MISSION STATEMENT

We are a rural community of sojourners whose families historically came to the northwestern corner of Franklin County in the Diocese of Springfield, MA for farm and factory and brought with them a strong Catholic faith. The parish of Saint Joseph with its two mission churches of Saint John the Baptist in Colrain and Saint Christopher in Charlemont make up the largest geographic parish in the diocese.

Continuing in the faith tradition of our ancestors, with hope and perseverance, we face the challenges of being situated in an area which has been in economic decline. We also face the challenge of our recent history with the sexual abuse scandal which has wounded our parish and left many of our parishioners isolated and in need of healing.

Nourished by the Eucharist and the other sacraments, guided by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, responding to the Spirit of Truth which lives and works within each of us and through the prayerful intercession of the Virgin Mary and our Patron Saints we strive to identify and serve the deepest needs of God’s creation in joyful obedience to Christ’s command that we love one another as He loves us. We strive to be a welcoming and healing community as we work towards reconciliation, peace and social justice while maintaining a safe and loving environment for all God’s children.