Parish History
| December 18, 1904 | First Mass in original church. Parish had 5 families. Mass said once a month. |
| February, 1905 | Bell cast. Bell was donated by a person from Butler. |
| May 31, 1905 | Original church dedicated as a mission of St. Mary in Herman. |
| June 1909 | One Mass said every Sunday. |
| January, 1925 | First wedding performed. |
| Christmas, 1925 | Electricity used for the first time. |
| April 20, 1926 | First funeral. |
Prior to this, all weddings and funerals were held at St. Mary's in Herman or St. John's in Coylesville, as there was only a path through the woods into St. Joseph's until the 1950's when a road was built.
| 1930 | The first dinner was served to 150 people in the church basement, starting
with soup and ending with dessert. All served without running water; water had to be
carried from the surrounding three homes. This dinner, now called the Fall Festival, is held on the first Sunday after Labor Day and serves approximately 2,400 people. |
| 1945 | Two Masses said every Sunday. |
| 1950-1957 | Woods cleared and road and parking lot built. Rooms added to provide pastor's living quarters. Prior to this, meals and lodging were provided by the nearest parishioner. Additional acreage purchased. |
| 1964-1975 | Saturday evening Mass added in addition to 3 Masses on Sunday. CCD Center erected in 1969. Acreage purchased in 1974. First parish council elected in 1975. |
| December 23, 1975 | St. Joseph became an independent parish. |
Most all work required to operate the parish was done by volunteers- priests and parishioners- laundry, cleaning, meals, crocheting lace for and sewing altar cloths, firing up the coal stove for services, digging a basement under the old church, renovating and expanding the old church, clearing the woods, etc.
| August 27, 1978 | Dedication of the new church. Original bell moved to the new bell tower. Congregation of 450 families. |
| 1979 | Friary built |
| April 9, 1989 | Dedication of St. Joseph Hall and Bauer Hall. Congregation of 700 families. |
| 1990 | St. Joseph Preschool established. |
| 1991 | Addition of outdoor lighting. Parking lot paved. Dedication of Bauer Hall. |
| 1993 | Congregation of 850 families. |
| 1994 | Revitalization of Youth Group. Knights of Columbus receive Charter. |
| 1995 | Congregation of 886 families. |
| 1996 | Congregation of 900 families. |
| 1997 | St. Francis of Assisi Shrine. |
| 1998 | Congregation of 930 families. |