About Our Lady of the Mountains · Estes Park, Colorado
Our Lady of the Mountains is a Roman Catholic parish in Estes Park, Colorado, a mountain tourist town that sits at the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Denver and gathers as 'one family fed by the Body of Christ, the Eucharist,' offering Sunday Mass in English and (once a month) in Spanish, daily Mass Monday–Thursday, and a 9:00 a.m. Saturday Mass at its mission chapel of St. Catherine of Siena in nearby Allenspark. Beyond liturgy, the parish maintains a lively life of ministries — faith formation and OCIA for adults, a youth program, music, Eucharistic Adoration, a Homebound Ministry, and the pastoral and finance councils — all supported by a small staff led by Pastor Father Faustinus Anyamele and Deacon George Schmelter.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- Our Lady (the Blessed Virgin Mary) — the parish is named for Mary under the title 'Our Lady of the Mountains,' reflected in the 2008 stained-glass window by Jay Grooters
- Rector
- Rev. Faustinus Anyamele
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Denver
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Mountains is a small but active mountain parish that takes seriously its mission to be 'one family fed by the Body of Christ, the Eucharist.' It offers daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a clear path into the Church through OCIA for adults and a Faith and Youth Formation program for younger parishioners. A network of lay ministries — Music Ministry, Altar Servers, Ushers, Altar Linen, Ministry for the Homebound, Sunday Bible Study, and Pastoral and Finance Councils — means there is a meaningful way for almost anyone to belong, serve, and be known.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Mountains
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration on most Thursdays)
Parish Identity & Mission
Our Lady of the Mountains describes itself as 'one family fed by the Body of Christ, the Eucharist,' with a mission 'to become the image of God to one another through the practice of our faith and offering hospitality to all.' It is a parish of the Archdiocese of Denver that intentionally welcomes both residents and the many visitors who pass through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
- Mission: to become the image of God to one another through faith and hospitality
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver
- Parish Office: 920 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–12:00 PM & 1:00 PM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–Noon
- Bilingual English / Spanish welcome on the home page
History: From St. Walter's Mission to Our Lady of the Mountains
Catholic life in the Estes Valley began in 1915 when Father William J. Howlett, a pioneer priest and historian, built the small St. Walter's mission chapel in memory of Walter Walsh, son of summer visitors Patrick and Catherine Walsh. By 1941 the chapel was too small, but World War II delayed construction of a new church until 1947. Designed by Denver architect John K. Monroe and built by Justus Roehling, the new 350-seat church of native granite, peeled logs, and moss rock was dedicated on June 9, 1949. A parish center followed in 1977, and a 2008 expansion/renovation added a 200-seat overflow area — the same project in which stained-glass artist Jay Grooters installed the parish's signature 'Lady of the Mountains' window.
- 1915: First Mass celebrated Aug. 29, 1915 in St. Walter's mission chapel
- Funders of the 1915 chapel: Patrick Walsh ($500), Catherine Walsh ($250), George J. Cooke ($750), the Howlett family ($418.90), and a $150 lot from F.O. Stanley
- 1941: Three acres purchased from the Stanley estate on Big Thompson Avenue
- 1946: Ground broken; 1947: Construction begins; 1949: Dedication on June 9
- 1977: Two-story parish center added
- 2008: Church expansion, 200-seat overflow area, and the 'Lady of the Mountains' stained-glass window installed by Jay Grooters
- June 30, 2024: 75th anniversary Mass with Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila
Architecture & Stained Glass
The parish is famous locally for its rustic log-and-stone architecture and the Grooters stained-glass windows. Materials — native granite, peeled logs, and moss rock from the McGraw Ranch — were chosen to fit the mountain setting. The 2008 expansion was deliberately designed to preserve the original architecture.
- Architect: John K. Monroe, principal architect for the Archdiocese of Denver
- Builder: Justus Roehling, Kittredge, Colorado
- Cost (1949): more than $100,000
- Capacity: 350 seats (1949)
- Stained-glass series by Jay Grooters, 2008, including the 'Lady of the Mountains' window depicting Mary with wild roses and Longs Peak
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Father Faustinus Anyamele and Deacon George Schmelter, supported by a lay staff and a wedding coordinator, music director, faith formation director, pastoral assistant, business manager, sacristan, and facilities director.
