About Holy Rosary Mission · Sistersville, West Virginia
Holy Rosary Mission is a Roman Catholic mission church serving the small Ohio River town of Sistersville, West Virginia. It is one of two parishes in a clustered pastoral grouping with Mater Dolorosa Parish in nearby New Martinsville/Paden City, sharing priests, staff, and a single parish office. The mission belongs to the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston and traces its origins to the late 1890s, when Catholic ministry was organized for the Sistersville community. Holy Rosary is administered by a Vincentian priest and supported by a permanent deacon, and it shares Mass and devotion schedules, faith-formation opportunities, and outreach ministries with Mater Dolorosa.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Abraham, V.C. (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
Why belong here
Holy Rosary offers a small, personal parish community rooted in nearly 130 years of Catholic life in Sistersville. The mission shares a dedicated Vincentian administrator and a permanent deacon with sister parish Mater Dolorosa, so parishioners have access to regular weekday and weekend Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, and faith-formation resources — all without losing the close-knit feel of a neighborhood mission. Families and individuals who live along the Ohio River between Paden City and Sistersville find here a faithful, welcoming place to worship and serve.
Mass times at Holy Rosary Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. (at Mater Dolorosa)
- Wednesday 5:00 p.m. (at Mater Dolorosa)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 p.m. (at Mater Dolorosa)
Holy Rosary Mission — Sistersville, West Virginia
Holy Rosary is a Roman Catholic mission church located at 519 Main Street in Sistersville, Tyler County, West Virginia. It serves the Catholic faithful of Sistersville and the surrounding Ohio River valley as part of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston. The mission is clustered with Mater Dolorosa Parish in New Martinsville/Paden City, and the two parishes share an administrator, a permanent deacon, and a single parish office.
History of Holy Rosary
Holy Rosary Parish was established in 1898 with Rev. Patrick J. Boyce as its first pastor, during the same period that the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston was expanding its ministry across the northern panhandle and the Ohio River valley. The mission has remained a smaller worshipping community, sharing pastoral care for decades with what is now Mater Dolorosa Parish — first as a sponsoring parish, and today as a fellow member of a two-parish cluster.
- 1898 — Holy Rosary Parish established; first pastor Rev. Patrick J. Boyce.
- 1921 — Mater Dolorosa (Paden City) founded as a mission of New Martinsville.
- 1978 — Mater Dolorosa becomes a mission of Holy Rosary, Sistersville.
- 1981 — Mater Dolorosa established as its own parish; forms a cluster with Holy Rosary.
Clergy & Staff
The Mater Dolorosa–Holy Rosary pastoral team is led by an administrator who is a Vincentian priest, assisted by a permanent deacon. Both serve the two parishes together.
- Rev. Joseph Abraham, V.C. — Administrator ([email protected], 304-455-4615)
- Deacon William J. Klug — Permanent Deacon ([email protected], 304-382-3188)
Sacraments
Through the shared pastoral team, Holy Rosary parishioners can prepare for and receive the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Inquiries and preparation are coordinated through the parish office.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Holy Communion
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Holy Orders / Religious Life (by referral)
Faith Formation & RCIA
Religious education for children and adults, including the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those seeking to enter the Catholic Church, is offered through the Mater Dolorosa–Holy Rosary pastoral team.
- RCIA — preparation for adults entering the Church
- Faith formation for children and youth (shared with Mater Dolorosa)
Parish Identity & Devotion
As a parish named for the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Rosary Mission reflects the Marian devotional tradition of the Catholic Church. Its feast is celebrated on the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7. The parish's shared office with St. Vincent de Paul ministries in New Martinsville, and its priest's Vincentian affiliation, give the cluster a strong missionary character rooted in the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Patron: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
- Feast Day: October 7
- Spirituality: Vincentian (Congregation of the Mission)
Visit & Contact
Holy Rosary Mission is located on Main Street in downtown Sistersville. All mail, calls, and correspondence are handled through the shared parish office in New Martinsville.
- Address: 519 Main Street, Sistersville, WV 26175
- Shared Parish Office (St. Vincent de Paul): 21 Rosary Road, New Martinsville, WV 26155
- Phone (shared office): (304) 455-4615
- Phone (mission line, per GCatholic): (304) 652-6381
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.mdhrcatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick J. Boyce1898
First pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, appointed at its founding.