office@stjosephpsj.org
850-227-1417

  • Public Masses are currently suspended

  • Public Masses are currently suspended

  • Public Masses are currently suspended

  • Public Masses are currently suspended

  • Public Masses are currently suspended

Welcome to St. Joseph
Catholic Church, Port Saint Joe, Florida

New to the Area

Welcome!

If you wish to join the parish, call the Office at 850-227-1417.

Returning Catholic

Welcome Back!

We welcome you back! You are welcome to attend Mass and to become actively involved in parish activities. We encourage you to speak with the Parish Secretary or the Pastor, call the Office at 850-227-1417.

Become a Catholic

Welcome, Here's How!

Inquiries to the Catholic Faith by adults not yet baptized are welcome to speak with the Parish Secretary or the Pastor for information on registration or to learn more about the parish and information about the RCIA process. Call the Office at 850-227-1417.

 
Online Parish Registration Form
OnLine Giving

Announcements

Reserved Seating for Masses

Masses have resumed, but with limited capacity, so we are using a reservation system for Mass right now. For information about Mass times and how to reserve a spot, sign up at stjospsj.flocknote.com. Every Monday and email will go out allowing people to make a reservation for the coming weekend.

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, May 24, 2020

The Feast of the Ascension: "As they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight" Acts 1:9

Confirmation

We celebrate the Ascension of the Lord this weekend. Formerly known as Ascension Thursday, some people like to jokingly call it Ascension Thursday Sunday. You can do whatever you want.

More seriously though, the Ascension marks "the beginning of a new nearness" as Pope Benedict once said. Although Jesus departs from his disciples in a certain sense, he also begins to be present to them and to all the faithful in an even greater way: by sending his Spirit into our hearts at Pentecost, the Spirit we receive in Baptism; by remaining with us in the Eucharist. Pope Leo the Great, in one of his Ascension homilies, said the Lord's visible presence has passed into the sacraments. Jesus promised to remain with us always (Mt 28:20), not limited by space or time. And a particular way he does that, after his Ascension, is in the sacraments.

If you didn't get a reservation for Mass this weekend, you can watch it online or take some time to celebrate a liturgy of the word. Resources for both are below.

Ascension Readings

Happy Feast of the Ascension!

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, May 17, 2020

The Sixth Sunday of Easter: "Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit" Acts 8:17

Confirmation

In the Acts of the Apostles this Sunday, some people are baptized by Philip the deacon. Then the apostles Peter and John come over from Jerusalem to lay hands on them to receive the gift of the Spirit. It's a lot like when the bishop comes to the parish to celebrate confirmation for those who have already been baptized. In fact, this passage gives us a glimpse of the sacrament of confirmation in the early Church, something intimately related to, but distinct from, baptism.

Please find below a Liturgy of the Word to help you honor the Lord's Day at home. And here are some links if you would like to watch Mass:

Sixth Sunday of Easter Readings

On the topic of Confirmation, and Sacraments in general

There is a new series by Bishop Robert Barron on the sacraments. If you receive the flocknote emails, you have free online access to all of Bishop Barron's videos. So take advantage of that access and maybe watch the video on confirmation this weekend.

Confirmation Video

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, May 10, 2020

The Fifth Sunday of Easter: "They chose Stephen [...] also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmesan, and Nicholas of Antioch." Acts 6:5

Deacons

Usually I have and image and some comments relating to the Gospel reading of the day. But this time I though it would be good to have a little something about the first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, where we hear about the beginning of the order of deacons.

The reason deacons were chosen was because the Apostles were so busy with "prayer and the ministry of the word" that some people in the Church felt neglected, particularly in regard to the Church's outreach. The Apostles couldn't do everything and be in all places at all times. So deacons were appointed to help share the load and make sure no one was neglected.

What applies to deacons in a specific way applies to the whole Church in general. Each of the faithful, ordained or not, has the call and privilege to bring the Kingdom of God to those we meet and to show Christ's charity to all.

Please find below a Liturgy of the Word to use. And here are some links if you would like to watch Mass:

Fifth Sunday of Easter Readings

The slow resumption of public Masses

We started with public daily Mass this week and it has gone well. Right now, anyone who wants to come to weekday Mass does not need to reserve a spot. You just have to bring a face mask and sit in every other pew (we have them taped off). Just keep in mind that if too many people show up, you may be turned away.

