Mission of St. Jude Church, Sapphire Valley
Mission of St. Jude Church, Sapphire Valley315 N. Fifth St., Highlands
Mass: 11 a.m. Sunday
Bishop Vincent S. Waters of Raleigh purchased the present property for Our Lady of the Mountains in July 1945. Before the church was built five years later, local Catholics gathered with priests from Waynesville for Masses in a playhouse theater in Highlands. Now, Our Lady of the Mountains is the diocese’s largest mission, with approximately 275 registered families who are either full-time or seasonal members. The church also welcomes numerous visitors and vacationers attracted to its beautiful, peaceful mountain community year-round.
