A History of St. Mary’s Catholic Church

From the First Mass in the Hood River Valley to a Growing Parish Community

The Beginning of the Catholic Church in Hood River

The history of the Catholic Church in the Hood River Valley dates back to 1880, when pioneer Peter Mohr homesteaded in the valley. The first Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Gross of Portland in a small block house on the Mohr ranch. As the Catholic population grew to approximately twenty people, the small community began planning for a permanent church in Hood River.

The First St. Mary’s Church

In 1905, the parish built its first permanent church, a wooden structure at 7th and Montello Street, with a debt of $557.35. The first Mass at this location was celebrated on September 9, 1906. A missionary priest stationed in The Dalles traveled to Hood River once a month to celebrate Mass for approximately 35 parishioners. Between 1905 and 1917, nine different Franciscan Fathers served the church.

As the congregation grew to approximately 80 members, the original wooden church was physically moved to the south side of Montello Street in 1910. Important sacramental milestones were also taking place. The first Holy Communion was celebrated on June 7, 1908, when four children received the sacrament. In 1912, the first marriage ceremony was celebrated. That same period also saw a temporary Catholic chapel erected in Parkdale because travel to Hood River for Mass was difficult for parishioners living in the Upper Valley.

A New Home on Belmont Road

St. Mary’s continued to grow while remaining in the original wooden church. A major turning point came when Anna Franks donated ten acres of land on Belmont Road. Her gift made it possible for the parish eventually to build St. Mary’s Church on the site it occupies today.

Following the death of Mary Mohr, wife of Peter Mohr, the present Catholic cemetery off Tucker Road was purchased by the Knights of Pythias using money donated to the church by the Mohr family.

Building the 1952 Church

In 1951, the parish decided to build a new church and launched a fundraising drive. This effort also began what became the annual sausage sale, starting with a sausage and sauerkraut dinner. The existing St. Mary’s Church was completed in 1952. The historical record does not include the original construction cost or the amount of debt incurred.

Visiting priests continued to serve Hood River until the parish built the current rectory in 1958. It was designed with three separate apartments for priests, a housekeeper, and office space. In 1959, the parish added the CCD Building to accommodate religious education and the possibility of a future Catholic school.

A Parish Connected to the Community

In 1961, St. Mary’s began sharing part of its considerable property with the wider Hood River community by allowing Hood River Little League to use parish land for baseball at no cost. According to the parish history, that long-standing agreement continued for 65 years.

The 1980 Remodel

By the late 1970s, the parish had again outgrown its worship space. In 1979, Father Conway wrote to the bishop explaining that the church was too small and needed to be remodeled. In 1980, St. Mary’s was remodeled and modernized to better serve approximately 400 families.

Although the remodel updated the church, the building’s footprint did not change and very few additional seats were added. The maximum occupancy in 1980 was 290 people.

Continued Growth

The parish continued to expand rapidly. By 1992, St. Mary’s had grown to approximately 550 families. By 1996, that number had increased to 706 families, and by 2010 the parish had reached approximately 950 families.

This sustained growth ultimately sparked a new campaign to create a larger church. Design and planning began in 2011 and continued for years. After considering different possibilities, the parish decided to preserve the existing church and enlarge it rather than replace it.

Preserving the Past While Building for the Future

After fourteen years of planning, fundraising, and perseverance, the parish completed a transformation that blended the old church with the new. The decision reflected both financial realities and the wishes of parishioners, while preserving the history and identity of St. Mary’s.

The renewed church now seats approximately 520 people and, according to the parish history, is the largest church in Hood River. From a first Mass celebrated in a small block house in 1880 to a thriving parish worshiping in an expanded church today, the history of St. Mary’s is a story of faith, growth, generosity, and commitment across generations.

A parish built by generations of faith, generosity, and community.

Prepared from “History of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hood River, OR,” submitted by Mike Schend.

A History of the Remodel of St. Mary’s Church

From a Parish Dream to a Renewed Home of Worship

The Beginning of a Long Journey

The story of the remodel of St. Mary’s Church began in 2011, when discussions about the future of the parish church led to the formation of a parish building committee. Fundraising began in 2012. What was initially imagined as a four- or five-year project ultimately became a journey of nearly fifteen years, including approximately ten and a half months of construction.

Over the years, approximately 50 people served on the building committee. The project continued through changes in parish leadership and through years of planning, fundraising, design work, financial challenges, city requirements, and construction decisions.

