St. Joseph Catholic Church stands on East Marvin Avenue in Waxahachie as the Catholic parish for western Ellis County, drawing families from Midlothian, Red Oak, Oak Leaf, Ovilla, Maypearl, and the surrounding communities. From its current 600 E. Marvin Ave grounds, the parish serves more than 2,100 families and nearly 7,000 parishioners under the Diocese of Dallas. Mass is offered in English on weekdays and weekends and in Spanish on Sundays at noon, alongside an extensive confession and adoration schedule that runs through the week.
Four Churches on the Same Corner
St. Joseph is one of the oldest parishes in North Texas, part of a wave of eight Catholic churches founded between 1872 and 1890 to serve a Texas Catholic population that grew from roughly 40,000 to 150,000 between 1840 and 1880. Catholic immigrants - many of them Irish stonemasons and railroad workers who came to build the Waxahachie courthouse - gathered for Mass when missionary priests passed through town. In 1874 the bishop assigned Father Claude Marie Thion to minister to Catholics in Ellis and Hill counties, and the diocese bought three lots between College and Jackson Streets. The Irish stonemasons John Solon, Peter Cogley, and Peter Laughlin built a small brick church, 26 feet wide by 56 feet long, with a classroom and cemetery behind it. The building appears as one of eight identified sites on an 1876 map of Waxahachie.
By 1890 the small brick church could no longer hold the growing Catholic community in Waxahachie. In 1892 the diocese sold the original property to the Methodists for $1,500 and bought four and a half acres on Marvin Street. The cornerstone and part of the foundation were saved for the new building. Father Thomas Coyne oversaw construction of a wood-frame church, dedicated in August 1892. Parishioners added a small rectory, and in 1895 the diocese appointed Father J. J. Dolje as the church's first resident pastor. Father Dolje also served missions in Hillsboro, Itasca, Mansfield, and Britton, visiting each once a month by rail.
The third church was completed in late 1954 under Father William Botick and dedicated in May 1955, using the cornerstone from the original 1874 building. The wood-frame church and rectory were moved to the rear of the new structure; the old church became a parish hall with a kitchen, and the rectory became four classrooms and a nursery. A new parish hall and education facility were dedicated in 1973. St. Joseph Catholic School opened in 1992, and the Parish Family Center followed in the spring of 2001; by that fall the PFC was hosting the regular weekend Mass schedule while plans for a new church continued. Ground was finally broken under Father Martin Moreno in 2015, and the present church on the east side of the parish grounds opened in 2016.
The Current Church and Its Stained Glass
The church constructed in 2016 is the parish's fourth and stands on the east side of the grounds, with its entrance on the opposite side of Marvin Ave from the older chapel. Stained glass in the new building carries on the long Catholic tradition of using visual symbols to recall the lives of saints and the mysteries of the faith. In the upper portion of the windows, the four evangelists appear with their traditional symbols: the Lion of Mark, the Ox of Luke, the Eagle of John, and the Man of Matthew, drawn from Ezekiel's throne-chariot and the four living creatures of Revelation 4. Mark, Matthew, and Luke are shown seated at a writing desk, composing their gospels on vellum with traditional tools, while John is shown receiving divine inspiration from the hand of God and dictating it to a scribe. Each background features the city associated with the evangelist - Alexandria for Mark, Jerusalem for Matthew, Antioch for Luke, and Ephesus for John.
Other windows present the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, side by side. The Sacred Heart window shows a flaming heart shining in the bosom of Christ, encircled by the crown of thorns, with the Holy Spirit above his head. The Immaculate Heart window shows Mary with a halo and the crown of heaven above her, her hands pointing to her pierced heart, a rosary at her belt. A separate panel of smaller symbols - IHS, the True Vine, the Sacred Heart, the Lamb of God, the Star of Bethlehem, the crown of thorns and nails, the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Triquetra, the chalice and host, and the Keys of the Kingdom - decorates the rest of the building.
