St. Joseph, Ponchatoula

The Reverend John Scollard came to the community now known as Ponchatoula in the early 1870s. He ministered to Catholics in the area stretching from Kenner to Amite and Clinton. Under his leadership the congregation at Ponchatoula erected a small wooden frame building for the church in 1875 on land donated by Charles Yokum. It was under the Benedictine priests in the 1890s that a rectory was built, the church expanded, and a cemetery established.

In 1912, the Spanish Dominican Fathers, with their home base at what is now Rosaryville, succeeded the Benedictines in serving the churches of Tangipahoa Parish. During the early years of service, the parish expanded the rectory and built a hall. In 1927, a second church was built at a cost of $30,500 with a congregation of about 950 members. The present church was dedicated in October, 2006, and has a seating capacity of over 800. 

In 1938, the American Dominicans of St. Joseph Province in New York replaced the Spanish Dominicans. The first pastor of this new order was Father J.R. Kelleher, O.P., during whose service the St. Joseph school building was built. The children of St. Joseph School have been served by sisters of the Order of St. Benedict and by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The impact of their faith and their dedicated selfless teaching still marks the quality of the Catholic faith in the area.

Throughout the years St. Joseph Church has been nurtured by sacramental, social, and justice ministries, embraced by its parishioners and has been a source of grace and sanctification to the community.