Meet Father Joe Welschmeyer

Father Joe is a native of Holy Family Church, Freeburg, Osage County, Missouri. At rural Freeburg he grew up on a livestock farm operated by his family on the Gasconade River valley. Into the early 1970's the family was still clearing oak forests in the northern Ozark Foothills, for use as cattle pastures.

After completing the major seminary studies at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Fr. Joe was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Justin Rigali on May 27, 2000. He served as an associate pastor of St. Paul Church in Fenton before being reassigned to Holy Infant, Ballwin, St. Louis County in December of 2002. At Ballwin, he served for five years among three priests and 10,000 registered parishioners.

In 1980 Fr. Joe began teaching at Chaminade College Preparatory High School in St. Louis County. He worked as a high school teacher for 15 years. The last seven years were at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City, Missouri where he taught from 1987 - 1995. He has taught religion (M.A. Theology, St. Mary's University, San Antonia, TX, 1986), German and various social sciences.

Since 1975, he has worked with community journalism, writing feature stories and compiling parish histories. He has also served on the Archdiocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission (1997 - 2008).
After his priestly responsibilities, Fr. Joe enjoys the outbound offerings of the outdoors and he has an appreciation for history and heritage of those he shares the planet with. He has two goals as a priest, to be reverent of the "People of God - the Living Body of Christ" and to be approachable.

St. James Parish in Potosi is excited to have Father Joe as Pastor and enjoy celebrating the sacraments and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him! He has been pastor at St. James since June, 2008.