St. Joseph Catholic Church
Served by the Blessed Sacrament Congregation!
Served by the Blessed Sacrament Congregation!
With St. Joseph
as our patron
we offer our gift of self
for the greater glory
of God.
St. Joseph Church
Mission Statement
excerpt
Aloha E Komo Mai!
Whether you are visiting or just moved to Hilo, our St. Joseph family welcomes and invites you to join with us and together grow our faith in God.
Refer below for Mass, Confession, and Prayer Times.
Advent Confession Schedule:
Saturdays: Dec 20
3-4pm
Simbang Gabi:
Dec 205pm
Dec 21 6pm
Dec 22 & 23 6pm
Christmas Eve Masses:
6pm
9pm
12 midnight
Christmas Day Masses:
7am
9am
11:45am
Saturday
7:00 am
Vigil
5:00 pm
Sunday
7:00 am, 9:00 am
11:45 am, 6:00 pm
Weekdays
M- F:
6:00 am
& 12:15 pm
Legal Holidays
7:00 am
Saturdays
10:00 am - 11:00 am
or by appointment
*Please note: Confession schedule does not apply during some liturgical seasons.
Join us daily in the
Mornings:
Immediately following
the 6:00 am Morning Mass.
Afternoons:
Weekdays & Sundays
at 4:00 pm
Saturdays
at 3:00 pm
Homily – 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A)
As Advent comes to its final days, the Gospel shifts our attention to Joseph. Joseph speaks no words in Scripture—but his silence is filled with faith. Joseph is described as a righteous man. That does not mean perfect—it means faithful. His first instinct is mercy.
Righteousness does not protect us from confusion, fear, or painful decisions; it shapes how we face them. When Joseph learned that Mary was with child, his righteousness did not give him instant answers. He was thrown into crisis. This was not a small problem. His dreams, his reputation, and his future were suddenly uncertain. But his righteousness gave him a merciful heart. In the midst of crisis, he chose compassion over anger, silence over accusation, and trust over control.
God met Joseph not when everything was clear, but when he was faithful in uncertainty. Joseph taught us that holiness is not the absence of struggle, but the courage to remain faithful when life does not make sense—and to trust that God is still at work even in the middle of our trials.
When asked to take Mary to his home, Joseph obeys immediately despite his lack of understanding. In so doing, Joseph’s Yes Makes Room for God. His yes is quiet but decisive. By taking Mary into his home, Joseph makes space for Emmanuel—God is with us.
Praying for a truly grace-filled Christmas for you and your Ohana!
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."
This Christmas, we rejoice together in the greatest gift ever given — our Savior, Jesus Christ. May His light fill your hearts with hope, His love surround your homes with peace, and His joy overflow in your lives.
As we celebrate His birth, let us also carry His message into the world — to love one another, serve with kindness, and walk in faith every day.
Merry Christmas, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. May the coming year draw us closer to Him and to each other.
With love and blessings,
Fr. Poli, Fr. Ferdie, Dcn. Charley & Gwenda and Dcn. David
New to the parish or need to update your registration download our
SJ Registration Form print, fill-out and return. Mahalo!
(Infants to children 7 years of age)
Welina ‘oe! Welcome Families!
Congratulations on the birth of your child and your decision to have your child baptized in the Catholic Church. We welcome you and your child as well as your godparents to our parish. Please call the rectory office to sign up for the next Baptism Preparation Class.
(808) 935-1465.
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Pope Leo XIV asks everyone to pray the rosary for peace.
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Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole Cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.
Amen.
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“Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces
of God’s creation,
made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost
reverence and respect.”
USCCB Respect Life flyer quoting Pope Francis’“Day for Life Greeting”
© 2013 Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“When we meet Jesus in the Eucharist, this encounter has the power to change us.
The Eucharist has the power to transform the depths of our hearts and the heart of our culture.
United to the power of his Eucharistic Presence, may we work to ensure that each person has life—and has it in abundance.”
USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities Respect Life Reflection:
“I Came So That They Might Have Life”
“Through the Incarnation and birth of Christ,
God reveals to us the dignity of all human life.
Human life, as a gift of God, is sacred and inviolable.
The Son of God has united himself with every human being and desires for us to share eternal life
with him…
Each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, and we reflect his glory in the world.”
USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities
“The Gospel of Life: A Brief Summary”
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof but only say the word and I shall be healed.”
Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion.
If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. If one is left-handed this is reversed. It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing.
