Welcome to St. Agnes Catholic Church

On behalf of the pastor, staff, and entire parish community, we’d like to extend a warm welcome.

St. Agnes Catholic Church, located in the historic town of Shepherdstown, WV—the oldest town (1743) in West Virginia—where there has been a Catholic presence since 1795. Our Church building, dedicated in 2008, reflects St. Agnes’ history and core beliefs. The design displays a spirit of hospitality as the church exterior opens its arms to the broader community.

St. Agnes Mission

St. Agnes is an inclusive Catholic community dedicated to the love of God and service to others. We rejoice in the Gospel, the celebration of the Liturgy, and the Sacraments. We welcome the opportunity to share God’s message and to bring all others into the life of Christ.

If you are Catholic and new to the area or looking for a church, we invite you to register with the parish so we may serve you more effectively. If you would like more information or would like to talk with someone, please let us know by sending an email or calling the office.

To learn more about our Church, feel free to call the office, or join us on any Saturday or Sunday so you can participate in our liturgy.

Are you interested in joining the Catholic Church?

RCIA is an inquiry process that usually lasts a minimum of nine months. It begins in August with an introductory meeting. Starting in September we meet weekly—typically Sunday mornings.

Each session consists of discussing the scripture readings of that Sunday’s liturgy, a presentation on a topic of faith by one of our team members, and discussion.

After the inquiry process, an individual makes a decision to either
1) join the Catholic church at the Easter Vigil (the night before Easter),
2) continue exploring the faith for more time, or
3) decide not to go forward.

The process is designed so the inquirer feels free to explore. There are no prior expectations and one needs no prior religious background to participate. Our hope is that we are welcoming, informal, and focused on the inquirer’s interests within a framework that tries to cover the basic tenets of our faith.

If this interests you and you think you might like to pursue this exploration further or if you have any questions, please contact the office.

We recommend that inquirers meet for a one on one conversation with our pastor before beginning the inquiry process.

You are welcome to view our weekend liturgy online, available on the website, or reserve a seat and attend our liturgy in person.