We will be starting Sunday Mass, with a limited number of attendees, this Sunday, so pray that it goes well. Right now we can only have 12 households at Sunday Mass at a time, so we are using a reservation system. As we work out the kinks, I hope to have have more Mass times available some more people who want to come may.

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, May 3, 2020

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also called Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Gospel reading at Mass.

The image of Christ the Good Shepherd comes from the Roman catacomb of Domitilla. In fact, the oldest artistic depictions of Jesus portray him as the Good Shepherd; there are others in the catacombs of Callixtus and Priscilla. It was an important understanding of who Jesus is in the Gospels, in the early Church, and in the Church today.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who not only looks after his sheep, but lays down his life for them. We celebrated that fact a month ago on Good Friday. And he continues to guide us. He leads us through dark valleys, like this time of pandemic. He spreads a banquet before us, most especially the banquet of the Eucharist. Although we still won't have public Mass this weekend, we will have it beginning next week. And so this Sunday can prepare us to return to Mass.

As usual, here are some resources for honoring the Lord's Day this Sunday:

Fourth Sunday of Easter Readings

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, May 1, 2020

Public Celebration of Mass

Deo gratias! We get to celebrate Mass publicly again. Daily Mass will resume on May 6 and Sunday Mass will resume on May 10. However, it will not be business as usual. We are going to slowly resume the public celebration of Mass. To help us plan for the resumption of Mass, there is a link to an important survey at the bottom of this email (it's very short--one or two questions--depending on your answer). Please complete the survey by Sunday night. But first...

Why is resuming Mass so important?

The weekly Sunday celebration of the Eucharist has been the feature of the Church since Jesus rose from the dead. Since that first Easter, the Church has celebrated "the breaking of the bread" Sunday after Sunday. It is what Christians do. It is what Jesus gave us to celebrate until He comes again. The Church is born from the Eucharist and continually nourished by it. We cannot exist without it. That's why it is so important for us to celebrate it, even if we do so imperfectly.

What can you expect at Mass?

Bear with me with the following; it is important info to know:

  • The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still suspended; so you are not required to come to Sunday Mass at the moment.
  • People who are sick, who have compromised immune systems, who live with people who might be more vulnerable to the coronavirus, should not come to Mass right now.
  • Things are not "back to normal". Things will be different for a while and we are going to take the resumption of Mass slowly.
  • There is still some risk involved in coming to Mass.
  • The number of people who can come to Mass at once will be limited. Depending on how many people want to come, it's possible not everyone will be able to come every week.
  • Social distancing of six feet will be observed at Mass. People who live under the same roof my sit together without social distancing.
  • Face masks will be required at Mass (except during the reception of communion).
  • Before I distribute communion, I will wash my hands and put on a face mask. Communion in the hand is strongly encouraged. If you want to receive communion on the tongue, please go to communion after everyone else.
  • There will be no communion from the chalice. There will be no exchange of peace. There will be an offertory basket near the entrance of the Church for people to deposit their offering.
  • There will be no in-pew missals and hymnals. If you would like to follow along with the readings, please bring them from home.
  • The church will be cleaned after each Sunday Mass.

I'll have more details about the time(s) and location of Mass (indoors or outdoors) after people have completed the survey.

Now, please click on the yellow box below.

Will you be coming to Mass?

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 30, 2020

Public Celebration of Mass

Next week, we will resume the public celebration of Mass with limited attendance and social distancing. This is great news. Please know that currently there is still no obligation to attend Sunday Mass; attendance at Mass will be voluntary.

In order to make this happen, I will soon be sending out more details and a survey to get a sense of how many people intend to come to Mass, both on the weekend and weekdays. This will help me work out some of the logistics regarding Mass (e.g. how many Masses to have; whether people will need to alternate weekends, which pews to block off, etc.).

In the meantime, please watch this video from the bishop.

An Update from Bishop Wack on Masses from Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on Vimeo.

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 26, 2020

Happy Third Sunday of Easter!

