Our History

Our History

In 1982, Cardinal Carter decided that a parish was needed in the Dufferin and Steeles area. Fr. Italo Reich was chosen as the founding Pastor. From September 1982 to December 1988, Sunday masses were celebrated in the gym of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School. Fr. Italo worked tirelessly to raise the funds necessary to build the church and to guide the parishioners in the Catholic faith. Fr. Richard Love became Pastor of the parish in June, 2001 and Fr. Mario Salvadori became Pastor in 2007. After 12 years of growing the community to a large and active parish, Fr. Mario Salvadori was moved to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Mississauga, and Fr. Steven Kwon became StJW’s new Pastor in 2019. In January 2022, Msgr. Owen Keenan was appointed Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker. At the end of June in 2022, Fr. Victor Amole of St. Joseph the Worker Parish Oshawa was appointed Pastor for St. Joseph the Worker Parish Thornhill.

The parish celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023, but starts a year-long celebration from 2022 (see https://stjosephtheworkerth.archtoronto.org/en/40th-anniversary-celebration/ ). The parish continues to grow, becoming a vibrant body of Christ, drawing from far and wide.