About Holy Child · Caliente, Nevada
Holy Child Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Caliente, Nevada, in the rural heart of Lincoln County. It is a mission of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas, originally established in the early twentieth century as an outreach of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Las Vegas and now served by clergy from Sacred Heart Parish in Ely. The parish gathers just a handful of families who worship together in a humble, close-knit setting at Locust and Tennille streets, and its members are widely known in the region for their generous, county-wide outreach to families in need.
- Established
- early 20th century
- Patron
- The Holy Child
- Rector
- Rev. Elias Kabuk
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Las Vegas
Why belong here
Holy Child is a place where 'everyone knows every other person really well,' in the words of longtime parishioner Margaret Buschman. Even though a resident priest is not always available, the small congregation of families keeps the parish alive with a committed Ladies Group that organizes outreach to local families in need, ecumenical holiday gatherings with other Caliente-area churches, and quiet, faithful Sunday worship. For Catholics passing through or living in the Lincoln County corridor — Caliente, Pioche, Panaca — it offers an enduring, family-like parish home.
Mass times at Holy Child
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM (Fourth Sundays, per Discover Mass / Catholic Church Times)
History & Heritage
Holy Child grew out of the Catholic mission work that followed the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad into southern Nevada in the early 1900s. Father E. V. Reynolds, chaplain to the railroad's workers, founded St. Joan of Arc Parish in Las Vegas in 1908 and from there directed a string of missions across the desert — including the Holy Child Mission at Caliente. By the time the Diocese of Reno was established in 1931, Holy Child was already named among the active missions of southern and eastern Nevada. Through the lean years of the twentieth century, the parish survived as a small, family-sized church tended by visiting priests and deeply committed lay families.
- Founded in the early twentieth century as a mission of St. Joan of Arc Parish, Las Vegas.
- Established under the direction of Father E. V. Reynolds, railroad chaplain and founder of St. Joan of Arc (1908).
- Recognized by 1931 as an active mission of southern/eastern Nevada at the creation of the Diocese of Reno.
Clergy & Pastoral Care
Because Holy Child is a small rural mission, it is pastored by clergy based at Sacred Heart Parish in Ely, roughly 110 miles to the north. The current Parochial Administrator, Rev. Elias Kabuk, oversees both parishes. In the fall of 2025 Archbishop George Leo Thomas announced that Father Kabuk would be formally installed as Pastor of Sacred Heart and Holy Child and their missions effective January 1, 2026. The parish also shared a decade of devoted service from the late Deacon Pat FitzSimons, an Irish-born deacon who visited the elderly, served in prison ministry, and fed the poor.
- Parochial Administrator (and now Pastor from Jan. 1, 2026): Rev. Elias Kabuk.
- Served by traveling priests from Sacred Heart, Ely.
- Deacon Pat FitzSimons (1953–2021) — Belfast native, Air Force veteran, served the parish for about ten years.
Community Life & Outreach
Holy Child's small congregation of families has long punched above its weight in local charity. The parish's Ladies Group has organized county-wide collections of blankets, shirts, and backpacks for the homeless, as well as direct financial help for families in need. Father John McShane, who travels the U.S. 93 corridor between Ely and Las Vegas, has described Holy Child's giving as 'a wonderful display of love … hard to express in busy and crowded Las Vegas but easier in rural Nevada.' The parish also joins other Caliente-area churches each Christmas for a shared ecumenical hymn-sing and potluck.
- Ladies Group — coordinates parish outreach and community giving.
- Outreach to homeless and to local families in need.
- Ecumenical Christmas services rotating among Caliente-area churches.
- Ties to Father John McShane's ministry in Las Vegas and along the U.S. 93 corridor.
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Because the parish is served only on the Fourth Sunday of each month, sacramental preparation (baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage) is coordinated through the pastor at Sacred Heart in Ely. Confession is available on the monthly Mass day, and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is available by request through the parish office.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the pastor.
- Marriage — by arrangement with the pastor.
- Confession — Sunday before monthly Mass.
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office.
Visit & Contact
The parish does not maintain an independent website and is listed through the Archdiocese of Las Vegas Parish Finder. Phone calls to the parish office are the best way to confirm Mass times, request sacraments, or reach the pastor.
- Address: 80 Tennille Street, Caliente, NV 89008 (corner of Locust & Tennille).
- Mailing: P.O. Box 748, Caliente, NV 89008-0748.
- Phone: (775) 726-3669.
- Listed in the Archdiocese of Las Vegas Parish Finder: lvcatholic.org/parishfinder.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Elias KabukParochial Administrator; named Pastor effective January 1, 2026
Based at Sacred Heart, Ely; serves Holy Child and the other rural missions.