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James Madison University: East Campus Steam Plant (JMU)
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College · Catholic life on campus

James Madison University

  • LocationHarrisonburg, VA
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 22,758 students
Official website

James Madison University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

James Madison University's Catholic campus ministry, the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry, is listed on the university's site and is associated with Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Harrisonburg. The Diocese of Richmond lists weekday Masses at 12:10 PM (Tuesday and Friday) and 6:00 PM (Wednesday), a Spanish Mass on Thursdays at 7:00 PM, a Saturday vigil at 5:00 PM, and Sunday Masses at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (Spanish). FOCUS also serves the campus. Its staff and campus-specific schedule are not recorded.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 7

  • Tuesday, Friday12:10 PMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
  • Wednesday6:00 PMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
  • Thursday7:00 PMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg · Spanish-language Mass.
  • Saturday5:00 PMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg · Vigil Mass.
  • Sunday8:00 AMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
  • Sunday10:00 AMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
Show 1 more mass times
  • Sunday1:00 PMBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg · Spanish-language Mass.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 12, 2026.

Sources for these times (1)
  1. Blessed Sacrament | Diocese of Richmondrichmonddiocese.org/parishes/blessed-sacrament · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Daily: 12:10 PM (Tuesday & Friday), 6:00 PM (Wednesday), 7:00 PM (Thursdays in Spanish)”
    The parish's weekday Masses are at 12:10 PM on Tuesday and Friday, 6:00 PM on Wednesday, and 7:00 PM on Thursday in Spanish.
    “Daily: 12:10 PM (Tuesday & Friday), 6:00 PM (Wednesday), 7:00 PM (Thursdays in Spanish)”
    The parish's weekday Masses are at 12:10 PM on Tuesday and Friday, 6:00 PM on Wednesday, and 7:00 PM on Thursday in Spanish.
    “Daily: 12:10 PM (Tuesday & Friday), 6:00 PM (Wednesday), 7:00 PM (Thursdays in Spanish)”
    The parish's weekday Masses are at 12:10 PM on Tuesday and Friday, 6:00 PM on Wednesday, and 7:00 PM on Thursday in Spanish.
    “Vigil: 5:00 PM Saturday”
    The parish offers a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:00 PM.
    “Sunday: 8:00 AM , 10:00 AM , 1:00 PM (in Spanish)”
    The parish's Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (the 1:00 PM Mass in Spanish).
    “Sunday: 8:00 AM , 10:00 AM , 1:00 PM (in Spanish)”
    The parish's Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (the 1:00 PM Mass in Spanish).
    “Sunday: 8:00 AM , 10:00 AM , 1:00 PM (in Spanish)”
    The parish's Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (the 1:00 PM Mass in Spanish).

Catholic churches nearby

Map of James Madison University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.5 mi1 mi2 miCatholic Church of the Blessed Sacrament: 1.0 mi1Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Harrisonburg): 1.0 miJames Madison University (campus)N0.5 mi
CampusCatholic centerCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Catholic Church of the Blessed Sacrament — 1.0 mi

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ACatholic life on campus: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Catholic life on campus

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes (The Diocese of Richmond lists James Madison University as a campus associated with Blessed Sacrament, and the university's own site lists a Catholic Campus Ministry.)
    Sources (3)
    1. Blessed Sacrament | Diocese of Richmondrichmonddiocese.org/parishes/blessed-sacrament · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Campuses: James Madison University”
      The Diocese of Richmond lists James Madison University as a campus associated with Blessed Sacrament parish in Harrisonburg.
    2. Site Index | JMUjmu.edu/sitemap/index.shtml · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholic Campus Ministry”
      James Madison University's official site index lists a Catholic Campus Ministry, linked to jmuccm.com.
    3. Other Ministries | Blessed Sacrament CCbsccva.org/parishministries · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholicism 101 classes, retreats, bible studies, and prayer groups are some of the many ways students may nurture their faith in Christ.”
      The parish's JMU Catholic Dukes page describes faith opportunities for students at JMU, linking to the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry site.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (FOCUS is listed as serving James Madison University.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Campuses | FOCUSfocus.org/about/campuses · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “George Mason UniversityJames Madison UniversityUniversity of Virginia”
      FOCUS lists James Madison University among the campuses it serves.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 3 milesComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration6 to 11 times a week (8 weekly times documented: 8 Mass, 0 confession, 0 adoration.)Computed from the verified Mass, confession, and adoration times listed on this page (each day a time is offered counts once).

