About St. Gerard · Roanoke, Virginia
St. Gerard Catholic Church is a personal parish for the African-American community of Roanoke, Virginia, founded in 1946 by the Redemptorist Fathers and placed under the care of the Diocese of Richmond in 1974. Originally established to give Black Catholics in segregated Southwest Virginia a place to worship free of discrimination, it has grown over the decades into one of the most multicultural parishes in the region, now drawing faithful from English-, Spanish-, Kirundi/Kinyarwanda-, and Swahili-speaking backgrounds. Today Mass is celebrated in English and Spanish, with African music woven into the weekend liturgy, and the parish supports Catholic education, youth ministry, and outreach to refugees resettled in the Roanoke Valley.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Gerard Majella (Redemptorist patron saint)
- Rector
- Rev. Julio Reyes
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 12)
Why belong here
St. Gerard is one of the few parishes in Southwest Virginia where Mass can be experienced in English and Spanish every weekend, with African music woven into the English liturgy and translators available for Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, and Swahili speakers. The community runs a full Christian Formation program for children, youth, and adults, an active youth ministry, and a special ministry to the VA Medical Center, while also welcoming refugees and immigrant families into its liturgical life. As the parish's own banner says — 'St. Gerard: A house of prayer for all people' — it is a place where Black Catholic heritage, Hispanic devotion, and African Catholic traditions meet around the same altar.
Mass times at St. Gerard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM to 5:15 PM
- Thursday 7:45 PM to 8:45 PM
Parish History
Founded in 1946 by the Redemptorist Fathers at Bishop Peter Ireton's request to serve Roanoke's Black Catholics during segregation, St. Gerard has grown from a first Mass of seventeen people at Harrison School into a multicultural community serving English-, Spanish-, Kirundi/Kinyarwanda-, and Swahili-speaking faithful. The present brick church was built at 809 Orange Avenue NW in 1951, and in 1974 the parish transitioned from Redemptorist to diocesan administration under Bishop Walter Sullivan. Father Walter Barrett became the first Black diocesan pastor of the Diocese of Richmond in 1977; a Spanish Mass was added in 1996, and in late 2007 more than twenty families from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi were resettled into the parish.
- 1946: Parish founded by Fr. Maurice McDonald, C.Ss.R., at Bishop Peter Ireton's request.
- 1947: Redemptorists opened Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Salem as a mission of St. Gerard.
- 1951: Present church constructed at 809 Orange Ave NW.
- 1974: Parish became diocesan; Father Michael Schmied named first diocesan pastor.
- 1977: Father Walter Barrett, first Black diocesan pastor in the Diocese of Richmond, arrives; the African 'Black Christ' crucifix is installed.
- 1996: Spanish Mass begins under Father Wayne Ball — the area's only Spanish Mass at the time.
- Late 2007: Twenty-plus refugee families from the DR Congo and Burundi welcomed under Father Rene Castillo.
- 2017: Worship space renovated, with tabernacle moved behind altar in the original 1950s arrangement.
- 2018: Neighboring property purchased and named Kibeho House for the African community.
Christian Formation
The parish's Christian Formation program is described as a lifelong process of conversion and growth in faith for adults, children, and youth, encompassing catechesis, faith community, proclamation of the Christian message, prayer, and service. Programs follow the diocesan catechetical curriculum of the Diocese of Richmond and emphasize the parents' role as the primary catechists of their children.
- Children's Catechesis (grades-level faith formation with a 2024-2025 Parent Orientation cycle in September)
- Adult Faith Formation (discernment, Scripture study, church teaching)
- Diocesan Catechetical Curriculum followed in coordination with the Diocese of Richmond
Children's Catechesis
Children's formation at St. Gerard follows the Catholic understanding of catechesis as 'an organic, systematic re-echoing' of Christ's teaching drawn from the Deposit of Faith — Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture — as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Parents are recognized as the primary catechists, and the office of Christian Formation coordinates groups, materials, classrooms, and the annual Parent Orientation (most recently scheduled for Sunday, September 8 at 11:30 AM).
