About St. Joseph · Hampton, Virginia
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Richmond located in the Buckroe Beach neighborhood of Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1968 as a mission chapel under the Redemptorist Fathers, it grew into an independent parish serving the lower Peninsula. Today it is part of the Peninsula Cluster of Catholic Churches, together with St. Mary Star of the Sea on Fort Monroe and St. Vincent de Paul in Newport News. The parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, maintains a food pantry, thrift shop, and a wide range of lay ministries, and is pastored by Fr. Romeo D. Jazmin with Fr. Patrick Boadu serving as Parochial Vicar.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Romeo D. Jazmin, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers bilingual (English and Spanish) weekend Masses, daily Mass on weekdays, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, and a vibrant Novena Mass on Saturday mornings — all making frequent access to the Eucharist easy. The parish runs a working food pantry and Tuesday breakfast for those in need, a thrift shop (Father Joe's House) that gives back to the community, a Health Ministry with parish nurses, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, Respect Life and Hispanic ministries, and an active hospitality team with coffee and donuts after Sunday Masses. As a member of the Peninsula Cluster, parishioners also share in the rich history of the oldest Catholic parishes on the Virginia Peninsula.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00pm – 5:45pm
- Saturday 3:00pm – 3:50pm
- Saturday 5:30pm – 6:15pm (Spanish)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Welcome to St. Joseph Catholic Church
St. Joseph Catholic Church serves the Buckroe Beach community of Hampton, Virginia, as one of three parishes in the Peninsula Cluster of Catholic Churches. Worship is offered in English and Spanish, with daily Mass Tuesday through Saturday, a Saturday Novena Mass, and weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00am–2:00pm and Friday 9:00am–Noon.
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00am–2:00pm; Fri 9:00am–Noon
- Phone: (757) 851-8800
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://peninsulacluster.org/sj/
Our History
St. Joseph traces its roots to the chapel built on Fort Monroe in 1860 for Catholic military personnel, which was served for decades by the Redemptorist Fathers. As the Buckroe Beach area developed, those same Redemptorists built a chapel there as a mission of St. Mary Star of the Sea. In 1968 that chapel became St. Joseph Catholic Church; in 1971 it merged with St. Mary's, and in 1977 it once again became an independent parish. In 2011, after the decommissioning of Fort Monroe, St. Joseph joined with St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Vincent de Paul to form the Peninsula Cluster of Catholic Churches — sharing clergy and resources while preserving each parish's identity.
- 1860: Bishop John McGill dedicates the original chapel on Fort Monroe
- 1968: The Buckroe chapel is established as St. Joseph Catholic Church
- 1971: Merges with St. Mary Star of the Sea; Fr. Raymond Schantz, C.Ss.R., as pastor
- 1975: Fr. Leonard Cordier, C.Ss.R., becomes pastor (Cordier Hall named for him)
- 1977: Becomes an independent parish again under Fr. Daigle
- 1985: 125th anniversary of Catholic worship on the Peninsula
- 2011: Forms the Peninsula Cluster with St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Vincent de Paul
Clergy and Staff
St. Joseph is served by priests and deacons who serve the wider Peninsula Cluster, together with a committed lay staff.
- Rev. Romeo D. Jazmin, V.F. — Pastor
- Rev. Patrick Boadu — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Mr. Guillermo Gonzalez — Permanent Deacon, Hispanic Ministry
- Melanie Plue — Pastoral Minister, Saint Joseph
- Daniel Corneliussen — Director of Music (St. Joseph & St. Mary Star of the Sea)
- Susan Locke — Custodian / Receptionist
- Alan Cole — Cluster Manager
- Judi McKenna — Bookkeeper
- Sharon Taylor — Youth and Family Faith Coordinator
- Dominique Seraphin — Adult Faith Formation Coordinator
Parish Ministries
St. Joseph runs a wide network of lay ministries — from health and outreach to prayer and hospitality — that give parishioners concrete ways to serve one another and the broader Hampton community.
- Parish Nurses / Health Ministry (screenings, flu shots, blood drives)
- Care A Van mobile clinic for the uninsured (3rd Tuesday, by appointment)
- 'Walk in Faith' — exercise and prayer walks from the church parking lot, Mondays at 9:00am
- Prayer Shawl Ministry (2nd & 4th Friday, 10:00am, Little White House)
- Light of Hope Intercessory Prayer Ministry
- Hispanic Ministry
- Respect Life Ministry
- Welcome Committee and Coffee-and-Donuts hospitality
- Arts and Environment, Lectors, Ushers, Sacristans, Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Faith Formation and Youth
Faith formation for children, youth, and adults is coordinated across the Peninsula Cluster. Youth and Family Faith Formation is led by Sharon Taylor, and Adult Faith Formation is led by Dominique Seraphin. Sacramental preparation for Baptism and Marriage is arranged through the parish office.
- Youth and Family Faith Coordinator: Sharon Taylor
- Adult Faith Formation Coordinator: Dominique Seraphin
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism and Marriage available through the parish office
Outreach: Food Pantry, Breakfast, and Thrift Shop
St. Joseph has a strong tradition of serving people in material need in the Buckroe Beach area. The food pantry and Tuesday morning breakfast program operate out of Cordier Hall, and Father Joe's House thrift shop offers low-cost clothing and housewares on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month.
- Food Pantry: Tuesdays 8:30am–10:30am, Cordier Hall
- Tuesday Morning Breakfast: 8:30am–9:30am
- Father Joe's House Thrift Shop: 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 7:30am–11:30am, 112 Sixth St.
- Donations accepted Mon–Fri 9:00am–11:00am and on shop Saturdays
- Religious Articles: open after weekend liturgies
Music and Liturgy
Music for Mass at St. Joseph and St. Mary Star of the Sea is directed by Daniel Corneliussen. The parish also coordinates sacristans, altar servers, lectors, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion as part of liturgical life, with photos and contact information published regularly in the parish bulletin.
- Director of Music (SJ & SM): Daniel Corneliussen — [email protected]
- Liturgical roles: Sacristans, Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers, Arts and Environment
Visiting and Getting Involved
Parishioners and newcomers are invited to participate in the Welcome Committee or any of the parish ministries. New parishioners can pick up a welcome packet and register for e-giving at the welcome station near Mass. Volunteer inquiries may be directed to Sharon Taylor at [email protected] or by calling (757) 751-8800, ext. 103.
- Welcome Committee greets before and after each Mass
- Hospitality: coffee and donuts after Sunday 8:00am and 11:00am Masses in Cordier Hall
- Volunteer sign-ups coordinated through the parish office
- Cluster bulletin: https://peninsulacluster.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Raymond E. Schantz, C.Ss.R.1971–1975
First pastor after the 1971 merger of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's
- Rev. Leonard Cordier, C.Ss.R.1975–
The parish hall at St. Joseph's was later named Cordier Hall in his honor
- Rev. Daigle1977–
Pastor when St. Joseph's became an independent parish again on July 1, 1977
- Rev. Charles Brickner
Raised funds to refurbish church buildings and remodel the altar for Vatican II; presided over the 125th anniversary in 1985