About Mater Dolorosa Mission · Porterville, California
Mater Dolorosa Mission is a Catholic mission church of the Diocese of Fresno located on the Tule River Indian Reservation near Porterville, California. It is one of five worship sites that make up Saint Anne's Parish, serving the communities of Porterville, Terra Bella, Springville, the Tule River Reservation, Ducor, and Woodville. Dedicated to the Sorrowful Mother (Our Lady of Sorrows), it ministers primarily to Native American (Yokuts) Catholics of the Tule River Indian Tribe and offers a weekly Sunday Mass.
- Established
- 1930
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa)
- Rector
- Pastoral care is administered through Saint Anne's Parish, Porterville. As of late 2023, Monsignor Scott Daugherty retired as Pastor of Saint Anne's Parish (which includes Mater Dolorosa Mission). Current pastor (post-November 2023) is not verified.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
Mater Dolorosa Mission serves a unique and culturally significant Catholic community — the Yokuts people of the Tule River Indian Reservation — and provides a welcoming Sunday Mass (currently 1:00 PM in English) for residents and visitors to the reservation. As part of Saint Anne's Parish, it connects worshippers with a broader Catholic family that includes Saint Anne's Church, Holy Cross Church, Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro Mission (Terra Bella), and St. Maximilian Kolbe Mission (Springville), together with regional ministries such as Saint Anne's Food Bank, religious education, youth ministry, hospital/homebound ministry, and the chaplaincy at the Porterville Developmental Center.
Mass times at Mater Dolorosa Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Refer to Saint Anne's Parish reconciliation schedule at https://stannesparish.com/reconciliation-confession
Adoration times
- Adoration at Saint Anne's Church: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Holy Hour at Holy Cross Church: Wednesdays, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
About Mater Dolorosa Mission
Mater Dolorosa Mission is a Catholic mission church of the Diocese of Fresno located on the Tule River Indian Reservation in Tulare County, California. The mission is part of Saint Anne's Parish in Porterville, which serves five worship sites — St. Anne's Church, Holy Cross Church, Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro Mission (Terra Bella), St. Maximilian Kolbe Mission (Springville), and Mater Dolorosa Mission (Tule River Reservation). The mission offers a weekly Sunday Mass for the Yokuts (Tule River Indian Tribe) Catholic community and surrounding visitors.
- Type: Mission Church (Diocese of Fresno)
- Mission of: Saint Anne's Parish, Porterville
- Established: 1930 (per GCatholic)
- Address: 186 N Reservation Rd., Tule River Indian Reservation, CA 93257
- Phone: (559) 784-2800
History
The mission's history reaches back to at least 1910, when the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions began documenting Catholic ministry at the Tule River Reservation. GCatholic records 1930 as the founding date of the church building itself. From its inception, the mission has served the Yokuts Catholic community under the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno (later the Diocese of Fresno after 1967). It has been administered for decades by the pastor and staff of Saint Anne's Parish in Porterville.
- 1910: Earliest BCIM record of Catholic mission to Tule River Reservation (Mater Dolorosa Mission)
- 1915, 1927, 1931–1933, 1935–1961: Continued mission reports on file at Marquette University archives
- 1930: Founding year recorded by GCatholic
- 1967: Mater Dolorosa Mission transferred to the newly re-erected Diocese of Fresno
- 1976: Additional BCIM records on file
- Late 2010s–2023: Served under Monsignor Scott Daugherty as Pastor of Saint Anne's Parish
- November 2023: Monsignor Daugherty retires from Saint Anne's pastorate
Sacraments
Sacraments are administered through Saint Anne's Parish, which oversees Mater Dolorosa Mission. The parish provides Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist, Matrimony preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation. Homebound and hospital visits are also available.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Holy Communion
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession) — schedule at stannesparish.com/reconciliation-confession
Parish Ministries & Outreach
As part of Saint Anne's Parish, Mater Dolorosa Mission's worshippers benefit from a robust network of parish ministries. Monsignor Daugherty highlighted Saint Anne's Food Bank (serving hundreds of families monthly), religious education at all age levels, youth ministry, hospital and homebound ministry, and the chaplaincy at the Porterville Developmental Center.
- Saint Anne's Food Bank (community outreach)
- Religious education (children and adult)
- Youth ministry
- Hospital and homebound ministry
- Porterville Developmental Center chaplaincy
- Lay ministry (~hundreds of lay ministers parish-wide)
- Two priests and four deacons assist the pastor
Clergy & Staff
Mater Dolorosa Mission is shepherded by the pastor of Saint Anne's Parish. Monsignor Scott Daugherty served as pastor and retired in November 2023. The parish team includes two additional priests, four deacons, and several hundred lay ministers serving roughly 4,000 families across the five worship sites.
- Monsignor Scott Daugherty — Pastor (retired November 2023)
- Two additional priests (not named in available sources)
- Four deacons (not named in available sources)
- Several hundred lay ministers
Visiting & Location
The mission is located on the Tule River Indian Reservation, approximately 13 miles east of downtown Porterville via Reservation Road off SR 190. Visitors should be respectful of tribal lands and protocols. Call the parish office at (559) 784-2800 for guidance on visiting or attending Mass.
- Address: 186 N Reservation Rd., Tule River Indian Reservation, CA 93257
- Phone: (559) 784-2800
- Approx. 13 miles east of Porterville
- Sunday Mass: 1:00 PM English
- Parish website: http://www.stannesparish.com/mater-dolorosa-mission
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Scott DaughertyRetired November 2023
Pastor of Saint Anne's Parish which oversees Mater Dolorosa Mission. Quoted in local press saying: 'I am the Pastor of Saint Anne's Parish, and its Missions... There are two other priests, four deacons and a few hundred lay ministers. We have approximately 4,000 families in the parish.'