About Saint Anthony · Norton, Virginia
Saint Anthony's Catholic Church in Norton, Virginia is a parish of the Diocese of Richmond and the largest of the four parishes that make up the Holy Trinity Parish Cluster in far southwestern Virginia. Founded in the 1930s (the Diocese of Richmond dates its formal establishment to 1938), the parish serves Catholics in the heart of the Appalachian mountains in Norton and the surrounding Wise County area. Worship is offered in English, with Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. and Friday Mass at 5:00 p.m. followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 6:00 p.m. The parish is known for its outreach to local cancer patients, prison ministry at Red Onion State Prison, and chaplaincy to area nursing homes and hospitals.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- Saint Anthony (of Padua)
- Rector
- Rev. Ritche Sarabia (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
Saint Anthony's offers a warm, close-knit Catholic community in the Appalachian mountains for Catholics who might otherwise have to travel a long distance to attend Mass. As part of the four-parish Holy Trinity Cluster it combines the intimacy of a small mountain parish with the resources and priestly presence of a larger grouping. Active outreach — including the Cancer Patient Support and Outreach program with a local cancer center, prison ministry at Red Onion State Prison, and chaplaincy to Heritage Hall Nursing Center, Norton Community Hospital, and Mountain View Regional Hospital — means parishioners can put their faith into immediate service of their neighbors in Wise and Norton.
Mass times at Saint Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (at St. Anthony's, prior to Mass)
- By appointment (contact the parish office or business manager)
Adoration times
- Friday 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (immediately following the 5:00 p.m. Mass)
About Saint Anthony's Parish
Saint Anthony's is the largest parish of the Holy Trinity Cluster, a group of four Catholic parishes in far southwestern Virginia that together form the western-most Catholic presence of the Diocese of Richmond. The parish describes itself as 'a loving community of people from many diverse backgrounds who all gather together to celebrate our shared Catholic Faith,' rooted in Norton and the surrounding Appalachian mountain region.
History
Founded in the 1930s — the Diocese of Richmond records the parish's formal establishment as 1938 — Saint Anthony's has served the Catholics of Norton and Wise County for more than 85 years. The mountain region had been opened to Catholic ministry by the Glenmary Home Missioners, and the Diocese of Richmond took direct responsibility for the local parishes in 1984. In 2005 the diocese created the Holy Trinity Parish Cluster, joining Saint Anthony's in Norton with Sacred Heart in Big Stone Gap and Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Jonesville; Saint Joseph in Clintwood was added the following year. Today the cluster is staffed and administered cooperatively while each parish retains its own identity.
Mass and Worship Schedule
The parish keeps a simple, steady weekly schedule of Mass and Adoration in its church on Virginia Avenue NW.
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 a.m.
- Friday Mass — 5:00 p.m., followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 6:00 p.m.
- Religious Education — Sunday 9:00 a.m. in the Church hall
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious Education for children is held Sunday mornings in the parish hall, and adults gather for ongoing formation twice a month. Bible Study is offered cluster-wide.
- Religious Education — Sunday 9:00 a.m., Church hall
- Adult Faith Formation — 2nd and 4th Sundays, after Mass
- Bible Study (cluster-wide)
- Parish Community Meeting — 3rd Sunday of each month, after Mass
Outreach and Charity
The parish is deeply engaged in outreach to vulnerable people throughout the Wise County / Norton area, from chemo patients at the local cancer center to inmates at one of Virginia's highest-security prisons.
- Cancer Patient Support and Outreach — collecting practical items for patients undergoing chemotherapy; donations brought to St. Anthony's
- Prison Ministry at Red Onion State Prison
- Heritage Hall Nursing Center (Wise, VA) — chaplaincy visits
- Norton Community Hospital — pastoral visits
- Mountain View Regional Hospital — pastoral visits
Campus Ministry
The parish serves as the Catholic presence for students at the University of Virginia's College at Wise campus, providing sacramental and pastoral outreach to the local college community.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The cluster is currently led by Fr. Ritche Sarabia, a priest originally from the Philippines who has served in the Diocese of Richmond for several years and began serving the Holy Trinity Cluster in July 2023. Rev. Daniel L. Kelly serves as Sacramental Priest and Chaplain. Day-to-day parish operations are supported by a Business Manager, Finance Officer, and other staff based at the cluster offices in Norton.
- Rev. Ritche Sarabia — Parochial Administrator (since July 2023)
- Rev. Daniel L. Kelly — Sacramental Priest and Chaplain
- Business Manager (cluster, Norton)
- Finance Officer (cluster)
- Kate Boyer — parish staff
- Cindy Mullins — parish staff
- Patricia (Patty) Nauss — parish staff
- Linda Alsup — parish staff
- Harve Mooney — parish staff
Holy Trinity Cluster Parishes
Saint Anthony's is one of four parishes in the Holy Trinity Cluster, a grouping created in 2005–2006 to sustain a Catholic presence across the Appalachian counties of Lee and Wise. The cluster is governed by a Cluster Council that meets quarterly to coordinate activities and pursue common goals, while each parish retains its own identity and worship schedule.
- Saint Anthony's, Norton
- Sacred Heart, Big Stone Gap
- Holy Spirit Catholic Community, Jonesville
- Saint Joseph, Clintwood