About St. Francis Xavier · Baltimore, Maryland
Historic St. Francis Xavier is a Black Catholic parish in East Baltimore, Maryland, often cited as the first exclusively African-American Catholic parish in the United States. Its congregation traces its roots to Haitian refugees who arrived at Fells Point in 1791 and worshipped in French with the Sulpician Fathers; the parish was formally purchased and dedicated under the name of St. Francis Xavier on February 21, 1864. After more than 150 years of continuous ministry — first by the Jesuits, then by the Mill Hill Fathers (who became the Josephites), and from December 2024 by the Spiritans — the parish is now the seated church of a three-church pastorate that also includes St. Wenceslaus and St. Ann in East Baltimore.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Ujunwa (Uju) Patrick Okeahialam, C.S.Sp.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is the spiritual home of one of the oldest African-American Catholic communities in the United States, a parish whose roots reach back to the Haitian refugees of 1791 and which pioneered inculturated worship in American Catholicism. Worshipping here means joining a community that lives out the Eucharist in three East Baltimore churches — St. Francis Xavier, St. Wenceslaus, and St. Ann — under the pastoral care of Spiritan Father Uju, with weekday Bible study, adoration, and sacramental preparation offered throughout the merged pastorate.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Mass or by appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration (times published in the parish bulletin)
History of St. Francis Xavier
St. Francis Xavier traces its origins to Black Catholic refugees from the French colony of San Domingo who arrived at Fell's Point on July 11, 1791 and began worshipping with the Sulpician Fathers in the basement of St. Mary's Seminary. In 1863, with the help of the Jesuit Fr. Michael O'Connor, the community purchased its own building at Calvert and Pleasant Streets; it was blessed on February 21, 1864 and has been recognized as the first exclusively Black Catholic parish in the United States. After the Mill Hill Fathers took over in 1871 and later formed the Josephites in the 1890s, the parish grew, opened schools, and pioneered inculturated worship. It relocated to Eager and Caroline Streets in 1932 and to its current Caroline and Oliver Streets site in 1968.
- 1791 — Haitian refugees begin worshipping at St. Mary's Seminary basement with the Sulpicians
- 1828 — Fr. Joubert and Servant of God Mary Lange found the Oblate Sisters of Providence and St. Frances Academy
- 1863 — Fr. Michael O'Connor, S.J. purchases a building for a Black Catholic congregation
- 1864 (Feb. 21) — Blessed by Archbishop Martin J. Spalding as St. Francis Xavier
- 1871 — Mill Hill Fathers from England take charge
- c.1893 — Mill Hill American mission becomes the Society of St. Joseph (the Josephites)
- 1932 — Parish moves to Eager and Caroline Streets
- 1968 — Parish moves to current location at Caroline and Oliver Streets
- 2024 — Administration transferred to the Spiritans after Archdiocese of Baltimore parish realignment
Pastorate of Historic St. Francis Xavier
Following the 2024 Archdiocese of Baltimore realignment, St. Francis Xavier is the seated parish of a three-church pastorate that also includes St. Wenceslaus and St. Ann. Each church in the pastorate maintains its own building, community, and Mass schedule, while sharing pastoral leadership and parish programming. The parish office for St. Francis Xavier is at 1501 E. Oliver Street, and the pastorate coordinator page lists contact details for each of the three sites.
- St. Francis Xavier — 1501 E. Oliver Street, Baltimore, MD 21213 — (410) 727-3103 — historicfrancisxavier.org
- St. Ann — 528 E. 22nd Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 — (410) 235-8169 — [email protected]
- St. Wenceslaus — 2111 Ashland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205 — (410) 675-7304 — stwen.org
Pastor and Clergy
The current pastor is Rev. Ujunwa "Uju" Patrick Okeahialam, C.S.Sp., a Spiritan (Congregation of the Holy Spirit) priest ordained in 1994 in Nigeria. Fr. Uju arrived in Baltimore in 2021 after 15 years pastoring in the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, and previously served as pastor of the Pastorate of New All Saints / St. Edward / St. Gregory the Great in West Baltimore. He was appointed pastor of St. Francis Xavier effective December 1, 2024 and was officially installed by Archbishop William E. Lori on April 6, 2025. He is described on the parish website as a passionate preacher, a published author, and a member of the American Political Science Association and the National Association of Catholic Chaplains; he maintains a YouTube channel where he shares his Sunday homilies. Archbishop Lori's installation homily notes he is assisted by another Spiritan, Fr. Obinna.
