About Our Lady of the Assumption · Cashmere, Washington
Our Lady of the Assumption (Nuestra Señora de la Asunción) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Yakima serving the Upper Wenatchee Valley in north-central Washington. It was formed in 2017 by the merger of two historic parishes — St. Francis Xavier in Cashmere (founded 1873) and Our Lady of the Snows in Leavenworth (built 1991) — and is pastored by Rev. Miguel González. After years of operating out of the former Cashmere church, the unified community dedicated a brand-new $6.6 million church in Peshastin on the Feast of the Assumption, August 14, 2025, with capacity for more than 400 worshippers and seating for 425. Mass is celebrated in both English and Spanish, reflecting the parish's growing Latino Catholic community in the Cashmere–Leavenworth–Peshastin corridor.
- Established
- 2017
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Miguel González
- Diocese
- Diocese of Yakima
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Assumption is the spiritual home of English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics across the Upper Wenatchee Valley — Cashmere, Leavenworth, Peshastin and Dryden — united under one roof in a brand-new 425-seat church dedicated in August 2025. The parish celebrates Mass six days a week in both languages, offers Saturday confessions, weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, and live-streams its liturgies on Facebook and YouTube so that homebound parishioners can stay connected. Its mission — 'As one family of faith, we are called to celebrate the presence of God in the Sacred Scriptures and throughout the sacramental life of the Church' — is lived out through Hispanic Ministry, religious education, youth ministry, finance and pastoral councils, RCIA, and active scouting; parishioners who join today are literally part of a decades-long dream realized at last.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Thursday 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM (concluding before the 6:00 PM Spanish Mass)
Our Story — From Two Parishes to One New Church
Catholic life in this stretch of the Wenatchee Valley began with Fr. Charles Pandosy's log mission near Cashmere in 1860 and was formalized when St. Francis Xavier parish was established in Cashmere in 1873 (its current church was built in 1913). To the east, Leavenworth's Catholic community traces back to St. Joseph's Mission in 1903, and a new church — Our Lady of the Snows — was built in 1991. By the mid-2010s both buildings were aging and neither parish could afford the repairs or new construction needed on its own. In 2016 Rev. Miguel González was assigned as pastor of both communities, and on November 15, 2017, Bishop Joseph J. Tyson announced the two parishes would merge under a new name, Our Lady of the Assumption, with a central church to be built roughly between the towns.
- 1860 — Fr. Charles Pandosy builds a log mission near Cashmere.
- 1873 — St. Francis Xavier parish established at Cashmere.
- 1903 — St. Joseph's Catholic mission opens in Leavenworth.
- 1913 — St. Francis Xavier church built in Cashmere.
- 1991 — Our Lady of the Snows church built in Leavenworth.
- August 8, 2016 — Rev. Miguel González assigned pastor of both parishes.
- November 15, 2017 — Diocese of Yakima announces merger into Our Lady of the Assumption.
- Spring 2024 — Construction begins on the new Peshastin church ($6.6 million, MJ Neal Associates + Apollo).
- August 14, 2025 — Bishop Joseph Tyson dedicates the new church on the Feast of the Assumption.
The New Church in Peshastin
The new Our Lady of the Assumption church rises on a 7-acre site at 9554 Jeske Road, Peshastin, designed in a traditional style with simplified detailing by MJ Neal Associates of Wenatchee. The 17,000-square-foot complex seats 425 in the worship space and supports more than 400 additional people in gatherings; adjoining it are parish offices, a Parish Center, classrooms, a commercial-grade kitchen, an on-site rectory, generous parking and an on-site septic system. The interior is organized around four stained-glass windows by Beyer Studio that line up on two theological axes. On the east-west axis, the Nativity window (Mary as the 'Ark of God' holding the infant Jesus) faces the Resurrection window of Jesus Christ; on the north-south axis, the Assumption of Mary window above the altar — visible from the highway when illuminated at night — is paired with a Coronation of Mary window over the rear exit.
