About St. Agnes · Ritzville, Washington
St. Agnes Catholic Church is a small Roman Rite parish in Ritzville, Washington, belonging to the Diocese of Spokane. The parish's Catholic community traces its origins to before 1899, when the first Catholic church was built in the then-brand-new town, and its present-day church at 404 E. 5th Avenue was dedicated in 1965. Sunday Mass is celebrated once a week at 9:30 AM, and the parish is described by its own members as a tightly-knit family that welcomes visitors, supports one another in difficulty, and seeks to be the hands and heart of Jesus in rural Eastern Washington. Like many small-town parishes in the diocese, St. Agnes has shared priests and administrators with neighboring communities in recent years.
- Established
- before 1899 (first church built); current church dedicated 1965
- Patron
- St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
St. Agnes describes itself as a 'tightly-knit family that is always ready to receive new members,' where visitors find a warm welcome and a genuine spirit of fellowship in Jesus Christ. Parishioners support one another in difficult times and come to the assistance of those in need, and the community is grounded firmly in the Catholic Faith and committed to being 'the hands and heart of Jesus in the world today.' For Catholics living in or passing through the Ritzville area of rural Adams County, it is the local parish home where the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated each week.
Mass times at St. Agnes
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Agnes Parish
Catholics have been gathering in Ritzville since before 1899, when the town's first Catholic church was built during the community's earliest years. A violent windstorm in 1904 damaged that first church so severely that it had to be demolished and rebuilt; the replacement, on 'Nob Hill' in southwest Ritzville, was dedicated in 1908 under the patronage of St. Agnes. By the 1960s the parish had outgrown that little church and built a new one, dedicated in 1965 at 404 E. 5th Avenue, which remains the parish's home today. The 1908 building is still standing at 701 W. Main Ave. and is now used by the New Hope Center, a nondenominational Pentecostal community.
- Before 1899 — first Catholic church built in Ritzville
- 1904 — windstorm damages the first church beyond repair
- 1908 — 'Nob Hill' church dedicated under the patronage of St. Agnes
- 1960s — congregation outgrows the 1908 building
- 1965 — current St. Agnes Catholic Church dedicated at 404 E. 5th Avenue
- Today — the 1908 church (701 W. Main Ave.) houses the New Hope Center
The Old Church on Nob Hill (1908–1965)
The original St. Agnes church stood on 'Nob Hill' in southwest Ritzville and served the Catholic community for nearly six decades. After the parish outgrew it, it was eventually repurposed: it is now the home of the New Hope Center, a nondenominational Pentecostal community, but the 1908 building itself is still standing and visible at 701 W. Main Ave.
- Location: 701 W. Main Ave., Ritzville
- Dedicated: 1908
- Patron: St. Agnes
- Current occupant: New Hope Center (nondenominational Pentecostal community)
The Current Church (1965–present)
The present-day St. Agnes Catholic Church was completed and dedicated in 1965 to accommodate the growing parish. It remains in use today and is the site of the parish's weekly Sunday Mass. The address — 404 E. 5th Avenue, Ritzville — is the parish's mailing and physical address.
- Location: 404 E. 5th Avenue, Ritzville, WA 99169
- Dedicated: 1965
- Diocese: Spokane
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
Like most rural parishes, St. Agnes has shared priests and parish administrators with neighboring communities rather than maintaining a full-time resident pastor. The parish's own history page notes that 'in recent years, a series of parish administrators and a variety of priests have served the parish, ensuring the continuation of the sacramental life of the St. Agnes community.' Washington State nonprofit filings for St. Agnes Catholic Parish – Ritzville name several priests who have served in governance roles for the parish corporation, including Rev. Kenneth St Hilaire, Rev. Brian A. Mee, Rev. Rory Pitstick, Rev. Victor M. Blazovich, and Rev. Dale Tuckerman.
- Pastoral model: shared priests / parish administrators from neighboring parishes
- Named in WA corporate filings: Rev. Kenneth St Hilaire, Rev. Brian A. Mee, Rev. Rory Pitstick, Rev. Victor M. Blazovich, Rev. Dale Tuckerman
Mass and Sacramental Life
St. Agnes offers one Mass per week, celebrated in English on Sunday morning at 9:30 AM. The parish's website prominently features the Sunday Mass time as its central scheduling detail. Detailed confession and adoration times are not published on the parish's website or in readily available online listings, consistent with the parish's small size and shared-pastor model.
- Sunday Mass: 9:30 AM (English)
- Confession times: not published online
- Adoration times: not published online
Parish Identity and Community Life
The parish describes itself as a 'tightly-knit family' in rural Eastern Washington, where parishioners support one another in difficult times and come to the assistance of those in need. Visitors are welcomed warmly, and the community is 'grounded firmly in the Catholic Faith and always seeking the prompting of the Holy Spirit,' striving 'to be the hands and heart of Jesus in the world today.' It is a small, faith-strong Catholic presence in Ritzville — a town best known as a wheat-country crossroads in Adams County — and one of the older parishes in the Diocese of Spokane's rural parish network.
- Self-description: tightly-knit, faith-strong family parish
- Welcoming to new members and visitors
- Part of the Diocese of Spokane's network of rural parishes
- Located in Adams County, Eastern Washington
Contact and Location
The parish's mailing address is 404 E. 5th Avenue, Ritzville, WA 99169. Its email contact, listed in state corporate filings, is [email protected]. The Diocese of Spokane parish directory lists the parish's phone line as 'Out of Service,' reflecting the reality that parish communications are often routed through diocesan or shared-pastor channels rather than a dedicated parish office phone.
- Address: 404 E. 5th Avenue, Ritzville, WA 99169
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: listed as out of service in the diocesan directory
- Website: stagnesritzville.wordpress.com
- Diocesan affiliation: Diocese of Spokane
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Various parish administrators and shared priestsRecent years
The parish's own history page notes that 'in recent years, a series of parish administrators and a variety of priests have served the parish' owing to the dynamics of rural parish life and shared-pastor arrangements with nearby communities. Past leaders named in Washington State nonprofit filings include Rev. Kenneth St Hilaire, Rev. Brian A. Mee, Rev. Rory Pitstick, Rev. Victor M. Blazovich, and Rev. Dale Tuckerman.