About Holy Apostles · Meridian, Idaho
Holy Apostles Catholic Parish is a Catholic parish in Meridian, Idaho, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise. It serves the western Treasure Valley with daily and weekend Masses, livestreamed liturgies, a stand-alone Adoration Chapel, faith formation for all ages, and outreach ministries. The parish traces its roots to two predecessor communities — St. Mary's Mission in Eagle (1920) and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Mission in Meridian (1946) — which merged into Holy Apostles and celebrated their first liturgy at the current church at Easter Vigil 2001.
- Established
- 2001
- Patron
- The Holy Apostles (the twelve apostles); name derived from the merger of Holy Spirit parish with St. Matthew's Parish (St. Matthew being one of the twelve apostles)
- Rector
- Fr. Vitalis Onyeama, SMMM
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise
Why belong here
Holy Apostles offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life — daily Mass Monday through Friday, four Sunday Masses, a First Saturday Mass, and livestreamed liturgies — anchored by a strong Adoration ministry (with a stand-alone Adoration Chapel). Families can grow together through the HOAP Youth Ministry (Life Teen and Edge programs for middle and high school), Confirmation preparation, RCIA and adult faith formation, while the parish reaches out through the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Bereavement Ministry, and assisted-living communion visits. The parish community is grounded in more than a century of Catholic history in the Treasure Valley, from the 1920 St. Mary's Mission in Eagle to today's combined parish on Meridian Road.
Mass times at Holy Apostles
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
- Tuesdays 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (per Mass Times page)
- Daily (per Mass Times page)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel on the parish campus (stand-alone chapel approved June 2006) — schedule posted on parish website
Parish History
Holy Apostles Catholic Parish is the product of a planned merger carried out under the Diocese of Boise's 'Vitality Project' of the mid-1990s. Its genealogy stretches back to 1920, when Bishop Daniel Mary Gorman purchased a house in Eagle, Idaho, that became St. Mary's Catholic Mission. A parallel Catholic community grew in Meridian, where 32 families petitioned Bishop Edward Kelly for a local parish in 1941; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Catholic Mission was dedicated on December 8, 1946. The mission was renamed Holy Spirit Catholic Church on January 29, 1974. In 1998, Holy Spirit and St. Matthew's (Eagle) were renamed Holy Apostles South and North, and the merger was completed at Easter Vigil 2001, with Bishop Michael P. Driscoll formally dedicating the new church on June 6, 2001.
- 1920 — St. Mary's Catholic Mission established in Eagle, Idaho
- 1937 — St. Mary's Church built on Eagle Road (108 seats)
- 1941 — 32 Meridian Catholic families petition Bishop Kelly for a parish
- 1946 — St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Catholic Mission dedicated December 8 (240 seats)
- 1966 — Meridian formally established as a parish (no longer a mission)
- 1971 — St. Mary's Mission in Eagle renamed St. Matthew's Parish
- 1974 — St. Frances Xavier Cabrini renamed Holy Spirit Catholic Church (January 29)
- 1993–94 — New St. Matthew's church built in Eagle
- 1998 — Holy Apostles North (Eagle) and Holy Apostles South (Meridian) formed under Father Timothy Ritchey
- 2000 — Groundbreaking January 29 with Bishop Michael Driscoll
- 2001 — First Mass at Easter Vigil (April 14); church dedicated June 6 by Bishop Driscoll
- 2006 — Stand-alone Adoration Chapel approved
Clergy and Staff
Holy Apostles is served by a pastor from the Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy (SMMM) religious order and two permanent deacons of the Diocese of Boise. The pastor arrived in the United States in 2018 and was appointed to Holy Apostles in July 2021.
- Fr. Vitalis Onyeama, SMMM — Pastor (since July 2021); from Enugu State, Nigeria; ordained 2010; previously Parochial Vicar at St. Mark's Catholic Community, Boise
- Deacon Tom Blazek — ordained October 15, 2016 for the Diocese of Boise; serves EMHC training, communion at assisted-living facilities, St. Vincent de Paul, and Bereavement Ministry
- Deacon Bill Bieker — ordained September 28, 2019 for the Diocese of Boise
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry (HOAP Youth)
HOAP Youth Ministry helps teens, with family support, grow in faith and love of Christ and the Catholic Church. The ministry meets Wednesday evenings from 7:00–8:30 PM, September through May, following the Gather, Proclaim, Break, and Send model of the Mass. Confirmation preparation is offered under Diocese of Boise guidelines, with Fall and Spring class options each year.
- High School (9th–12th): Life Teen program; meets in the gym
- Middle School (6th–8th): Life Teen Edge program; meets in the dining room
- Confirmation prep: $50 fee plus active youth ministry participation; classes on 1st Sunday of the month, 2–4 PM, following the 1:00 PM Mass
- Safe-environment certified CORE team leads small groups
- Contact: [email protected] or 208-888-1182 ext. 426
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Holy Apostles supports a wide range of parish ministries and outreach efforts, from liturgical service to corporal works of mercy. The Knights of Columbus (Holy Apostles Council) is chartered locally, and the parish partners with St. Vincent de Paul for charity work. Deacons and lay ministers bring Communion to assisted-living residents, and a Bereavement Ministry accompanies families in loss.
- Knights of Columbus (Holy Apostles Council)
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Bereavement Ministry
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) and EMHC training
- Communion services at assisted-living facilities
- Religious education for children
- RCIA / adult faith formation
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Reconciliation is regularly available, with scheduled times on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday afternoons, and daily as posted. Confirmation preparation follows the Diocese of Boise's guidelines and is coordinated through HOAP Youth Ministry.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Communion — via religious education program
- Confirmation — Diocese of Boise guidelines; classes offered Fall and Spring
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 4:30–5:30 PM; Tuesdays 4:00–5:00 PM
- Matrimony — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Visit Us / Contact
The parish office is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday (MST), and can be reached at (208) 888-1182. The church sits on the southeast corner of Meridian Road and Chinden Blvd (US Highway 20/26) in Meridian, with a 'Get Directions' link available on the parish website.
- Address: 6300 N Meridian Rd, Meridian, ID 83646
- Mailing: PO Box 708, Meridian, ID 83680
- Phone: (208) 888-1182
- Parish Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Mon–Fri (MST)
- Intersection: Meridian Rd & Chinden Blvd (Hwy 20/26)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Timothy Ritchey1994–2001+
Appointed pastor of Holy Spirit in Meridian in 1994; led the merger with St. Matthew's (Eagle) in 1998 as Holy Apostles South/North; oversaw construction and was pastor at the 2001 dedication of Holy Apostles Catholic Church.
- Father Douglas Riffle1982–1994
Appointed pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Meridian upon Father Halpin's retirement in January 1982; retired June 1994.
- Father Thomas Halpin1970–1982
Pastored Meridian parish; oversaw construction of church buildings; retired January 1982.
- Father Francis McGlinchey1963–1970
First resident priest of the Meridian community.