A Latin Mass Parish in Bon Air
St. Joseph's Parish sits on Buford Road in Bon Air, a wooded neighborhood in N. Chesterfield just outside Richmond. Founded in 1991 at St. Joseph's Villa, the community settled into its current home in 2002 and has quietly become one of the few places in central Virginia where the Traditional Latin Mass is offered every day of the week. The parish is an apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), and it operates under the bishop of Richmond in full communion with Rome.
The Mass According to the 1962 Roman Missal
Every Mass celebrated at St. Joseph's is the Traditional Latin Mass, said according to the 1962 Roman Missal. The readings and prayers are in Latin, the homily is in English, and the gestures - ad orientem worship, kneeling for Communion, the silent Canon - follow the centuries-old form of the Roman rite. The altar arrangement, the chant, and the pace of the liturgy are designed to draw the congregation into the prayer of the Church rather than the personality of the celebrant.
The full weekly Mass schedule is printed in the parish bulletin each week, since the daily offerings can shift around feasts and holy days.
Confession: Several Times a Week
The sacrament of Penance is unusually available here. Confessions are heard on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during the daily Mass, and on Saturday morning from 9:00 to 11:00. The priest greets the penitent with a Latin blessing; everything after that - the confession itself, counsel, and the Act of Contrition - is in English. The words of absolution are whispered in Latin, a small reminder of the Church's universal voice reaching across the screen.
Sacraments for the Whole Family
St. Joseph's walks families through every major sacrament. Infant baptism is offered within the first month after birth to registered parishioners, with letters of good standing required from godparents. Children preparing for First Holy Communion enroll in Religious Education in second grade. Confirmation candidates, following the diocesan norm, must be at least in tenth grade and at least 15 years old, and complete a two-year preparation as part of the Religious Ed program. An Adult Catechism class runs each fall through spring for adults who want to become Catholic, with no fee - students provide their own books.
Marriage preparation begins at least six months before the proposed wedding date, and at least one of the parties must be a registered member who has been attending Mass at St. Joseph's for six months. A dedicated sacramental-emergency line (804-396-5665) is reserved for situations in which a loved one is in danger of death.
Religious Education for Parish Children
The Religious Education program serves children from the early elementary years through high school. Class registration is open each summer, with one form required per child and forms returned to the Parish Office. Sacramental-year students also fill out paperwork specific to First Holy Communion or Confirmation and submit it to their teachers or through the office letter slot.
What Visitors Should Know
St. Joseph's welcomes newcomers and asks a few small things of them. Men are asked to wear slacks and dress shirts, and to leave shorts and flip-flops at home. Women are encouraged to cover their shoulders, cleavage, and knees, and to consider a head covering - it is encouraged but not required. Holy Communion is received kneeling (if able) and on the tongue, and the priest alone says "Amen." English-Latin booklets in the pews make it easy to follow the Mass even without Latin.
Staying Connected
Parish news, registration, and special announcements go out through Flocknote, the parish's email and text service, with online giving handled through WeShare. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon at 828 Buford Road, and the front door is answered by a small staff that supports a pastor and three parochial vicars, all members of the FSSP: Fr. Michael Cunningham as pastor, with Fr. Rhone Lillard, Fr. John-Francis Sulzen, and Fr. Cidrian Cortes assisting him.