About St. Philip the Apostle · Statesville, North Carolina
St. Philip the Apostle is a Catholic parish in Statesville, North Carolina, belonging to the Diocese of Charlotte and serving the Iredell County area. The parish community worships at 525 Camden Drive in a bilingual (English/Spanish) environment, with a weekend Mass schedule that includes a Sunday evening Spanish liturgy. The current pastor is Father Bernard Oleru, M.S.P. (Missionary Society of St. Paul), who has served since 2023 and is assisted by Parochial Vicar Father Jean Lambert Batamack. The parish describes itself as a 'vibrant, diverse, community of worship, love, joy, and stewardship,' emphasizing youth involvement, scripture, and Eucharistic devotion. It is a growing community of more than 600 registered families and recently completed a major campus expansion through its multi-phase 'Forward With Christ' building campaign.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Bernard Iheanyichukwu Oleru, M.S.P. (Missionary Society of St. Paul)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Why belong here
St. Philip the Apostle is a bilingual, Eucharistic-centered Catholic parish with a strong sense of community and visible growth — recently adding a new Activity & Education Center and courtyard to accommodate more than 600 registered families. Worshippers can join a vibrant Sunday schedule that includes a Spanish Mass, weekday devotions, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust Reconciliation schedule. Parishioners engage in faith formation for all ages, daytime Bible study, a new parish podcast ('My Brother's Journey'), and active outreach such as the on-site Food Closet and Catholic Daughters service projects. It is a welcoming home for English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics in Statesville and the wider Iredell County area.
Mass times at St. Philip the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
- Thursday: 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
About St. Philip the Apostle
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church is a vibrant, diverse, bilingual Catholic parish located at 525 Camden Drive in Statesville, North Carolina, within the Diocese of Charlotte. The parish identifies itself as 'a vibrant, diverse, community of worship, love, joy, and stewardship,' a Eucharistic-centered parish that emphasizes youth involvement, scripture, tradition, and the giving of time, talents, and treasures. Its mission statement explicitly calls members to love all of God's creation and to support their pastor's mission in Christ.
- 525 Camden Drive, Statesville, NC 28677
- Diocese of Charlotte
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Parish Mission Statement published on stphilipapostle.com
History of the Parish
St. Philip the Apostle was founded around 1898, when its original worship space — now Key Memorial Chapel — was built at 150 E. Sharpe Street in downtown Statesville. As the congregation grew through the twentieth century, the parish relocated to its present Camden Drive campus by 1976; the original Gothic Revival chapel was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and converted to other uses. The modern era of the parish has been shaped by the 'Forward With Christ' capital campaign, which built a social hall in 2019 and a new Activity & Education Center with the Nancy L. Burns courtyard in its second phase.
- 1898 — Original chapel built at 150 E. Sharpe Street (Late Gothic Revival, by Lazenby Bros.)
- 1976 — Parish relocates to 525 Camden Drive
- 1980 — Old chapel added to the National Register of Historic Places
- 2019 — New social hall dedicated (Phase I of Forward With Christ)
- 2024 — Bishop Michael Martin blesses new Activity & Education Center and courtyard (Phase II)
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Father Bernard Oleru, M.S.P., a priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, who became pastor in 2023. He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Father Jean Lambert Batamack. The parish office can be reached at (704) 872-2579 or by email at [email protected].
- Pastor: Rev. Bernard Iheanyichukwu Oleru, M.S.P.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Jean Lambert Batamack
- Office: (704) 872-2579
- Email: [email protected]
Ministries and Faith Formation
The parish runs a variety of ministries and formation programs for all ages. A long-running daytime Bible Study meets every Wednesday, the parish has launched a new podcast called 'My Brother's Journey' as part of its 'Growing in Faith Together' initiative, and faith-formation programs for children and adults operate out of the new Activity & Education Center. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court St. Philip the Apostle #2593 is a particularly active lay organization, hosting the annual yard sale and statewide workshops.
- Daytime Bible Study (Wednesdays, 11:15 AM–12:45 PM)
- Faith Formation for children, youth, and adults
- Catholic Daughters of the Americas — Court St. Philip the Apostle #2593
- Annual Parish Yard Sale
- Parish Podcast 'My Brother's Journey' / Growing in Faith Together
Outreach and Charity
Outreach is a central part of parish life. The St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church Food Closet, operated from the parish campus, addresses local food insecurity in Iredell County. In 2024, after Tropical Storm Helene devastated western North Carolina, the parish organized and sent multiple truckloads of supplies to mountain communities. A Poor Box is maintained in the narthex for ongoing donations to those in need.
- St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church Food Closet (on-site food pantry)
- Hurricane Helene relief shipments (2024)
- Poor Box collection in the narthex
- Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA) participation
Campus and 'Forward With Christ' Building Campaign
St. Philip's Camden Drive campus has expanded significantly through the 'Forward With Christ' campaign. Phase I, completed in January 2019, added a social hall with seating for 250 and a large commercial kitchen, built in partnership with the Diocese of Charlotte, Little Architectural Consulting, and Messer Construction Co. Phase II, completed in 2024, raised over $4 million to construct an 8,540-square-foot Activity & Education Center — housing classrooms, faith-formation space, and parish offices — connected to the social hall by the Nancy L. Burns outdoor courtyard.
- Phase I (2019): Parish social hall — 250-seat capacity, commercial kitchen
- Phase II (2024): Activity & Education Center (8,540 sq ft) and Nancy L. Burns courtyard
- Bishop Michael Martin blessed and ribbon-cut the new facilities
- Architects/contractors: Little Architectural Consulting and Messer Construction Co.
Stewardship and Giving
Parishioners are encouraged to support the parish through weekly and monthly electronic giving as well as traditional envelopes, with a QR code provided in the bulletin for online contributions. The parish participates in the diocesan Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA) — funding over 50 ministries and programs across the Diocese of Charlotte — and in the annual Priests' Retirement and Benefits Collection. A second collection supports ongoing Capital Maintenance and Improvement of the church campus.
- Electronic giving and bulletin QR code donations
- Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA)
- Priests' Retirement and Benefits Collection
- Capital Improvement / Church Maintenance second collection
Sacraments and Devotions
In addition to daily and weekend Masses, the parish offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons and Thursday evenings and Eucharistic Adoration four days a week. A Rosary is prayed after the Monday morning Mass, and faith-formation preparation is offered for the sacraments of initiation. The parish's bilingual worship life — including a Spanish Mass each Sunday and a Spanish evening Mass on Thursday — ensures pastoral care for Spanish-speaking faithful.
- Reconciliation: Saturday and Thursday
- Eucharistic Adoration: four days a week
- Rosary after Monday morning Mass
- Spanish Mass: Sunday 12:30 PM and Thursday 7:00 PM
- Faith Formation and sacramental preparation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Kesslerthrough ~2022
Pastor during the planning and pandemic-pause of Phase II of the 'Forward With Christ' capital campaign; oversaw the 2019 dedication of the parish social hall.
- Rev. Bernard Iheanyichukwu Oleru, M.S.P.2023–present
Missionary Society of St. Paul priest; welcomed Bishop Martin for the blessing of the new Activity & Education Center and Nancy L. Burns courtyard.