Although Easter was a few weeks ago, our Gospel reading still recounts the Church's encounters with the Risen Lord on that very first Easter because there is so much to reflect on, and we could never exhaust the mystery of Easter in just one weekend, or one season, or even one lifetime!

This Sunday's reading tells the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. As they walk home, confused about all that has transpired, Jesus walks up alongside them and asks them what they are discussing. Then he opens the Scriptures to them. Then they recognize him in the breaking of the bread. This Gospel shows us that from the very day Jesus rose from the dead, he has remained with his Church in the Mass: the proclamation of the Scriptures and the celebration of the Eucharist.

Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist in a way that has no parallel this side of Heaven. We speak of his Real Presence because he is really and truly with us, body, blood, soul, and divinity--it is not a metaphorical presence, it is a real presence. Unfortunately, we are not able to enjoy this presence during this time of pandemic, but we still have him with us in that other way spoken of in today's Gospel: in the Scriptures.

The Second Vatican Council said, "[Jesus] is present through his word, in that he himself is speaking when scripture is read in church." He himself is speaking when scripture is read. With that in mind, you can find the readings for this Sunday below. Even though you might not read them in church (i.e. at Mass), that is not an obstacle to Jesus. He was able to come to his disciples even when they were behind locked doors. He can certainly be near us as we seek him in whatever way we can.

Don't forget the various places you can watch Mass online:

Third Sunday of Easter Readings

Some Good News
If you saw the bishop's video we sent out last week, you would have heard that this weekend two seminarians from our diocese were to be ordained transitional deacons. A transitional deacon is a deacon who is on the path to being ordained a priest. Well, they were ordained earlier today at a small ceremony at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary, in Boynton Beach! Their names are Deacons Ray Herard (from St. Dominic in Panama City) and Richard Graham (a former student at Florida State). They are both very good men. I knew Deacon Richard when he was a college student and we are very blessed to have him serve our diocese. Below is a screenshot of Deacon Richard during the laying on of hands. Let us give thank to God for their vocations and let us pray for them as then enter the final year of their priestly formation.

Deacon Richard

Email Settings
Right now, everyone receives every email we send out. But you might not want to receive everything; you might only want one category of email: Sunday readings or faith videos or whatever. So we're breaking up our emails into two groups for now, and you can choose to receive one or the other or both.

The first group is St. Joseph Parish. These emails will include weekly Sunday resources (like this email) and updates about the status of the parish or the diocese (updates may occasionally happen more than weekly).

The second group is St. Joseph Faith Formation. These emails will come out two to three times per week and will share videos and commentary from Word on Fire (Bishop Barron's videos) or videos from Formed, another great Catholic video resource.

You will also see other email groups to choose from, but they are currently inactive. We do plan to use them in the future.

To adjust your email settings, click on "my info" at the bottom of this email. Then click on the little person icon ("view or edit my profile"), then click on "groups". From there you can choose what groups of email you would like to receive.

Parish Prayer List
I was asked to include the prayer list we usually had in the bulletin, so here it is. Please pray for these people:
Daryl Spencer, Joy Ailes, Brian Burkett, Terry Watson, Joyce Downard, Theresa Bourgeois, Tom and Kathleen Walsh

God bless!

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 19, 2020

This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Easter, when Thomas first doubts, but then believes.
It's also called Divine Mercy Sunday.

There is a good reason we call it Divine Mercy Sunday. For a long time, the Gospel reading for this Sunday has also included the passage from the Gospel of John where Jesus hands on to his apostles the authority to forgive sins--Jesus's own authority to spread his mercy--"Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them..."

Last century a Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, received messages from Jesus, desiring that more people know his mercy and that this Sunday be observed as a special celebration of his mercy. The Church approved the authenticity of these messages and in 2000, Pope John Paul II formally added the name Divine Mercy to this Sunday. Along with the readings attached to this email, there is a passage from St. Faustina's diary.   Second Sunday of Easter

Don't forget the places you can watch Mass online:

Chaplet of Divine Mercy
One thing entrusted to St. Faustina was a devotion called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It is prayed with Rosary beads, but is shorter to pray. If you are unfamiliar with it, take a look at the instruction below and take 5 or 10 minutes to pray it today.