- Rev. Faustinus Anyamele — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon George Schmelter — Deacon
- Dennis Fromholzer — Music Director ([email protected])
- Melissa Spies — Director of Faith and Youth Formation ([email protected])
- Tracy Dalton — Pastoral Assistant ([email protected])
- Steve Ross — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Doug Watry — Facilities Director ([email protected])
- Cindi Finnigan — Wedding Coordinator ([email protected])
- Judy Shipman — Sacristan
Ministries & Lay Involvement
The parish maintains a wide range of lay-led ministries, from liturgical service to formation and outreach. Most groups can be joined by calling the Parish Office at (970) 586-8111.
- Music Ministry — provides music for Mass
- Eucharistic Adoration — dedicates an hour or more in Adoration on Thursdays
- Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA)
- Sunday Bible Study
- Faith and Youth Formation
- Ministry for the Homebound — Communion and prayer visits
- Altar Servers
- Ushers — welcomes, collections, emergencies
- Altar Linen Ministry — collects, washes, irons, and returns liturgical linens
- Sacristan — prepares the church and sacred items
- Counting Team — counts and deposits the offerings
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Sacraments
Information about all seven sacraments is available through the parish website and office. Weddings are coordinated locally with the Archdiocese of Denver's pre-nuptial paperwork process, typically received 4–6 weeks before the wedding.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office
- First Communion / Confirmation — through Faith and Youth Formation
- Marriage — Wedding Coordinator Cindi Finnigan; documents routed through the Archdiocese of Denver
- Anointing of the Sick — available through the Parish Office emergency line
- Holy Orders — vocations resources on the parish site
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for children, youth, and adults is overseen by Director of Faith and Youth Formation Melissa Spies. The parish also offers Sunday Bible Study and the OCIA process for adults seeking to become Catholic or complete their initiation.
- Faith and Youth Formation (children & youth)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Sunday Bible Study
- 1st Wednesday Masses in support of Faith Formation & OCIA candidates
Music & Liturgy
Music is led by Music Director Dennis Fromholzer. The parish choirs perform prior to major liturgies, including the 75th anniversary Mass in June 2024.
- Music Director: Dennis Fromholzer
- Parish choirs perform at major liturgies
- Mass settings and worship aids available on the parish website
Communication, Bulletins & Homilies
The parish keeps parishioners connected through printed weekly bulletins, Flocknote email newsletters, social media, and recorded homilies on Podbean — a useful resource for travelers and shut-ins alike.
- Weekly bulletins (posted on the parish website)
- Flocknote email newsletters
- Homilies archived on Podbean
- Facebook and X / Twitter accounts
Worship Aids & Visitor Resources
Because Estes Park is a major tourist destination, the parish provides a 'Get Directions' link, online Mass time search, and traveling-friendly contact information for visitors who need a Mass while in the area.
- Online 'Mass Times & Directions' widget
- 'Need another time? Find others nearby' link
- Parish emergency line (970) 586-8111 for after-hours needs
- Bilingual office contact information
Contact & Visiting
The parish office is open weekday mornings and afternoons. Visitors can call ahead for appointments with staff, especially for sacraments, and can also follow the parish via Flocknote and social media for current events and bulletin information.
- Address: 920 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517
- Phone: (970) 586-8111
- Fax: (970) 586-8112
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–12:00 PM & 1:00 PM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–Noon
- After-hours emergency: follow the recorded message instructions
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William J. Howlett1915–
Pioneer priest and historian who built the original St. Walter's mission chapel in Estes Park in 1915 and served the Estes Valley Catholic community.
- Father Gregory Ciochcirca 2008
Pastor during the 2008 church expansion/renovation; worked closely with stained-glass artist Jay Grooters on the 'Lady of the Mountains' window.
- Father Faustinus Anyameleas of 2024
Current pastor; concelebrated the 75th anniversary Mass with Archbishop Samuel Aquila on June 30, 2024.