St. Joseph Parish—Needham

St. Joseph Parish—Needham Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from St. Joseph Parish—Needham, Catholic Church, 1382 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA.

Saint Joseph Parish is an active and faith-filled parish, founded in 1917, whose mission is to proclaim and live in Christ and to act justly in our community and the world.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity ...
06/04/2026

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday in honor of the institution of the Holy Eucharist (in some U.S. dioceses it is transferred to the following Sunday). The feast originated with the visions of St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon, a Belgian nun deeply devoted to the Holy Eucharist, to whom Jesus appeared requesting a feast in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Juliana shared this with the Church hierarchy, and after decades of opposition Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of Corpus Christi for the universal Church in 1264. At the time there was a formal dispute among theologians on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist—that is, Christ's actual Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—for the first time in Church history. In response to this heresy and in support of the authenticity of St. Juliana's visions, a Eucharistic Miracle took place in Orvieto, Italy which proved the truth of the literal interpretation of Christ's doctrine handed down from the Apostles. The Holy Father requested that the liturgy for the feast be composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, now one of the Church's most sublimely poetic liturgies. Corpus Christi is traditionally accompanied with Eucharistic large and elaborate public processions, most notably by the Holy Father in Rome.

One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Saint Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. H...
06/03/2026

One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Saint Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages, aged 13 to 30, from the sexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands.

Saint Charles Lwanga first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages.

On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Saint Charles Lwanga requested and received baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’ courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful.

For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order.

When Pope Paul VI canonized these 22 martyrs on October 18, 1964, he also made reference to the Anglican pages martyred for the same reason.

06/02/2026

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will consecrate our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this year.

We invite you to prayerfully join in a novena beginning June 3 and continuing through the consecration on June 11.

You can find the full novena prayer here:https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/Novena%20to%20the%20Sacred%20Heart%20Full.pdf

Special Jubilee Year in Commemoration of the Eighth Centenary of the Passage ofSaint Francis of AssisiHis Holiness Pope ...
06/01/2026

Special Jubilee Year in Commemoration of the Eighth Centenary of the Passage of
Saint Francis of Assisi
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has announced a Jubilee Year of Saint Francis in celebration of the 800th Anniversary of his passage to Heaven. All the Christian faithful are invited to follow the example of the Saint of Assisi, becoming models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace. The Church grants a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions to those who participate devoutly in this extraordinary jubilee which will end on January 10, 2027.
St. Francis Chapel at the Prudential Center is a Jubilee Pilgrimage Site to which pilgrims may come for the Jubilee Indulgence and Grace. Please reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, an...
06/01/2026

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, and with lively sorrow for my sins, I offer You this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was born in Domremy, France to peasant farmers during the Hundred Years War between France a...
05/30/2026

St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was born in Domremy, France to peasant farmers during the Hundred Years War between France and England. She was a pious child, and from age 13 she received visions of saints, most notably St. Michael the Archangel, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria, who became her special patrons. Through these visions, voices, and other interior promptings, Joan understood that she was to help the King of France regain his throne. After overcoming her own reluctance, and that of the military and ecclesiastical authorities, she heroically led the French army in battle. With her leadership they recaptured Orleans and Troyes, which allowed Charles VII to be restored to the throne of France. All the while she wore the dress of a soldier to protect her virtue and modesty. The following year she was captured by the English, imprisoned, and placed on trial under accusation of heresy and witchcraft. She was treated unjustly and illegally during her captivity, and her trial became a circus. Under political pressure she was condemned and burned alive at the stake, even though she proved herself to be blameless and fearless in character and faith. As she burned she kept her eyes on a crucifix and repeatedly called on the name of Jesus. A second Church trial twenty-five years later nullified the earlier verdict and found her innocent of all charges, paving the way for her veneration as a saint. St. Joan of Arc is the patron saint of captives, r**e victims, soldiers, and France. Her feast day is May 30th.
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05/30/2026

5pm Confirmation
Sunday, 5/31
You are warmly welcome to attend; however, please note that seating will be limited and larger crowds are expected.