Divine Mercy Illustration - - Divine Mercy Page

Blessed Palms
Two weeks ago we couldn't celebrate Palm Sunday together, when we usually get our blessed palms. But fear not, I did bless palms and they are available for anyone who wants one. You can find them on a table in the transept (wing) of the church. And we have plenty, so if you want to wait until we're all back together at Mass, we will have them for you.

Offertory
Since we haven't had Mass in a month, our parish income has dropped quite a bit. We budgeted to need around $2900 per week, but since Mass was suspended, we have averaged $1600 per week. Thank you to those who have been giving! I'm doing my best to cut costs--we don't have to run the A/C as much, everyone who works for the parish has had their hours or pay reduced--but we still have weekly expenses we can't avoid. I know a lot of people are in a similar financial situation as the parish. If you feel like you are in a secure place financially, you can sign up for online giving here: www.osvonlinegiving.com/4523. Our you can mail offertory checks and envelopes to the parish office:

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!

 

Update: More Information  from Bishop Wack, April 12, 2020

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 12, 2020

Dear parishioners, Happy Easter!

Last night, at the Easter Vigil, Pope Francis gave a great homily on the meaning of Jesus's Resurrection. Read all of it; it's not long. But here is a particularly relevant quote:

"Tonight we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement, uttered with an empty smile. No! It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own. Over these weeks, we have kept repeating, 'All will be well', clinging to the beauty of our humanity and allowing words of encouragement to rise up from our hearts. But as the days go by and fears grow, even the boldest hope can dissipate. Jesus’ hope is different. He plants in our hearts the conviction that God is able to make everything work unto good, because even from the grave he brings life."

May the Lord fill you and your families with hope this day of Jesus's Resurrection.

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 11, 2020

Something strange is happening--there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.
 - from an ancient homily on Holy Saturday

Dear parishioners,

Today is strange indeed. Today we commemorate that sad day between Jesus' death and resurrection, when the Lord went down among the dead and seemed to have gone away.

Right now the whole Church is experiencing its own prolonged Holy Saturday. Like Mary Magdalene, we might feel like "they have taken away my Lord" (Jn 20:13). But the very fact that we can see parallels between our present experience and the Gospel lets us know that the Lord is very much with us and at work, bringing about some good.

Tomorrow we will have the joy of celebrating Jesus' Resurrection, albeit in our own homes. Here are the usual resources to help you celebrate Easter. In addition to various places you can watch Mass, here is an attachment to help you celebrate the Liturgy of the Word.

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 10, 2020

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, when we remember Jesus's Passion and Death. Attached to this email are various options to commemorate Jesus's Passion. Although we are not commemorating the Veneration of the Cross together as a parish, you may consider venerating a crucifix you have in your own home.

If you would like to watch the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion today, here are a few places you can do it:

 

Also a few PDFs to consider:

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 9, 2020

Dear brothers and sisters,

This evening the Church begins the Sacred Triduum (three days) with the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper. It celebrates and remembers the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood, which is at the service of the Eucharist.

This year is a strange year because we cannot celebrate this together, publicly. Something is off this year, and I think it is helpful to acknowledge that. You are missing something essential this year. But this "missing something" does not need to be in vain. Sometimes, when we are without something, it sharpens our desire for it. Not being able to be at the Mass of the Lord's Supper this year can sharpen our need and desire for the Eucharist.

By delaying [his gift], God strengthens our desire; through desire he enlarges our soul and by expanding it he increases its capacity [for receiving him]
 - St. Augustine

By having the gift of the Eucharist delayed this year, may you grown in your desire for it. To assist that end, you will find below the beginning of a series on the Eucharist from Bishop Robert Barron. The video at the end of this email is just over three minutes. Give it a watch and hopefully you'll want to watch the rest of the videos in the series.

One thing Bishop Barron mentions, that I can relate to, is seeing people clamor to receive the Eucharist at a big Papal Mass. My first year in seminary, Mother Teresa was beatified. As a seminarian, I was able to accompany a priest distributing communion at her beatification (I held an umbrella over the priest and the Eucharist during communion). I saw people clamoring to get to the front of the crowd control barriers to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and I remember thinking, "This must have been what it was like for people to seek out Jesus, when he walked the earth." May we seek Jesus with that same passion.