Mass and Confession Through the Week
The parish's regular Mass schedule centers on three Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM in English, and 12:00 Noon in Spanish. The 5:00 PM Saturday Mass serves as the anticipatory Sunday liturgy. Weekday Mass is offered in the chapel at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and at 8:00 AM on Friday. Confession times run twice on Tuesday (11:30 AM to noon and 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the chapel), on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 11:30 AM to noon, on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in the church, with extra hours on First Friday evenings and First Saturday mornings. Reconciliation is encouraged often; the parish's own guidance on the sacrament quotes Canon 959 of the Code of Canon Law on the absolution given through a legitimate minister.
Adoration in the Old Chapel
The chapel is the parish's third church building, completed in 1954, on the west side of the grounds along Marvin Ave next to the school and St. Ann House. Adoration is held there on Wednesday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:00 PM following the noon Mass, and on Fridays from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM. On First Fridays the chapel runs 24-hour adoration from Friday at 8:30 AM through Saturday at 8:00 AM. The chapel is open for private prayer on Sundays from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Fridays from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle and is available for private prayer in the chapel Tuesday through Friday, and in the church on weekends.
Sunday Sermons at 6:30 PM
Every Sunday evening at 6:30 PM in the chapel, one of the clergy offers a 20-minute teaching on a topic of the Catholic faith, followed by adoration and benediction. The parish encourages those who attend to bring a Bible. The series serves both as ongoing formation for parishioners and as a doorway for those exploring Catholicism, sitting alongside the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults as a second route into the faith.
Formation for Children, Youth, and Adults
Faith formation at St. Joseph runs through the parish office under Nancy Martinez, Director of Formation. The K-6 Children's Formation program meets on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on the parish grounds and rotates through three components across the month. On the first and second Wednesdays, Catholic Formation instructs both youth and parents using a process developed more than thirty years ago and used across the United States. On the third Wednesday, Pange Lingua provides a spiritual oasis centered on adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the opportunity for confession, and a shared meal. On the fourth Wednesday, Family Focus gathers families for intergenerational activities that deepen both their bonds with one another and their life of faith. Spanish and English calendars for the year are published online.
Youth Confirmation is a two-year process that can begin as early as seventh grade. Adult Confirmation is offered for baptized Catholics aged 18 and older who have received First Communion and are practicing their faith but have not yet been confirmed. Adults who want to enter the Catholic Church go through OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults - a process of stages marked by study, prayer, and profession of faith, culminating in the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil and a period of mystagogy that continues at least until Pentecost.
The Seven Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for the full range of Catholic sacraments. Infant baptism is offered to children of Catholic parents with at least one Catholic parent, after parents and godparents attend a Baptismal Preparation Class; English classes are scheduled individually with the pastor once paperwork is in, while the Spanish class meets on the first Saturday of the month at 9:00 AM. Baptisms are scheduled on Saturday mornings in the chapel.
First Communion is a two-year preparation that can begin as early as first grade, with parents recognized as the primary teachers of the faith. Youth Confirmation begins no earlier than seventh grade. Adults seeking Confirmation contact the Formation Office. Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the parish office for parishioners facing serious illness or the frailties of old age, and can be received more than once if a serious illness returns or worsens.
Couples planning a wedding contact the parish office at least six months before the intended date. The preparation includes a Marriage Orientation meeting with the pastor, a workshop offered every three months at the parish, an online Natural Family Planning course, and meetings with a sponsor couple. The parish asks for a Texas marriage license (with its 72-hour waiting period) at the final meeting with the pastor, and welcomes couples already civilly married who want their marriage convalidated in the Church.
Quinceañeras are not a sacrament, but the parish treats them as an important religious celebration and asks families to call at least eight months ahead. The young woman must have received Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation or be enrolled in the parish's Confirmation program, and must attend a Quince Preparation class. The parish publishes requirements, dress code, and decoration guidelines in both English and Spanish.
A Music Ministry for Every Liturgy
The Music Ministry, directed by Kristin Bittick with accompanist Theresa Davis, fields several choirs. The Cherub Choir is for children ages 5 to 7 and sings at the 5:00 PM Saturday Mass once a month; the St. Joseph School Choir, open to students in grades 3 through 8, provides music for school Masses and select weekend Masses. The 5:00 PM, 8:00 AM, and 10:00 AM choirs lead music at the weekend English Masses, and a separate Spanish Choir provides music for all liturgies in Spanish. A Funeral Choir supports congregational singing at funerals. All choir members must complete the diocesan Safe Environment training before serving.
