St. Joseph's is the oldest Catholicparish in Salem, Oregon. It currently serves some 3,500 families and conducts services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Latin.[1] The parish school staff has been recognized for excellence in education as recently as 2005.[2]
St. Joseph's was founded in 1853 when Father James Croke rented a two-story building on the corner of Church and Chemeketa streets that had been a Masonic hall. Father Croke, an Irish priest (brother of ArchbishopThomas Croke) has been described as "the ubiquitous apostle of Western Oregon".[3]
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, a Roman Catholic teaching religious institute arrived in 1863 and bought the building. It became the Sacred Heart Academy dedicated on August 22, 1863 and opened with 80 students on September 7. A church historian has noted that the then pastor Leopold Dieleman, "threw enough holy water on the building to put out a fire" and quotes Father Dieleman as saying, "The devil that day had danced his last polka in the building".[4] The following year St. John Evangelist Church opened on a rise of ground known locally as "Piety Hill".[5][6]
In 1873, the sisters completed a new academy building on the corner of Center and Cottage Streets. A new church was erected on the corner of Chemeketa and Cottage Streets and was named St. Joseph Church (per the archdiocese history of Oregon the name change was possibly to avoid confusion with another parish named St. John's[7] ) and opened in 1889. The parish's current church was dedicated in 1953. A new parish center was completed in 1999.[5][6] The church was extensively damaged by a fire on August 31, 2023.[8]
Referencesedit
^Salem Online History St. Vincent de Paul Second parish formed from St. Joseph's and Brooks parishes
^Schoenberg, Wilfrid S.J. A History of the Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest 1743 - 1983, The Pastoral Press Washington D.C. 1987 pp. 140-142 ISBN0-912405-25-2
^Schoenberg, Wilfrid S.J. A History of the Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest 1743 - 1983, The Pastoral Press Washington D.C. 1987 p. 188 ISBN0-912405-25-2
'^Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon: 150th Anniversary 1846 - 1996Editions Du Signe 1996 p. 58 ISBN2-87718-360-2
^"Early morning fire damages St. Joseph's Catholic Church downtown". Statesman Journal. August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Salem, Oregon).
Picture of former church building
April 11, 2024
joseph, catholic, church, salem, oregon, joseph, oldest, catholic, parish, salem, oregon, currently, serves, some, families, conducts, services, english, spanish, vietnamese, latin, parish, school, staff, been, recognized, excellence, education, recently, 2005. St Joseph s is the oldest Catholic parish in Salem Oregon It currently serves some 3 500 families and conducts services in English Spanish Vietnamese and Latin 1 The parish school staff has been recognized for excellence in education as recently as 2005 2 St Joseph s Catholic Church44 56 28 N 123 01 53 W 44 940995 N 123 031522 W 44 940995 123 031522LocationSalem OregonCountryUnited StatesDenominationCatholicWebsitewww stjosephchurch comAdministrationDioceseArchdiocese of PortlandHistory editSt Joseph s was founded in 1853 when Father James Croke rented a two story building on the corner of Church and Chemeketa streets that had been a Masonic hall Father Croke an Irish priest brother of Archbishop Thomas Croke has been described as the ubiquitous apostle of Western Oregon 3 The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary a Roman Catholic teaching religious institute arrived in 1863 and bought the building It became the Sacred Heart Academy dedicated on August 22 1863 and opened with 80 students on September 7 A church historian has noted that the then pastor Leopold Dieleman threw enough holy water on the building to put out a fire and quotes Father Dieleman as saying The devil that day had danced his last polka in the building 4 The following year St John Evangelist Church opened on a rise of ground known locally as Piety Hill 5 6 In 1873 the sisters completed a new academy building on the corner of Center and Cottage Streets A new church was erected on the corner of Chemeketa and Cottage Streets and was named St Joseph Church per the archdiocese history of Oregon the name change was possibly to avoid confusion with another parish named St John s 7 and opened in 1889 The parish s current church was dedicated in 1953 A new parish center was completed in 1999 5 6 The church was extensively damaged by a fire on August 31 2023 8 References edit Salem Online History St Vincent de Paul Second parish formed from St Joseph s and Brooks parishes NCEA Schoenberg Wilfrid S J A History of the Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest 1743 1983 The Pastoral Press Washington D C 1987 pp 140 142 ISBN 0 912405 25 2 Schoenberg Wilfrid S J A History of the Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest 1743 1983 The Pastoral Press Washington D C 1987 p 188 ISBN 0 912405 25 2 a b St Joseph Church Salem Online History net a b History of St Josephs Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon 150th Anniversary 1846 1996 Editions Du Signe 1996 p 58 ISBN 2 87718 360 2 Early morning fire damages St Joseph s Catholic Church downtown Statesman Journal August 31 2023 Retrieved August 31 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Joseph s Catholic Church Salem Oregon Picture of former church building Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Joseph 27s Catholic Church Salem Oregon amp oldid 1196337997, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
