Old Saint Joseph's Catholic Church

Old Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church is defined by its unusual invisibility; the building is tucked away behind neighboring structures, with no entrance visible from the street. Visitors reach the site through a narrow, arched alleyway off Fourth Street that opens into a quiet courtyard. Founded in seventeen thirty-three by the Jesuit priest Joseph Greaton, this site holds a singular distinction in the colonial era. At the time of its founding, it was the only place in the entire English-speaking world where the public celebration of the Mass was permitted by law.