with two broadcast options: Sunday Mass on radio at 9:00 a.m. on 89.3 FM, or "The Sunday Mass" on ABC Family at 6:30 a.m., produced by the Passionist Fathers.
Monday Evenings: Adoration, Rosary, and Benediction
Each Monday evening, the church reopens for Eucharistic Adoration, the Miraculous Medal Novena, the Rosary, and Benediction. The pastor has been candid with his flock about Monday Adoration: the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left unattended, and the future of this devotion depends on enough parishioners willing to commit to a weekly Holy Hour. He has personally challenged the parish to take seriously the call to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.
In addition, the parish gathers for Stations of the Cross during Lent on Friday evenings, and the pastor regularly devotes his weekly column to the liturgical seasons of the Church year: Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Sacred Paschal Triduum, Easter, and the great Marian feasts of May and October.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
The Parish Religious Education Program, called PREP, is the parish's religious education program for those attending public school or homeschool. PREP classes meet in person on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. at the Valley Road School Building, on the second floor. Mrs. Danielle Staffieri, the Coordinator of Religious Education, leads the program along with a team of volunteer catechists.
PREP prepares students for the sacraments of First Reconciliation (usually in third grade), First Holy Communion, and Confirmation (usually in seventh grade). The program includes the rhythm of a Catechetical Sunday blessing at the 9:30 Mass, an Advent Penance Service for grades 4 through 7, a Lenten Penance Service for all students, Stations of the Cross, Confirmation and First Communion retreats, Confirmation practice, and First Communion practice. After Confirmation and First Communion Masses, students are encouraged to return to their home parish wearing their special outfits so the parish family can celebrate with them.
The parish also has its own parish school, St. Joseph / St. Robert School, a K-8 Catholic school at 850 Euclid Avenue in Warrington (telephone 215-343-5100). When the school consolidated to the St. Robert's campus, the original St. Joseph school classrooms went into storage. The pastor has set out to restore those rooms for PREP and parish meetings.
Music That Lifts the Liturgy
Music at St. Joseph's is led by Music Director Mrs. Maria Lennon. The parish offers several choirs and ensembles for singers of every age and skill level, with no auditions required.
The Adult Choir sings at roughly two Sundays each month, as well as Christmas, the Triduum, sacraments, and other special liturgies. Rehearsals are held every Wednesday evening from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m., and the choir welcomes new members at any level of musical ability. No previous choir or singing experience is necessary.
The Children's Choir sings once or twice a month at designated Sunday Masses, at Christmas, and occasionally alongside the Adult Choir for sacraments and special liturgies. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:45 p.m. In addition to learning music, choir members grow in their understanding of the Mass and the liturgical seasons and share Christian fellowship with other children in the parish.
Cantors lead congregational song from the front of the church with modest gestures. Candidates must have a pleasant singing voice; prior experience is not required, and training is provided.
Instrumentalists are encouraged to share their gifts. Pianists, organists, guitarists, flutists, violinists, and trumpeters who have received proper training on their instruments are welcome to step forward, and the parish provides guidance for their use during Mass.
The parish also has a Contemporary Ensemble, led by Bill Monaghan, that leads the 11:30 a.m. Mass in song one Sunday every other month, with practice beginning an hour and a half before Mass. Additional ensembles may be formed in the future for those who are interested.
Becoming Catholic: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
For adults seeking baptism, communion, or confirmation in the Catholic Church, St. Joseph's offers the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the normal path for the unbaptized and for Christians from other traditions who want to enter into full communion with Rome. The parish team welcomes both inquirers and volunteers who would like to serve on the formation team. The pastor has welcomed several adults into the Church over the past year, and the parish notes that this is among the largest groups of catechumens and candidates received in some time.
RCIA meets through the year and culminates with reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil and during the Easter season.
Liturgical Ministries at the Altar
St. Joseph's relies on a deep bench of liturgical volunteers to support Mass and the other sacraments.
- Student Altar Servers: Boys and girls in fifth grade and older, with a parent's permission, are encouraged to serve at the altar. Servers assist at the Saturday Vigil, all Sunday Masses, Monday Night Rosary and Benediction, Stations of the Cross, other special events throughout the year, and assist the priest at Parish Weddings.
- Adult Altar Servers: Dedicated men and women assist at weekday Masses and funerals. Those interested in serving should leave a message for her at the rectory at 215-672-3020 for Mary Boland.
- Lectors: Lectors proclaim the readings and the offertory invocation at all Sunday and Holy Day Masses, as well as at certain other liturgies such as the Penance Service. Individual preference is considered when schedules are prepared, and training and guidance are provided. To join, contact Ann Trotter at 215-672-4651 or aatrot@aol.com.
- Ushers of Hospitality: Ushers assist on Sundays, Holy Days, and special events with seating, taking up the collection, distributing bulletins, and on special occasions with parking. To become an usher, contact Bob McNulty at 215-674-1196.
