About St. Peter · Farmington, West Virginia
St. Peter Parish is a small Catholic congregation in the unincorporated coal-mining community of Farmington, West Virginia (Marion County), part of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston. The parish was canonically established in 1921 on land donated by John M. Hagerty, but its Catholic roots reach back to the mid-nineteenth century, when Irish and other immigrant railroad and mine laborers settled the upper Monongahela Valley. Today the parish is administered jointly with St. Patrick Parish in nearby Mannington and remains an intimate, multigenerational faith community serving Farmington and the surrounding hills.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Abraham Schariah, M.S.F.S. (Administrator, effective June 18, 2025; residence at St. Patrick rectory, Mannington)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
Why belong here
St. Peter offers what many larger parishes cannot: a small, close-knit Catholic family in the Farmington community of Marion County. Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m. gathers miners, retirees, and multigenerational local families, and the parish shares a pastor with neighboring St. Patrick, Mannington, so priests are deeply invested in the lives of their people. Worship is enriched by a devoted organist and cantor who helped livestream Masses during the pandemic, and the parish's 100-plus-year history — rooted in the Irish railroad and mining families of the upper Monongahela Valley — continues to shape its identity today.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Peter Parish, Farmington
Although St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Farmington, was canonically established in 1921, its Catholic origins reach back to the middle of the nineteenth century, when Irish and other immigrants arrived in the upper Monongahela Valley with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The laborers who settled here with their families were first served by priests traveling from the Pittsburgh area. In 1878, Rev. William Lambert, pastor of St. Peter's, Fairmont, purchased an old store building in Farmington for use as a church. The community remained a mission of Fairmont until 1921, when the present church and rectory were built on land donated by Mr. John M. Hagerty. The parish marked its centennial in 2021 with the faithful and visiting dignitaries gathered to honor more than a century of Catholic life in the Farmington hollow.
- Mid-1800s: Irish and other immigrants settle Farmington via the B&O Railroad
- 1878: Rev. William Lambert purchases a former store as Farmington's first Catholic church
- 1921: Parish canonically established; present church and rectory built on land from John M. Hagerty
- 1921: Rev. Thomas Collins becomes first resident pastor
- 2021: Parish celebrates 100th anniversary
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
St. Peter Parish is administered jointly with neighboring St. Patrick Parish in Mannington, a pastoral pairing that reflects the small, rural character of Marion County. The most recent appointment, announced by Bishop Mark Brennan on May 23, 2025, named Fr. Abraham Schariah, M.S.F.S., of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (South-West India Province), as administrator of both parishes effective June 18, 2025, with residence at the St. Patrick rectory in Mannington. Before him, Fr. Vincy Sebastian Illickal, T.O.R., of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis (Franciscans), served as administrator and pastor of both communities. Fr. Illickal was widely praised by parishioners for his warm pastoral style; during the COVID-19 pandemic he organized livestreamed Masses with parish organist and cantor Franchesca Aloi, an effort that kept Farmington's small flock connected when in-person attendance was limited.
- Rev. Abraham Schariah, M.S.F.S. — Administrator (effective June 18, 2025); residence at St. Patrick rectory, Mannington
- Rev. Vincy Sebastian Illickal, T.O.R. — previous Administrator / Pastor of St. Peter and St. Patrick Mannington
- First resident pastor (1921): Rev. Thomas Collins
- Bishop: Most Rev. Mark E. Brennan, Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
St. Peter's liturgical week centers on a single Sunday celebration at 11:00 a.m., with weekday Mass offered on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. Holy Days are observed with a Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m. and a Holy Day Mass at 12:00 noon. As is common for small rural parishes, confession and adoration times are not published online; parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office at (304) 986-2321 to arrange the sacrament of Reconciliation or other devotions.
- Sunday Mass — 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday Mass — 12:00 p.m.
- Friday Mass — 12:00 p.m.
- Holy Day Vigil — 5:00 p.m.
- Holy Day — 12:00 noon
Sacraments
St. Peter Parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation, healing, and vocation in keeping with diocesan norms. The parish collaborates with the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston for faith formation and Confirmation; Bishop Mark Brennan visits annually, typically in June, celebrating Confirmation together with the linked St. Patrick Parish in Mannington. Couples should contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation, and families arrange baptisms and Anointing of the Sick through the parish office as well.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the parish office
- Confirmation — annual diocesan visitation (June)
- Marriage — by arrangement with the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Parish Life and Ministries
Faith life at St. Peter's is small but vibrant. The music ministry — anchored by a dedicated organist and cantor — supports sung liturgy at Sunday Mass and during special seasons, and during the COVID-19 pandemic the team recorded and livestreamed Masses from the parish Facebook page so that homebound and elderly parishioners could still worship together with their community. The parish also participates in diocesan faith formation and youth programs through the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston.
- Music ministry (organist and cantor, including Franchesca Aloi)
- Livestreamed Masses via the parish Facebook group during the pandemic and beyond
- Faith formation in partnership with the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
- Shared parish life with St. Patrick, Mannington (joint Confirmation, joint pastoral visits)
Community and Outreach
St. Peter sits at the heart of the historic coal-mining community of Farmington, Marion County. The parish's outreach is rooted in personal relationships — visiting the sick and homebound, accompanying families at baptisms and funerals, and bringing Catholic tradition into a region shaped by more than a century of mining and railroad life. The parish shares a pastor with St. Patrick, Mannington, ensuring that both small communities receive consistent sacramental and pastoral care.
- Care of the sick and homebound in Farmington and surrounding Marion County
- Pastoral visits to local nursing homes and hospitals as arranged by the pastor
- Collaboration with neighboring Catholic parishes in the upper Monongahela Valley
Visiting St. Peter Parish
St. Peter is located at 1304 Mill Street in Farmington, just north of Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia. Visitors are warmly welcomed to the Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass; weekday Masses are also open to the public on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. Travelers typically reach Farmington via U.S. Route 19 and WV-218; limited parking is available on site. For the most current schedule and any seasonal changes, contact the parish office at (304) 986-2321.
- Address: 1304 Mill Street, Farmington, WV 26571
- Phone: (304) 986-2321
- Email: [email protected]
- County: Marion County, West Virginia
Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
St. Peter Parish belongs to the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston, the Catholic diocese that covers the entire state of West Virginia. Bishop Mark E. Brennan, the current diocesan bishop, made the most recent pastoral appointments affecting St. Peter on May 23, 2025, naming Fr. Abraham Schariah, M.S.F.S., administrator of the parish and of St. Patrick, Mannington, effective June 18, 2025. The diocesan directory lists St. Peter under Rite: Roman-Latin and identifies the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales as a religious community associated with the parish's current pastoral leadership.
- Diocese: Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston
- Bishop: Most Rev. Mark E. Brennan
- Parish established: 1921
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Linked parish: St. Patrick, Mannington
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William Lambert1878 (as pastor of St. Peter's, Fairmont)
Purchased an old store building in Farmington for use as a church by local Catholic families while the community was still a mission of Fairmont.
- Rev. Thomas Collins1921
First resident pastor when St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Farmington, was canonically established and the present church and rectory were built on land donated by John M. Hagerty.