About Saint Augustine · Washington, District of Columbia
St. Augustine Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., often called the 'Mother Church of Black Catholics,' was founded in 1858 by emancipated Black Catholics as Blessed Martin de Porres Church and is recognized as the first Black Catholic parish in the District of Columbia. It is located at 1419 V Street NW in the 15th Street corridor near the U Street/Shaw neighborhood of Northwest Washington, and is part of the Archdiocese of Washington. Today the parish is served by a strong Black Catholic heritage, three Sunday Masses featuring different choirs, a thriving Pre-K–8 Catholic school, and a broad range of ministries for youth, young adults, families, and community outreach.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- Saint Augustine of Hippo (originally Blessed Martin de Porres, under whom the school and chapel were founded in 1858; rededicated to St. Augustine in 1876)
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick A. Smith ('Fr. Pat')
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. Augustine is the historic 'Mother Church of Black Catholics' in the Nation's Capital, a 165-year-old parish that still lives out its founding call to educate children, proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and advance the spiritual, economic, and social development of all people. Worship here is marked by remarkable liturgical music — the Saint Augustine Chorale at the 10 AM Mass and the Saint Augustine Gospel Choir at the 12:30 PM Mass, joined by the Young Adult Choir and a Sunday cantor — and a pastor (Fr. Pat Smith) who is widely sought as a preacher and revivalist. The parish runs the oldest Black Catholic school in the District (Pre-K through 8), a year-round faith formation and OCIA (RCIA) program, youth fellowship and Sunday school, young adult ministry (SAYAA), active men's, women's, and Sodality groups, and a vocal Social Justice Advocacy ministry shaped by Black Catholic tradition.
Mass times at Saint Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (in the Church)
Our History — Since 1858
Saint Augustine traces its roots to 1858, when emancipated Black Catholics founded a school and chapel on 15th Street under the patronage of Blessed Martin de Porres — the first Black Catholic parish in Washington, D.C. After Abraham Lincoln himself attended a 1864 White House fundraiser for the parish, the community completed its first church at 15th and L Streets in 1876, rededicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo, and by 1905 it had become the largest Black Catholic church in the nation.
- 1858 — Founded as Blessed Martin de Porres Church by free Black Catholics from the basement of St. Matthew's Cathedral; school opens four years before mandatory Black public education in D.C.
- 1876 — Re-dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo; new church at 15th & L Streets NW (60 ft, two Gothic spires, 2,500 seats).
- 1928 — Acquires property at 15th & S Streets for new school, rectory, convent, and church.
- 1946 — Original 15th & L church sold (the eventual site of The Washington Post); demolished January 22, 1948.
- 1961 — Merged with neighboring St. Paul Church to become Saints Paul and Augustine parish under Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle.
- 1979 — Decision to consolidate on the former St. Paul campus at 15th & V Streets; old 15th & S property sold.
- November 12, 1982 — Archbishop (later Cardinal) James Hickey rededicates the parish simply as Saint Augustine Catholic Church.
- January 1991 — Fr. Russell L. Dillard becomes the parish's first Black pastor.
- 2004 — Cardinal Theodore McCarrick assigns Fr. Patrick A. Smith as pastor.
- 2008 — On its 150th anniversary, the parish brings Saint Augustine Catholic School back under full parish management.
Worship & Liturgical Music
The parish follows a four-Mass Sunday schedule that showcases three distinct musical traditions: an 8:00 AM Mass with a cantor, a 10:00 AM Mass with the Saint Augustine Chorale singing classical and traditional Catholic choral hymns, and a 12:30 PM Mass with the Saint Augustine Gospel Choir performing traditional African American spirituals, hymns, and contemporary gospel music. The 12:30 PM liturgy is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel and by phone for the homebound.
