Who we are
Saint Joseph was founded in 1884 and is one of the oldest parishes in the Commonwealth. We are located in Columbia, Virginia. St. Joseph is also one of only two national shrines to Saint Katharine Drexel. Sunday Mass is at 9am. Come visit us!
In March 2024, our parish will be celebrating 140 years of the Eucharist! During the year leading up to this wonderful occasion, we are having monthly events to celebrate our history and the people who have made our parish great.
In March 2024, our parish will be celebrating 140 years of the Eucharist! During the year leading up to this wonderful occasion, we are having monthly events to celebrate our history and the people who have made our parish great.
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Church Address
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28 Cameron St
Columbia,
VA
23038
United States
Phone: (434) 842-3970
Fax: (434) 589-4463
Download Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel vCard with Mass Times
Click here to contact the church
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Church Pastor
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Pastor
28 Cameron St
Columbia,
VA
23038
United States
Phone: (434) 842-3970
Fax: (434) 589-4463
Download Pastor Fr. David M. Ssentamu vCard
Click here to contact Fr. David M. Ssentamu
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Denomination
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic churches in Columbia, VA
Roman Catholic churches in Virginia
Roman Catholic churches in United States
Roman Catholic churches churches near me
All churches in Columbia, VA
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Affiliations
Catholic Diocese of Richmond
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Church Website
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Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel on Social Media
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Facebook Video: Sunday Mass 5 April 2020
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Leadership
Leader Name:
Fr. David M. Ssentamu
Leader Position:
Pastor
Formal Title:
Leader Address:
Phone:
Fax:
(434) 589-4463
Leader Email:
Click here to contact Fr. David M. Ssentamu
Leader Bio:
Fr. David M. Ssentamu on Social Media:
Other Church Leaders:
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Leadership Photos
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Administration
Admin Name:
Admin Position:
Admin Address:
Phone:
Fax:
(434) 589-4463
Admin Email:
Click here to contact the church
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Mailing Address
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Driving Directions
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Travel/Direction Tips
St. Joseph’s is located at the corner of Washington & Cameron Street, Columbia, VA 23038
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Parking
Please share parking information and/or parking experience!
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Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel Mass Times
Join us for daily Mass on Thursdays at 5pm, and Sunday Mass at 9am
In March 2024, our parish will be celebrating 140 years of the Eucharist! During the year leading up to this wonderful occasion, we are having monthly events to celebrate our history and the people who have made our parish great.
140TH ANNIVERSARY INFORMATION:
https://www.saintjosephcolumbia.org/140-years/
It's been more than 12 months since the last mass times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm mass times.
Please contact the church to confirm Mass Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
In March 2024, our parish will be celebrating 140 years of the Eucharist! During the year leading up to this wonderful occasion, we are having monthly events to celebrate our history and the people who have made our parish great.
140TH ANNIVERSARY INFORMATION:
https://www.saintjosephcolumbia.org/140-years/
It's been more than 12 months since the last mass times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm mass times.
Please contact the church to confirm Mass Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
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Worship Languages
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Dress Code
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Sunday School / Children and Youth Activities
Under 12s:
Under 18s:
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Local outreach & community activities
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Other activities & ministries
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Special Needs/Accessibility
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Prayers and Hymns
Main Bible:
Hymns and Songs:
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Other information
Average Adult Congregation:
Average Youth Congregation:
Additional Info:
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Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel Church Columbia Photos
St. Katharine Drexel
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140th Anniversary Mass information - March 17, 2024
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Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel History
The following four paragraphs were taken from Chapter 11 entitled “The River Flows South and West”, in the biography of St. Mary Katharine Drexel, The Golden Door, published in 1957, two years after her death:
In 1901, Mother Katharine had made this trip not only to inspect the school (St. Francis de Sales), but also to discuss setting up small catechetical centers in nearby places in Virginia. This necessitated a considerable amount of train travel. Once in a coach between Richmond and Lynchburg, the train stopped at a small station marked Columbia. She noticed a gilt cross gleaming through the trees and said to her companion, Mother Mercedes, “Do you think that is a Catholic Chapel?” Mother Mercedes replied that she did not think so, as she had been told there was no Mass celebrated between Richmond and Lynchburg.