St. Bernard of Montjoux (c. 923–1008 A.D.), also known as St. Bernard of Menthon, was born to a wealthy and noble family...
05/29/2026

St. Bernard of Montjoux (c. 923–1008 A.D.), also known as St. Bernard of Menthon, was born to a wealthy and noble family in the Kingdom of Arles (present day France and Switzerland). As an adult he refused an honorable marriage and determined instead to give his life in service to the Church. He became a priest in northern Italy and spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps. He built schools and churches, and is especially known for aiding travelers. The area where he ministered had an ancient, snowy, and dangerous pass winding through the mountains along which pilgrims traveled to and from Rome. To serve the pilgrims St. Bernard built a hospice at the highest point of the pass, 8,000 feet above sea level. Later he founded another hospice along another smaller pass. St. Bernard obtained papal approval for communities of priests to serve in the hospices, which have generously aided travelers for more than a millennium. The priests and their well-trained dogs (the St. Bernard breed named for the saint) would seek and rescue lost pilgrims. St. Bernard was declared the patron saint of skiers and mountain climbers by Pope Pius XI in 1923. His feast day is celebrated on May 28th.

St. Augustine of Canterbury (d. 604 A.D.), also known as St. Austin, was prior of a monastery in Rome before being calle...
05/27/2026

St. Augustine of Canterbury (d. 604 A.D.), also known as St. Austin, was prior of a monastery in Rome before being called by Pope Gregory the Great to be a missionary to the British Isles. The Pope received word that the pagans of Britain would embrace the faith in great numbers if priests were sent to teach them, and previous missionaries had been unsuccessful in the holy endeavor. In order to realize the Holy Father's desire to evangelize the island, Augustine set out on a new quest at the head of forty monks in 596 A.D. When they arrived in France they heard stories of the ferocity of the Anglo-Saxons. Out of fear, Augustine returned to Rome and asked the Pope to release him from the mission. Pope Gregory encouraged Augustine in his task and sent him back. When the monks landed in Kent they were treated kindly. The King of Kent himself accepted baptism and set up a residence for St. Augustine in Canterbury. There Augustine established a church and monastery as the center of his apostolic mission. Although his labor among the pagans was slow and difficult, his work bore much fruit and England eventually became a Christian nation. Augustine was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, England, and is known as the "Apostle of England." His feast day is May 27th.

St. Philip Neri (1515–1595) was born in Florence, Italy, to the noble class. He was a dutiful child with a cheerful disp...
05/26/2026

St. Philip Neri (1515–1595) was born in Florence, Italy, to the noble class. He was a dutiful child with a cheerful disposition, making him popular with all who knew him. At the age of 18 he was to begin an apprenticeship for a career in business. However, after having a mystical experience, his life was radically changed. He traveled to Rome and entrusted himself completely to God's providence. He found living accommodations with a fellow Florentine in exchange for tutoring his sons, which Philip did with great skill. He then enrolled in philosophy and theology classes at a local monastery in order to become a priest. Although he excelled in his studies, he suddenly quit in order to spiritually serve the people of Rome. At that time, indifference, luxury, and corruption were widespread characteristics of the Roman clergy. Churches were neglected, flocks were abandoned, and the loss of faith was widespread. St. Philip Neri, with his commitment to a life of asceticism, was a contradiction to all of this malaise. With his characteristic good-naturedness, he lead many to a life of virtue and love for God as he traveled through the streets of Rome. He began an oratory for laymen to gather together and practice greater spiritual discipline, which grew and became famous. In obedience to his spiritual director he finally became a priest at the age of 34. He also started a religious order known simply as "The Oratory." St. Philip Neri is known as the "Apostle of Rome." He is the patron of Rome and the U.S. Army Special Forces. His feast day is May 26.

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1382 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA
02492

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(781)4440245

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