About St. Jude · Sapphire, North Carolina
St. Jude Catholic Church is a small mountain parish nestled in the Sapphire Valley of western North Carolina, across from Sapphire Valley Resort. It is a mission-rooted community of more than 400 Catholics serving Sapphire, Cashiers, Glenville and Lake Toxaway, and is led by Reverend Jason Kemble Barone, the parish's first pastor. Worship is offered in English (with some Spanish liturgical support) at a distinctive octagonal fieldstone chapel built in 1972, and the parish is currently building a new, larger church on its campus. St. Jude belongs to the Diocese of Charlotte and proclaims its mission as 'nurturing our Catholic faith and building community in the heart of Sapphire, North Carolina.'
- Established
- 1964 (first Mass); chapel dedicated 1972; parish status 2022
- Patron
- St. Jude (Thaddeus)
- Rector
- Reverend Jason Kemble Barone
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charlotte
Why belong here
St. Jude offers a warm, close-knit Catholic home in the Blue Ridge Mountains where regular weekday and weekend Masses, overnight Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and a strong schedule of small-group prayer make it easy to live the faith week to week. Active ministries — a Prayer Blanket Ministry, the Ladies of St. Jude, a Men's Group, Knights of Columbus Council 16442, a parish choir, lectors, and ushers — give every parishioner a way to serve. The parish also reaches beyond its walls through the Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, the St. Jude Christmas Angel Tree Project and partnerships with area pregnancy, literacy and free-clinic charities, making a clear difference in Sapphire, Cashiers, Glenville and Lake Toxaway.
Mass times at St. Jude
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 15 minutes before daily Mass
- 30 minutes before Sunday Mass
- By appointment (contact the parish office to schedule)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (before the 9:30 AM Mass)
- Friday 9:00 PM through Saturday 6:00 AM (overnight Eucharistic Adoration)
Our Story
Catholic life in Sapphire Valley began humbly in 1964 with Mass in the Sapphire Valley Inn, then moved to a purpose-built octagonal fieldstone chapel dedicated by Bishop Michael Begley in 1972. For decades, St. Jude was a mission served by Sacred Heart Parish in Brevard; on July 5, 2022 it became a parish in its own right, with Father Jason Barone as its first pastor. Today the parish serves more than 400 Catholics across Sapphire, Cashiers, Glenville and Lake Toxaway and is preparing to build a larger church while preserving the original chapel.
- 1964 — first Mass celebrated in the Sapphire Valley Inn meeting room
- 1969 — Gene Howerdd's pledge to St. Jude to build a chapel in the valley
- Late 1960s — Father Charles Mulholland (pastor of Sacred Heart, Brevard) petitions the Bishop of Raleigh to establish St. Jude
- 1971–1972 — Octagonal fieldstone chapel designed via Catholic University architecture class; construction completed; dedicated by Bishop Michael Begley
- 2001 — Classrooms, parish hall and offices added
- July 5, 2022 — St. Jude elevated to parish status; Father Jason Barone named first pastor
- 2025 — Bishop Michael Martin presides at groundbreaking for a new church; 'Building Our Future Together' capital campaign funds campus growth
Staff & Clergy
St. Jude is led by its first pastor, Reverend Jason Kemble Barone, who also serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Mountains in Highlands. Parish office operations are managed by Church Secretary Dawn Swilling-VanFlorcke.
- Reverend Jason Kemble Barone — Pastor
- Dawn Swilling-VanFlorcke — Church Secretary
- Office: 828-743-5717 | Fax: 828-743-5157
- Sacramental emergency / Last Rites: 828-634-1377
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Parish Life & Prayer Groups
Beyond the sacraments, St. Jude sustains a rich devotional life through several small prayer and fellowship groups that meet on and around the parish campus. These groups welcome newcomers and are easy ways to plug into parish life in the mountains.
- St. Jude Prayer Group — Tuesdays 3:00 PM in the Church (Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, silent Adoration). Contact: Donna Quinlivan
- Emaus Prayer Group — Thursdays 6:00 PM in the Sanctuary (spiritual movement of prayer, obedience and Eucharistic Adoration). Contacts: Isela Vazquez, Efrain Morales, Alejandro (Alex) Valerio
- Prayer Blanket Ministry (since 2009) — women who make and pray over blankets for those in need of comfort (no sewing experience required)
- Ladies of St. Jude — meets March–November on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AM in the Parish Hall. Contact: Cathy Vergo
- Men's Group of St. Jude — meets year-round, typically at 5:30 PM, for spiritual dialogue and charitable projects. Contact: Michael More
- Saturday Rosary — 5:10 PM before the Saturday evening Mass
Get Involved & Volunteer
Parishioners are encouraged to share their time and talents through liturgical and service ministries. The parish's welcome ministry emphasizes that 'ushers are the first face of the parish' — a reminder that every role, from greeting at the door to singing in the choir, shapes community life at St. Jude.
