Parish of the Week

Amazing parishes form the backbone of our vibrant Catholic community! Mater Dei Radio is ready to salute these outstanding churches and their members as our Parish of the Week. Every Tech Tuesday at 8:40 a.m., our Digital Disciple Sarah Kuenzi joins the Morning Blend to reveal our weekly featured parish. Listen to the Morning Blend throughout the rest of the week to hear more highlights from this incredible church community. Our Parish of the Week will also be recognized on Instagram, Facebook, and the Hail Mary Media app!

Nominate your church to be featured by sending us an email! From the choirs to Eucharistic Adoration, service ministries to potluck dinners, let us know what makes your parish family stand out.

Please note: In the case there is no Morning Show on Tuesday, please tune in on Wednesday at 8:40 a.m. for the announcement!

 

Our Parish for the Week of December 3:

Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Mount Angel

This week we are heading to the beautiful Willamette Valley to Saint Mary’s Parish in Mount Angel! Learn about the community and history of this parish below, and listen to an interview with pastor Fr. Ralph Recker, OSB.

About the Parish

  • Saint Mary’s Parish includes the descendants of the German and Swiss Catholic families who moved or immigrated into the area beginning in 1867, the descendants of Mexican-American / Latino Catholic families who have moved or immigrated there over many years, as well as many individuals and families from other places who now call St. Mary’s their home.
  • The parish’s Benedictine heritage of over 135 years comes from both the Monks of Mount Angel Abbey (from Engelberg Abbey, Switzerland), who were and continue to serve as priests, as well as the Sisters of Queen of Angels Monastery (from Maria Reichenbach Monastery, Switzerland) who have served as teachers in religious education and other ministries. Both of these Benedictine communities have operated schools that educated generations of parishioners. The parish was founded in 1881 with Fr. Adelhelm Odermatt, pastor, and Fr. Nicholas Frei, assistant.
  • St. Mary’s is a vibrant community of committed and active Roman Catholics, with 1182 households and 3871 individuals from around the Willamette Valley. The Sacraments are celebrated in both English and Spanish.
  • The community is often considered “Catholic Central” because of the parish, two Benedictine religious communities, and the Carmelite and Missionaries of the Holy Spirit formation houses – all in a town of about 3000! In addition to these religious orders, St. Mary’s also has a collaborative relationship with other Catholic entities in town, including the Providence Benedictine Nursing Home, St. Joseph Family Shelter & Mission Benedict, Catholic Community Services, the Fr. Bernard Youth Center, and the Chesterton Academy of the Willamette Valley
  • In the spirit of St. Benedict, the parish “welcomes all as Christ” (Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 53,1) to St. Mary’s Parish and for the celebration of the Sacraments, prayer, ongoing faith education opportunities at all age levels, and community involvement.
  • The beautiful Gothic style church is dedicated to Our Lady, with depictions of the life of Mary and and highlights from the life of Jesus shown in the massive stained glass windows.
  • Holy Rosary Mission in Scotts Mills just had their 70th annual pilgrimage on the Feast of the Assumption this past August. Holy Rosary Church is the only place in the Portland Archdiocese that has continuously celebrated an annual pilgrimage since Pope Pius XII declared a Marian year in 1954.

Holy Rosary Mission in Scotts Mills

Parish Activities:

  • Huge Oktoberfest fundraising in the Weingarten, plus volunteers staff the church during the entire festival as guests visit for concerts and tours
  • The parish operates Calvary Cemetery at the edge of town.
  • A very special Mass is held in the Cemetery on Memorial Day accompanied by American Legion, Community Band, and flyover
  • A beautiful Adoration chapel is located behind the church, with Adoration hours on all weekdays
  • Wonderful Corpus Christi procession happens each year around the neighborhood
  • The Annual Giving Tree is happening right now to gather toys in support of St. Joseph Family Shelter
  • Respect Life Committee organizes events like the St. Germaine Pregnancy Center Bottle Drive or trips to the Life Chain in Salem
  • Junior Catholic Daughters is for 1st to 12th grade girls, and involves monthly gatherings, works of charity, helping at auction, bottle drives, and fun activities like bowling.
  • The Catholic Daughters run activities like bake sales, Education contest, and supporting parish activities like Anointing of the Sick potluck.
  • The Knights of Columbus are very involved with activities like Oktoberfest clean up, pancake breakfasts, coats for kids, and collecting food for Mission Benedict at Thanksgiving.
  • Funeral luncheon committee
  • St Anne’s Altar Society manages church needs and raises funds through bake sales.
  • The parish just held their first ACTS Men’s Retreat – Adoration, Community, Theology, Service – put on by parishioners
  • Faith Formation & Sacramental preparation is offered for all ages, as well as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
  • Sunday Coffee & Donuts as well as Saturday Wine & Cheese
  • Fall Festival Auction Dinner
  • All Hallows Eve Carnival with kids dressing up as Saints
  • Anointing of the Sick within Mass, followed by Potluck to support those ill and caregivers
  • Rosary Group
  • Contemplative Spirituality Group