If you would like to watch the Mass of the Lord's Supper this evening, here are a few places you can do it:

And now, the intro to the series on the Eucharist by Bishop Robert Barron...

Which command from Jesus has been obeyed the most?

Jesus taught us many things while he was on earth. He left us many commands: the Beatitudes, lessons from the Parables, and instructions on how to live the perfect life.

But what is the command that Christians have obeyed most consistently throughout the centuries?

“Do this in memory of me” happens many times, each and every day, throughout the whole world.

Watch this short 3 minute video to find out why:

Eucharist Video

After watching, PLEASE ADD A COMMENT sharing your thoughts, or ask any questions you have! We'd love to answer them!

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 7, 2020

Confession

On the evening of that first day of the week [i.e. Easter Sunday]... [Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sin you forgive are forgiven them..."
 - John 20:19, 22-23

We are getting ready to celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection, which is the very thing that made forgiveness available to us.

And the most direct way we experience God's forgiveness (besides in baptism) is in the sacrament of reconciliation. Not only is Lent--and Holy Week, particularly--a great time to seek God's mercy, but in this time when we are acutely aware of our own mortality, it is something we should seek out.

Fortunately, in our diocese, the coronavirus has not spread to the degree that there are restrictions placed on the availability of confession. So as long as we have this opportunity, let's take advantage of it!

The best way to arrange for confession is to email me at frchris@stjosephpsj.org; we can set up a time to meet on the back patio of the parish hall.

And to deepen our appreciation of this sacrament of God's mercy, check out any of the videos in this series from Formed. watch.formed.org/forgiven

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 4, 2020

This Sunday, we begin Holy Week

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. During this week, we have the privilege of celebrating and praying about events that changed the history of the world and, more importantly, changed humanity's relationship with God.

Like last Sunday here is a guide from Magnificat to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word at home. CLICK HERE Take some time today to pray it. If applicable, pick a leader and different family members to do the different parts, just like we would do at Mass at the parish.

You might also consider stopping by the church at some point today to pray before the Blessed Sacrament and make a spiritual communion. The church will be open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Eastern Time. I will celebrate Mass for all of you before the church is unlocked. I also have palms that I will bless, so blessed palms will be made available at some point in the future, for you to take to your homes.

Don't forget the various ways to watch Mass celebrated online:

PS: If you know of a parishioner who is not receiving these emails, encourage them to sign up at stjoepsj.flocknote.com.

God bless
Fr. Chris Winkeljohn

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, April 2, 2020

Dear parishioners,
It looks like we are in this for the long haul, being encouraged to stay at home, at least through the end of the month. This means a few unfortunate things for us at the parish.

The most immediate thing is that we will not be able to celebrate the most important mysteries of our faith--Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter--together as a church.

Although we will not be physically together for these things--and being together is an essential part of Christianity--we can still be united in prayer. So I will continue to send out resources for you to celebrate these events, united by the Church's selection of scriptures and prayers.

The "safer-at-home" directive that the Governor issued yesterday will not change what we are already doing at the parish, namely, leaving the church open during the day for people to stop by and pray, if they so desire. You may still call the office, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00am-1:00pm. And there is a number on the voicemail to call for emergencies.

At this time I do want to make the sacrament of confession more available, but in a way that incorporates all the safety precautions we should be taking. Stay tuned for another email in the next day on how people who wish to go to confession may go.

Please share this information with other parishioners you are in contact with. And if they don’t receive these emails, encourage them to sign up at stjoepsj.flocknote.com.

God bless
Fr. Chris Winkeljohn

 

Update: More Information  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, March 23, 2020

  • We are changing the office hours at the parish for the time being. The office will now be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm, Eastern Time. People are encouraged to call, rather than stop by; but during these times, Dona will be there to answer the phone. If there is an emergency while the office is closed, there is an emergency number on our voicemail. The church will still remain open every day for personal prayer, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
  • If it is not a hardship for you during this time, consider supporting the parish with online giving. About 80% of the parish's income comes in through the Sunday, in person collections. As long as we don't have public Masses, we are losing a good percentage of our income. To sign up for online giving, go here: www.osvonlinegiving.com/4523
  • Please remember in your prayers the soul of Cheryl Miller, a parishioner who passed away this past weekend. She was a faithful Saturday evening mass-goer and she will be missed. Please also keep her husband Ernie, her children, and all her loved-ones in your prayers.

