St. Joseph's Catholic Church is the longstanding Catholic community on Hooper Avenue in Toms River, New Jersey. Its story begins in the 1870s, when a few people celebrated Mass in private homes, and its present 1,200-seat church anchors a parish that also includes St. Gertrude's in Island Heights, St. Joseph Grade School, Donovan Catholic High School, religious education for public-school children, and ministries that serve families, older adults, and people experiencing homelessness across Ocean County. The parish is known for the range of its worship and service: Sunday and weekday Mass, including a Spanish Mass, formation from childhood through adulthood, a food pantry, Sunday Supper, caregiver assistance, and partnerships that provide shelter.
From Private Homes to a 1,200-Seat Church
The Catholic community can be traced to the 1870s, when a small group celebrated Mass in private homes with priests who came from other areas. As Catholic families increased, the parish was formally incorporated on October 30, 1883. Its first church, a wooden-frame building measuring 18 by 24 feet and fitted with four leaded-glass windows, served from 1882 until 1904. A larger church replaced it, and a rectory was added on Hooper Avenue, south of Washington Street, in 1909.
A social hall erected behind the church in 1932 was later renovated as the first school, which graduated its first class of seven students in 1934. Father George A. Welsh, pastor from 1926 to 1949, founded the school and purchased the tract that became the present parish campus. With the arrival of Father Lawrence W. Donovan in 1949, another building era began. The school-church building was completed in 1952, while another classroom building and Holy Family Hall opened in 1959. In 1963, St. Joseph's dedicated a Catholic high school, the first in Ocean County.
Under Monsignor Casimir H. Ladzinski, pastor from 1987 to 1996, the present 1,200-seat church was planned and built. Bishop John C. Reiss dedicated and blessed it on January 9, 1993. Monsignor Sean P. Flynn followed from 1996 to 2008, Father John P. Bambrick served from 2008 to 2012, and Father G. Scott Shaffer arrived in July 2012. The parish once encompassed all of Toms River and parts of Manchester Township, Beachwood, and Bayville. St. Barnabas, St. John, St. Justin, St. Luke, and St. Maximilian Kolbe eventually developed as separate parishes from that original territory.
Mass at Hooper Avenue and at St. Gertrude's
St. Joseph's Church and Parish Office are at 685 Hooper Avenue in Toms River. The parish's Sunday obligation Masses are:
- Saturday: 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 5:00 p.m.
- Spanish Mass: Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
St. Gertrude's, the mission church at 103 Central Avenue in Island Heights, follows a 9:00 a.m. pattern on the second Sunday of every month. Its summer schedule also includes Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. and Saturday Mass at 5:30 p.m. On weekdays, St. Joseph's offers Mass at 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, with another Mass at 8:00 a.m. Saturday.
A Welcoming Liturgy with Many Roles
Weekend liturgies are served by greeters who welcome parishioners and guests at the entrances, ushers, readers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, cantors, organists, and screen helpers. The Adult Choir assists congregational singing, adds occasional choral works, and sings at the 10:30 a.m. Mass three times a month and for special Holy Day liturgies. The parish's readers proclaim the Word, while junior readers focus on the second reading. A Children's Choir serves at the 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Masses twice a month.
Confession, Adoration and Mass Online
- Confession: Saturday from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m., with appointments also available.
- Adoration: The Perpetual Adoration Chapel is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. A code is required for entry.
- Livestream: The 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass and the 9:00 a.m. daily Mass are streamed on YouTube.
New families and individuals are asked to register as parish members. Parish registration can be completed online or at the parish office, whose business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Children and Youth Take Part in the Parish's Work
St. Joseph's makes room for children at every stage of parish life. The Sunday Children's Liturgy of the Word takes place at both the 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Masses. Children from preschool through first grade are invited forward with adult leaders for a Gospel reading suited to their understanding, then complete a craft activity before returning to their families for Communion.