Upcoming Events:

  • Tuesday, December 3, at 7 pm: Reconciliation Service with 14 priests in both English and Spanish
  • Friday, December 6, at 6 pm: St. Nicholas visit – an annual tradition!
  • Monday, December 9: 3 Masses for the Immaculate Conception: English at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Spanish 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 12: Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Novena preceding, Mananitas in the morning and Mass at 7 p.m. with food following.
  • Sunday, December 22 at 5 pm: Lessons and Carols – a very special Advent service!

Liturgies

  • Mass
    • Saturday: 5:30 pm
    • Sunday: 7:30 am, 10:00 am, 12:30 pm Spanish
    • 9:00 am at Holy Rosary Mission IN Scotts Mills, with confessions before
    • Mon – Fri
      • 7:00 am Mass with Morning Prayer at 6:50 am
  • Confession
    • Sunday: 11:30 am to 12:20 pm in Español
    • Saturday: 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Stop during Corpus Christi Procession at Missionaries of the Holy Spirit

History

  • Early Pioneers
    • German Catholic settlers began to influence this area in 1867.
    • Mathias Butsch was the leader and founder of the Catholic community. When he arrived he was so impressed with the area that he immediately advertised through German newspapers this hidden “Paradise of the West.” It wasn’t long before the sound of German became commonplace in the settlement.
    • Around 1880 two big events influenced the growth of the community. One was that the railroad between Portland and Mt. Angel was completed. Second, a small bank of Catholic families built a church in 1881, just a few months before the arrival of Father Adelhelm Odermatt. Fr. Odermatt was commissioned by his Engelberg Abbey in Switzerland to establish a Monastery for his Swiss Community of Benedictine Monks.
    • Father Adelhelm influenced the postmaster to change the town’s name from Filmore to Mt. Angel, (the anglicized name of the Mother Abbey in Switzerland.
    • On November 9, 1886, the Benedictine Sisters, from Maria Richenbach in Germany purchased 23 acres of land on the edge of town and constructed their priory, the first brick building in Mt. Angel.
    • The arrival of the Benedictine monks and sisters had a profound impact on Mt. Angel and the Northwest. The town soon became known as an important agricultural hub and a center of Catholic learning and culture.
  • Era of Contruction
    • Building a church large enough for the rapidly growing community of Mt. Angel was an ongoing problem during the first forty years of St. Mary Parish. The congregation kept outgrowing churches (and a fire happened as well)
    • The Abbey Church became a combined Abbey Parish Church. Having a parish church as part of a monastery was a tradition the Benedictines transplanted from Europe.
    • On June 12, 1910, the cornerstone for this 4th magnificent structure was laid. The church was to be massive, built ornate in the Revival Gothic style with locally produced pressed cement bricks. Its soaring 200-foot bell tower dominates the town, and seen throughout the surrounding countryside for miles.
    • Local parishioners did much of the construction under the direction of Architect Engelbert Gier and his brother Emil. Both brothers were members of the parish who had come originally from Texas.
    • The parishioners hoped to build a church of great beauty that would last for generations to come.
    • Archbishop Alexander Christie blessed the finished church on June 30, 1912, with 26 large stained glass windows. It was a historic day of liturgical and festive celebrations for the 280 parish families of Mt. Angel.
  • Earthquake Changes
    • On March 25, 1993, a violent earthquake of 5.7 magnitudes on the Richter scale shook the Mt. Angel area.
    • It was discovered that structural damage to the church was severe, and it was feared future aftershocks might cause the bell tower or other parts of the church to collapse. Despite this, none of the windows had imploded and that relatively little damage was done to the statues and altar candles.
    • That weekend, parish members found themselves at Mt. Angel’s Oktoberfest building. The stage became the setting for the alter, and Oktoberfest benches formed pews. Parishioners celebrated the Sacred Mysteries within this unusual setting throughout the Lenten / Easter season.
    • Masses were also celebrated at Unger funeral home and parish center while the church was repaired.
    • Restored and renovated church was solemnly dedicated on December 2, 1995. It was a day of liturgical and festive celebrations for the more than 850 parish families of St. Mary’s.