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • Weekday and Sunday Masses are published at the parish, including a Spanish-language Mass and a Saturday vigil.
    Sources (1)
    1. Blessed Sacrament | Diocese of Richmondrichmonddiocese.org/parishes/blessed-sacrament · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Daily: 12:10 PM (Tuesday & Friday), 6:00 PM (Wednesday), 7:00 PM (Thursdays in Spanish)”
      The parish's weekday Masses are at 12:10 PM on Tuesday and Friday, 6:00 PM on Wednesday, and 7:00 PM on Thursday in Spanish.
      “Sunday: 8:00 AM , 10:00 AM , 1:00 PM (in Spanish)”
      The parish's Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (the 1:00 PM Mass in Spanish).
      “Vigil: 5:00 PM Saturday”
      The parish offers a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:00 PM.
  • The campus is served by both a Catholic campus ministry and FOCUS.
    Sources (2)
    1. Site Index | JMUjmu.edu/sitemap/index.shtml · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholic Campus Ministry”
      James Madison University's official site index lists a Catholic Campus Ministry, linked to jmuccm.com.
    2. Campuses | FOCUSfocus.org/about/campuses · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “George Mason UniversityJames Madison UniversityUniversity of Virginia”
      FOCUS lists James Madison University among the campuses it serves.

Concerns

None recorded.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

The Catholic center

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Harrisonburg)

  • Address: 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
  • Distance from campus: 1.0 mi (straight line from the campus point in federal IPEDS data)
  • Facilities: church library, Johnston Hall

View on map ↗

Source: richmonddiocese.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026, richmonddiocese.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026

Catholic clubs and student life

2 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 2 location not published

Faith formation 1

  • JMU Catholic Dukes
    Faith opportunities for students listed on the parish's Other Ministries page, which describes Catholicism 101 classes, retreats, Bible studies and prayer groups, and links to the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry site.
    bsccva.org

Clubs and groups 1

  • FOCUS
    Catholic campus ministry serving James Madison University, listed on FOCUS's campus list.
    focus.org

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (4)
  1. Site Index | JMUjmu.edu/sitemap/index.shtml · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Catholic Campus Ministry”
    James Madison University's official site index lists a Catholic Campus Ministry, linked to jmuccm.com.
  2. Other Ministries | Blessed Sacrament CCbsccva.org/parishministries · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Catholicism 101 classes, retreats, bible studies, and prayer groups are some of the many ways students may nurture their faith in Christ.”
    The parish's JMU Catholic Dukes page describes faith opportunities for students at JMU, linking to the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry site.
  3. Campuses | FOCUSfocus.org/about/campuses · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “George Mason UniversityJames Madison UniversityUniversity of Virginia”
    FOCUS lists James Madison University among the campuses it serves.
  4. Blessed Sacrament | Diocese of Richmondrichmonddiocese.org/parishes/blessed-sacrament · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Campuses: James Madison University”
    The Diocese of Richmond lists James Madison University as a campus associated with Blessed Sacrament parish in Harrisonburg.
    “Postal Address: 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA, 22802”
    Blessed Sacrament's address is 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.

Reach out

Contact details for Blessed Sacrament Parish Office (Parish office) and 3 official social and news channels are available to signed-in users.

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Academic Excellence

BAcademic Excellence: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
79 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.80%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.92%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,256 · ACT 26.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.17 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$10,620

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
21,006
Total students22,758
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$23,322
Cost of attendance (per year)$31,735
Median federal debt at graduation$20,093
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
80%
First-year retention92%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$69,954
Admission rate72%
Students receiving Pell grants17%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1256
SAT reading & writing600–680
SAT math570–660
ACT composite24–29
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 69 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Diocese of Richmond

The Most Reverend Barry C. Knestout, Bishop of Richmond

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: richmonddiocese.org, richmonddiocese.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

  • IPEDS unit ID 232423
  • Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
  • Report an error or a newer source
  • Respond as this school

Questions families ask

Is James Madison University a Catholic college?
No. James Madison University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by JMU Catholic Campus Ministry.
Where is Mass celebrated at James Madison University?
Mass is listed at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 N. Main Street and Harrisonburg. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.

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