The Church of St. Joseph in Grubišno Polje is deeply connected with the history of this region, following its parishioners from the very beginnings of the settlement. The Catholic community has always been the majority, and before the foundation of Grubišno Polje, the inhabitants belonged to the parish of Trnovitica. It was not until 1782 that the church dedicated to St. Joseph was built, after which the parish bears its name still today.
The first administrator of the parish was Vitus Ramonjak, but the arrival of Chaplain Ivan Nepomuk Jemeršić in 1887 brought a real revival to the parish and the entire Grubišno Polje. Jemeršić was not only a priest – he was a writer, parliamentarian and patriot. His work left a deep mark, from the arrangement of the parish church and the town, to the introduction of the kermis of Marinje, the central Marian celebration that gathered worshipers from the entire county. His legacy lives on even today, and the Villa Moj mir, bequeathed to the nuns of the St. Vincent de Paul, still marks the spirit of his dedication.
The church was renovated over the years, and the special 200th anniversary of its construction was held in 1982 under the leadership of parish priest Antun Ćorković, with a mass led by Archbishop Franjo Kuharić. During the late nineties, Rev. Josip Žagar started the construction of the pastoral center, and his work was continued by his successors, including Imbro Valjak and Većeslav Magić, who continued with important renovations and projects. At the end of 2012, Većeslav Magić brought to an end the project of thorough renovation of the church roof, which had been started earlier, and which was financed by the Ministry of Culture, the City of Grubišno Polje and the parishioners. The clock mechanism on the church was repaired, the parish newsletter and bulletin board were introduced, the radio show was renewed, and for the feast of the patron saint of the parish, St. Joseph in 2012, the parish got a website www.zupa-sv-josipa-gp.hr.
Today, the church of St. Joseph is a symbol of a long tradition, and the parish continues to live through mass celebrations and kermis. The biggest holiday is Joseph’s Day, 19 March, while the Marinje kermis is held after the Feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, gathering the worshipers in celebration. The kermis in 2007 was especially memorable, when Rev. Zlatko Sudac led spiritual restoration in front of more than 4,000 worshipers.
