By Amy White
The Texas Catholic
RICHARDSON — Even before its church building was erected, its school established, and its congregation multiplied from hundreds of parishioners to thousands, St. Joseph Catholic Parish had already distinguished itself as a spiritual home where all are welcome — regardless of age, ability, or nationality. This year, the Richardson parish marks 50 years of bringing the people in its pews, in all their diversity, closer to each other and closer to Christ.
St. Joseph celebrated its first Mass June 6, 1976, on the campus of Springridge Elementary School, only a short stroll from the parish’s current location. A couple of years later, when the budding community built a multipurpose building — now the parish’s dining hall and gym — that new space became an early hub of worship for the congregation.
“Saturday nights they’d open up the doors and extend chairs all the way into the gym,” explained parishioner Larry Monaco, who has worshiped at St. Joseph for the past 48 years. With a laugh, he recalled his own marriage ceremony and reception, which took place in that simple space in 1980. “At midnight, the crew came to set up for Mass the next day, so we had to shut down everything and get out!”
Even then, when St. Joseph was just a fledgling parish, the community was already defined by its hospitality and sense of togetherness, Monaco shared.
“It was a very plain, simple setup, but it was a community atmosphere,” he said. “Everybody was welcome.”
In June of 1984, the parish broke ground on its church building. Almost two years later, on Feb. 16, 1986, the community of St. Joseph celebrated Mass for the first time in its new church structure, with founding pastor Father Joseph Patrick Lynch presiding. The church was officially dedicated on St. Joseph’s feast day.
“To see the parish evolve from being crammed into a small area where you had to set up the chairs to now you have this very nice building — the sanctuary, the altar … You had this home now,” Monaco said. “You had an environment that was conducive to growing.”
That growth continued in August of 2002 with the opening of St. Joseph Catholic School, which welcomed its first cohort of elementary students that fall semester. That same year, Deacon Randy Engel relocated from a parish in Louisiana to serve as deacon at St. Joseph and was pleasantly surprised by the vibrant community he encountered there.
“The thing that really impressed me was how multicultural it was,” the retired deacon said, recalling his first introduction to the parish community. “We had a large Nigerian group, a large Filipino group … I was blown away by it!”
All are welcome
That diversity has continued to blossom within the parish in the years since, through a collection of cultural ministries — Ethiopian, Hispanic, and Vietnamese ministries, among others — as well as through weekly multicultural adoration and through the inclusion of Spanish-language Masses, the latter of which Deacon Engel said began under the leadership of former St. Joseph pastor Father Jason Cargo. Bricks in the St. Joseph Plaza inscribed with words in various languages also nod to the multiculturalism found within the congregation.
“Our community is rich in diversity,” said Stacey Gardner, liturgical coordinator at the parish. “We want all to feel welcome; we want people to be involved.”
This inclusive spirit, she noted, extends also to members of the community with disabilities.
Even before St. Joseph was selected as part of the first cohort of parishes in the Diocese of Dallas’ Community of Disciples, an initiative to break down any barriers to worship for Catholics with disabilities, the parish was already a trailblazer in inclusion.
“We had a group that was put on by parents that was essential in making sure that families that had children with disabilities were able to connect with each other and they were able to find resources,” Gardner said. In faith formation too, catechists and formation directors have long sought to maximize inclusion through social support systems and adapted styles of education.
“So, those things have been happening, but then we really got that adrenaline boost from the diocese last year,” Gardner said, referring to the Community of Disciples initiative. “Liturgically, we were able to do an amazing job in eliminating any barriers that kept anybody from Mass.”
50 years together
In a spirit of gratitude for half a century of togetherness, the St. Joseph community commenced a yearlong jubilee celebration with a June 6 Mass, followed by an all-day gathering the next day — complete with balloon art, face paint, and games.
“We invited former priests, former deacons, as well as the founding families,” Monaco said of the Mass and celebration. “My tagline, which everybody will know, is ‘All are welcome.’ And that’s what happened: We had everybody!”
Deacon Engel also spoke of the gathering, which brought together parishioners from across generations and cultures for a celebration of their shared spiritual home.
“This community is a loving community,” he said of St. Joseph. “It’s amazing to me that we have such closeness.”
The Richardson parish also hosted a 50-hour perpetual adoration event to commemorate the golden anniversary and is set to incorporate additional moments of festivity into ministry and parish-wide events throughout the year. These gatherings serve as occasions to give thanks for the 50 years with which the community has been blessed but also to prepare for the years to come.
“As we celebrate 50 years … how are we continuing to serve God?” Gardner asked. “I hope that can be the focus for us as we move forward.”
Cutline for featured image: Parishioners exchange the sign of peace before receiving the Eucharist at the 50th anniversary Mass for St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Richardson on June 6. (BEN TORRES/Special Contributor)