Architecture

  • Sanctuary
    • The cornerstone of this church was laid on June 12, 1910, and the completed church was solemnly blessed on June 30, 1912.
    • Much like the cathedrals of Europe, this church was built by skilled volunteers gifted in various trades. Engelbert Gier, the architect, a parish member, learned his trade in Germany. His brother Emil carved the two large Gothic shrines in the transept. Next, local carpenters and bricklayers built the edifice. Bricks were made on-site with a hand mold that pressed five bricks at a time.
    • The church, designed and built in the Revival Gothic style, is laid out in a Latin Cross. The altar and sanctuary are located at the intersection of this cruciform building. Here the ceiling is painted blue and studded with gold leaf stars. In the German tradition, this is called the “Himmel” or heaven and was designed to focus one’s attention on the altar, the most important piece of furniture in the church.
    • High vaulted ceilings typify the Gothic church’s massive ribs, pointed arches, and tall, slender stained glass windows.
  • Stained Glass Windows
    • There are 22 stained glass windows in the church. They depict the life of Mary and represent highlights from the life of Jesus.
    • The two windows in the church’s apse, on each side of the tabernacle shrine, were made by the Royal Bavarian Glass Works in Munich, Germany, for this church. These windows represented the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God and the Resurrection of the Lord on that first Easter Sunday. They are much like the ‘books ends’ of Redemption history.
    • The two small windows over the north and south side doors represent the Epiphany and Christ’s Agony in the Garden. The latter was the only window to receive serious damage in the 1993 earthquake.
    • The Emil Frei Glass Company made the remaining windows in the church of St. Louis, Missouri. Except for the four in the choir loft, these windows are like snapshots from a family album, documenting the important moments of the life of the Holy Family.
    • In the choir loft are four windows representing the Choir of Angels—these windows are based on Fra’s paintings. Angelico, a Fifteenth Century Franciscan, is perhaps the most photographed in the church.
    • The Emil Frei windows have perfect proportions and perfect form and coloring.
  • Stenciling and Art
    • The stenciling in this church was originally executed by William Kloer, a master German painter from St. Louis, Missouri. So, unfortunately, the Spring Break Earthquake of 1993 damaged the church, and the interior of the Church needed to be completely repainted.
    • High in the nave, where the wall meets the ceiling, are the “Te Deum” Angels, a Latin litany of the hymn of praise written to the Lord in the Fourth Century.
    • Above the tabernacle, the shrine is the classical painting of the Lamb of God. The lilies in the ceiling vaults are allegorical representations of Mary.
    • The ceiling above the altar is painted a deep Marian blue and represents the heavens. Around the windows and arches, strawberries, thistles, and roses are used to remind us of the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries of the Rosary.
    • The tabernacle shrine is a blend of Classical and Baroque styles. This shrine and the two side shrines were saved from the previous church (then used as altars) and were supposed to be eventually replaced with shrines (altars) in the Gothic style. They never were. The tabernacle shrine is a crucifixion group with Jesus on the cross, Mary and John, the Apostle. On either side are statues of St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictines and Father of Western monasticism, and his twin sister St. Scholastica.
    • The Virgin Mary shrine shows Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. She is flanked by two early martyrs, Barbara and Lawrence. On the St. Joseph shrine is St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, flanked by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony of Padua.
    • The two gothic shrines in the transept were carved by Emil Gier and are dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Fatima.

Learn more about the parish on their website!

 

Learn about our past parishes of the week: