About Saint Andrew · Barnwell, South Carolina
Saint Andrew (also written St. Andrew's) Catholic Church in Barnwell, South Carolina is the oldest Catholic church in the state of South Carolina to have continually occupied the same building. Built in 1831, it is today administered as a mission of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Orangeburg within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston. The small parish of roughly 55 households gathers for Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, Adoration on Tuesday evenings, and continues a long tradition of Catholic worship on Madison Street in historic Barnwell.
- Established
- 1831
- Patron
- Saint Andrew the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Erlin Y. Garcia IIC (Administrator of the cluster; Holy Trinity in Orangeburg is the administrative hub)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
St. Andrew's is one of the most historically significant Catholic churches in South Carolina, with 1831 origins and continuous worship in the same building. Today it serves a small, bilingual English/Spanish Catholic community of about 55 households in rural Barnwell County, with Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, weekly Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration and a Spanish Mass, and a parish Ladies group. Belonging here means joining a living piece of South Carolina Catholic history while worshipping in an intimate country mission.
Mass times at Saint Andrew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday prior to 9:00 a.m. Mass
- Tuesday 6:10 p.m. (before Spanish Mass)
- Sunday prior to 10:30 a.m. Mass
Adoration times
- Tuesday Adoration: 6:00 p.m.
About St. Andrew Catholic Church
St. Andrew Catholic Church sits at 110 Madison Street in historic Barnwell, South Carolina. Founded in 1831, it is the oldest Catholic church in the state still occupying its original building and the oldest church of any denomination in Barnwell County. The parish today is administered as part of the Holy Trinity cluster in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, sitting within the Aiken Deanery.
History
St. Andrew's is the oldest Catholic church in South Carolina to have continually occupied the same building. The chapel was built in 1831, just ten years after the first Bishop for the Carolinas and Georgia was appointed, and the first priest to serve the Catholics of Barnwell came from Augusta, Georgia. Monthly Mass began in 1847 under Father John O'Connell.
- 1831 — original chapel constructed.
- 1847 — Father John O'Connell begins monthly Mass.
- 1860s — spared during Sherman's march through the area.
- 1930 — Redemptorist Fathers take charge of the mission.
- 1944 — designated a memorial shrine.
- Early 1950s — additions including a social hall and stained-glass windows brought from the Ursuline convent of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Columbia, SC.
- Later 20th century — residence built for the priest; adjacent house and property purchased.
- 2012 — merged with Holy Trinity (Orangeburg), St. Theresa (Springfield) and St. Mary Mission (Allendale).
Architecture & Grounds
The 1831 chapel forms the heart of St. Andrew's, with a social hall, priest's residence and several later extensions added through the twentieth century. Stained-glass windows salvaged from the old Ursuline convent of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia are one of the church's most distinctive features. The rear of the church is surrounded by a cemetery holding graves of several prominent South Carolina figures.
- Seating capacity: approximately 150.
- Stained-glass windows from the old Ursuline convent of St. Peter's, Columbia.
- Adjoining cemetery with graves of local families such as Adrich, Bellinger, Maher and Simms.
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Andrew's offers a small but bilingual schedule: Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, and a Tuesday evening Spanish Mass preceded by Eucharistic Adoration. Confessions are heard before each Mass. Seating is around 150, so the worship experience is intimate.
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. (English)
- Sunday: 10:30 a.m. (Spanish)
- Tuesday: 6:00 p.m. Adoration; 7:00 p.m. Spanish Mass
- Confessions: prior to each Mass
Parish Life & Ministries
Although it is now administered as part of the Holy Trinity cluster, St. Andrew's retains its own parish identity and worship life. The parish shares ministries with Holy Trinity in Orangeburg, St. Theresa in Springfield, and St. Mary Mission in Allendale, while still maintaining local groups such as the St. Andrew Ladies.
- St. Andrew Ladies (parish ladies' group).
- Cluster shared ministries with Holy Trinity, St. Theresa and St. Mary Mission.
Clergy & Staff
St. Andrew's is staffed by the priests and parish staff serving the Holy Trinity cluster in Orangeburg. The administrator coordinates the four-church family from the Orangeburg office, while a parochial vicar and a sacramental priest provide liturgical coverage at the missions.
- Administrator: Rev. Erlin Y. Garcia IIC.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Arcangel Lopez Burbano IIC.
- Sacramental Priest: Rev. Filip P. Wodecki.
- Secretary: Kim Vargo.
Visit & Contact
The historic chapel is located at 110 Madison Street in Barnwell, South Carolina, within easy reach of the Barnwell historic district. The church shares its administrative and mailing hub with Holy Trinity in Orangeburg; the GCatholic directory lists the parish telephone for inquiries.
- Address: 110 Madison Street, Barnwell, SC 29812.
- Phone (per GCatholic): +1 (803) 259-7593.
- Admin hub: Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Orangeburg.