Adult Faith Formation
The adult formation ministry engages the particular needs and interests of the adults in the parish, helping them form a Christian conscience and live as faithful disciples of Jesus in everyday life. Rooted in the USCCB framework, it integrates life experience, adult learning needs, Scripture study, and the Church's tradition in a vibrant learning environment.
Youth Ministry
St. Gerard runs an active youth ministry coordinated by Ximena Carreon, extension 106 ([email protected]). The parish's youth take part in the diverse liturgical and parish life of the community and reflect its multicultural character.
Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic ministry has been a defining dimension of St. Gerard since May 1996, when members of Roanoke's Hispanic community asked Father Wayne Ball for a Spanish Mass. Within ten years Hispanics made up roughly half of the parish, and they have since formed new ministries, musical, and liturgical traditions. Regular Spanish Masses now take place Saturday at 5:30 PM, Sunday at 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM.
African Community and Kibeho House
Since late 2007, when Father Rene Castillo welcomed more than twenty refugee families from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, St. Gerard's African Catholic community has grown into a vital part of parish life. African parishioners now serve as altar servers, lectors, choir members, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. In 2018 the parish purchased a neighboring property and named it Kibeho House, a gathering place for the African community. Translators are provided for Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, and Swahili, and African music is woven into the weekend English Mass.
Outreach and Special Ministries
In addition to its sacramental and formation work, St. Gerard maintains a Special Ministry to the VA Medical Center and supports ongoing outreach to refugees and immigrant families across the Roanoke Valley. The bulletin and website serve as a bilingual (English/Spanish) hub for parish communication, supplemented by some Kinyarwanda content.
- VA Medical Center Special Ministry
- Refugee outreach to families from DR Congo and Burundi
- Kibeho House (gathering place for the African community)
Clergy, Staff, and Parish Office
The parish is currently administered by Father Julio Reyes, Pastor, who can be reached at extension 102. The staff team supporting parish life includes a Business Manager, a Secretary, a Leader of Religious Education, and a Youth Ministry coordinator. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with a lunch closure from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.
- Rev. Julio Reyes — Pastor (ext. 102; [email protected])
- Adeline Nininahazwe — Business Manager (ext. 104; [email protected])
- Mónica Gonzalez — Secretary (ext. 101; [email protected])
- Isaura Muñoz — Leader of Religious Education (ext. 103; [email protected])
- Ximena Carreon — Youth Ministry (ext. 106; [email protected])
Contact, Location, and Visit
St. Gerard Catholic Church is located at 809 Orange Avenue NW, Roanoke, VA 24016, in the historic African-American Gainsboro neighborhood near downtown Roanoke. Parish office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with lunch closure 1:30–2:30 PM. The welcome sign outside is offered in English, Spanish, and Kinyarwanda, and a banner across the nave reads 'St. Gerard: A house of prayer for all people' in English, Spanish, and Swahili.
- Address: 809 Orange Avenue NW, Roanoke, VA 24016
- Phone: (540) 343-7744
- Fax: (540) 343-3599
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (closed 1:30–2:30 PM)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Maurice McDonald, C.Ss.R.1946–1953
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop Peter Ireton; established the first Black Catholic parish in Southwest Virginia; advocated for affordable public housing in Roanoke.
- Fr. Michael Schmied1974–
First diocesan pastor after the parish transitioned from Redemptorist to diocesan administration under Bishop Walter Sullivan.
- Fr. Walter Barrett1977–
First Black diocesan pastor in the Diocese of Richmond; oversaw the hanging of the hand-carved African 'Black Christ' crucifix.
- Fr. Wayne Ball1996–
Began the area's only Spanish Mass in May 1996 at the request of local Hispanic parishioners.
- Fr. Rene Castillo2007–
Welcomed more than 20 refugee families from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.