- Religious education: The Summer Religious Education Academy serves public-school children in grades 1 through 8 with scripture, liturgy, doctrine, and tradition. Academy Card activities during the school year add practical ways to live the faith, and regular participation in choir, lector, or altar-server service also earns Academy Card credit.
- Children's Choir: Young singers in grades 2 through 6 rehearse on Thursday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. beginning in October and are invited to sing twice a month at Sunday Mass.
- Junior readers: The program prepares sixth-grade through high-school students to proclaim the second reading at the 9:00, 10:30, noon, and 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses. Instruction emphasizes the Mass, pronunciation, and presentation, with a recommended three-month preparation period.
- Altar servers: Students ages 10 through 17 assist priests and deacons, prepare the altar, light candles, carry the cross and candles, and serve at special Masses. They commit to two or three Masses each month, complete training, and dress in a plain white shirt or blouse, black bottoms, and flat black shoes.
- Youth ministry: CYGNUS serves students in grades 7 through 12. The 10:30 a.m. Mass on the second Sunday each month is also the Religious Education Family Mass, when families in the program gather together.
These ministries place children and teenagers among the people who welcome, sing, read, serve, teach, and pray at the parish's center.
A Shared Faith and the Path Through the Sacraments
St. Joseph's names the entire Word of God, found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, as its sole rule of faith. Its Profession of Faith, the Creed, affirms belief in the Holy Trinity and in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. The parish teaches that the seven sacraments instituted by Jesus give the gift of grace, a share in God's life and love, and it professes the Nicene Creed at Mass each weekend.
- Baptism: Baptisms are scheduled on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of the month. Parents and godparents must attend a preparation class, offered online.
- First Holy Communion: Students age 17 and younger must attend two summers of the Summer Religious Education Academy and monthly sacrament-preparation classes. Adults prepare through the initiation process for newcomers to the Catholic faith.
- Confirmation: Confirmation is typically administered in the spring of eighth grade to students in religious education. Preparation is also offered for high-school students who have not completed the sacraments, and adult classes are offered several times each year.
- Marriage: Couples begin arrangements one year before the wedding date. Every couple attends Pre-Cana, a sharing experience led by priests, deacons, and married couples that examines family, children, faith, money, and the couple's goals.
- Anointing of the Sick: Parish priests administer the sacrament to those who are seriously ill, facing serious surgery, or in great need of God's healing. Reconciliation precedes it when possible, and the Eucharist may follow.
- Adoration: The Perpetual Adoration Chapel provides a quiet place of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Weekly adorers and substitutes sustain this round-the-clock ministry.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly called RCIA, is offered in English and Spanish for unbaptized adults, people baptized in another faith, and Catholics seeking to complete their initiation. Its stages combine prayer, study, discussion, and shared ritual. The parish also supports adult Confirmation preparation and preparation for sacraments not received at the expected age.
Faith-Sharing Groups Carry Ministry into Daily Life
The Rosary Altar Society, established in the 1930s and formally chartered in 1949, honors Mary by reciting the Rosary and caring for the church and community. Members clean the church, visit residents of a local nursing home, make rosaries and Baptismal bibs, sponsor an annual Communion Brunch, and support parish projects through fundraisers. The society meets for 9:00 a.m. Mass on the first Sunday of the month, followed by a meeting in the Donovan Catholic cafeteria.
Respect Life works to educate and motivate parishioners to safeguard human life from conception through natural death. Its activities include a monthly devotional holy hour, intercessory prayer, a life chain, a national night of prayer for life, a raffle, and participation in the March for Life. St. Joseph's Council 4969 of the Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's organization that supports the church and its priests, raises funds for charities, and meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
Men and women have distinct ways to grow in faith. That Man Is You meets before the Saturday morning schedule, while Veritas welcomes men 18 and older for a structured program of praise, teaching, small-group discussion, Lectio Divina, Evening Vespers, and fellowship. Veritas is sponsored by Father Scott Shaffer and Deacon Gerard Luongo. Totus Tuus welcomes women of diverse cultures and all ages to deepen their relationship with Christ through prayer, study, and fellowship. The Light of Life Prayer Group, established in 1974, gathers Friday night for Scripture, intercessory prayer, spiritual renewal, and support for one another's ministry.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls and blankets for people grieving a loved one. Volunteers make much of their work at home and meet monthly to share ideas, teach beginners, and turn in pieces. Caregivers are another central bridge between parish and community. Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, an interfaith coalition that grew from St. Joseph's Project HEAL, helps frail and older adults remain independent through transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, friendly calls, pet visits, and respite care for family caregivers. The service is free, with no income eligibility.
Meals, Shelter and Health Across Ocean County
St. Joseph's Food Pantry welcomes anyone without an appointment. It is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Tuesday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Identification is preferred but not required; an active driver's license or pantry identification card is accepted. Small food donations help because storage space is limited. Monetary gifts and ShopRite or Stop & Shop gift cards are also welcomed to replace foods that run low.
The Social Concerns and Justice Ministry's Sunday Supper is a free, hot, nutritious meal served in the Donovan Catholic School cafeteria on Terrace Avenue. It is open to everyone in the parish and community regardless of race, creed, or religious affiliation. Guests arrive for the monthly meal, with seating closing at 1:00 p.m. and dinner beginning at 1:15 p.m.
St. Joseph's has hosted the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Ocean County since it opened in 1997. The network mobilizes churches, synagogues, volunteers, social-service agencies, and a daytime center to provide overnight lodging, meals, and assistance for homeless families. Host congregations shelter three to five families for a week on a rotating schedule. St. Joseph's volunteers have provided lodging, meals, and companionship to more than 126 homeless families. The parish's Social Concerns Ministry also helps people who have applied for housing assistance through the Board of Social Services but need emergency shelter during the wait.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society serves Christ in people who are poor with love and respect. Volunteers complete training, contribute four to seven hours each month, answer requests from home, and meet families in pairs at the Parish Ministry Center. The Parish Nurse Ministry adds medical support at Mass, offers free blood-pressure screenings, and shares health information. Homebound ministers bring Communion to people unable to attend, while parish priests make prison visits at the Ocean County Jail. Al-Anon meetings meet Monday and Thursday evenings in the church preparation room, with a NAR-ANON meeting Sunday evening in the Parish Ministry Center.
Education, Music and a Campus Built for Catholic Life
St. Joseph Grade School and Donovan Catholic High School complete a Catholic educational continuum connected to the parish. St. Joseph's Century Club provides scholarships for grade-school students who attend Donovan Catholic and supports an endowment for the scholarship program. The Century Club has helped more than 278 St. Joseph students over its history and has raised more than $1.32 million for their education. Its gatherings and commemorative journal continue to direct parish generosity toward Catholic schooling.
Music is woven through parish worship. The Adult Choir rehearses Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. from September through June and welcomes singers in all voice parts. The Children's Choir rehearses on Thursday afternoons, readers and extraordinary ministers assist at the altar, greeters and ushers assist at weekend liturgies, and screen helpers manage prayers and music. These roles make room for many people to participate in the Mass and in special liturgical events.
The wider parish campus includes St. Joseph's Cemetery and Mausoleums at 62 Cedar Grove Avenue, including columbaria, and the Carpenter Shop, a religious-articles store. St. Michael's Watch serves as the safety and security ministry for parishioners, students, clergy, staff, and visitors. Its trained volunteers coordinate emergency planning with first responders, and the ministry welcomes people with military, active law-enforcement, or retired law-enforcement backgrounds. At the heart of this campus, the 1,200-seat church continues to gather Catholics from Toms River and Island Heights for Word, sacrament, song, service, and shared prayer.
From its beginnings in private homes to St. Gertrude's mission and the present school and ministry campus, St. Joseph's remains a Catholic community in which worship and service are closely joined. Its history is carried forward by children learning the faith, adults deepening it, caregivers easing the burdens of aging, volunteers providing meals and shelter, and members bringing Communion and prayer to those who are sick, grieving, or unable to come to church.