 

Update: Online Resources  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, March 21, 2020

Since you will probably be spending a lot of time at home in the coming weeks, and because we can't hold our weekly Get Fed and religious education, we have some online resources for you.

The first resource is Formed. You may recognize some of the videos from things we have shown at the parish. There is a lot to explore, so check it all out! To sign up for free, go to Formed.org/signup.

The other resource is Word on Fire. We made this available about two years ago, and we've made it available again! You can watch on your smart TV and mobile devices through the Word on Fire app.

 

Update: Staions of the Cross  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, March 20, 2020

Ordinarily, we would be making the Stations of the Cross this evening...

...but since all public gatherings are suspended, we have the opportunity to make them in our homes, but still in communion with one another. When we make the Stations of the Cross, we are vividly reminded that Jesus did not run away from suffering and the feeling of abandonment. It reminds us that he is still near us, even when we can’t be near him in the Mass.

There are many forms and versions of the Stations of the Cross. If you have one in a book at home, today would be a good time to use it.

Here are a few other options to make the Stations of the Cross:

 

Update: Sunday Mass  from Fr, Chris Winkeljohn, March 19, 2020


Read the entire PDF

Excerpts from PDF:

Read the readings for Sunday's Mass, and spend some time praying with them. They can be found on the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and many other places. Do it daily if you can, but certainly do it every Sunday. Continue to carve out time with the Lord, to listen to him and pray to him.

Watch Mass online. There is no substitute for being at Mass. But when that is impossible, some people may like to watch it on TV or online. There will be a homily to hear, to explain the readings at Mass.

There are many places to watch Mass online, but here are a few:

Mass Responses and Prayers

 

Overview of Changes  March 18, 2020

Dear brothers and sisters,

Before going into detail about the various aspects of what has changed and what we can do about it (those will be in subsequent, daily emails), I wanted to send out a succinct overview of what is changing at our parish during the coronavirus pandemic.

  • All public Masses are suspended. I will still celebrate Mass privately and remember you all at Mass. Obviously, you are excused from you obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
  • Religious education is suspended. I will be looking for some resources so parents can use this time to hand on the faith to their children.
  • Get Fed/adult faith formation is suspended. I will also be sending out some online resources to inform your faith.
  • Stations of the Cross and soup supper are suspended. I'll email you something on Friday about the Stations of the Cross.
  • Scheduled times for confession are suspended for now, but I will try to come up with a solution so people can easily make use of this great sacrament of mercy. Obviously, I am available by appointment.
  • Sacraments for the sick are available. That includes the anointing of the sick and communion to the sick. If you are sick and need pastoral care, call the office (227-1417).
  • The church is open for prayer during regular business hours (around 9 to 5). Please exercise good hygiene when coming to the church and keep a safe distance from other people present.
  • Special group meetings and events are suspended (e.g. Altar Society, Men's Club).
  • People will still be in need of food assistance, and there may be greater need if people have to stay away from work. If you are able, drop off non-perishable food items at inside the entrance to the church so we can donate them to the food pantry.
  • Baptisms will be celebrated with only the child, priest, parents, and godparents present.
  • Funerals will be celebrated graveside, with the Rite of Committal and Final Commendation. I will also celebrate Mass for the deceased privately, or after the suspension of public Mass has been lifted.
  • Weddings...We don't have many wedding here, but if one occurs while we are still under these restrictions, it will be celebrated with only the bride, groom, priest (or deacon), and two witnesses present.

Stay tuned for subsequent announcements, detailing how we are addressing some of these changes. Although this is a time that a lot of things are being taken away, it is not a time we are helpless. This can and should be an opportunity for grace!

Fr. Chris Winkeljohn

Read Letter from Bishop Wack, March 19, 2020

Weekly Bulletin

"After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea..."  (Jn 21:1).

The Sea has often been a special place to encounter the Lord. Whether you are local, a seasonal visitor, or someone enjoying a weekend on the Gulf Coast, St. Joseph Parish is a place to encounter Jesus. Join us for Mass, Adoration, Bible Study, social events, or simply stop by to offer a prayer.