Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint Joseph de Villeneuve-la-Garenne was founded in 1914 with the erection of a chapel, later replaced by the current building. Its construction, which began on 4 October 1931 on the site of former pharmaceutical establishments, is part of the work of the Cardinal's Buildings. The church was consecrated on 20 November 1932 by Monsignor Verdier, becoming the first entirely built by this work. It is marked by a brick architecture and a longitudinal plane with a nave and two collaterals.

The first stone was blessed by Cardinal Jean Verdier in 1931, in the presence of Abbé Oppenot, the first parish priest. In 1936, a monumental statue of Saint Joseph, carved by Georges Serraz, was installed above the main gate. The church was also embellished by murals by Pierre Jérôme in 1941, partially made by students of the Hidden Fine Arts to escape the STO. These works, visible only on Heritage Days, illustrate episodes of the life of Saint Joseph.

In the 1950s, the church was enriched with a three-key organ, inaugurated in 1958. Major works were undertaken in the 1980s to restore the building, including the creation of a narthex and the transformation of the old choir into a parish hall. In 1986, Bishop Favreau inaugurated the new premises. More recently, in 2015, new stained glass windows were installed, the work of Hervé Loire, and in 2023, a family of artists helped restore and embellish the church.

The church of Saint Joseph is an active place of worship, attached to the diocese of Nanterre since 1966. It symbolizes the religious and architectural history of Villeneuve-la-Garenne, with rich interior decoration, including sculptures, paintings and contemporary stained glass windows. Its community and spiritual role remains central to the inhabitants.

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