- Architect: MJ Neal Associates (Wenatchee)
- General contractor: Apollo
- Stained glass: Beyer Studio
- Capacity: 425 seats (worship space); 400+ total attendance
- Site: 7 acres at 9554 Jeske Rd, Peshastin, WA 98847
Parish Mission & Identity
The parish's bilingual mission statement reads: 'As one family of faith, we are called to celebrate the presence of God in the Sacred Scriptures and throughout the sacramental life of the Church. Our love for Christ motivates us to grow in holiness through worship, faith education, fellowship and charity with the desire of living eternally with Him' ('Como una familia de fe, estamos llamados a celebrar la presencia de Dios en las Sagradas Escrituras y a lo largo de la vida sacramental de la Iglesia...'). The patroness is Our Lady of the Assumption, whose feast day — August 15 — is also the date of the new church's dedication.
- Bilingual mission statement (English / Spanish)
- Patroness: Our Lady of the Assumption
- Feast Day: August 15
- Parish motto at groundbreaking: 'House of God and the Gate of Heaven'
Leadership, Clergy & Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. Miguel González, who was assigned to what would become Our Lady of the Assumption in August 2016 and continues to lead the merged community from the new Peshastin rectory. He is assisted by Deacons William (Bill) Dronen (who also coordinates parish scouting), Jorge Calderilla and Thomas E. Richtsmeier. The parish office is staffed by Parish Secretary Esther Pérez. Pastoral and Finance Councils, drawn from both the former Cashmere and Leavenworth communities, continue to share governance of the unified parish.
- Pastor: Rev. Miguel González (assigned August 8, 2016)
- Deacon William (Bill) Dronen — also Scouting coordinator
- Deacon Jorge Calderilla
- Deacon Thomas E. Richtsmeier
- Parish Secretary: Esther Pérez — [email protected]
- Pastoral Council and Finance Council in active operation
Ministries & Faith Formation
Our Lady of the Assumption sustains ministries in both English and Spanish, with particular attention to youth and family formation. Hispanic Ministry, Hispanic Religious Education and Youth Ministry have all been staffed alongside the English Religious Education program; RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is supported through the diocesan process. Pastoral and Finance Councils carry out the parish's planning and stewardship, and the parish also maintains active scouting under the coordination of Deacon Bill Dronen. The website carries a 'Parish Pastoral Plan' and ongoing new-church updates, and parishioners are invited to participate in the 'Matching Donation Fund' that helped fund construction of the Peshastin church.
- Hispanic Ministry
- Religious Education (English and Spanish)
- Youth Ministry
- RCIA — supported through the Diocese of Yakima
- Scouting — Deacon Bill Dronen
- Finance Council
- Pastoral Council
- Parish Pastoral Plan
Building the New Church — Capital Campaign
Funding the $6.6 million Peshastin church was a decades-long community effort. The parish ran a 'Matching Donation Fund' / 'Fondo de donación paralela' with a stated goal of $500,000; at last published update the parish reported approximately $256,907 raised, with donation envelopes available in the narthex and the campaign running through the end of 2024. Site preparation, design and construction were shepherded jointly by the parish, MJ Neal Associates and Apollo, with stained-glass fabrication and installation by Beyer Studio. The completed building was dedicated debt-aware and with full diocesan support.
- Capital campaign: Matching Donation Fund / Fondo de donación paralela
- Goal: $500,000
- Last published total: $256,907
- Architect: MJ Neal Associates
- Contractor: Apollo
- Stained glass: Beyer Studio
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
Visitors are warmly welcomed to the new church at 9554 Jeske Road in Peshastin, situated between Cashmere and Leavenworth in the Upper Wenatchee Valley. The parish office can be reached at (509) 548-5119 or [email protected]. Sunday Masses are live-streamed on the parish Facebook page (Iglesia de Nuestra Sra de la Asunción) and on its YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person. Saturday confessions are heard 3:30–4:30 PM, and Thursday Adoration runs from noon to 5:30 PM.
- Address: 9554 Jeske Rd, Peshastin, WA 98847
- Phone: (509) 548-5119
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://olassumption.com/
- Facebook: facebook.com/IglesiadeNuestraSradelaAsuncion
- Instagram: @olassumption
- YouTube live stream of Sunday Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Miguel González2016–present
Assigned as pastor of both Cashmere (St. Francis Xavier) and Leavenworth (Our Lady of the Snows) on August 8, 2016; became the founding pastor of the merged Our Lady of the Assumption parish in 2017; received the keys to the new Peshastin church from Bishop Joseph Tyson at its dedication on August 14, 2025.