St. Joseph Catholic Church
St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Hamilton, worshipping in the Roman (Latin) rite. Parish life centres on the Mass and the sacraments, with confession offered weekly and Eucharistic devotions kept in the chapel throughout the week.
St. Joseph parish was established in 1854, and its first church, a small building in downtown Fergus on St. George Street, was completed in 1869. The first Catholic school in Fergus (1874–1900) was run by a laywoman, and the Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in the 1940s. By 2010 the parish counted about 650 families, drawn mainly from Fergus and Belwood, in a church that seated only 150; the old church remains a stop on the town’s downtown walking tour.
Parishioners began raising money for a larger building in 1984. The present church, beside St. Joseph Catholic School at the north end of St. David Street, was dedicated on 11 September 2011 by Bishop Douglas Crosby of Hamilton. Designed by architect Andy Baczynski to be large, light and airy, it seats 515 and is finished in Canadian fir, cedar and oak, a nod to St. Joseph as patron of Canada. Stained glass from the old church was set into clear glass frames in the new building, which also includes a community hall, a confessional room, an adoration chapel and an outdoor prayer garden.
The parish lists ministries for altar servers, lectors, ushers, music, Eucharistic ministers and Children’s Liturgy, along with the Catholic Women’s League, the Knights of Columbus and a St. Vincent de Paul conference. Worship is in English.
What to expect
A Children's Liturgy is offered at the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass, and the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel. The adoration chapel is open for Eucharistic devotions all week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About this listing
This entry has not been verified with the congregation yet. Sources: stjosephfergus.org, centrewellington.ca, gcatholic.org, wellingtonadvertiser.com, downtownfergus.com. Something wrong? Suggest an edit.