On their return to St. Francis de Sales they learned from one of the students that there was such a chapel in a little town nearby. The two Sisters went to see this chapel and found it fairly large and in excellent condition; to their surprise they also found it in perfect order, swept and dusted; on the altar clean linen and fresh flowers. There was no sign of life, but even as they were still staring about they heard shuffling steps behind them and turned to see an old Negro looking at them with keen interest. He told them he was Uncle Zeke, and that he was a convert of Father Wakeham and had been with the Wakehams for years. His daughter, Rebecca, was the student who had told them about the Wakeham Chapel.
“Ever since the death of Mrs. Wakeham in 1891, I come here to clean the Chapel every morning and say a prayer there’ll be Mass again some day”, he told them. Then taking them to the carefully tended family cemetery, he showed some headstones weathered by the years, others very new.
Mother Katharine, much touched by the old man’s loyalty and devotion, told him that she could not promise that Mass would be said in the Chapel, but she could send a few of her Sisters from St. Francis de Sales there each week to teach Catechism (Her Sisters remained a part of St. Joseph’s until 1971) and perhaps later she would open a small school. As soon as Mother Katharine returned to St. Francis de Sales, she made arrangements to carry out that part of her promise.
*** In [the] early 1900[s], when Mother Katharine Drexel made arrangement for the Josephite Fathers to say Mass, the Wakeham Chapel unofficially became a Public Chapel, known as St. Joseph’s.
*** Note: At a special Mass on October 15, 2000, honoring the canonization of St. Katharine Drexel, at St. Joseph’s, Bishop Walter Sullivan, Bishop of Richmond, VA, added to the name of St. Joseph’s/”Shrine of St Katharine Drexel”.
In 1901, Mother Katharine had made this trip not only to inspect the school (St. Francis de Sales), but also to discuss setting up small catechetical centers in nearby places in Virginia. This necessitated a considerable amount of train travel. Once in a coach between Richmond and Lynchburg, the train stopped at a small station marked Columbia. She noticed a gilt cross gleaming through the trees and said to her companion, Mother Mercedes, “Do you think that is a Catholic Chapel?” Mother Mercedes replied that she did not think so, as she had been told there was no Mass celebrated between Richmond and Lynchburg.
On their return to St. Francis de Sales they learned from one of the students that there was such a chapel in a little town nearby. The two Sisters went to see this chapel and found it fairly large and in excellent condition; to their surprise they also found it in perfect order, swept and dusted; on the altar clean linen and fresh flowers. There was no sign of life, but even as they were still staring about they heard shuffling steps behind them and turned to see an old Negro looking at them with keen interest. He told them he was Uncle Zeke, and that he was a convert of Father Wakeham and had been with the Wakehams for years. His daughter, Rebecca, was the student who had told them about the Wakeham Chapel.
Mother Katharine, much touched by the old man’s loyalty and devotion, told him that she could not promise that Mass would be said in the Chapel, but she could send a few of her Sisters from St. Francis de Sales there each week to teach Catechism (Her Sisters remained a part of St. Joseph’s until 1971) and perhaps later she would open a small school. As soon as Mother Katharine returned to St. Francis de Sales, she made arrangements to carry out that part of her promise.
*** In [the] early 1900[s], when Mother Katharine Drexel made arrangement for the Josephite Fathers to say Mass, the Wakeham Chapel unofficially became a Public Chapel, known as St. Joseph’s.
*** Note: At a special Mass on October 15, 2000, honoring the canonization of St. Katharine Drexel, at St. Joseph’s, Bishop Walter Sullivan, Bishop of Richmond, VA, added to the name of St. Joseph’s/”Shrine of St Katharine Drexel”.
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Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel Historical Photos
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Brother Lawrence
Saint Joseph's Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel listing was last updated on the 28th of February, 2024
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