About St. Peter Claver · Baltimore, Maryland
St. Peter Claver is a historic Roman Catholic church located at 1526 North Fremont Avenue in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore, Maryland. Founded on September 9, 1888 by the Mill Hill Josephite Fathers, it was the first parish in the world dedicated to St. Peter Claver, the Jesuit 'Apostle of the Slaves,' canonized earlier that year by Pope Leo XIII. Created specifically to serve Black Catholics living on the west side of the city — many of whom had traveled long distances to reach St. Francis Xavier on the east side — the parish grew rapidly, opening a school in 1890 staffed by the Glen Riddle Franciscan Sisters. Designated a Baltimore City Historic Landmark, St. Peter Claver is now an additional worship site of St. Bernardine Parish following the 2024 'Seek the City to Come' merger of five West Baltimore parishes.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Peter Claver, S.J. (the Jesuit 'Apostle of the Slaves')
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Asomkase
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Peter Claver is more than a building — it is the historic 'Mother Church' of West Baltimore's African American Catholics and a living center of Josephite evangelization, education, and social service stretching back to 1888. Worshipping here means joining a community that has welcomed Black families, trained some of America's first Black priests, sponsored a school for over a century, and now, as part of the merged St. Bernardine Parish, continues to feed, clothe, and advocate for the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood. Strong RCIA, youth, and Bible-study programs, choirs that lift up the African American Catholic musical tradition, and ministries like the Ladies of Charity and St. Vincent de Paul make it a place to pray, serve, and belong.
Mass times at St. Peter Claver
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 pm – 3:45 pm (St. Peter Claver Campus)
Our Parish at a Glance
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church is a historic Josephite parish in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore and an additional worship site of St. Bernardine Parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Worship is offered Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with Roman-Catholic sacraments, social-service outreach, and a tradition of Black Catholic music and evangelization that stretches back to 1888.
- Patron: St. Peter Claver, S.J.
- Dedicated: September 9, 1888
- Founded by: Mill Hill Josephite Fathers (now the Josephite Society, S.S.J.)
- Campus: 1526 North Fremont Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217
- Phone: (410) 669-0512
- Website: http://www.claverpius.org/
History of St. Peter Claver
The parish traces a direct line from the very first Masses celebrated by the Sulpician Fathers for Black Baltimoreans in the lower chapel of St. Mary's Seminary, through the Oblate Sisters' Chapel on Richmond Street (1830s), into the basement of St. Ignatius Church on Calvert Street as the 'Chapel of St. Peter Claver,' and finally to the present site on Fremont Avenue — all designed to bring the sacraments to a Black Catholic community growing on the city's west side. Founded by Father John R. Slattery of the Mill Hill Missionaries in 1888, the parish was dedicated by Cardinal James Gibbons and quickly added a school taught by the Glen Riddle Franciscan Sisters, a House of Good Shepherd social-services ministry (1892), and a long lineage of African American vocations — including Father Charles Randolph Uncles, the first Black priest ordained in the United States.
- 1888 — parish dedicated September 9, founded by the Mill Hill Josephites for West Baltimore's African American Catholics
- 1890–1891 — St. Peter Claver School opens with the Glen Riddle Franciscan Sisters
- 1892 — House of Good Shepherd on Calverton Street founded; first anniversary Mass celebrated by Father Charles R. Uncles, S.S.J.
- 1905 — Whatcoat Methodist Episcopal building remodeled; portion of original structure retained
- 1998 — Glen Riddle Franciscan Sisters complete 103 years of teaching and depart
- 2005 — St. Pius V parishioners (originally St. Barnabas, 1907) move in; community worships as 'One in the Spirit'
- 2024 — becomes additional worship site of merged St. Bernardine Parish under 'Seek the City to Come'
Heritage Trail & Architecture
St. Peter Claver is a Baltimore City Historic Landmark and a documented site on the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor of African American Catholic history. The campus has been adapted and remodeled over more than a century while preserving its role as a gathering place in Sandtown-Winchester.
- Located on the junction of Fremont and Pennsylvania Avenues, originally the Carlisle Street site
- Designated Baltimore City Historic Landmark
- Listed along the Pennsylvania Avenue Corridor of African American Catholic History
Liturgical Music
Music is a hallmark of St. Peter Claver's liturgical life, rooted in the African American Catholic musical tradition. The parish supports multiple choirs and a male chorus that serve the principal weekend Masses.
