St. Joseph's Rooted and Rising Campaign
Deeply Rooted… and Preparing to Rise
Founded in the early 1970s in an unlikely corner of rural Michigan, St. Joseph’s has become a remarkable seedbed of vibrant Catholic life. From the first SSPX seminary in the United States, to the Sisters’ Novitiate and Notre Dame de La Salette Boys’ Academy, the fruits borne by St. Joseph’s Church are unmistakable. They stand as a living testament to the work of the Society of Saint Pius X, which has faithfully answered the longing of traditional Catholics across the nation to preserve the true Faith and the traditional Mass and Sacraments.
The Crisis Continues
The trials faced by these early pioneers—and the errors that existed during the crisis of the Church fifty years ago, so clearly articulated in Archbishop Lefebvre’s 1974 Declaration—remain with us today. By God’s grace and through the tireless efforts of the Society’s priests and faithful, the traditional Mass and Sacraments are now more widely available than ever before. Yet the darkness and confusion of the modern world have only intensified. Families and individuals who seek to live fully the riches of Catholic liturgical life are searching for a place to deepen their faith and raise their children to be saints. St. Joseph’s stands ready to become precisely that: a true oasis of traditional Catholic life.
Growth has Become a Constraint
St. Joseph’s is experiencing strong growth, but its facilities are at capacity, with overcrowded Masses, limited parking, and insufficient space for parish activities—conditions that typically hinder further growth. These constraints extend to St. Joseph’s Academy, where enrollment is full, classrooms are overcrowded, and key educational spaces are lacking. Additional challenges, including the distance between parish sites and the inability to expand the current property, further limit the parish’s ability to serve its community effectively. In response, the parish has purchased 22.3 acres in Armada, offering the space and stability needed to support continued growth. This new site will allow St. Joseph’s to become a lasting center of traditional Catholic life for future generations.
Preparing to Rise
The spark Archbishop Lefebvre ignited here in 1973 is poised to become a flame—rising as a beacon to draw souls to the Catholic Faith. Our world grows darker and more hostile to the Faith every day. Even within the Church, forces work to stamp out the Mass of all time and starve hungry souls seeking spiritual bread. These souls need an oasis where the true Faith is taught, both from the pulpit and in the classroom. They need a traditional Catholic parish where the Sacraments and community life will help them grow in the Faith and raise the next generation of Catholics. Without the nurturing environment of a true Catholic community, what will become of our children and grandchildren? Who will carry the Faith to the souls of the future: hungry for the Truth of Christ?
Will you be a part of the effort to make St. Joseph’s Church a secure haven for faithful Catholics, both now and for future generations? The Faith and Tradition are rooted here in Armada. Now is the time to Rise.
Will you help?