Preserving the Church While Preparing for the Future

During the planning process, the parish considered various architectural designs and concepts. After many meetings and discussions, the decision was made not to replace the beloved church, but instead to preserve it, expand it, and make it better suited to serve the growing parish community.

The parish worked with two architects before finding designer Breff McLaughlin of McLaughlin Design and Construction. His design, developed in close collaboration with the building committee over many years, became the vision for the remodeled church.

Former pastor Father Ron Maag played an important role at the beginning of the project. After his retirement, Father Tomy continued that vision with renewed energy. Among Father Tomy’s lasting contributions are the design of the altar and ambo. Their images were laser printed on abalone and came from the Middle East.

The Challenge of Funding the Remodel

Financing was one of the project’s greatest challenges. Inflation, city requirements, and the desire to accomplish more than the available budget allowed repeatedly affected the plans. The project moved forward because parishioners and supporters continued to believe in the vision and contribute to it year after year.

For approximately fourteen and a half years, donations were counted and recorded every week. Elizabeth Spiker, a member of the building committee, worked alongside the project leadership for more than 2,000 hours handling cash and checks. Other supporters, including Elizabeth Gauvin, contributed faithfully over many years.

Joni and Don Walker helped launch the fundraising campaign and gave the project early momentum. Don also built a platform and pedestal for the Tabernacle; his work remains at the heart of the sanctuary beneath its white marble finish.

Creating the New Sanctuary

The remodeled sanctuary was shaped by extraordinary generosity. George and Linda Johnson funded the large stained-glass windows that now form a focal point of the church. The three windows depict the Lamb of God, the Risen Christ, and an angel kneeling before the open tomb. The windows are backlit rather than illuminated by exterior daylight.

Mike and Sharron Foss helped fund the ceramic tile in the sanctuary. Art and Dianna Carroll were also major donors whose generosity made a lasting impact on the project.

Many parishioners and local craftsmen contributed their expertise and labor. Juan Villegas and his crew from Villegas Painting painted the interior and exterior of the church, using more than 120 gallons of paint and saving the parish tens of thousands of dollars. Ruben Valle of Natural Art Stone Work and his crew donated their time and many of the materials used for the sanctuary’s tile and stone work. Alex Marquez and his crew from Jack of All Trades completed the roof.

From Plans to Construction

City requirements eventually made it necessary to bring in an architect who could approve the plans and make required code adjustments. Erik Mathews of EM Architecture filled that role. When the parish lost its original contractor just as construction was ready to begin, Mathews recommended Artis Builds.

Artis Builds developed a budget the parish could work with and moved quickly enough for construction to begin on schedule. Owner Brett McCoy worked to make the project financially possible and assembled a strong group of subcontractors. Site supervisor Pat Letcher worked closely with parish leadership throughout the construction. Eric Walker contributed important expertise in building codes and regulations, while Jim Dummer stepped in wherever needed to keep the project moving.

Keeping the Heart of the Old Church

An important goal of the remodel was to incorporate pieces of the old church into the renewed space. The new traditional Catholic-style confessional contains three wooden symbols that once formed part of the back wall of the original 1952 sanctuary. That wall had been covered during the church’s 1980 modernization and had remained hidden for 46 years. The historic sections were saved and installed on the doors of the new confessional.

Four small stained-glass windows also received a second life. They had been donated years earlier by a parishioner who was moving away. The windows were badly deteriorated, with missing glass and damaged sections, but they were approximately 225 years old and had originally come from a Catholic church on the East Coast that had been demolished. Hogan Studios in California, which also made the new stained-glass windows, was able to restore them for use in St. Mary’s.

A Larger Church for Future Generations

The completed remodel dramatically increased the capacity of St. Mary’s. The church grew from approximately 290 seats to more than 520, eliminating the need for chairs in the aisles and for parishioners to stand during crowded celebrations.

The result is more than an expanded building. It is a renewed place of worship created through years of prayer, generosity, perseverance, volunteer service, professional skill, and commitment from the entire community. The remodel preserved meaningful pieces of St. Mary’s history while creating a beautiful and functional church for generations to come.

A new St. Mary’s with the heart of the old church. The remodeled Church Blessing and Reopening took place September 27, 2026 @ 3 p.m. by Most Reverend Thomas Hennen, Bishop of the Diocese of Baker. Most Reverend Liam Cary, Bishop Emerius of the Diocese of Baker was also present.

Prepared from the 2026 Consecration Mass speech documenting the history and contributors to the St. Mary’s remodel, submitted by Make Schend.