Father Joseph Minuth was born in Modesto, Calif., and moved with his family to El Paso, Texas, at the age of 4. He attended a Christian Brothers high school in El Paso before earning his undergraduate degree from a Holy Cross college in Austin, Texas.After graduation, Fr. Joseph, as he prefers to be called, began a career in the rapidly growing dotcom industry. Although he enjoyed the work, he came to recognize a deeper call to the priesthood. After discerning with the Diocese of Austin and several religious communities, he entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in the Province of St. Albert the Great.
He completed his priestly formation at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Mo., and was ordained a priest on May 14, 2011. During more than 15 years as a Dominican friar, he served primarily in campus ministry. Seeking more stability, Fr. Joseph requested and received permission to transfer to the Diocese of Salt Lake City. He arrived in 2019 and served as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Ogden for two years before ministering at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and the Newman Center in Logan for a year. In 2022 he was appointed administrator of Holy Family Parish in South Ogden, and in 2025 he was formally incardinated into the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
On Aug. 1, Fr. Joseph will begin his new assignment as pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Draper.
Fr. Joseph speaks English, conversational German and some Spanish.
What would you like your new parishioners to know about you?
I love being a priest. The priesthood is not simply what I do, it’s who I am. Perhaps that’s why I never go on vacation. I would also say I’m light-hearted, though many might say goofy. I have a subtle sense of humor, so if you’re not sure if I’m joking, please rest assured that I might be.
Regarding my role, my main concerns about the parish is the variety and vitality of its ministries. Is it serving the parishioners? Is the parish providing opportunities for parishioners to put the faith into practice: to learn about it, to serve the needy, to come together as a family, and to worship according to God’s revelation?
What are you looking forward to most about your new assignment?
This is now my seventh assignment in 15 years, not counting various campus ministries and mission churches. I’ve learned there are many similarities and even more differences. I have no idea what to expect. I look forward to getting to know the people.
As a priest, what is your greatest challenge?
My greatest challenge has been relocating and the lack of stability. A few weeks ago, I was at a large barbecue hosted by one of my parishioners. As I looked around, I remembered greeting many of the families to the parish for the first time. I remember the children from when they were much smaller. I saw children that weren’t around when I met their parents. I saw older folks who greeted me to the parish. It was hard thinking that my time there was running out. The nice thing about being in the diocese is that I’m not too far away when I relocate.
As a priest, what has been your most satisfying experience?
One of my greatest joys as a priest is watching parishioners do all the work. This is not just because I’m lazy; it is because there are so many wonderful and gifted Catholics capable of serving in many different ways. Parishes have tremendous potential, and one or two priests cannot make every decision (approving things is work enough!) or be an integral part of every ministry. I love hearing that a ministry we started years ago, and that I had nearly forgotten about, is still thriving. The more good my parishioners do, the better I look!