- CCD Catechists: Catechists teach PREP classes on Tuesday evenings. The parish describes the role as one of the most rewarding in the parish: the words a catechist says in class may remain with a child for a lifetime and continually bring that child back to God. To learn more, contact the parish office.
- Rectory Volunteers: Volunteers staff the rectory door and phones one day a week, either 9 a.m. to noon or noon to 3 p.m.
Parish Groups, Devotions, and the Knights of Columbus
Beyond the liturgy, the parish sponsors a wide range of ongoing groups and devotionals. These include the Legion of Mary, a Men's Group, Women's Groups, the Senior Citizens group, the Home and School Association, the Youth Organization, the Miraculous Medal Novena and Rosary, the Pre-Jordan baptism preparation team, and the Respect Life Committee. Each group meets through the year and welcomes new members who contact the parish office.
The parish is also home to a chapter of the Knights of Columbus, Council 5494, Fr. Gallen Council, which is currently being revived after a period of inactivity. Catholic men interested in helping launch the revived council should contact the parish office.
The Food Cupboard: A Monthly Outreach
On the first Sunday of each month, parishioners are asked to bring canned goods and other non-perishable items such as beef stews, tuna fish, fruit, vegetables, soup, pork and beans, cereals, and pasta. The collections are transported to the Community Food Cupboard in Warminster on the Wednesday after the Sunday collection, where they help feed families in the surrounding area. Anyone interested in volunteering to assist with transporting or sorting food can call Bob Byrne at 215-675-9060.
The Sacraments: Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals, and the Anointing of the Sick
Weddings. Couples who wish to marry at St. Joseph's should make an appointment at the rectory at least six months before the wedding date. Weddings can usually be scheduled on Saturdays at noon or 2 p.m., or on Friday afternoons.
Baptisms. Parents should contact the pastor at least one month before the requested date. Baptism is usually celebrated on Sundays at 12:30 p.m., immediately following the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Fr. Michael leads the Pre-Jordan baptism preparation classes. Godparents must be practicing Catholics and provide a Letter of Eligibility from their own parish. No date can be set for baptism until parents have completed these steps.
Funerals. The parish offers a Funeral Planning Guide and a Funeral Planning Worksheet to help families select readings, music, and other liturgical details for a Funeral Mass. Music choices should be communicated directly to Music Director Maria Lennon. Families may download the guide and worksheet, drop them off at the rectory, fax them, or email them back.
Sick Calls. For parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized, or otherwise unable to attend Mass, the parish welcomes prayer requests and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Calls to the rectory at 215-672-3020 arrange a visit from the priest.
The Pastor's Column: Teaching Through the Liturgical Year
Each week, Fr. Michael J. Pawelko writes a column that walks parishioners through the Sunday readings, the saints of the day, and the Church's liturgical seasons. Recent columns have reflected on St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians, the Feast of St. Padre Pio and his counsel to "pray, hope, and don't worry," the call to forgive from the heart, the 50th anniversary of the 41st International Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia (1976), the martyrs of La Florida, the Canaanite woman's prayer of humility, devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, Pentecost and Memorial Day, and the spirituality of work on Labor Day.
The pastor regularly weaves in papal and patristic teaching: Pope Francis on the dignity of work in Laudato Si' and Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Benedict XVI on the economy and human dignity in Caritas in Veritate, St. John Paul II's Laborem Exercens on the rights of workers and unions, Fulton J. Sheen's homily on Mary as "Tabernacle of the Lord" from the 1976 Philadelphia Eucharistic Congress, and St. Augustine on the humility of the Canaanite woman. He also shares personal notes from his own family: his brother the Teamster, his father the union electrician who played football at Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown and who passed away in 2021, his mother who loved the Miraculous Medal, the Rosary, and the Blessed Mother and who passed away in the summer of 2006. The columns often close with the same line: St. Joseph, Patron of the Church, and our Patron, pray for us.
Parish Giving, Registration, and Practical Details
Parishioners can support St. Joseph's through online giving via ParishGiving.org, accepting credit, debit, or bank drafts on a one-time or recurring schedule. Recurring gifts allow the parish to plan more effectively and reduce administrative costs, and online giving ensures that the parish continues to receive support even when parishioners are unable to attend Mass. The platform uses SSL encryption and PCI-compliant security to protect financial information. Help with registration is available from ParishGiving at (866) 307-7140 or Info@ParishGiving.org.
All Catholics who live within the parish boundaries are encouraged to register. Registered parishioners can receive the sacraments, be visited by the pastor, and receive parish communications. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 1795 Columbia Avenue, Warrington, PA 18976, telephone (215) 672-3020, fax (215) 672-3114, email sjc18976@verizon.net. The parish office answers requests for weddings, baptisms, funerals, Anointing of the Sick, and registration, and parishioners are invited to call ahead during office hours.
Weekly bulletins are posted throughout the year, and the pastor's columns are archived under "News from the Pastor." A monthly calendar of parish events is also available online. Families who would like to arrange a tour of the parish school, enroll a child in PREP, register for online giving, or sign up as a parish volunteer are encouraged to call the parish office during the week.