THE HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH

Founded as a mission in 1976 and served once a month by Fr George Riashi of Our Lady of Redemption parish, Detroit. 

Clergy Serving St Joseph Church:

Father Metri Haji-Athanasiou, 1977-1980

Father Victor Samaha, BCO, 1980-1987

Father Frank Milienewicz, 1987-1988

Father Athanase Hassey, 1988-1992

Father Basil Samra, 1992-1994

Archimandrite Victor Samaha, BCO, 1994-2006

Archpriest Lawrence Gosselin, 2006-2011

Father Alam Alam, 2011

Protodeacon Joseph Daratony, 2011-2013

Father James K. Graham, February 2013-present

About St Joseph Community:

St Joseph Melkite-Greek Catholic Church is the Melkite Greek Catholic parish for south-central Michigan.  It encompasses the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids.  The majority of the congregation lives in the Lansing urban area, within a 20-mile radius of the church.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church follows the Eastern Christian traditions of Constantinople and Antioch and is in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.  The worldwide head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church is His Beatitude Gregory III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem.  Patriarch Gregory was elected in October 2000.  In January 2001 he visited Rome to affirm his communion with Pope John Paul II.  He is a prominent advocate for peace in the Middle East and for respectful relations among the religions of the Middle East.

The congregation of St Joseph Church comprises mainly Greek Catholics from Lebanon and Palestine.  But parish membership is not limited to Arabic-speaking Christians; St Joseph parish welcomes everyone interested in the Bible-based, family-oriented Christian tradition given to the Apostles and handed down by them in the lands of the Byzantine Empire.

Regularly Scheduled Services:

Saturday Vespers (Evening Prayer) for Sunday is celebrated at 5 pm.  Sunday Orthros (Morning Prayer) is celebrated at 10:30 am.  Sunday Divine Liturgy, in English and Arabic, is celebrated at 11 am.  Feast days are usually celebrated at Great Vespers at 6 o’clock on the evening before the feast.