St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Salem, Oregon) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Joseph's Catholic Church
44°56′28″N 123°01′53″W / 44.940995°N 123.031522°W / 44.940995; -123.031522
Location	Salem, Oregon
Country	United States
Denomination	Catholic
Website	www.stjosephchurch.com
Administration
Diocese	Archdiocese of Portland

St. Joseph's is the oldest Catholic church community in Salem, Oregon. It is a special place for about 3,500 families. People can attend services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Latin. The school staff at St. Joseph's has even won awards for being great teachers!

The Story of St. Joseph's Church

St. Joseph's started in 1853. A priest named Father James Croke rented a two-story building. It was on Church and Chemeketa streets. This building used to be a meeting place for a group called the Masons. Father Croke was an Irish priest. He was known for being very active in Western Oregon.

In 1863, a group of teaching nuns arrived. They were called the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. These sisters bought the building. It became the Sacred Heart Academy. The academy opened on September 7, 1863, with 80 students. The pastor at the time, Leopold Dieleman, was very happy. He said that the building was now truly a church.

The next year, a new church opened. It was called St. John Evangelist Church. This church was built on a small hill. People in the area called it "Piety Hill."

In 1873, the sisters finished a new academy building. It was located on Center and Cottage Streets. A new church was built nearby. It was on Chemeketa and Cottage Streets. This new church was named St. Joseph Church. It opened in 1889. The name was changed to avoid confusion with another church.

The church building used today was dedicated in 1953. A new parish center was finished in 1999. Sadly, the church was badly damaged by a fire on August 31, 2023.