St. Joseph

Parish Identity & History

St. Joseph Catholic Church was founded in 1889 in Clifton Forge, Virginia, a small Alleghany Highlands town that grew up around the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The parish is part of the Diocese of Richmond and now serves its community as one of three clustered parishes in the region. The parish's patron, St. Joseph, is honored on his feast day, March 19 (and as St. Joseph the Worker on May 1).

• Founded: 1889
• Diocese: Richmond (Deanery 12)
• Located at 620 Jefferson Avenue, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
• Clustered with Sacred Heart (Covington) and the Shrine of the Sacred Heart (Hot Springs)

Clergy & Pastoral Staff

The parish is led by its pastor, Rev. Ernest Dugah, and is supported by retired priests in residence who assist with the sacraments and weekday Mass coverage. As pastor of the Clustered Catholic Parishes of the Alleghany Highlands, Fr. Dugah also shepherds Sacred Heart in Covington and the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Hot Springs. The In Emergency contact number for Fr. Dugah is 540-620-9309.

• Rev. Ernest Dugah – Pastor (Emergency: 540-620-9309)
• Fr. Dan Kelly – Retired Priest In-Residence (434-270-6037)
• Fr. Tom Collins – Retired Priest In-Residence (540-588-8492)

Sacraments

St. Joseph and its cluster partners prepare parishioners for the sacraments through clear guidelines published in the parish bulletin. Parents are required to attend a baptism preparation seminar before their child is baptized, and baptisms are celebrated within the weekend Mass. Students preparing for Confirmation must be registered in the parish and enrolled in the parish Religious Education program. Couples marrying in the Church should allow about six months of preparation and be registered parishioners.

• Baptism: preparation class required; celebrated within weekend Mass
• Confirmation: parish registration and Religious Education participation required
• Reconciliation: by appointment or before/after Masses
• Matrimony: ~6 months preparation; parish registration required

Parish Council & Lay Leadership

The life of the parish is shaped by an active parish council with commissions that match the cluster's pastoral priorities. Officers and chairs are listed in each bulletin so parishioners know whom to call about worship, community life, justice and peace, and grounds and maintenance.

• Council Chair: Paul Cormier (540-968-6410)
• Vice Chair: Libby Burger (540-691-6618)
• Secretary: Mary Asma (540-965-5551)
• Worship: Paul Cormier
• Community Life: Kathy Smestad (540-862-5333)
• Justice & Peace: Mary Asma
• Grounds & Maintenance: Jimmy Withrow (540-494-3987)

Mt Carmel Catholic Cemetery

The parish maintains Mt Carmel Catholic Cemetery, the Catholic burial ground for the Alleghany Highlands. Through this ministry St. Joseph continues to walk with local Catholic families at the end of life, supporting Catholic burial traditions in the region.

Clustered Catholic Parishes of the Alleghany Highlands

St. Joseph shares pastoral and administrative life with two neighboring parishes: Sacred Heart in Covington (255 W. Main St., office at 214 W. Locust St., 540-962-6541) and the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Hot Springs (1499 Shady Ln., P.O. Box 38, 540-839-2603). The cluster publishes a joint bulletin, coordinates Mass schedules, and observes shared Lenten devotions including Stations of the Cross and a monthly First Saturday Mass in honor of the Blessed Mother at Sacred Heart (9:00 AM Rosary and Litany followed by 9:30 AM Mass).

• Sacred Heart (Covington) – Sunday Mass 11:00 AM
• Shrine of the Sacred Heart (Hot Springs) – Saturday 5:00 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM
• Stations of the Cross: Thursdays at 6:00 PM at St. Joseph; Fridays at 5:30 PM at Sacred Heart; Wednesdays at 5:10 PM at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart
• First Saturday Mass honoring the Blessed Mother at Sacred Heart in Covington

Visit, Contact & Directions

Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email; in-person office hours are not fixed, so appointments are arranged by calling ahead. The church sits in the heart of Clifton Forge on Jefferson Avenue, central to the small Alleghany Highlands community.

• Address: 620 Jefferson Avenue, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
• Phone: (540) 863-5371
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://stjosephcf.org
• Office hours: by appointment