Parish Societies and Sodality Life
The Altar Society, the parish's long-running women's organization, maintains and prepares the sanctuary. The Knights of Columbus Council 8417, led locally by Grand Knight Steve Boyd, supports the parish through fish fries, daddy-daughter dances, casino nights, BBQs for the school, and volunteering at Mass, and joins with the parish Pro-Life Group in supporting Catholic pregnancy centers through the annual Hike for Life.
Lilies of St. Joseph is a mother's ministry for women who are pregnant or have children aged 0 to 18, with monthly meetings on the first Tuesday and third Thursday evenings, weekly playdates, mom brunches, and family gatherings. On the first Friday of each month from 10:00 to 10:30 AM the ministry hosts kid-friendly adoration in the chapel with donated coloring pages and books, and during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in October it holds a remembrance Mass. A separate pregnancy outreach walks with mothers through pregnancy or infant loss.
Young at Heart gathers parishioners 55 and older on the second Monday of each month at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Broadhead Road for a potluck lunch, bingo, a 50-50 raffle, and occasional guest speakers. The Our Lady of Sorrow and Hope Grief Apostolate Share Group meets on Sundays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at St. Joseph Catholic School for those who are mourning, with time for scripture, prayer, reflection, and simple activities.
Pro-Life and Outreach to Families in Need
The Pro-Life Group coordinates with the diocesan Catholic Pro-Life Community, Right to Life of Ellis County, and the First Look Sexual Health and Pregnancy Center. Members stand on the Ellis County Life Chain the first Sunday of October, run a booth at Oktoberfest, and tend the Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial Garden. The parish also takes part in Project Gabriel, an outreach that pairs pregnant mothers with angel volunteers for material and emotional support, and Project Joseph, a post-abortion healing ministry affiliated with Project Rachel and Rachel's Vineyard. Holy Family Helpers provides incontinence supplies to parents and caregivers in Ellis County and the parts of Dallas County south of I-20, serving both Catholics and non-Catholics.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides financial aid and other assistance to those in need in Ellis County through the parish's 5th Sunday collection. The parish also points parishioners to the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy in Dallas for free prescription medication and to the SVDP Mini-Loan Program for low-interest loans to escape high-interest payday and title debt.
Feast Days, Grief Care, and the Memorial Garden
The parish marks Corpus Christi with a public procession that follows a 1.5-mile route through Waxahachie streets, ending at the chapel and escorted by local police and fire. The celebration includes the chanting of Pange Lingua Gloriosi and other hymns in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. The annual Oktoberfest, a parish fundraiser, draws the wider community to the grounds in the fall.
The Memorial Garden, located on the parish campus, is a sacred burial space for babies who died before birth at a gestation age of 32 weeks or less, with cremation and burial carried out according to Texas Administrative Code. A Book of Remembrance at the entrance holds the engraved names of infants memorialized by their families or anonymously. Parents of infants older than 32 weeks are asked to work with a funeral home for arrangements elsewhere.
Becoming Catholic, Learning the Faith, and Getting Involved
Anyone interested in becoming Catholic is invited to contact the parish office or Father James directly. The Sunday Sermons, the parish's weekly newspaper The Waxahachie Catholic, and a Formed account (entered under the parish name St. Joseph Waxahachie) all serve as starting points. The parish also keeps a chapel library at the back right of the chapel, next to the confessional, stocked with Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Baltimore Catechism, and spiritual classics from the saints; book donations go through the Young Ladies Sodality of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Agnes.
For formation at home, the parish recommends Catholic podcasts and YouTube channels, including the Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz, the Counsel of Trent, and - recorded locally - That's the Word with Fr. James Yamauchi. Parishioners can give to the Sunday Collection or the Building Fund online, register as parishioners through a PDF form available in the church narthex and parish office, and find the weekly bulletin and a printable Mass schedule at the parish office during weekday hours.