About Our Lady of the Rosary · Boise, Idaho
Our Lady of the Rosary is a Roman Catholic parish serving the Southeast Boise community in Idaho, part of the Diocese of Boise. Founded in 1947–48, the parish moved in the mid-1990s from its original Longmont Avenue location to its present campus at 1500 E. Wright Street, where a new church was built in time for Holy Week 1998. Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Dat T. Vu and parish administrator Deacon Lou Aaron, OLR offers weekend and weekday Masses, a full sacramental life, a renowned Reliquarium of saints, faith formation for all ages, iGnite youth ministry, the Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary, a St. Vincent de Paul conference, and a mission partnership in Uganda.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Rosary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Dat T. Vu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Boise
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Rosary is a mid-sized, family-friendly parish that intentionally keeps its Mass schedule lean so regulars recognize one another and form real community — parishioner Mike Schauble says it is known for great music, a staff passionate about the faith, and a one-of-a-kind Reliquarium. The parish runs the full Catholic menu for all ages: OCIA for adults becoming Catholic, a pre-K–5 Elementary Faith Formation program with a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium, EDGE middle-school and Life Teen high-school youth ministry through iGnite, an active Knights of Columbus council (#10581), a Legion of Mary praesidium, a St. Vincent de Paul conference that directly serves needy neighbors, and an international mission partnership with St. Mary's / Don Bosco in Uganda.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30 PM (or by appointment)
History of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish
Founded in 1947–48 under Bishop Edward Kelly and founding pastor Fr. Raymond Peplinksi, the parish began as a chapel under St. John's Cathedral on land at Longmont Avenue and Howe Street. It became a stand-alone parish on June 9, 1948, split in 1952 to help form Sacred Heart, and hosted the 1956 Boise Rosary Crusade with Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. By 1993, growth prompted Bishop Tod Brown to relocate the parish to a five-acre former dairy farm at Wright Street and Law Avenue, purchased from parishioners John and Joan Prickett. The current church was built and opened for Holy Week 1998, salvaging stained glass, the original tabernacle, the gold-and-silver altar crucifix, and statues of Mary, St. Theresa, and the Risen Christ from the Longmont building. The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary on October 7, 2022, with Bishop Peter Christensen, Fr. Dat Vu, and former pastor Fr. Bruno Segatta concelebrating.
- 1945 — Diocese purchases Longmont/Howe land
- December 14, 1947 — Original church dedicated
- June 9, 1948 — First Sunday Mass as a stand-alone parish
- 1947–1962 — Fr. Raymond Peplinksi serves as founding pastor
- 1952 — Parish splits; Sacred Heart is formed
- Sept. 23, 1956 — Boise Rosary Crusade co-hosted with Fr. Patrick Peyton
- 1993 — Five-acre dairy farm on Wright/Law purchased
- April 15, 1994 — Parish center groundbreaking
- June 16, 1997 — New church groundbreaking
- Holy Week 1998 — New church opens
- Easter 2019 — 150-year-old wooden Crucifix installed
- Aug. 15, 2020 — Reliquarium dedicated
- Oct. 7, 2022 — 75th anniversary Mass celebrated
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led by Fr. Dat T. Vu (ordained June 10, 2004) and parish administrator Deacon Lou Aaron, with five deacons assisting, plus a full lay-staff team. The Parish Pastoral Council advises the pastor on parish mission, programs, and pastoral planning.
- Fr. Dat T. Vu — Pastor (ordained June 10, 2004)
- Deacon Lou Aaron — Parish Administrator (ordained Oct. 15, 2016)
- Deacon Jim Pasker (ordained Oct. 27, 2012)
- Deacon Mike Servatius (ordained Sept. 10, 2005)
- Deacon Pete Cuppage (ordained Sept. 22, 2018)
- Deacon James 'Jim' Ineck (ordained Sept. 22, 2018)
- Misty Neeman — Administrative Assistant
- Aric McCullough — Director of Parish Formation and Ministry
- Tina Punnoose — Director of Religious Education
- Thomas Bailey / Noelle Atha — Director(s) of Youth Ministry
- Cathryn Gardner — Director of Music Ministry
- Parish Pastoral Council
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA — formerly RCIA), welcoming inquirers, unbaptized catechumens, and already-baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The three Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation — are celebrated together at the Easter Vigil before the parish community. Contact coordinator Mike Coyle (208-484-8677) or Fr. Dat Vu (208-371-7998) for the next class cycle.
- OCIA (formerly RCIA)
- Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate
- Period of the Catechumenate
- Period of Purification and Enlightenment
- Easter Vigil Sacraments of Initiation
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at OLR spans cradle to grave. Elementary Faith Formation serves Pre-K through 5th grade with two tracks — a textbook program on Sundays 10:30–11:45 AM and Wednesdays 4:00–5:30 PM — alongside the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium (Levels I–III, a Montessori-based program) led by Tina Punnoose. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion is a year-long track. Adult Faith Formation offers Bible study and other topics and grants parishioners unlimited access to Formed.org.
