Holy Cross

Parish Identity and Vision

Holy Cross Catholic Church's mission is rooted in its 19th-century downtown Lynchburg story: 'Inspired by our rich history and tradition, in downtown Lynchburg, the Christian faithful of Holy Cross Catholic Church, blessed by the sacraments, invite all to encounter Jesus Christ through worship, community, and service to one another.' Its vision is 'to be the shining light of Christ through the open doors of our downtown Catholic Church,' and the parish signs its online communications as 'Holy Cross Catholic Church: Light of Christ in Virginia's Hill City.'

History of Holy Cross

The parish traces its spiritual origin to 1829, when the first Catholic Mass was offered in a Lynchburg private home at a time when many Irish Catholic immigrants worked on the James River and Kanawha Canal. That movement led to formal founding of the parish in 1859. The current sanctuary was designed by architect Ludwig August Forsberg; its cornerstone was laid on April 28, 1878, and the church was dedicated in September 1879.

• 1829: First Mass celebrated in a Lynchburg private home
• 1859: Parish founded
• 1878–1879: Gothic Revival sanctuary built (architect Ludwig August Forsberg); cornerstone April 28, 1878; dedicated September 1879
• 1879: Stained-glass windows installed; donors' names etched beneath each window
• 1898: Free-standing campanile designed by Edward G. Frye; houses the historic church bell
• 1983–1988: Sanctuary addition and reorientation by Fauber Architects (new entrance / reception)
• 2010s: Campanile masonry, roof and cornice restoration by Architectural Partners under historic tax-credit guidelines

Architecture and Sacred Spaces

The sanctuary is a simple rectangular Gothic Revival church with a tower and spire, clad in cream stucco with greenstone trim — among the earliest known uses of that local stone on buttress caps and windowsills. The 1898 campanile (Edward G. Frye) is a cream-brick Romanesque Revival bell tower with terra-cotta trim, best viewed today from Court Street. A 1983–1988 addition by Fauber Architects added a larger entrance and reception area and reversed the orientation of the sanctuary, while preserving the clean exterior lines of Forsberg's original walls.

• Gothic Revival sanctuary (1878–1879, Forsberg)
• Greenstone trim — among the earliest known local uses
• Free-standing Romanesque Revival campanile (1898, Frye)
• Stained-glass windows dated 1879, with donor inscriptions
• 1983–1988 addition by Fauber Architects

Faith Formation and Religious Education

Holy Cross offers a complete faith-formation track for children and adults. Catechists of Religious Education teach Catholic doctrine and tradition, preparing children for the sacraments and modeling a servant heart, with weekly sessions during the academic year (September–May). St Anne Childcare supports parish families, and the OCIA / Becoming Catholic process accompanies adults who wish to enter the Catholic faith or learn more about it.

• Catechists of Religious Education (weekly, Sept–May)
• St Anne Childcare
• OCIA / Becoming Catholic (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
• San Juan Diego Hispanic Ministry – Mondays at 7:00 PM (Spanish-language faith formation)
• Contact for Religious Education: Kaky Bowden

Hispanic Ministry – San Juan Diego

The San Juan Diego Hispanic Mass Ministry gathers the Spanish-speaking community of the parish for ongoing weekly faith formation and fellowship on Mondays at 7:00 PM, complementing the parish's Sunday 2:00 PM Mass in Spanish.

• Weekly meeting: Mondays at 7:00 PM
• Contact: Kaky Bowden
• Paired with Sunday 2:00 PM Spanish Mass (livestreamed on YouTube)

Pastoral Care and Outreach

Holy Cross describes its pastoral care ministry as 'the pastoral heartbeat of the parish,' patterned on St Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The team brings Holy Communion to the homebound, supports grieving families through Our Lady of Solace, helps plan funeral liturgies and receptions, and reaches out to those who cannot easily come to Mass.

• St Mother Teresa Pastoral Care ministry
• St Catherine Laboure Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound (nursing homes, assisted living, rehab)
• Our Lady of Solace Grief Support Group
• Funeral Mass / Reception Ministry
• Building Ministry advising on Clay Street campus and rectory maintenance

Special Ministries

Beyond parish-campus work, Holy Cross extends its ministry into local institutions — particularly the Lynchburg-area colleges and correctional facilities — and maintains Holy Cross Cemetery as a pastoral ministry of its own.

• Prison Ministry: Dillwyn Correctional Center
• Prison Ministry: Lynchburg City Jail
• Campus Ministry: Randolph College
• Campus Ministry: Lynchburg College (University of Lynchburg)
• Holy Cross Cemetery (phone 434-239-4193)

Sacraments

Information and preparation for the sacraments is published on the parish website's Sacraments pages. The parish celebrates Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist for the homebound, and assists families with Catholic funeral liturgy.

• Holy Matrimony (parish preparation)
• Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation (via Faith Formation / OCIA)
• Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the Homebound
• Catholic Funeral Liturgy (Pastoral Care)
• Reconciliation (Friday after daily Mass, or by request)

Clergy, Staff and Contacts

The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a permanent deacon and a large volunteer ministry team. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

• Pastor: Very Rev. Salvador Anonuevo, V.F. — [email protected]
• Permanent Deacon: Rev. Mr. Arturo Fernandez-Lopez
• Parish Office: [email protected]
• Phone: (434) 846-5245
• Fax: (434) 846-7022
• Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
• Saint Patrick Building (parish building referenced in Building Ministry description)
• Holy Cross Cemetery phone: (434) 239-4193

Visit, Connect and Stay Safe Online

Parishioners and visitors are welcome at any of the scheduled Masses, and the parish bulletins and ministry contacts are published on the website. The parish has publicly warned that emails impersonating Fr Sal or parish staff and asking for gift cards or money are fraudulent and should be ignored.

• Address: 710 Clay Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504
• Livestream: Sunday 11:00 AM English and 2:00 PM Spanish on YouTube (channel UCqadrBMdOSunIZ0DltCZHwg)
• Directions: From the north — US-29 South to Fifth Street, 3 blocks to Clay Street, left to 7th Street, church on the left
• Fraud alert: parish staff will never email asking for gift cards or money