St Joseph Church

I went here on Christmas Day in 2012 and 2013. I don’t remember much of the first time, but the second time was stunning in almost every possible way.
The facility is inspiring, with beautiful stained glass art and tall ceilings. It’s what you’d call a traditional-​looking church. The music was touching and peaceful. But these things weren’t what really made the difference.
The most important part? The sermon, of course. It was, to say the least, uplifting and powerful. The pastor started by apologizing to all of us for the people the Catholic Church has hurt. This was inspiring, humbling, and entirely surprising. It’s the last thing I would have expected in a Catholic church. Even looking back on it now, several months later, I want to weep for joy. Reconciliation does seem, at least in some small way, possible, with efforts like these.
The pastor’s sermon centered on helping the poor; he talked about looking at a grandiose church but then casting your gaze downward to see the homeless person in front of the church doors. It was a powerful example of how the priorities for many religious people are often perverted; many religious people focus so much on their faith and pleasing God that they neglect or even actively oppress their neighbors.
Looking back, I am reminded of Matthew 25:40. «The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’»
St. Joseph’s, from my experience, teaches a powerful and uplifting message.