- Greeter / Usher — weekend and Holy Day Masses. Contact: John Quinlivan
- Choir / Music Ministry — rehearses 30 minutes before weekend Masses. Contact: Jim DeMange
- Lector / Reader — proclaim the Word at weekend, Holy Day and daily Masses. Contact: Maggie Nosbusch
- Knights of Columbus — St. Francis Xavier Council 16442 (chartered April 17, 2016); Grand Knight: Bob Martin
- Volunteer opportunities in: Food & Fellowship, building maintenance and the Parish Office
Faith Formation (OCIA)
For those curious about Catholicism or already on the path to full communion, St. Jude offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the Church's formal process of inquiry, catechumenate and sacramental preparation.
- Inquiry discussions for new Catholics or those exploring the Catholic faith
- Held every other Tuesday between Highlands and Cashiers, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Call the Church Office (828-743-5717) for current schedule
Outreach & Charity
Together with sister parish Our Lady of the Mountains in Highlands, St. Jude reaches out to neighbors in need across southern Jackson and surrounding counties through a network of local partner agencies serving food insecurity, healthcare, literacy, pregnancy support and seasonal gift programs.
- Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry — purchase food from Ingles and volunteer. Contact: Larry Morris (828-743-4931)
- Community Care Clinic — free medical services. Contact: Fabiola Olmedo
- Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center — volunteer sort donations, make gift bags, donate items or help with annual golf fundraiser
- Literacy Council of Highlands — tutor children or adults, after-school programs, summer camps, ESL
- Cashiers Cares / Children's Christmas Outreach — gift shopping and project support
- St. Jude Christmas Angel Tree Project — provides funds for 10 local under-funded charities serving southern Jackson County
Sacraments & Devotions
St. Jude celebrates the regular sacraments of the parish — Eucharist, Reconciliation, and the Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites — and welcomes requests for Mass intentions. The parish also publishes links to recorded Masses and EWTN's Daily Mass for those unable to attend in person.
- Eucharist — see Mass schedule
- Reconciliation — 15 min before daily Mass, 30 min before Sunday Mass, or by appointment
- Sacramental emergency / Last Rites — 828-634-1377
- Mass Intentions — schedule by calling the parish office (828-743-5717)
- Watch recorded Masses and EWTN Daily Mass from the parish website
Campus & Building Project
The St. Jude campus centers on the original 1972 octagonal fieldstone chapel, with classrooms, a parish hall and offices added in 2001. A long-planned expansion is now underway to serve the growing congregation in Sapphire, Cashiers, Glenville and Lake Toxaway.
- Current chapel — octagonal fieldstone, dedicated 1972 by Bishop Michael Begley
- 2001 addition — classrooms, parish hall, offices
- 2025 groundbreaking — new, larger church to be built adjacent to the existing chapel
- Future use — original chapel planned to be repurposed as a parish hall once the new church is completed
- Funding — 'Building Our Future Together' capital campaign
Visit Us
St. Jude welcomes visitors and seasonal parishioners from across the mountains and from coastal parishes who vacation in the Sapphire Valley. Stop by the parish office during weekday hours or join the congregation for any scheduled Mass, Adoration hour, or prayer group meeting.
- Address — 3011 US-64, Sapphire Valley, NC 28774
- Phone — (828) 743-5717
- Office hours — Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Emergency line — 828-634-1377
- Website — http://stjudeofsapphirevalley.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Charles Mulhollandc. late 1960s–early 1970s
Pastor of Sacred Heart, Brevard; petitioned the Bishop of Raleigh to establish the St. Jude mission and oversaw the 1971–1972 construction of the chapel.
- Reverend Jason Kemble Baronefrom July 5, 2022 (first pastor)
Had been administrator of the mission of St. Jude; became St. Jude's first pastor upon its elevation to parish status; also serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Mountains in Highlands.