About Blessed Sacrament · Harrisonburg, Virginia
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is a bilingual Catholic parish serving Harrisonburg, Virginia, and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley since 1906. Located at 154 N. Main Street, it is part of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and ministers to a diverse community that includes English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners, as well as students from nearby James Madison University. Beyond its liturgical life, the parish is known for its social outreach — running a food pantry, soup kitchen, Friendship House, prison ministry, and hospital visits — all rooted in its mission to be 'a model Christian community, disciples of Christ'.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament (the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Silvio Kaberia, V.E.
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament offers the rare combination of a downtown historic parish, a thriving bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical life, and a powerful social-outreach footprint — a food pantry, a soup kitchen, and the Friendship House all run from parish facilities. Whether you are a JMU student looking for Catholic community, a young adult through the YAM group, a family with children in faith formation (Religious Education, EDGE, Confirmation), or a Spanish-speaking Catholic wanting full sacramental life in your language, the parish welcomes you. Confession, daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and RCIA (OCIA) for adults and CHICCA for children make it a complete spiritual home.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm (following Mass)
- Saturdays (time not specified on the page searched)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- 3:30pm – 4:30pm (day not fully captured in search snippets; per diocese listing: Wednesdays)
Parish Mission & Welcome
Blessed Sacrament states its mission plainly: 'Blessed Sacrament aspires to be a model Christian community, disciples of Christ, in communication with the Universal Church, in service to each other and the greater community. We speak with diverse and inclusive voices, united by our Catholic faith and Eucharistic celebration.' The parish emphasizes both the Universal Church and local service, welcoming newcomers, returning Catholics, and the area's growing Spanish-speaking community.
History of Blessed Sacrament Parish
Established in 1906, Blessed Sacrament has been a Catholic presence in Harrisonburg for more than a century. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Richmond (parish #560, Deanery 11) and has grown from its early 20th-century roots into a bilingual, multi-ministry community that also serves as the Catholic home for many James Madison University students. Its enduring social ministries — food pantry, soup kitchen, prison and hospital visits — are an extension of the same mission that has guided the parish since its founding.
- Founded: 1906
- Diocese of Richmond, Deanery 11
- Parish number: 560
Clergy & Staff
Blessed Sacrament is shepherded by a team of three priests supported by a full lay staff in liturgy, formation, youth, communications, music, and facilities.
- Pastor — Very Rev. Silvio Kaberia, V.E. (ext. 101) — [email protected]
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Ritche Sarabia (ext. 102)
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Matthew Kelly (ext. 104)
- Director of Religious Education
- Director of Youth Ministry
- Music Director
- Communications Coordinator
- Bookkeeper
- Secretary
- Facilities Manager
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Blessed Sacrament runs from kindergarten through high school, with separate sacramental-prep tracks. Registrations open in May and close on July 31 each year for the following academic year.
- Religious Education (K–8)
- EDGE (middle-school youth ministry)
- High School Youth Ministry
- Confirmation Preparation (10th grade and up)
- Homeschool support
Becoming Catholic — OCIA & CHICCA
Blessed Sacrament runs the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA), a six-to-eight-month journey beginning each September that leads unbaptized adults, Christians from other denominations, and returning Catholics into full sacramental life at the Easter Vigil or Pentecost. Children ages 7–17 who are not yet Catholic enter a parallel two-year program called CHICCA, meeting twice monthly October–April, with the Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- OCIA — adults 18+, weekly Tuesday sessions with catechesis, prayer, scripture study, retreats
- CHICCA — children ages 7–17, 2-year program, 2 Tuesday evenings a month, 6:30–7:45 PM
- Sponsors and team members needed (Spanish-speaking ability welcomed)
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Beyond Religious Education, the parish invests heavily in its young people through EDGE (middle school), a high-school youth group, the Young Adults Ministry (Y.A.M.) for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, and the JMU Catholic Dukes campus ministry reaching students at nearby James Madison University.
- EDGE — middle-school youth ministry
- High School youth group
- Y.A.M. (Young Adults Ministry) — meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays
- JMU Catholic Dukes — campus ministry for James Madison University students
- Catholicism 101 classes, retreats, Bible studies, and prayer groups for students
Hispanic & Spanish-Language Ministry
A substantial portion of Blessed Sacrament's life is in Spanish. The parish celebrates a weekly Thursday evening Mass in Spanish at 7:00 PM, a Sunday 1:00 PM Spanish Mass, and Spanish Holy Day Masses. Formation includes Adult Faith Formation (Formación de Fe del Adulto / FFA) and Pequeño Grupo small-group ministry, with the food pantry also branded 'Despensa de alimentos.'
- Spanish Mass — Thursdays 7:00 PM
- Spanish Mass — Sundays 1:00 PM (live-streamed)
- Spanish Mass — Holy Days 7:30 PM
- Formación de Fe del Adulto (FFA)
- Pequeño Grupo (Spanish small-group faith formation)
Outreach: Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen & Friendship House
Charitable outreach is a hallmark of Blessed Sacrament, with three named ministries running out of parish facilities in downtown Harrisonburg. These programs serve Rockingham County neighbors in need regardless of faith or background.
- Food Pantry / Despensa de alimentos — Tue–Thu 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Fri 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Holy Family Center, 2 E Wolfe St., back side of building)
- Soup Kitchen — Thursdays 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (enter through double doors on N Federal St.)
- Friendship House — parish outreach program
Prison, Hospital & Nursing Home Ministry
The parish extends pastoral care beyond its walls into the wider community, including correctional, medical, and eldercare settings across the Shenandoah Valley.
- Prison Ministry — Rockingham County Jail
- Hospital Ministry — Rockingham Memorial Hospital
- Nursing Home Ministry — area nursing homes
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments through age-appropriate preparation: OCIA and CHICCA for unbaptized adults and children, First Communion preparation, a one-year Confirmation process beginning in 10th grade, Baptism, Marriage (contact the parish office), and Anointing of the Sick carried out especially through hospital and nursing-home visits.
- Baptism (infant through adult)
- First Eucharist / First Communion
- Confirmation (10th grade, one-year process, $40 book fee)
- Marriage (contact parish office)
- Anointing of the Sick / pastoral visits
- OCIA — adults, Easter/Pentecost reception
- CHICCA — children ages 7–17, 2-year program
Music & Liturgy
Blessed Sacrament's liturgical life is supported by a Music Director and bilingual music ministry serving the English and Spanish Masses. Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM (English) and 1:00 PM (Spanish) are live-streamed each week, allowing homebound parishioners and those further afield to participate.
- Music Director on staff
- Live-streamed Sunday Mass — 10:00 AM English & 1:00 PM Spanish
- Live-stream via Facebook page and YouTube channel
Visit, Contact & Office Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach Blessed Sacrament by phone, fax, or email, with office hours Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Address — 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
- Phone — (540) 434-4341
- Fax — (540) 434-5549
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Holy Family Center (Food Pantry) — 2 E Wolfe St.
- Soup Kitchen entrance — double doors on N Federal St.