About Saint Boniface · Joanna, South Carolina
Saint Boniface Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in Joanna, Laurens County, South Carolina, founded in 1949 and entrusted to the Diocese of Charleston. With seating for 128 and roughly 46 registered households, it is one of the most intimate Catholic communities in the upstate, serving Catholics across the rural Joanna–Clinton corridor. The parish is pastored by Rev. Jose Hugo Ruiz Marentes, with Dena Goeckner handling parish finances, and gathers twice weekly for Mass on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- Saint Boniface (Apostle of the Germans)
- Rector
- Rev. Jose Hugo Ruiz Marentes
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
Saint Boniface offers what many larger parishes cannot: a tight-knit mission community where every household is known. With only 46 registered families and 128 seats, Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. is the kind of gathering where newcomers are greeted by name, and weekly Wednesday evening Mass and Confession (5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) keep the parish anchored in regular Eucharistic life. For Catholics living in the Joanna, Clinton, and Laurens County area, it is a faithful, accessible home with a pastor and finance council who keep the lights on for the rural faithful of the Greenville Deanery.
Mass times at Saint Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:30 p.m. or by appointment
Parish Identity & History
Saint Boniface is a Roman Catholic mission parish in Joanna, South Carolina, founded in 1949 within the Diocese of Charleston and assigned to the Greenville Deanery. Named for the eighth-century 'Apostle of the Germans,' whose feast is June 5, it serves a small but loyal Catholic community of 46 households in rural Laurens County. The parish operates from a single worship space seating 128, reflecting its mission-scale character in the upstate.
- Patron: Saint Boniface
- Founded: 1949
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
- Deanery: Greenville
- County: Laurens, South Carolina
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Jose Hugo Ruiz Marentes, who serves as pastor. Parish financial administration is handled by Dena Goeckner. Like other small South Carolina missions, St. Boniface depends on a lean team supported by the Diocese of Charleston for sacramental coverage and diocesan resources.
- Pastor: Rev. Jose Hugo Ruiz Marentes
- Finance: Dena Goeckner
Location & Visiting
The parish is located at 401 N. Main Street in Joanna, South Carolina, easily reached via Interstate 26 and US-76 Business. As a small mission church, visitors are warmly welcomed but are encouraged to call the parish office during Wednesday office hours (5:30–6:30 p.m.) to confirm any special schedule changes.
- Street address: 401 N. Main Street, Joanna, SC 29351
- Phone: (864) 697-6745
- Email: [email protected]
- Near Interstate 26, off US-76 Business