About Holy Family · Fort Rock, Oregon
Holy Family Catholic Church is a small rural Catholic mission church located at 57255 Fort Rock Road in Fort Rock, Oregon, in the high desert of Lake County. It is one of four mission churches served by Holy Redeemer Parish in La Pine, which together cover more than 10,000 square miles of central Oregon under the Diocese of Baker. The parish — also known as Holy Family Catholic Church of Christmas Valley — is incorporated as a domestic nonprofit in Oregon and gathers most Sundays for a single 3:30 PM Mass celebrated by the pastor of Holy Redeemer, who drives the long rural circuit linking the four churches of the family.
- Patron
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Antao, SDB
- Diocese
- Diocese of Baker
Why belong here
Holy Family is the Sunday Mass home for Catholics living across the Fort Rock / Christmas Valley high desert — a place where the nearest parish can be more than an hour away. The parish welcomes visitors, seasonal residents, and full-time ranching families to its single weekly Sunday liturgy at 3:30 PM, with the sacrament of Reconciliation offered beforehand from 2:50 to 3:15 PM. Because it is one mission of Holy Redeemer Parish, parishioners are linked into the broader Catholic life of central Oregon — including faith formation, RCIA, and sacramental preparation coordinated through the La Pine parish office.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 2:50 PM – 3:15 PM (before the 3:30 PM Mass at Holy Family, Fort Rock)
About Holy Family Catholic Church — Fort Rock, Oregon
Holy Family Catholic Church is a small rural Catholic mission church serving the Fort Rock / Christmas Valley area of central Oregon. It sits at 57255 Fort Rock Road, Fort Rock, OR 97735, in Lake County, in the high desert south of La Pine. The parish is a mission of Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish in La Pine and belongs to the Diocese of Baker. The mailing address and parish office are coordinated through Holy Redeemer, PO Box 299, La Pine, OR 97739.
- Mailing address: 57255 Fort Rock Rd, Fort Rock, OR 97735
- Parish office / phone: (541) 536-3571 (via Holy Redeemer Parish, La Pine)
- Diocese: Diocese of Baker (chancery at 641 SW Umatilla Ave, Redmond, OR 97756)
- Bishop of Baker: Most Reverend Liam Cary
Parish History and Mission Status
Holy Family was established to serve the Catholic faithful scattered across the Christmas Valley / Fort Rock basin, one of the most sparsely populated corners of the Diocese of Baker. It is incorporated in Oregon as 'Holy Family Catholic Church of Christmas Valley, Inc.' (Oregon Domestic Nonprofit Corporation, Registry #10722890), registered October 8, 2002, with the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Baker as the corporate member of record. Lay leadership is provided by a president and secretary (Paul Antao and Michael House). From the start the church has functioned as a mission rather than an independent parish: it shares its resident pastor with Holy Redeemer, La Pine and the two other mission churches of Sunriver and Gilchrist. By 2018 this circuit was already a roughly 500-mile Sunday drive for the pastor, and it remains so today.
- Incorporated: October 8, 2002 (Oregon Secretary of State Registry #10722890)
- Corporate entity: Holy Family Catholic Church of Christmas Valley, Inc.
- Mission of: Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish, La Pine
- Past pastor known from diocesan records: Rev. Jose Thomas Mudakodiyil (transferred July 2025)
- Current pastor: Rev. Paul Antao, SDB (Salesians of Don Bosco)
Pastor and Clergy
Holy Family is served by the pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, La Pine. The current pastor is Rev. Paul Antao, SDB — a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco — who was assigned by the Diocese of Baker to lead Holy Redeemer and its mission churches including Holy Family. He succeeds Rev. Jose Thomas Mudakodiyil, who served Holy Redeemer (and therefore Holy Family) before being transferred in July 2025 to become pastor of St. Mary's Church in Pendleton.
- Pastor: Rev. Paul Antao, SDB
- Religious order: Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)
- Diocese of Baker listing: Pastor – Holy Redeemer Church, La Pine; Mission – Holy Family, Christmas Valley
- Former pastor at this mission: Rev. Jose Thomas Mudakodiyil (now pastor, St. Mary's, Pendleton)
Holy Redeemer Parish Family of Churches
Holy Family is one of four churches that together make up Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish in La Pine, Oregon. According to the parish's own description, Holy Redeemer 'is located in the heart of Central Oregon. It covers over 10,000 square miles and is comprised of four churches.' Parishioners at Holy Family are full members of this family of missions, sharing in its sacramental and faith-formation life.
- Holy Redeemer Catholic Church — La Pine (16137 Burgess Rd, La Pine, OR 97739)
- Holy Trinity Catholic Church — Sunriver (18143 Cottonwood Rd, Sunriver, OR 97777)
- Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church — Gilchrist (120 Mississippi Dr, Gilchrist, OR 97739)
- Holy Family Catholic Church — Fort Rock / Christmas Valley (57255 Fort Rock Rd, Fort Rock, OR 97735)
Diocese of Baker
Holy Family is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker, a mission diocese covering a vast area of central and eastern Oregon. The diocesan chancery is now administered from Redmond, Oregon (641 SW Umatilla Ave, Redmond, OR 97756). The diocese is led by Bishop Most Reverend Liam Cary and is served by an international clergy including priests from Oregon, Ireland, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, India, Poland, Argentina, the Philippines, and Mexico.
- Diocese: Diocese of Baker
- Bishop: Most Reverend Liam Cary
- Chancery: 641 SW Umatilla Ave, Redmond, OR 97756
- Parish Finder reference: 'Fort Rock/Christmas Valley – Holy Family Church'
Practical Information for Visitors
Holy Family is a quiet, rural Sunday worship site. Visitors should plan to arrive in time for confession at 2:50 PM and stay through the 3:30 PM Sunday Mass. The parish office is administered through Holy Redeemer in La Pine; the easiest way to confirm times or arrange sacraments is to call the parish phone number listed below.
- Address: 57255 Fort Rock Rd, Fort Rock, OR 97735
- Phone: (541) 536-3571
- Website: https://holyredeemerparish.net/
- Diocesan parish finder: https://dioceseofbaker.org/parishfinder
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jose Thomas MudakodiyilPrior pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish / Holy Family mission (transferred July 2025)
Indian-born priest from Kerala, ordained 2002; served Holy Redeemer and its three mission churches (Sunriver, Gilchrist, Christmas Valley/Fort Rock) before becoming pastor of St. Mary's, Pendleton in July 2025. Now leads Jubilee Year pilgrimages from Pendleton.
- Rev. Paul Antao, SDBCurrent pastor (as of diocesan clergy listing)
Member of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB). Listed by the Diocese of Baker as Pastor of Holy Redeemer, La Pine, with Holy Family (Christmas Valley/Fort Rock) as one of his missions.