About Our Lady of the Valley · Caldwell, Idaho
Our Lady of the Valley is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Caldwell, Idaho, in the Diocese of Boise, that traces its current identity to 2003, when the present-day church was built to serve a growing congregation. The parish succeeded the historic St. Mary's Catholic Church (constructed 1925 and now on the National Register of Historic Places) and today operates as a thoroughly English/Spanish community, with weekly Masses in both languages, an active OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, and ministries ranging from the Knights of Columbus and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to a youth program, the Handmaids of the Eucharist, and faith formation for children. The parish is pastored by Rev. Julio Vicente Orellana, with Rev. Nelson Cintra serving as parochial vicar, and is supported by two permanent deacons and a sizeable lay staff.
- Established
- 2003
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Valley (Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of the Valley)
- Rector
- Rev. Julio Vicente Orellana
- Diocese
- Diocese of Boise
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Valley is a genuinely bilingual parish family — half of its weekend Masses and many of its ministries are offered in Spanish, and its priests and deacons minister in both languages. It runs the full sacramental life of a parish: daily Mass in English and Spanish, three weekly confession schedules, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, an active OCIA process for adults, sacramental prep (First Communion and Confirmation) for youth, and ongoing youth and family ministry. Members also serve the wider Caldwell community through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry and Healing Meals, the Knights of Columbus (who lead the Sunday Rosary and lend medical equipment), and parish outreach to seniors.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Valley
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (in Chapel)
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (in Chapel)
- First Friday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday — offered at most Masses in the back of the Church
- Extra Confession Times during Advent (see parish Advent page)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday (begins after the 8:00 AM Mass) — through the 5:00–6:30 PM confession period
- First Friday 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Welcome & Parish Identity
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church serves the city of Caldwell and the surrounding Canyon County communities of Homedale, Wilder, Parma, and Marsing from its campus at 1122 W. Linden St. The parish is described as a bilingual, growing family — half of its weekend Mass schedule is in Spanish, and the parish explicitly welcomes newcomers, returning Catholics, and the simply curious through its 'I'm New Here' page on the new caldwellcatholic.org site. Flocknote (text OLV2003 to 84576) is the parish's preferred channel for Mass-time changes, special-event reminders, and inspirational messages from the pastor, deacons, and staff.
- Parish catchphrase / Flocknote key: OLV2003
- Office hours reachable at 208-459-3653 (after-hours/weekend priest emergencies: 208-459-1777)
- Both English and Spanish registration available online, by phone, or at the Information table in the Narthex after Mass
History of the Parish
Our Lady of the Valley is the successor parish to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Caldwell. St. Mary's was built in 1925 as the Italianate Romanesque Revival Church of the Immaculate Conception — a red-brick structure designed by architects Tourtellotte and Hummel and constructed by H. J. McNeel — and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. As Caldwell's Catholic community grew, St. Mary's could no longer hold the congregation, and in 2003 the new, larger Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church opened, with the parish adopting its current name. St. Mary's continued in parish use for a time and the historic building survives as a Caldwell landmark.
- Predecessor: St. Mary's Catholic Church, Caldwell (1925)
- Designers of St. Mary's: Tourtellotte & Hummel; builder H. J. McNeel
- St. Mary's added to NRHP on November 17, 1982
- Our Lady of the Valley opens: 2003
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Julio Vicente Orellana, supported by Parochial Vicar Rev. Nelson Cintra. Two permanent deacons — Deacon Humberto Almeida (OCIA in Spanish and Spanish-language Marriage Preparation) and Deacon Toby Green (English Marriage Preparation) — assist with sacramental and formational ministries. The lay team includes a Business Manager (L. Julian), Bookkeeper Sandra Bond, Receptionist Secretary, Building Manager, Custodian(s), Children's Coordinator, Family Coordinator (Youth Specialization, Gloria Terriquez), and a Liturgy Coordinator.
