St. Joseph Catholic Church

Father Rob's Weekly Column

January 29, 2023

Dear Parish Family,

This week we celebrate St. Joseph Regional Catholic School and all of the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington during National Catholic Schools Week:  January 29 through February 4.  All throughout the country, parishes will take time to thank God for the gift of a Catholic education. The theme for this year’s Catholic Schools Week is Faith, Excellence, and Service.  Our school was first started in 1963 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who laid the foundation for a strong tradition of Catholic identity and excellence in teaching for which we are deeply grateful.  And even though the Sisters are no longer with us, we are blessed to have committed lay people (administration, faculty, and staff) who are building on that wonderful foundation and keeping the flame of faith alive in the hearts of our students today. 

I love what I see happening in our own parish regional school under the excellent leadership of our principal, Mrs. Meunier, and our vice principal, Mr. Morris, and all of our dedicated faculty and staff.  Our students are receiving a top-notch education and they are happy to be here.  In particular, I love the strong Catholic identity that permeates the school in all that they do both in and outside the classroom.  Some examples include renaming each classroom after a saint and placing an icon of that saint in each room; the presence of priests and religious who visit the classes on a weekly basis; weekly school Masses; opportunities for confession; classroom visits to our Marian garden to pray the rosary; Eucharistic adoration; altar server training; retreats for students and staff; school wide prayer services; pilgrimages; vocation panels; twice yearly blessing of the classrooms and more! 

Our school is unique in that our students are multiethnic, representing over 30 countries and over 20 languages.  The cultural diversity of our school makes it a beautiful gem in our community.  Our school is regional, which means that we are blessed to draw students not only from our own parish but also from St. Hugh’s in Greenbelt and St. Nicholas in Laurel, as well as other neighboring parishes.  I, too, am a product of a Catholic education from elementary, high school and into my college years.  I’m forever grateful for the sacrifice my parents made to send me to these wonderful schools.  

All are invited to join us as we will welcome our prospective 2023-24 families at the 11:00 am Mass this Sunday.  After Mass, the school will host Hospitality Sunday and remain open for tours, music, art, technology and more.  Let’s celebrate all that makes Catholic education good for our students in this world and in eternity!

Faithfully, in Christ,
Father Rob

Mass & Confession Times

Holy Mass

Saturday:        8:00am (1st Saturdays only)
                             5:00pm Vigil
Sunday:           8:30am & 11:00am 
Monday:         8:00am 
Tuesday:         No Mass
Wednesday:  8:00am;  2:15 pm (School Mass-Open to the Parish)
Thursday:      8:00am 
Friday:             8:00am  followed by Eucharistic Holy Hour at 8:45 am

Only the 8:30am Sunday Mass is livestreamed on Zoom
 

Confessions 

All confessions take place in the confessionals
Saturdays:  8:30 - 10:00am or by appointment 
 

Eucharistic Adoration

Fridays:  8:45 - 9:45 am (Virtual Zoom Eucharistic Holy Hour)
Immediately follows Holy Mass at 8:00 am

Parish Bulletin
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If you are new to the area and would like to become a parishioner,  please click here to register. 
Am I a Registered Parishioner? Often, people come to us and request a sacrament, ask to be a Godparent or sponsor for Confirmation, volunteer to help with a liturgical ministry, or have another need and are surprised to learn they aren’t registered in the parish or are surprised to learn they are not recognized as a practicing Catholic in order to qualify as a Godparent or sponsor for Confirmation.
Click here for the FAQ flier.
If you are interested in becoming Catholic or if you are in need of pastoral care, please feel free to email me at:  [email protected]   

Contact Us

St. Joseph Catholic Church
11007 Montgomery Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
301-937-7183

Office Hours

To Request a Mass Intention

To request a Mass for your friends and family please come by the parish office during office hours or send us your request by mail. When sending in a request, please mail to St. Joseph Church, 11007 Montgomery Rd, Beltsville, MD 20705 and include:

• The name of the person you would like the Mass offered for (please notate if they are living or deceased)
• If you’d like the first available Mass, or Mass offered on a particular date (the Mass intention book fills up quickly)
• Your Name
• Your Phone number
• Your Email
• Mass stipend (suggested donation is $10)
• The address where you would like the Mass card mailed.

We will contact you to confirm your request.

click here to visit the larger Calendar for more details

Upcoming Events
Fridays
Eucharistic Holy Hour after 8am Mass
Saturdays
8:30am - 10:00am  - Confessions
Thursdays
7:00pm RCIA
Sunday, February 5
Children's Liturgy of the Word
(Grade Pre K-2nd grade) 11:00am Mass
Saturday, February 11
1st Communion Rite of Enrollment: 5:00pm Mass
Saturday, February 25
Confirmation Candidate and Sponsor Blessing: 5:00pm Mass
Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, March 5-7
6:30pm Parish Lenten Mission