- Saint Augustine Chorale — sings at the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass (classical, traditional Catholic choral music)
- Saint Augustine Gospel Choir — sings at the 12:30 PM Sunday Mass (African American spirituals and hymns, contemporary gospel)
- Young Adult Choir — sings at the 12:30 PM Mass on the second Sunday; rehearses 1st & 2nd Saturdays at 11:00 AM
- Cantor — leads the 8:00 AM and Saturday Vigil Masses
- Rosary prayed 30 minutes before the Saturday Vigil and all Sunday Masses
Faith Formation & OCIA
St. Augustine runs faith formation across the lifespan. The OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process meets Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, September through April, and welcomes the unbaptized, Christians from other traditions, and baptized Catholics seeking Confirmation and/or Eucharist. Parish children who do not attend Catholic school are catechized in the parish Sunday School program, which prepares them for Penance, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
- OCIA — Tuesdays 6:30–8:30 PM (in-person and virtual)
- Saint Augustine Sunday School for parish children
- Sacramental preparation: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation
- Family & Youth Ministries hub on the parish website
Family, Youth & Young Adults
Ministry to young parishioners is a defining feature of the parish. The St. Augustine Youth Fellowship serves middle and high school students through faith formation, community building, service, and discipleship; teens can also serve as Youth Altar Servers. Young adults in their 20s and 30s gather through SAYAA (St. Augustine Young Adult Association) for social events, faith discussions, and service in the dynamic pace of Washington, D.C., and many also sing in the Young Adult Choir.
- St. Augustine Youth Fellowship (middle & high school)
- Youth Altar Servers
- Read 2 Lead Book Club
- Young Adult Association (SAYAA)
- Young Adult Choir — ages 17–30
Saint Augustine Catholic School (Pre-K–8)
Founded alongside the parish in 1858, Saint Augustine Catholic School is the oldest surviving school for Black children in the District of Columbia and one of the most affordable in the Archdiocese of Washington, currently charging $6,750 per year thanks to a substantial parish subsidy. The school is co-ed, accredited by the Middle States Association, and serves Pre-K3 through Grade 8 with a 14:1 student-to-teacher ratio, weekly Mass, daily prayer, and sacramental preparation. Graduates regularly matriculate to top area high schools including DeMatha, Gonzaga, Georgetown Visitation, Bishop McNamara, Archbishop Carroll, Academy of the Holy Cross, Elizabeth Seton, St. John's, School Without Walls, Benjamin Banneker, and Duke Ellington.
- Pre-K3 through Grade 8, co-ed
- Before Care (7:00–8:00 AM, free) and After Care (3:45–6:00 PM)
- Daily prayer and weekly Mass; sacramental preparation offered
- Extracurriculars: basketball, soccer, fencing, dance, art club, Student Ambassador Program
- Principal: Dr. Anika Logan; school office 202-667-2608; [email protected]; 1421 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Parish & Community Life Ministries
A wide network of parish groups welcomes newcomers, men, women, families, and the African diaspora community, and tends to the life of the church grounds. These ministries are central to the parish's identity as a community of faith, fellowship, and service.
- New Parishioner Welcome Ministry
- Africa and Diaspora Ministry
- Holy Name Society (men)
- Men's Ministry / discipleship group
- Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary (women's spiritual and charitable sodality)
- Hospitality Ministry
- Garden of Eden Ministry (church grounds)
- Small Christian Communities (Small Groups) pilot during Lent
Social Justice Advocacy — 'Let Us Dream' Campaign
Continuing its founding mission of promoting the spiritual, economic, and social development of all people, St. Augustine maintains a strong Social Justice Advocacy ministry. The 'Let Us Dream' campaign organizes parishioners around voting rights, civil rights, economic dignity, and opposition to anti-Black government policies, with intergenerational actions available for ages 10 through 100.
- Chair: Elissa Hackerson ([email protected])
- Parish food drives and outreach
- Ministry leader resources provided online
Pastoral Staff & Contact
The parish is led by Fr. Patrick A. Smith, pastor since 2004 and a widely sought speaker, preacher, retreat director, and regular on the Sunday morning Archdiocesan Mass for Shut-ins. Fr. Vincent J. DeRosa, chaplain of Sibley Memorial Hospital, assists with sacramental care. Bea Judon serves as Parish Secretary/Office Manager and Leslie Cameron as Pastoral Ministry Coordinator.
- Rev. Patrick A. Smith — Pastor (ordained 1990; pastor of St. Augustine since 2004)
- Rev. Vincent J. DeRosa — Chaplain, Sibley Hospital
- Beatrice E. ('Bea') Judon — Parish Secretary / Office Manager
- Leslie Cameron — Pastoral Ministry Coordinator (extension 121)
- Office: 1419 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 — (202) 265-1470 — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Russell L. DillardInstalled January 1991
First Black pastor of the parish.
- Rev. Patrick A. SmithAssigned 2004–present
Assigned by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick; led the 2008 effort returning the school to full parish management; ordained 1990.