- Rev. Ujunwa (Uju) Patrick Okeahialam, C.S.Sp. — Pastor (installed April 6, 2025)
- Fr. Obinna, C.S.Sp. — assisting priest
- Archbishop William E. Lori — Archdiocese of Baltimore
Sacraments
The parish makes the Sacrament of Reconciliation available before every Mass or by appointment. For other sacramental needs — Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation preparation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick — the website directs parishioners and visitors to contact the rectory at (410) 727-3103 or email [email protected].
- Confession — before Mass or by appointment
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the parish office
Devotions and Bible Study
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish publishes a weekly Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM and offers Eucharistic Adoration (specific hours published in the bulletin). The pastorate invites parishioners and visitors to grow in faith through ongoing formation, and Fr. Uju maintains a YouTube channel of his Sunday homilies for those unable to attend in person.
- Bible Study — Wednesdays, 7:00 PM
- Eucharistic Adoration — times published in the bulletin
- Sunday homilies archived on Fr. Uju's YouTube channel
Music, Liturgy, and Black Catholic Heritage
St. Francis Xavier is a landmark in American Catholic liturgical inculturation: during the Black Catholic Movement of the late 1960s through the 1990s, the parish became the first Catholic parish in the United States to formally allow and practice "shouting," a form of Black Christian liturgical dance adopted from Black Protestantism. The parish's identity is rooted in the historic Black Catholic community founded by the Haitian refugees of 1791 and nurtured by the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the Josephites, and now the Spiritans — and that heritage continues to shape its music and liturgy today.
- First U.S. Catholic parish to allow and practice "shouting" in liturgy (late 1960s–1990s)
- Live-streamed and archived Sunday Mass via the parish Facebook page
Giving and Parish Life
The parish website carries a "Donate Now" call to action in support of the merged pastorate's mission. The official Archdiocese of Baltimore listing gives the parish email as [email protected], and donations to the parish can also be directed through the Archdiocese's parish giving program. Parish life events — including Holy Day schedules, Bible Study, Adoration, and special celebrations — are announced weekly in the parish bulletin.
- Online giving via the parish website (Donate Now)
- Parish bulletin announces weekly Mass intentions, devotions, and events
- Archdiocese of Baltimore parish giving program
Visit, Contact, and Directions
Historic St. Francis Xavier is located at 1501 E. Oliver Street, Baltimore, MD 21213, at the corner of Caroline and Oliver Streets in East Baltimore. The parish office can be reached by phone at (410) 727-3103 (fax 410-625-9587) or by email at [email protected]. Visitors are warmly welcomed to attend any of the three pastorate churches for Mass, Bible Study on Wednesday evenings, or Eucharistic Adoration; the parish website historicfrancisxavier.org carries the latest bulletin, livestream links, and announcements.
- Address: 1501 E. Oliver Street, Baltimore, MD 21213
- Phone: (410) 727-3103
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: historicfrancisxavier.org
- Sunday 10:00 AM Mass livestreamed on the parish Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Michael O'Connor, S.J.1863
Purchased the building that became St. Francis Xavier on Oct. 10, 1863; the church was blessed Feb. 21, 1864.
- Jesuit Fathers1863–1871
Administered the parish from its dedication until the Mill Hill Fathers arrived.
- Mill Hill Fathers (St. Joseph's Missionary Society)1871–c.1893
Took charge of the parish at the bishop's request after the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore.
- Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (Josephites)c.1893–2024
American offshoot of the Mill Hill Fathers; staffed the parish for over 130 years.
- Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans)2024–present
Took over administration following the 2024 Archdiocese of Baltimore parish realignment.
- Rev. Ujunwa (Uju) Patrick Okeahialam, C.S.Sp.Effective Dec. 1, 2024; installed April 6, 2025
Installed as pastor by Archbishop William E. Lori.