About St. Mary the Mother of God · Wytheville, Virginia
St. Mary the Mother of God Catholic Church is a historic parish located at 370 East Main Street in Wytheville, Virginia, within the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Founded in 1845, it is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in southwest Virginia and for many years was the only Catholic parish between Lynchburg, Virginia and Knoxville, Tennessee. Today the parish is led by Father Francis K. Boateng and shares ministry with its mission church, Saint Edward's in Pulaski. The community worships together through weekly Mass, the Eucharist, prayer, ongoing faith formation, and active outreach to those in need.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of God
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Kwaku Boateng (Fr. Francis K. Boateng)
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small but mission-driven Catholic community in the heart of Wytheville that worships together through the Eucharist, Scripture, prayer, and ongoing faith formation. Parishioners extend Christ's love to their neighbors through care ministry, prison ministry at Bland Correctional Center, New River Valley Regional Jail and Wythe County Lock Up, and visits to Carrington Place and Wythe County Community Hospital. The parish also runs the Agape Food Pantry and the Hope Pack Program (in memory of Deacon Charles May) — making St. Mary's a place where you can both belong and serve, whether you attend the 9:00 am Sunday Mass or the Saturday vigil with your family.
Mass times at St. Mary the Mother of God
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: one hour before the 5:00 pm Vigil Mass (approximately 4:00 pm)
- Friday: immediately following the 12:00 pm Mass
- By appointment
About St. Mary the Mother of God
St. Mary the Mother of God is a historic Catholic parish in Wytheville, Virginia, in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Founded in 1845, it is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in southwest Virginia. The parish worships at 370 East Main Street and shares ministry with its mission church, Saint Edward's in Pulaski. The parish mission is to love God above all, extend that love to all neighbors, and to be a healing, caring, and serving community united by the Eucharist and nurtured by Scripture, prayer, and ongoing faith formation.
- Parish mission statement: 'We, the community of St. Mary the Mother of God Catholic Church, love God above all.'
- Member of Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 13)
- Associated mission: Saint Edward Mission, Pulaski, VA
Parish History
The parish traces its origins to 1842, when Bishop R.V. Whelan of Richmond visited Wytheville, found 14 Catholics, and founded a mission. On August 10, 1842 he blessed the new wooden church dedicated to Mary, Mother of God, built on cemetery grounds on Peppers Ferry Road on land donated by Capt. John P. Mathews and his wife Malvina Smith. Father Edward Fox became the first pastor in 1844 and continued serving the parish even after his 1846 transfer to Lynchburg, traveling 150 miles by stagecoach until his death in 1850. Father Thomas Mulvey attended St. Mary's from Lynchburg until 1851, and in 1850 Wytheville became the hub of Catholic mission activity in western Virginia and Appalachia. The Diocese of Richmond lists the parish's founding year as 1845.
- 1842 — Mission founded by Bishop R.V. Whelan; original wooden church blessed August 10, 1842
- 1844 — Father Edward Fox becomes first pastor
- 1846 — Father Fox transferred to Lynchburg; serves Wytheville by stagecoach
- 1850 — Father Fox dies; western Virginia becomes part of the Diocese of Huntington
- 1851 — Father Thomas Mulvey concludes care of St. Mary's
- 1845 — Listed founding year on Diocese of Richmond parish record
Clergy, Staff & Parish Councils
St. Mary's is currently pastored by Father Francis K. Boateng, with John Baxley serving as Office Manager and Music Director. The parish is governed by a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council, with active committees organizing parish life across liturgy, formation, justice, community, and facilities.
- Pastor: Fr. Francis K. Boateng ([email protected])
- Office Manager: John Baxley
- Pastoral Council — Vincent Formosa (Chair), Jacob Kovach, Christine Ludwig, Shannon Maxwell
- Finance Council — Co-Chairpersons Rick Schill and Sarah Godack; Elaine Schwendeman, Sherry Phelan
- Secretary — Fran Mosley, Margaret Baxley
Parish Ministries
A wide range of liturgical and pastoral ministries are organized through parish committees and ministry leads. Parishioners serve at the altar, proclaim the Word, distribute Holy Communion, welcome at the door, and care for the church buildings and grounds. Beyond the parish walls, St. Mary's extends Christ's love through prison ministry to three area facilities and pastoral visits to a nursing home and community hospital.
- Liturgical ministries: Altar Servers (Chris Mishoe), Music (John Baxley), Lectors (Rose Lester), Ministers of the Eucharist (Rose Lester), Ushers (Ernie Brewer)
- Parish committees: Buildings & Grounds, Care Ministry, Community Life, Justice & Peace, Liturgy, OCIA, Religious Education
- Prison Ministry: Bland Correctional Center, New River Valley Regional Jail, Wythe County Lock Up
- Special Ministry: Carrington Place, Wythe County Community Hospital
Faith Formation & OCIA
Ongoing faith formation is central to the parish mission. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) welcomes adults preparing for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation. Religious Education for children is coordinated for parish families. Contact the parish office for current schedules and registration.
- OCIA — Jacob Kovach
- Religious Education — Jenny Mishoe
Outreach: Food Pantry & Hope Packs
St. Mary's runs two principal outreach efforts. The Agape Food Pantry supplies food to neighbors in need, with quarterly collections requested from parishioners (1st Quarter 2026: canned fruit and vegetables). The Hope Pack Program partners with the Open Door Community in memory of Deacon Charles May, gathering donations of plastic shopping bags and funds to assemble weekend food packs for children in the wider community.
- Agape Food Pantry — quarterly requested donations
- Hope Pack Program in memory of Deacon Charles May (partnership with Open Door Community)
- Donation baskets in the gathering space and at the Monroe Street entrance
St. Mary Cemetery
The parish maintains St. Mary Cemetery on the original Peppers Ferry Road mission grounds donated in 1842. The cemetery shares the parish's Main Street mailing address and is administered through the parish office.
- Cemetery: St. Mary Cemetery
- Cemetery Phone: (276) 228-3104
- Location: 370 East Main Street, Wytheville, VA 24382
Visit, Contact & Giving
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed. The parish office is closed Mondays; open Tuesday through Thursday 7:30 am–3:30 pm and Friday 9:00 am–3:00 pm. For sacramental emergencies (illness or death in the family), call the Rectory at (276) 228-1019. Online giving is available via CashApp at $stmaryswytheville.
- Address: 370 East Main Street, Wytheville, VA 24382 (PO Box 7)
- Phone: (276) 228-3104 | Fax: (276) 228-3322
- Email: [email protected]
- Sacramental emergencies: (276) 228-1019
- Online giving: https://cash.app/$stmaryswytheville
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Bishop Rev. R.V. Whelan1842 (mission founded)
Bishop of Richmond; first visited Wytheville in 1842 and blessed the new church dedicated to Mary, Mother of God on August 10, 1842. Later headed the new Diocese of Huntington covering western Virginia.
- Father Edward Fox1844–1850
First pastor of St. Mary's (1844). Transferred to Lynchburg in 1846 but continued serving Wytheville by stagecoach, 150 miles each way, until his death in 1850. Brought many new converts to the church.
- Father Thomas Mulveyuntil 1851
Replaced Father Fox in Lynchburg and attended to the needs of St. Mary's until 1851.
- Rev. Francis Kwaku Boatengcurrent
Current pastor; pastor email [email protected].