- SPC Sanctuary Choir
- Paul Neale Male Chorus
- Youth Choir
- St. Pius V Sanctuary Choir
- Minister of Music: Tony Small
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PREP)
The Parish Religious Education Program offers elementary classes for children in grades K–7 and youth classes for grades 8–12. Sacramental preparation for First Penance (Grade 3) and First Holy Communion (Grade 2) is integrated into the elementary program, and Confirmation preparation for high schoolers runs on a two-year cycle. Adults seeking to become Catholic — or Catholic adults needing Eucharist, Reconciliation, or Confirmation — participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
- Elementary grades K–7 — classes begin the first Sunday in October after Mass in the Rectory
- Youth grades 8–12 — classes begin the last Sunday in September at 11:00 a.m.
- First Penance (Grade 3) and First Holy Communion (Grade 2)
- Confirmation preparation: two-year program for grades 9–12
- RCIA for unbaptized adults, baptized Christians seeking full communion, and Catholics needing sacraments
Bible Study & Adult Faith
Adult faith formation continues outside the sacraments with regular Bible Study and ongoing spiritual refreshers, designed to help parishioners grow in understanding of Catholic teaching.
- Bible Study — offered online September through June
- RCIA adult catechesis and sacramental preparation
Parish Ministries & Outreach
St. Peter Claver's ministry catalogue follows the Josephite tradition of worship, education, and Christian service. Beyond liturgy and education committees, the parish supports social-action groups — Ladies of Charity, St. Vincent de Paul, and Harper's Helpers — parish-life sodalities such as the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality and Diamonds/Frolicking Shining Stars, summer programs (Project Wonder after-school, 'Saints-in-Progress' Bible camp), and youth ministry under the banner 'United Servants of Christ'.
- Worship & Liturgy: Sanctuary Choirs, Paul Neale Male Chorus, Youth Choir, Lectors, Ministers of Holy Communion, Ministers of Hospitality, Altar Servers, Liturgy Committee
- Education & Evangelization: Bible Study, Evangelization Committee, RCIA, PREP
- Christian Service: Harper's Helpers, Ladies of Charity, St. Vincent de Paul
- Parish & Family Life: Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality, Diamonds / Frolicking Shining Stars, Health & Wellness Ministry, Summer After-School Program 'Project Wonder', Summer Bible Camp 'Saints-in-Progress', Youth Ministry, United Servants of Christ
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the parish office and the Archdiocese of Baltimore Marriage Preparation office; baptism and marriage are arranged by appointment.
- Baptism — by appointment
- First Holy Communion & First Penance — through PREP
- Confirmation — two-year high school preparation
- Marriage Preparation — Archdiocese of Baltimore program
- RCIA / OCIA — for adults
Clergy & Staff
Pastoral leadership for St. Peter Claver is now provided through St. Bernardine Parish as part of the 2024 'Seek the City to Come' merger, while the St. Peter Claver Campus retains dedicated support staff and musicians.
- Rev. Msgr. Richard J. Bozzelli — Pastor, ext. 115
- Rev. Stephen Ositimehin — Associate Pastor, ext. 118
- Deacon Intern Darron Woodus
- Deacon Paul Barksdale — Retired Deacon
- Denise Stanley — Executive Assistant, ext. 116
- Gwen Mullen — Director of Religious Education, ext. 114
- Dejah Reed — Parish Secretary and Bookkeeper, ext. 120
- Tony Small — Minister of Music (St. Peter Claver Campus)
- Leon Fleming — Custodian, St. Peter Claver Campus
Getting Involved
Parishioners are invited to join liturgical ministries, choirs, social-service outreach, sodalities, and youth programs. Volunteers are especially needed for RCIA team members, catechists and assistants for PREP, and altar-server mentors.
- Volunteer as a PREP catechist or assistant
- Join a choir or liturgical ministry
- Participate in St. Vincent de Paul, Ladies of Charity, or Harper's Helpers outreach
Visit Us
St. Peter Claver sits in the heart of the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore, at Fremont and Pennsylvania Avenues. Weekend Masses are offered in person Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and confessions are heard Saturday afternoons.
- Address: 1526 North Fremont Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217
- Phone: (410) 669-0512
- Fax: (410) 383-8227 (Archdiocesan directory)
- Website: http://www.claverpius.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John R. Slattery (Mill Hill / Josephites)1888–
Founder; first pastor; purchased the Carlisle Street property and created St. Joseph Seminary adjoining the parish.
- Father Lambert Welbers (Mill Hill)c. 1891–
Opened St. Peter Claver School in 1891 with the Glen Riddle Franciscan Sisters; founded the House of Good Shepherd on Calverton Street in 1892, the parish's first social-action ministry.