About Assumption of Mary · Tomales, California
The Church of the Assumption of Mary (often simply 'Church of the Assumption') is a small rural Roman Catholic parish in the tiny town of Tomales, on Highway 1 in western Marin County, California. Founded in 1860, it is the northernmost parish in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and serves both Tomales and, through its mission, St. Helen Mission in nearby Marshall. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in English and Spanish, and continues to gather in the original 1860 redwood-frame Carpenter Gothic church that has been in continuous use for more than 165 years.
- Established
- 1860
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Juan Manuel Lopez (Administrator) — per Archdiocese of San Francisco listings; the parish's own website still lists Fr. Shouraiah Pudota (ordained 1979, now retired and living independently in India per the 2026 Archdiocesan directory).
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco (the parish is the northernmost parish in the Archdiocese)
Why belong here
Assumption of Mary is a small, welcoming bilingual parish where generations of West Marin ranching and dairy families have worshipped since 1860. Visitors are invited into a remarkable piece of living California history — the original 1860 redwood church — for a Mass schedule that offers both English and Spanish every weekend (Saturday evening in Spanish, two Sunday Masses), plus daily noon Mass Monday through Wednesday and a Faith Formation program for children. Whether you are a year-round resident of Tomales or a visitor to the Point Reyes coast, you'll find a down-to-earth Catholic community rooted in the rural West Marin way of life.
Mass times at Assumption of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before all Masses (Sacrament of Penance)
- Sunday 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
History of the Parish
The Church of the Assumption of Mary is one of the oldest parishes on the Marin County coast, founded in 1860 on land donated by pioneer John Keys. Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany, the first Archbishop of San Francisco, dedicated the parish on March 8, 1860, with the Rev. Louis Rossi serving as first pastor. The original redwood-frame church was built in the Carpenter's Gothic style by contractors Peter Morrissey and Andrew Fisher at a cost of $4,000. The first baptism in the parish took place within six months of dedication.
- March 8, 1860 — Parish dedicated by Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany
- First pastor: Rev. Louis Rossi, who rode from Healdsburg on horseback
- Land donated by Tomales pioneer John Keys
- 1860 redwood-frame Carpenter Gothic church is the building still in use today
The Stone Church of 1899–1901 and the 1906 Earthquake
By the late 1890s the congregation had outgrown the original redwood church. A larger stone church, designed by San Francisco architect Frank T. Shea of the firm Shea and Shea, was begun in 1897 during the pastorate of Father John Rogers. The cornerstone was laid on July 30, 1899 and the church was completed in 1901, with walls of San Rafael blue sandstone above Rocky Canyon basalt foundations, a tiled roof and a prominent Italian Romanesque corner campanile. Less than five years after its dedication, the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906 collapsed the new church's masonry walls completely. Parishioners returned to the older redwood-frame church, whose flexible wooden framing had survived even though its foundation was damaged; that 1860 building has been in continuous use ever since.
- Architect: Frank T. Shea, Shea and Shea, San Francisco
- Cornerstone laid July 30, 1899; completed 1901
- Destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
- Marble baptismal font and Mary-and-Child statue were rescued from the ruins
Architecture and Interior
The historic 1860 redwood-frame building continues to serve as the parish church. Inside, a plastered ceiling spans the nave, with seven colorful stained-glass windows on each side and three graceful cut-crystal chandeliers hanging from above. The windows installed during the 1920s show the influence of Tiffany Glass. The white marble baptismal font, originally housed in the 1899–1901 stone church, was retrieved from the ruins and brought back into use, along with a marble statue of Mary holding the Christ Child.
- Style: Carpenter Gothic (1860 redwood frame)
- Seven stained-glass windows on each side
- Three cut-crystal chandeliers
- Tiffany-influenced 1920s stained glass
- Marble baptismal font rescued from the destroyed stone church
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish's own website lists Fr. Shouraiah Pudota as pastor and shows him in active ministry; however, the 2026 Archdiocese of San Francisco directory records him as retired (ordained 1979) and living independently in India. The current administrator of the parish, per the Archdiocese and joinmychurch.com listings, is Fr. Juan Manuel Lopez. The parish also has a long history with the late Fr. Robert K. White, who served Tomales in both English and Spanish before being assigned to St. Anthony of Padua in Novato and chaplaincy work; he died peacefully on February 5, 2024.
- Fr. Juan Manuel Lopez — Administrator
- Fr. Shouraiah Pudota — listed as pastor on parish website; retired per 2026 Archdiocese directory
- Fr. Robert K. White (1935–2024) — long-time Tomales pastor who also served as US Coast Guard chaplain
- First pastor Rev. Louis Rossi (1860)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish runs a Faith Formation program for children on Sunday mornings from 8:30 to 11:00 AM, fitting conveniently between the bilingual Sunday Masses.
- Faith Formation Sundays 8:30–11:00 AM
Bilingual Community (English & Spanish)
Like many coastal California parishes, Assumption of Mary is a bilingual community. Mass is celebrated in Spanish on Saturday evening and one of the two Sunday Masses, and in English on the other Sunday Mass, with the daily noon Masses open to all. This reflects the changing demographics of West Marin's ranching and dairy communities.
- Saturday Spanish Mass
- Two Sunday Masses — one English, one Spanish
- Weekday noon Mass Monday–Wednesday
St. Helen Mission, Marshall
The parish jointly serves St. Helen Mission in nearby Marshall, a small church set above town on the Marshall-Petaluma Road hill, built c. 1915 in a Craftsman-influenced style. The mission is part of the same pastoral assignment as the Church of the Assumption in Tomales.
- St. Helen Mission, Marshall (10000 Marshall-Petaluma Road)
- Built c. 1915, Craftsman style
- Same pastor/priests serve Assumption of Mary and St. Helen's
Tomales Catholic Cemetery
Although the parish is named for the Assumption church on Highway 1, its Catholic cemetery is located separately, about one mile west of Tomales near the corner of Dillon Beach Road and Middle Road. It is maintained as part of the parish's ministry to its community.
- Located about 1 mile west of Tomales, near Dillon Beach Rd & Middle Rd
- Facebook presence maintained at Tomales Catholic Cemetery
Patronal Feast of the Assumption
Each year on the Solemnity of the Assumption (August 15) the parish celebrates its patronal feast in honor of the Blessed Mother. In 2024, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone joined Fr. Juan Manuel Lopez for the celebration. The day begins with a procession from the center of town carrying a statue of Our Lady of the Assumption to the church, where the Archbishop leads prayers and blesses the people with holy water, followed by Mass.
- Patronal feast: August 15 — Solemnity of the Assumption
- Procession from center of Tomales to the church
- Archbishop Cordileone joined in 2024; reception with songs and traditional dances from the Yucatán Peninsula
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis Rossi1860
First pastor; rode on horseback from Healdsburg to preach at the new Tomales parish.
- Rev. John Rogerslate 1890s
Pastor during whose tenure the larger stone church was built and dedicated in 1899/1901.
- Rev. Robert K. White
Long-time pastor who led Mass in both English and Spanish; later served at St. Anthony of Padua in Novato and as Coast Guard chaplain. Born in San Francisco in 1935, ordained 1961; died peacefully Feb 5, 2024.
- Fr. Shouraiah Pudota
Ordained 1979 in the Archdiocese of San Francisco; served the Tomales parish and St. Helen Mission in Marshall. Now retired and living independently in India (per 2026 Archdiocese directory).
- Fr. Juan Manuel Lopez
Current Administrator of the parish.