- Rev. Julio Vicente Orellana — Pastor ([email protected]; 208-459-3653 ext. 3006)
- Rev. Nelson Cintra — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon Humberto Almeida — OCIA Spanish & Marriage Prep Spanish
- Deacon Toby Green — Marriage Prep English
- Gloria Terriquez — Youth / Family Coordinator (208-459-3653 ext. 3009)
- Sandra Bond — Bookkeeper
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious education for younger children takes place on Sundays after the 9:00 AM English Mass and after the 12:00 PM Spanish Mass, in the parish gym for PreK–5th grade and in the JPII Room for 9th–12th grade. Middle School Sacramental Prep (grades 6–8) meets in the JPII Room on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The parish's youth ministry — led by Coordinator Gloria Terriquez — runs a non-sacramental Youth Group for grades 6–8 and 9–12 on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, with middle-schoolers in the St. Peter Conference Room and high-schoolers in the Gym. Registrations for Confirmation and First Communion sacrament preparation for 2024/25 and 2025/26 are handled through the parish office.
- Family Ministry / Religious Education (PreK–5, 9–12) — Sunday mornings
- Middle School Sacramental Prep (6–8) — Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM, JPII Room
- Youth Group (6–12) — Mondays 6:30–8:00 PM, divided by age
- Confirmation and First Communion preparation in English and Spanish
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
Our Lady of the Valley's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program welcomes adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church as well as Catholics who want to deepen their understanding of the faith. Classes typically begin in September and meet on most Wednesdays: English sessions run 6:30–8:00 PM in the gym, and Spanish sessions run 6:00–7:30 PM in the St. Peter Room. The catechesis covers prayer, the sacraments, the Trinity, the story of salvation, the moral life, and the liturgical year, with the adult rites celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- English OCIA — Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM (gym); contact Jerry Loop
- Spanish OCIA — Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM (St. Peter Room); contact Deacon Humberto Almeida at 208-697-2932
- High-schoolers seeking OCIA should contact Gloria Terriquez, Youth Coordinator
- No cost to participate
Parish Ministries & Organizations
The parish sponsors a wide range of lay-led ministries. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Conference operates a confidential home-visit help line (208-919-2940) and runs a food pantry, Healing Meals ministry, and support for Meals on Wheels. The Knights of Columbus council meets on the 1st and 4th Tuesdays at 7:00 PM in the St. Peter Conference Room, leads the Rosary before the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass, and loans medical equipment (wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, shower chairs, etc.). The Handmaids of the Eucharist is a young women's service and schola program that serves as sacristans, prepares florals and linens, and sings at two designated Masses each month plus major feasts.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — 208-919-2940; [email protected]; food pantry 3718 East Cleveland Blvd, Caldwell
- Knights of Columbus — Jeff Allen, 208-602-4600; meetings 1st & 4th Tuesdays 7:00 PM, St. Peter Conference Room; loaner medical equipment available
- Handmaids of the Eucharist — chapter meetings, schola singing, sacristan service at Masses on the 1st and 3rd Sundays each month
- Senior services ministry
Liturgy & Sacraments
The parish publishes an extensive 'Liturgy & Sacraments' page outlining the schedules above and explaining preparation for Reconciliation. The Sacrament page gives a step-by-step guide on how to go to Confession: greeting, examination of conscience, confession of sins, counsel and penance from the priest, Act of Contrition, absolution, and the carrying-out of the assigned penance. Baptism requires parish registration; for children baptized in another parish, a baptismal certificate is needed for sacramental preparation.
- Reconciliation walk-through (sign of the Cross, formula, examination of conscience, Act of Contrition, penance)
- Extra Confession times added in Advent (see parish Advent page)
- Baptism: parish registration required; out-of-parish baptismal certificate needed for sacramental prep
- Marriage Prep: English track with Deacon Toby Green; Spanish track with Deacon Humberto Almeida
Getting Connected
Newcomers can register with the parish online (English or Spanish), pick up a form at the Information table in the Narthex after Mass, or call the parish office. Once registered, parishioners are encouraged to join Flocknote (text OLV2003 to 84576) for text and email updates, subscribe to the weekly parish bulletin by email, and explore the parish's ministries calendar for ways to serve. The parish's website is in the middle of a transition from olvcaldwell.org to caldwellcatholic.org.
- Text OLV2003 to 84576 for Flocknote
- Weekly bulletin available by email and RSS
- Parish office: 1122 W. Linden St., Caldwell, ID 83605 — 208-459-3653
- After-hours / weekend priest emergency line: 208-459-1777
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Julio Vicente Orellana
Current pastor, listed in the Diocese of Boise directory and on the parish staff page.