Oldest Catholic Church in U.S.?

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Question…Where and when was the first Catholic Church built here in the U.S.?
 
I believe it would be in St. Augustine, Fla. I do know that St. Augustine was the location of the first Mass on what is now U.S. soil.
 
I had heard it was in Maryland. But what about that church in Santa Fe NM, I think they make some sort of claim as well…

Anyways here is a link to one of the oldest, in Maryland…St. Ignatius Church
 
The oldest surviving one I know of is San Miguel in Santa Fe, NM. I guess there’s some dispute over what church is the “oldest.”

Here’s a link: evanderputten.org/special/newmexico/sanmiguel.htm

I lived in NM for 4 yrs, and I remember there was a small chapel where a wandering man built a beautiful spiral staircase, completely from wood, and without using any hardware, and never took any payment for his services. Legend has it that it was St. Joseph. I think that’s the name of the chapel now. They’ve also got a nice cathedral.

I live in the Pensacola, FL now, so I have to throw in this bit of trivia: the first catholic mass recorded in the continental US was said in the Pensacola area on August 15, 1559 by Dominican priests who were accompanying the Spanish explorers.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
I believe it would be in St. Augustine, Fla. I do know that St. Augustine was the location of the first Mass on what is now U.S. soil.
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Au Contraire. The first mass held in what is now the US was held on Pensacola Beach in 1565 (it’s near Ft. Pickens and there is an historical marker there). The Spanish settled there for a few months but were driven away by weather and disease. St. Augustine was the first permanent settlement, and probably had the first church building.

(I’m a University of West Florida grad. btw 😃 )
 
How about Old St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia, PA? It was founded in 1733.
 
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J_Chrysostomos:
Au Contraire. The first mass held in what is now the US was held on Pensacola Beach in 1565 (it’s near Ft. Pickens and there is an historical marker there). The Spanish settled there for a few months but were driven away by weather and disease. St. Augustine was the first permanent settlement, and probably had the first church building.

(I’m a University of West Florida grad. btw 😃 )
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You may very well be correct. My date came from the website of the Archdiocese of Pensacola.
 
Actually I heard that it was somewhere in either Kentucky, or West Virginia…somewhere along the Ohio river. I know that currently that is big time anti-Catholic territory but a few hundred years ago the French established a church there. I know that this is the oldest diocese in the current U.S. The actual church building, I dont know if it survived or not.
 
Dear James,
The general thinking at the time was quite different and slavery was not thought of as evil. So, considering the mentality of the era, a slave owner could be a moral fellow as long as he treated his slaves fairly.
Sincerely, WhiteDove
 
OK. The oldest I’ve seen so far is the San Miguel chapel in Santa Fe, NM purported to be circa 1610. I know the California missions didn’t kick off until the mid-1700’s so they’re out of the picture. St. Ignatius in MD built in 1798. I’d be surprised if we were seeing English-speaking Catholic churches earlier than 1610. We still need some specifics from our French-American history afficionados.

The bonus question: The first mass on US soil either 1559 or 1565, but in the Pensacola, FL area if you buy the info posted by two Pensacola locals (I’m one); or Bro. Dan’s dateless first mass in St. Augustine, which I know is an old Spanish settlement.

I still will probably never win at Trivial Pursuit.
 
Character Zero:
Actually I heard that it was somewhere in either Kentucky, or West Virginia…somewhere along the Ohio river. I know that currently that is big time anti-Catholic territory but a few hundred years ago the French established a church there. I know that this is the oldest diocese in the current U.S. The actual church building, I dont know if it survived or not.
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Are you thinking of St Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown KY? It is the first cathedral west of the Allegheneys, but I’m pretty sure Baltimore is the oldest (arch)diocese, no?
 
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jordan:
OK. The oldest I’ve seen so far is the San Miguel chapel in Santa Fe, NM purported to be circa 1610. I know the California missions didn’t kick off until the mid-1700’s so they’re out of the picture. St. Ignatius in MD built in 1798. I’d be surprised if we were seeing English-speaking Catholic churches earlier than 1610. We still need some specifics from our French-American history afficionados.
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Just checking: You’re not implying that the community at San Miguel was English-speaking, are you?
 
Nope. Just looking for the answer to the question in the subject line.
 
The first Catholic Diocese was established in Baltimore, Maryland.
 
The Church of Florida celebrated it’s 400th Anniversary in 1965. The founding of the first permanent mission at St. Augustine, Florida September 8, 1565. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales. Catholic priests first arrived with Ponce de Leon in 1521 but did not establish any permanent missions.

From: The Cross in the Sand - The Early Catholic Church in Florida 1513-1870
 
WOW!!! You all ROCK!! Thanks for all the history and information. :clapping:
 
Hello All!
I live the the Baltimore Archdiocese and I know that the Basilica of the Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary baltimorebasilica.org/index2.html is the oldest cathedral in the country, but probably not the oldest church. It is quite beautiful. It is within walking distance of where I work and I like to go to weekday mass there.

Steph
 
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WhiteDove:
Dear James,
The general thinking at the time was quite different and slavery was not thought of as evil. So, considering the mentality of the era, a slave owner could be a moral fellow as long as he treated his slaves fairly.
Sincerely, WhiteDove
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Maybe by now our mindest is so different… but I still fail to understand how one can even treat a slave “fairly”. It seems like an impossible thing to do. How do you treat another human being in fairness while at the same time owning him/her? Also, it should’ve been clear to the Church that slavery is a sort of “stealing”. The stealing of ones life and ones wages. Making them do work for next to nothing when the Bible tells us the worker is worth his wages…

Even in a vastly different “mindset” I do not see how they can justify it in any time or place and reconcile that with Christianity. I don’t know what kind of “mindset” that is Christian, will at the same time condone this behavior
 
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