It is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and presently a shrine dedicated to the celebration of the pre-Vatican II liturgy (the Tridentine Mass) under the care of the canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Francis G. Himpler, an Ottweiler (Germany)-born New York architect, designed the building which is considered one of the Midwest's best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, especially so because the structure is effectively unaltered.

In its time as a parish church, St. Joseph continued traditional worship throughout its history, maintaining the Latin language, alongside vernacular German and English, in its Novus Ordo Masses after the Second Vatican Council.

Having declined into unplayability, it was replaced for the celebration of the church building's centennial in 1973 by the organ builder William M. Worden, using many of the Odell pipes.

[3] On August 29, 2016, Archbishop Vigneron announced that effective October 2016, St. Joseph Church would be separated from Mother of Divine Mercy Parish to become St. Joseph Oratory under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest and would be dedicated to the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass.