About Saint Joseph · Chester, South Carolina
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is a small mission parish located at 110 West End Street in the town of Chester, South Carolina, served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston. The parish self-describes as a community 'seeking to serve the Catholics of our town with a place of peace, comfort, and refuge,' and worships in what is described by the diocese as the oldest house of worship still standing in Chester. Founded in 1854 inside a former Presbyterian lecture hall, the brick church seats about 110 and serves roughly 45 registered households. Pastoral care is currently led by Oratorian Father Agustin L. Guzman, with daily and weekly Masses, Thursday rosary and Bible study, a Saturday Vigil with Reconciliation, and a robust but compact ministry life.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Agustin L. Guzman, CO (Congregation of the Oratory)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
Saint Joseph offers an intimate, traditional Catholic home in the small town of Chester, with the Mass offered every Sunday at 12:30 PM, a Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM with reconciliation beforehand, and a Thursday morning Mass followed by rosary and Bible study. The parish is small enough that every member's voice is heard on the Pastoral Council, Finance Council, and Women's Group, while still offering the full sacramental life — RCIA, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage prep, and outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and food-pantry volunteering. Visitors are welcomed into a community described by the diocese as 'small but mighty,' led by Oratorian Father Agustin Guzman with evident warmth and southern hospitality.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- By appointment
Welcome to St. Joseph
The parish describes itself as 'a small Catholic community nestled in the town of Chester, South Carolina,' seeking to serve local Catholics 'with a place of peace, comfort, and refuge.' Visitors are invited to attend Mass and explore the community life of the parish through its website, weekly bulletin, and pastoral staff.
- Small mission parish in the Diocese of Charleston
- Self-described as a place of peace, comfort and refuge for Catholics in Chester
- Same-week response via phone (803) 377-4695 or [email protected]
Our History
The building was constructed in 1839 as the Presbyterian Lecture Room by Rev. John Douglas for $1,500 to spare Chester Presbyterians a two-mile trip to Old Purity Church. Sold to the Catholic Diocese of Charleston in March 1854, it was renovated and dedicated as the Church at Chester on the Feast of Pentecost, June 4, 1854, under the invocation of St. Joseph, spouse of the Mother of God. Bishop Ignatius A. Reynolds, the second Bishop of Charleston, supplied the balance of the purchase funds, and local Catholics — watchmaker George Bowers chief among them — raised the rest, with significant help from non-Catholic Presbyterian friends. The original altar and tabernacle, donated by Bowers, were widely admired. Press reaction was mixed: within weeks a local newspaper subscriber was already protesting that 'popery' had come to Chester.
- 1839: Building erected as Presbyterian Lecture Room by Rev. John Douglas ($1,500)
- March 28, 1854: Property sold to the Catholic Diocese of Charleston
- June 4, 1854: Dedicated on the Feast of Pentecost under the invocation of St. Joseph
- Fund-collectors included Messrs. Bowers, Murray and Carrol
- Bishop Ignatius A. Reynolds contributed the balance of the funds
- Original altar and tabernacle furnished by George Bowers
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently shepherded by Oratorian Father Agustin L. Guzman as pastor, assisted by Franciscan friar Rev. Hermenegildo Curbani, OFM, as parochial vicar. Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated by Office/Business Manager John Rodgers, with Michelle Greenlee supporting the Finance Council. The diocese lists the parish in the Rock Hill Deanery.
- Pastor — Rev. Agustin L. Guzman, CO (Congregation of the Oratory); [email protected]; (803) 329-1008
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Hermenegildo Curbani, OFM (Order of Friars Minor)
- Parish Office/Business Manager — John Rodgers; [email protected]; (803) 377-4695
- Finance — Michelle Greenlee
- Parish office hours: Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Deanery: Rock Hill
Sacraments
The parish website groups the seven sacraments in the standard Catholic triad — Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation), Sacraments of Healing (Penance, Anointing of the Sick), and Sacraments at the Service of Communion / Vocation (Marriage, Holy Orders). RCIA is offered for adults seeking full initiation into the Church.
- Baptism
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Penance / Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
St. Joseph hosts the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the ancient, Vatican II–restored formation process by which unbaptized catechumens and already-baptized Christian candidates prepare for full reception into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil through Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. The parish website walks through the stages — Pre-Catechumenate (Period of Inquiry), Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy — and invites inquirers to contact the parish office.
- Pre-Catechumenate (Period of Inquiry)
- Rite of Initiation
- Catechumenate
- Rite of Election (with the bishop)
- Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil
- Mystagogy
Parish Ministries
The parish's 'Parish Life' page describes ministry as the body of the parish family, while the Eucharist is its heart. Members are encouraged to use their gifts in liturgical roles (choir, lector, altar server, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist), social-justice outreach (homebound visits, food pantries, the St. Vincent de Paul Society), and community-building groups (youth, men's and women's groups, the annual parish bazaar). The Ministries page also lists the four standing councils and groups that shape parish governance and fellowship.
- Music Ministry (choir)
- Pastoral Council — first Saturday after Mass
- Finance Council — third Saturday after Mass
- Women's Group — occasional gatherings announced in bulletin
- Lectors, Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Homebound visitation, food-pantry volunteering, St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Youth Ministry (in development)
- Men's Group
- Annual Parish Bazaar
Faith Formation & Bible Study
Faith formation for adults centers on a weekly Bible Study held on Thursday mornings from 10:15 to about 11:30 AM, running September through May — that is, right after the weekday Mass and the 9:10 AM rosary, making Thursday morning the parish's main formation morning. The parish frames faith formation as a lifelong endeavor, 'not just for children, but for all of us as we grow as Catholics,' and points parishioners to the bulletin and calendar for current offerings.
- Bible Study: Thursdays 10:15 AM (September – May)
- Rosary: Thursdays 9:10 AM (before Mass)
- Weekly bulletin and parish calendar for current programs
Parish Life
Beyond the sacraments and ministries, Saint Joseph fosters community through small-group fellowship (Women's Group, Men's Group, annual bazaar), formation opportunities, and pastoral involvement. The website urges parishioners to 'regularly read the weekly bulletin' and to check the parish calendar for the latest events and Mass schedule.
- Stays current via the weekly bulletin and parish calendar
- Annual parish bazaar as a community-fundraising tradition
- Open invitation to propose new ministries
Visit Us & Contact
The parish office is at 110 West End Street, Chester, SC 29706, with mailing address PO Box 869, Chester, SC 29706. The office phone is (803) 377-4695 and the shared parish email is [email protected]. Office hours are Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM; the parish invites visitors to use the website's online contact form to send a message at any time.
- Street address: 110 West End Street, Chester, SC 29706
- Mailing address: PO Box 869, Chester, SC 29706
- Phone: (803) 377-4695
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Wednesdays 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Website contact form available at josephchester.org