About St. Joseph · Richmond, Virginia
St. Joseph Parish is a Catholic parish in the Bon Air neighborhood of North Chesterfield, just outside Richmond, Virginia. It is an apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a clerical society in communion with Rome dedicated to offering the Traditional Latin Mass. All Masses at St. Joseph are celebrated in Latin according to the 1962 Roman Missal. Founded at St. Joseph's Villa in 1991 and relocated to its current Buford Road site in Bon Air in 2002, the parish operates under the Bishop of Richmond and serves Catholics across the Richmond metro area who desire the older form of the Roman liturgy.
- Established
- 1991
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Cunningham, F.S.S.P.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. Joseph is the home of the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Roman Missal) in the greater Richmond area, offering three Sunday Masses — including a Sung High Mass — plus daily Masses and frequent confession. The parish is supported by an unusually large staff of four FSSP priests, who preach parish missions and lead regular devotions such as First Friday Adoration, the Miraculous Medal Novena, and the Holy Ghost Novena. Parishioners can also take part in religious education, the Knights of Columbus, the parish choir (under Choirmaster David Pedersen), the parish library, the altar flower program, and an active gift shop, with lay leadership through a Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- At the start of Mass on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Saturday 9:00 am to 11:00 am
- No confessions on Sunday
Adoration times
- First Friday: 8:00 am to 5:10 pm
- Other Fridays: 8:00 am to 11:45 am
About St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Parish is an apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a priestly society in full communion with Rome dedicated to the celebration of the sacraments in the 1962 Roman rite. The parish was founded in 1991 at St. Joseph's Villa and has been located in Bon Air since 2002. It operates under the authority of the Bishop of Richmond and is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 8). All Masses at the parish are offered in Latin according to the 1962 Roman Missal, making St. Joseph the principal Traditional Latin Mass parish in the Richmond metropolitan area.
- Founded 1991 at St. Joseph's Villa
- Relocated to Bon Air (Buford Road) in 2002
- Member of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Deanery 8
- Served by four FSSP priests
Devotions
Beyond the Mass and sacraments, the parish maintains a cycle of traditional devotions that follow the rhythm of the liturgical year. These are listed on the cover of each weekly bulletin alongside the Mass schedule.
- First Saturday Rosary and Meditation after the 9:00 am Mass
- Miraculous Medal Novena after Wednesday evening Mass
- Holy Ghost Novena for the nine days before Pentecost
- 30-day Rosary/Memorare Novena leading to the renewal of the Fraternity's consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by four priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, alongside a business manager, choirmaster, sacraments coordinator, religious education coordinator, and numerous lay ministry leaders. The bulletin and contact page list the current pastor and vicars.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael Cunningham, F.S.S.P.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Rhone Lillard, F.S.S.P.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Peter Byrne, F.S.S.P.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. John-Francis Sulzen, F.S.S.P.
- Business Manager: Beverly Howe ([email protected])
- Choirmaster: David Pedersen ([email protected])
- Sacraments Coordinator: Pam Wallerstein ([email protected])
- Religious Education: Katy Hichborn ([email protected])
Religious Education & Sacraments
Religious education is coordinated by Katy Hichborn, who can be reached at [email protected]. The parish website's religious education page is presently under construction. Families download a class registration form (one per child) and submit completed forms to the parish office. Sacraments are coordinated by Pam Wallerstein at [email protected]. Sacramental emergencies (danger of death) are handled through a dedicated line, (804) 396-5665.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Katy Hichborn
- Class registration via downloadable form, submitted to parish office
- Sacraments Coordinator: Pam Wallerstein
- Sacramental emergencies: 804-396-5665
Parish Life & Ministries
The bulletin publishes an extensive roster of lay ministries and contact persons, organized under a Parish Pastoral Council (Janet Stern) and Finance Council (Bob Stolle). Opportunities for involvement span liturgical, devotional, charitable, social, and practical needs — from running the sacristy and singing in the choir to coordinating events, gifts, flowers, and library resources.
- Knights of Columbus (Eric Demyanovich)
- Parish Choir (David Pedersen, Choirmaster)
- Adoration Coordinator (Bernadette Piccininni)
- Altar Flowers
- Gift Shop (Rose Mary Cosby, 804-272-3908)
- Parish Library (Tim Olmsted)
- Safe Environment Committee (Mary Poerstel)
- Event Coordinator (Lorraine Hewitt)
- Maintenance (Johnny Howe)
- Parish Pastoral Council (Janet Stern)
- Finance Council (Bob Stolle)
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to consult the weekly bulletin for the most current Mass and devotions schedule, including any last-minute changes. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon (12:30 pm per the diocesan listing). The parish can be reached by phone at (804) 320-4932, by text at (804) 307-8390, by fax at (804) 451-1009, and by email at [email protected]. The mailing address and physical church location are the same: 828 Buford Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23235, in the Bon Air neighborhood southwest of downtown Richmond.
- Address: 828 Buford Rd., N. Chesterfield, VA 23235
- Phone: (804) 320-4932
- Text: (804) 307-8390
- Fax: (804) 451-1009
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 9 am–12 pm (12:30 pm per diocese)
- Sacramental Emergencies (danger of death): (804) 396-5665
- FSSP Apostolate page: fssp.com/apostolate/fssp-richmond-virginia/