the church's proximity to the supreme court, capitol, and congressional office buildings have attracted many members of congress, congressional staffers, and supreme court justices to daily mass. st. joseph is located on the senate side of the capitol, and is commonly known as the senate church, while its counterpart on the house side of the capitol, st. peter's, is commonly known as the house church. those known to attend daily mass at st. joseph's include senator john e. kenna, senator robert f. kennedy, senator ted kennedy, and antonin scalia. in 2017, the church began holding an annual "gold mass" for congressional staffers.