- Elementary Faith Formation (Grades 1–5, Sunday and Wednesday)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Levels I for ages 3–6, II for 6–9, III for 9–12)
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion preparation
- Adult Faith Formation / Bible study
- Formed.org subscription access for parishioners
iGnite Youth Ministry
iGnite is OLR's combined youth ministry program — 'Living In Faith Every Day.' The Life Teen model serves 9th–12th graders with weekly Life Nights built around being real, relational, and relevant; Confirmation preparation is embedded in this ministry as a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit. EDGE serves 6th–8th graders with engaging Catholic teaching, games, discussion, and prayer experiences. A Youth Ministry Leadership (YML) program trains Peer Ministers and a Core Team of teens and adults who serve on an annual basis.
- Life Teen (Grades 9–12)
- EDGE (Grades 6–8)
- Confirmation Preparation (Life Teen model)
- Youth Ministry Leadership (YML) Peer Ministers
- Core Team (annual Sept.–Sept. commitment)
- Ablaze Conference / ICYC retreats and events
Parish Organizations and Outreach
OLR is supported by several long-standing lay organizations. Knights of Columbus Council #10581 meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM, hosts pancake breakfasts and runs the popular potato and onion fundraiser each fall. The Legion of Mary praesidium meets weekly for prayer, planning and two hours of paired apostolic work (visitation, evangelization, Pilgrim Virgin Statue rotations, etc.). The parish's Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference serves needy neighbors through home visits and direct aid; their Help Line is 208-331-2208, and they meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 5:30 PM in parish classrooms.
- Knights of Columbus Council #10581 (first Thursday, 7:30 PM)
- Legion of Mary (weekly meeting)
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Help Line 208-331-2208
- Thanksgiving Family Food Basket Program
- St. Vincent de Paul Fair and Car Raffle (June)
- Parish Christmas Giving Fair (December)
St. Mary's / Don Bosco Uganda Mission Partnership
OLR's international mission partnership with St. Mary's / Don Bosco in Uganda grew out of a parishioner's relationship with Fr. Katende and her sponsored child, Angel. After a photo showed Angel walking to school in a perfect uniform with bare feet, a 'shoes piggybank' (a lavender high-top sneaker) was placed in the gathering area. The parish raises funds for shoes, education, and the Evelyn Memorial Health Center, 'to bring the heart of Our Lady to those in need.'
- SHOES for Uganda fundraiser
- Evelyn Memorial Health Center
- Sponsorship of children through Fr. Katende
The Reliquarium
OLR's Reliquarium is a custom-built area at the rear of the church designed and crafted by local woodworker Braden Stauts, housing authenticated relics of 16 saints along with their Latin-language documentation. Inspired by Deacon Lou Aaron's 2018 pilgrimage to Europe, the project took shape as relics arrived — starting with St. Maximilian Kolbe (from Poland, November 2018) and St. Faustina Kowalska, then expanding through donations from priests in Belgium, Canada, and parishioners worldwide. It was dedicated on August 15, 2020 (the Assumption), and is open before and after Masses, during weekday office hours, and by appointment.
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- St. Faustina Kowalska
- St. Louis de Montfort
- St. Bernadette Soubirous
- St. Rita of Cascia
- St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
- St. Francis de Sales
- St. Jane Frances de Chantal
- Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky
- St. Louis IX of France
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- St. Maria Goretti
- St. John Bosco
- St. Vincent de Paul
- St. Francis of Assisi
- St. Clare of Assisi / St. Jerome
Vision, Mission and Pastoral Council
Our Lady of the Rosary's vision is to be a Catholic community serving individuals and families in Southeast Boise with their spiritual and temporal needs, through the example of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Its mission commits parishioners to affirming love and fidelity to God in liturgy and life, bearing witness to Christ, educating the community, loving and serving neighbors near and far, welcoming all, promoting lay leadership, and facilitating small church communities. The Parish Pastoral Council advises the pastor in these pastoral matters.
- Worshiping God
- Creating and nurturing Christian Community
- Growing in Faith and Holiness
- Serving those in need, especially the poor
- Pastoral planning and policy review
Visit, Contact and Getting Involved
The parish office is at 1500 E. Wright Street, Boise, ID 83706 (208-343-9041; fax 208-343-2644), with office hours Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM and Friday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Visitors can stay connected by joining Flocknote (text OLRosary to 84576) and following the parish on Facebook and Instagram (@OLRBoise).
- Address: 1500 E. Wright St., Boise, ID 83706
- Phone: 208-343-9041
- Fax: 208-343-2644
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM–3:00 PM; Fri 8:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Flocknote: text OLRosary to 84576
- Facebook: facebook.com/OLRBoise
- Instagram: instagram.com/OLRBoise
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Raymond Peplinksi1947–1962
Founding pastor; organized the parish from a chapel under St. John's Cathedral; found 174 Catholic families within parish boundaries.
- Fr. Bruno Segatta
Former pastor; returned to concelebrate the 75th anniversary Mass with Bishop Peter Christensen and Fr. Dat Vu on October 7, 2022.