The Oratory
1934: Father Paul Hatch leads about dozen young men to Rock Hill to establish the Oratory, a new mission for a small but growing Catholic population. Mid-1930s: St. Philip's Mercy Hospital on Confederate Avenue is operated by The Franciscan Sisters of Peoria, who were invited to Rock Hill by the Diocese and The Oratory. The hospital closes in the 1950s due to a lack of funds to build a new hospital.
1937: The Oratory School for Boys opens, a boarding school that is later closed for lack of funds.
1940s: York County textile workers labored for long hours under poor working conditions, and some died from job-related ills like brown lung. The Oratory helps to establish labor unions for Rock Hill textile mill employees, enabling workers to press for better conditions.
1946: St. Mary's Catholic Church is established on Crawford Road in Rock Hill. A recreation center serves the youth.
1947: About 100 Catholic families in Rock Hill worshipped in a tiny church on Saluda Street. Catholics made up about half of 1 percent of the state's population at this time.
1951: A credit union is established with the recreation center to help people get loans and encourage them to save money. The union operates until about 1980.
1954: St. Anne Catholic School, at the church rectory on Saluda Street, becomes the first racially integrated school in South Carolina. A new school is built on South Jones Avenue in 1958.
1960s: Before the civil rights movement, African-Americans were banned from white establishments. Members of the Oratory supported the civil rights movement and local sit-in participants. They helped local black citizens register to vote.
1975: Refugees from Southeast Asia sought their freedom in the United States, but many needed help to assimilate into their new communities. The Oratory brings the first of several hundred refugees from Southeast Asia to Rock Hill. Later, it expands the ministry to include Hispanic immigrants.
Today: About 5,000 families worship at five different Catholic churches in York County — two in Rock Hill and others in Fort Mill, York and Lake Wylie. Catholics make up about 4.5 percent of the state's population.
The Oratory Church at Rock Hill Oratory
434 Charlotte Avenue
Rock Hill, SC 29730
Prayer Schedule:
Morning Prayer (Taize) Mon-Fri 7:30 am
Oratory Prayer: Mon-Fri 8 am
Daily Mass: 12 noon (Mon-Sat)
Sunday Mass: 6 pm
Reconciliation: Sat. 10:30 - 11:30 am
St. Anne Catholic Church
1694 Bird Street
Rock Hill, South Carolina 29730
(803)329-2662
Mass Schedule:
Daily Mass Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM
Saturdays 5:30 PM Sundays 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM (Spanish), 5:00PM Youth Mass
Reconciliation: Saturdays at 4:45 - 5:15 p.m.
Pastor: Fr. Elbano Muñoz, C.O
Parochial Vicar: Fr. Fabio Refosco, C.O.
Pastoral Associates: Br. Josemaria Schlubach
www.saintanne.com
St. Mary's Catholic Church
902 Crawford Road
Rock Hill, SC 29730
Mass Schedule
Sunday Masses 8 and 10 AM
Holy Day Vigil Mass 7 PM
Rosary Sunday 7:30 AM
Bible Study Thursday 7 PM
Canonical Pastor: Fr. Joseph Wahl, C.O.
Divine Saviour Catholic Church
232 Herndon Avenue
York, SC 29745
(803) 684-3431
Mass Schedule
Sunday Masses 8 and 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM Spanish Daily Mass: Wed 9:30 AM, Fri 9:30 AM
Reconciliation: Sundays: 9:30 AM-10:15 AM
Pastor: Fr. Adilso Coelho, C.O.
www.divinesaviouryork.com
St. Philip Neri Catholic Church
292 Munn Road
Fort Mill, SC 29715
(803) 548-7282
Mass Schedule:
Daily Masses: Monday - Friday 9:30 AM Saturday, 5:30 PM
Sunday Masses: 8, 9:30, and 11:30 AM; Lifeteen, 5:30 pm
Reconciliation: Wednesday - 7-7:30 PM
Pastor: Fr. John Giuliani, C.O.
Parochial Vicar: Fr. Joe Pearce, C.O.
www.saintphilipneri.org
Our Lady of Grace
(Mission of St. Philip Neri)
Hwy 521
(803) 548-7282
Mass Schedule:
Saturday - 4:00 pm
Reconciliation - Saturday's 3:30 - 4:00 pm or by appointment
Pastor: Fr. John Giuliani, C.O.
Parochial Vicar: Fr. Joe Pearce, C.O.
All Saints Catholic Church
530 Highway 274
Lake Wylie, SC 29710
(803) 831-9095
Mass Schedule:
Saturday - 5:00 pm
Sunday - 8:00 and 11:00 am
Monday and Tuesday - No Mass
Wednesday and Thursday - 9:30 AM
Friday - 8:00 am
Reconciliation - Saturday's 3:30 - 4:30 pm or by appointment
Pastor: Fr. Ed McDevitt, C.O.
Pastoral Associate: Br. John Kummer, C.O.