History of St. Joseph

St. Joseph Parish, Upland, is a typical USA-style Catholic Church of the West. The strength of the parish flows from meeting the challenge of the diversity of its members the challenge of fulfilling the needs of the various communities without evolving into separate churches. Celebrating this diversity in multi-lingual and -cultural liturgies and parish events, like the yearly family festival, helps the parishioners to come together as a family.

The parish's shared spirituality and prayer life are evident through daily and Sunday Mass participation, prayer hours in the perpetual adoration chapel and the many and varied rosary, Bible, Renew and prayer groups. A spirituality of joy and hospitality flows through the parish's many ministries, covering all aspects of parish life from birth to death and every celebration between.

That the parish is comprised of a wide range of age groups is also an asset. The young learn from the elders and vice versa. Examples of this are the adoption of the kindergartners by the eighth graders and the yearly senior Thanksgiving meal sponsored by the seventh graders. St. Joseph Parish has taken "Joy of the Family" as its special mission and has dedicated and blessed a statue of the Holy Family as a symbol of that aim on Thanksgiving 2000.