About Holy Trinity · Nitro, West Virginia
Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Nitro, West Virginia, part of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston. Established in 1962 under Bishop Joseph H. Hodges, it is one of three linked Kanawha Valley parishes — together with Christ the King in Dunbar and St. Patrick in Bancroft — united as Tri-Parish West Virginia under the motto "One Body – One Faith – One Mission." The parish offers Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m., a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m., a daily noon Mass, and a Traditional Latin Mass on weekdays, all at 2219 22nd Street. Current pastor Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr. also leads a nationally-broadcast Catholic television program recorded at the parish.
- Established
- 1962
- Rector
- Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
Why belong here
Holy Trinity is the hub of a tight-knit Tri-Parish Catholic family in the Kanawha Valley, sharing one pastor and one mission across Nitro, Dunbar, and Bancroft. Parishioners are served by a daily noon Mass, a Traditional Latin Mass several days a week, a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning liturgy, and Saturday confession — making it easy to find a time to worship. Active ministries for adults, youth, music, RCIA, and outreach (Social Concerns) invite every age to grow in faith and serve neighbors, while the parish's pastoral leadership — including a nationally-broadcast Catholic TV ministry recorded on site — keeps the community connected to the wider Church.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Or by appointment
About Holy Trinity Catholic Parish
Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic parish in Nitro, West Virginia, established in 1962 and part of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston. Together with Christ the King in Dunbar and St. Patrick in Bancroft it forms Tri-Parish West Virginia, sharing one pastor, one faith formation program, and one mission: "One Body – One Faith – One Mission." The parish gathers for Mass in both English and Latin, including a daily noon Mass, a Traditional Latin Mass several weekdays, a Saturday Vigil, and a Sunday morning Mass.
- Tri-Parish motto: One Body – One Faith – One Mission
- Diocese: Wheeling–Charleston
- Sister parishes: Christ the King (Dunbar), St. Patrick (Bancroft)
History of Holy Trinity Parish
Holy Trinity Parish was founded in 1962 under Bishop Joseph H. Hodges, with Rev. Patrick Keating as its first pastor. During Hodges' long tenure (1962–1985) the diocese recorded the dedication of a new Holy Trinity Church in Nitro. For decades the parish was pastored by Capuchin friars as part of the order's century-long West Virginia mission; following the Capuchin province's withdrawal from the state, Rev. Thomas Kalapurackal covered the parish before the assignment of the current pastor. The parish's giving appeal, 'Protecting What Is Holy,' reflects its ongoing commitment to maintaining the church building for future generations.
- 1962 — parish established; Rev. Patrick Keating first pastor
- 1970s/80s — new Holy Trinity Church dedicated under Bishop Hodges
- 20th/21st c. — Capuchin friars serve Holy Trinity, Christ the King, and St. Patrick
- 2010s — Capuchins withdraw from West Virginia; Fr. Joseph Tuscan departs
- Fr. Thomas Kalapurackal covers Tri-Parish
- Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr. appointed current pastor
Tri-Parish West Virginia Family
Tri-Parish West Virginia unites three Kanawha Valley Catholic communities under shared leadership. The vision statement on the parish website reads: "In the heart of our three churches resides the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each church community is unique in character, yet we are bound together in one baptismal call – One Body, professing One Faith, and living One Mission."
- Holy Trinity, Nitro — 2219 22nd Street (Sat Vigil 5:00 PM, Sun 9:30 AM)
- Christ the King, Dunbar — 1504 Grosscup Ave (Sun 11:00 AM)
- St. Patrick, Bancroft — 45 3rd Ave (Sun 8:00 AM)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is staffed across the Tri-Parish family, with a dedicated Director of Religious Education for each parish. Adult inquiry is served through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), coordinated by Tom McCarthy, and youth ministry is led by Beth Brumley.
- Holy Trinity DRE — Cindy Norden
- Christ the King DRE — Betsy Green
- St. Patrick DRE — Lisa Bailey
- RCIA Coordinator — Tom McCarthy
- Youth Director — Beth Brumley
Music & Liturgy
The parish maintains a robust music program led by a Tri-Parish Music Director, with parish-specific musicians supporting the liturgies at Holy Trinity. The combination of an English contemporary schedule and a Traditional Latin Mass on weekdays gives the parish a particularly rich liturgical life.
- Tri-Parish Music Director — Jamie Miller
- Holy Trinity Music Director — Lou Kapicak
- Holy Trinity Pianist — Louise Papciak
Parish Staff & Clergy
Tri-Parish operations are supported by a small, dedicated staff. The current pastor, Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr., serves all three parishes; the office is anchored by Office Manager Angie Pugh, and outreach is coordinated through Sherry King's Social Concerns ministry.
- Pastor — Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr.
- Office Manager/Secretary — Angie Pugh
- Social Concerns — Sherry King
Outreach & Television Apostolate
Beyond the parish walls, the pastor of Tri-Parish West Virginia records a nationally-distributed Catholic television program. Sherry King coordinates parish Social Concerns outreach in the Kanawha Valley.
- 'My Daily Living with Father Chapin' — weekly Catholic TV program
- Recorded in Nitro, WV
- Airs on WVNS Fox 59 and Christian broadcasting networks
- Estimated viewership: 51 million (per WV Gazette-Mail)
- Social Concerns outreach — Sherry King
Giving & 'Protecting What Is Holy' Campaign
In a pastoral letter on the Tri-Parish website, Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr. describes a 'Protecting What Is Holy' capital campaign to fund urgent repairs to the Holy Trinity church roof. The estimated project cost is $400,000, and parishioners are invited to contribute prayerfully to keep the church safe and welcoming for generations to come.
- Campaign: Protecting What Is Holy
- Scope: church roof repair
- Estimated cost: $400,000
Visit, Contact & Directions
Holy Trinity welcomes visitors at 2219 22nd Street, Nitro, WV 25143. From I-64, take the Nitro exit, turn left at the end of the ramp, proceed to 20th Street, then turn left. Street parking and parking in the rear of the church are available.
- Address: 2219 22nd Street, Nitro, WV 25143
- Phone: (304) 755-0791
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.TriParishWV.org
- Parking: street and rear lot
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick Keating1962–
First pastor of Holy Trinity Parish when it was established in 1962 under Bishop Joseph H. Hodges.
- Rev. Joseph Tuscan, OFM Cap.
Capuchin friar who served as pastor of Holy Trinity together with Christ the King (Dunbar) and St. Patrick (Bancroft); departed when the Capuchin province withdrew from West Virginia after more than 100 years of ministry in the state.
- Rev. Thomas Kalapurackal
Assigned to cover the Tri-Parish grouping after the Capuchin withdrawal; transferred from St. Francis de Sales in Beckley.
- Rev. John Chapin Engler, Jr.
Current pastor of Tri-Parish West Virginia; ordained June 2007 for the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston; first assignment in Beckley; hosts the television program 'My Daily Living with Father Chapin,' recorded in Nitro and reaching an estimated 51 million viewers.