We appreciate ourselves today as we take a look at where we come from.  A glance at our history tells us that the first Catholics in the Watervliet area were served by a mission church in Bainbridge Township on Hill Road and by St. Dominic Church which was near Rush Lake.

     St. Joseph Parish was established by Father Joseph Joos.  The original church was built in 1896.  A rectory was added in 1901 during the time of Father William Hayden who was the first resident pastor.  Both the first church and the rectory still stand on Crescent Street.

     Father Pete Ryan was pastor from 1903 until 1913.  During this time a mission church was established in Hartford.

     Father John Griffin was pastor from 1913 until 1917.  He was succeeded by Father Joseph Lahey.  Our Knights of Columbus Council #4055 is named in his honor.

     From 1928 to 1946 St. Joseph Parish was served by several pastors and administrators.  These included Father Frank Carroll, Father Francis Murphy, Father Adolph Oser, Father William Cogley and Father Julius Bona.  The mission church in Hartford became a separate parish.  Two summer missions were established near Lake Michigan and Mass was said at the Crystal Palace to provide for the ever increasing number of tourists.

     Father Raynold G. Thelen was appointed as pastor in November of 1946.  In 1949 he suffered an attack of polio and was hospitalized for a length of time.  Father Francis Martin cared for the parish during his approximate one year hospital stay.

     Bishop Albers came to bless the school in September 1952 and an addition in 1956.

     The Sisters of St. Joseph staffed the school from 1952 until 1975.  The original teachers were Sister Robertine and Sister Caritas.  The Sisters were first housed in a home on Crescent Street.  A destructive fire occurred in the convent in March of 1963.  A new convent was completed in 1964 at the present parish site.

     In the fall of 1975, Mrs. Mary Theisen became the first lay principal of St. Joseph School.

     The original Church was inadequate for the growing number of parishioners.  A new church and rectory was dedicated on May 17, 1961 on property across from the school and about two blocks from the original site.  Since the building of the church, various improvements have been made; such as air conditioning and a large parking lot. 

     In 1971, St. Joseph Parish became part of the newly formed Diocese of Kalamazoo with the Most Reverend Paul V. Donovan as its first bishop.

     Father Thelen retired in 1978.  The hall in the basement has been named in his memory.  His funeral liturgy was celebrated in St. Joseph Church on January 29, 1988.  He is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery.

     The new pastor was Father Adolph Nadrach.  He served in this capacity from 1978 to 1988.  The School Restricted Fund was established through the generosity of Norbert Hutchins who died in November of 1978. 

     A parish activities building was added to the school in 1983.  Father Nadrach retired in 1988.  At that time, the activities building was named The Nadrach Center in his memory.

     Father Charles Fischer became pastor in the summer of 1988.  He employed a Director of Religious Education and a Youth Minister and encouraged greater lay participation in the parish.

     Father Donald A. Wieber arrived on July 2, 1991.  He is a native of Holy Trinity in Fowler, Michigan and was ordained on June 1, 1957.  Father Wieber was granted senior priest status by Bishop James Murray on June 27, 2006. 

     Father Massimiliano Camporese was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish on June 28, 2006

     Father Gordon Greene was installed as pastor of St. Joseph Parish on May 20, 2008