About St. Aloysius · Buckley, Washington
St. Aloysius Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish in Buckley, Washington, in the foothills of Mount Rainier in Pierce County. The parish was founded in 1892 as a mission and today celebrates more than 130 years of ministry to Buckley and its surrounding communities, including the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes mission church in Wilkeson. Now part of Parish Family 32 of the Archdiocese of Seattle (alongside Sacred Heart in Enumclaw and St. Barbara in Black Diamond), St. Aloysius offers weekend and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, faith formation for all ages, and a range of liturgical and parish ministries in an intimate, rural setting.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Aloysius
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen S. Woodland
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. Aloysius offers a tight-knit Catholic community in the small Pierce County town of Buckley, where parishioners know each other by name. The parish keeps a manageable schedule of weekend, vigil, and weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, regular Reconciliation, and faith formation for every age from preschool through high school — including RCIA for adults. With a parish hall and CCD center completed in 1966 and a church that was carefully moved to its present home in 1982, St. Aloysius combines a century-old heritage with the active liturgical, faith-formation, and pastoral ministries a family needs to live its Catholic life.
Mass times at St. Aloysius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Tuesday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (during Eucharistic Adoration)
- First Tuesday 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM (per Archdiocese listing)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, after the 8:30 AM Mass, for one hour)
- Anointing of the Sick: First Saturday at the 8:30 AM Mass
Our Story: 125+ Years of Catholic Life in Buckley
St. Aloysius is one of the oldest institutions in Buckley. Catholic life here began with an 1890 Wickersham family deed and the construction of a mission church by 1892. The parish celebrated its centennial on August 22, 1992, with Archbishop Thomas Murphy presiding, and its quasquicentennial in 2017. From its beginnings as a mission of All Saints in Puyallup, to Sacred Heart in Enumclaw, to St. Andrew's in Sumner, and finally as an independent parish in 1954, St. Aloysius has long anchored Catholic faith in eastern Pierce County.
- Deed to Bishop of Nisqually signed November 30, 1890
- Construction underway by 1892
- Erected as an independent parish in 1954
- Centennial Mass celebrated August 22, 1992
- 125th anniversary marked in 2017
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Aloysius is staffed by clergy assigned through Parish Family 32 of the Archdiocese of Seattle, supported by a small team of parish and faith-formation staff. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM.
- Rev. Stephen S. Woodland — Pastor
- Rev. James W. Northrop — Parochial Vicar (per Archdiocese listing; parish staff page also identifies Fr. Jim Northrop with the parish office number)
- Patty Rumpza — Administrative Assistant / Pastoral Administrative Assistant
- Danielle Curl — Director of Faith Formation
- Judy Zeober — Bookkeeper
- Office phone: 360-829-6515
Faith Formation for All Ages
The parish's Faith Formation program spans preschool through adult education, with weekly classes from September through May (except school-break weeks). Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is woven into the program, and adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church are welcomed through RCIA.
- Elementary/Middle School Catechist — preschool through 7th grade
- Youth Ministry — 8th through 12th grade
- Confirmation preparation — 8th through 12th grade
- Adult Faith Formation — opportunities announced in the bulletin
- RCIA and RCIA Sponsor Team — inquiry classes begin in September
- FORMED.org parish subscription for Catholic content on demand
Liturgical Ministries
St. Aloysius invites parishioners to share their baptismal call through a range of liturgical roles. Training is offered for new ministers, and there is room for both public-service roles and behind-the-scenes preparation work that keeps each Mass a life-giving celebration.
- Lectors — proclaim Scripture and the General Intercessions
- Eucharistic Ministers — distribute Holy Communion at weekend and Holy Day Masses
- Home-bound Eucharistic Ministry — bring Communion to the sick and infirmed
- Sacristans — prepare the altar, vessels, vestments, and ritual books
- Eucharistic Adoration — open to all, with the possibility of expanding to 12- or 24-hour devotion
Councils and Committees
The parish's councils assist the pastor in planning, decision-making, and stewardship of resources. Parishioners who feel called to serve are encouraged to contact the office.
- Pastoral Council — consultative body assisting with parish priorities and strategic planning
- Finance Council — assists the pastor with financial stewardship
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments and walks with families through preparation, celebration, and ongoing faith life. The parish office asks for at least six months' notice before a wedding so marriage preparation can be completed.
- Baptism — preparation classes required for parish families
- Reconciliation and First Eucharist — prepared in Faith Formation or RCIA
- Confirmation — prepared in the 8th–12th grade program
- Marriage — contact the pastor to set a date; six months' notice requested
- Anointing of the Sick — offered First Saturday at 8:30 AM, or by request
- Funerals and Christian Burial — coordinated with the pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery
St. Aloysius is connected to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cemetery in Wilkeson, WA, which serves as a sacred resting place for parishioners and their families. Details on burial arrangements are coordinated through the parish office.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cemetery, Wilkeson, WA
- Burial arrangements coordinated with the pastor
Parish Family 32
Since 2024 St. Aloysius has been part of Parish Family 32 under the Archdiocese of Seattle's Partners in the Gospel pastoral planning initiative, joining with two neighboring parishes to share pastoral leadership and resources while each retains its own identity.
- Sacred Heart Parish — Enumclaw, WA (Saturday 5:30 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM & 12:00 PM Spanish; Mon/Thu/Fri 9:00 AM; Wed 6:00 PM)
- St. Aloysius Parish — Buckley, WA
- St. Barbara Parish — Black Diamond, WA (Saturday 5:00 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM; Wed/Fri 9:00 AM; Thu 6:00 PM)
Visiting and Joining St. Aloysius
Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish asks anyone new to the community to introduce themselves, and anyone who lives locally and attends regularly is invited to register. Registration forms are available in the church vestibule and social hall, by request from the parish office, or through an online form on the parish website. The church and restrooms are wheelchair accessible.
- Registration helps the parish care for souls, sick calls, baptism, education, marriage, burial, and confirmation sponsorships
- Church and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Phone: 360-829-6515
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John P. V. Rohlinger1891 onward
Pastor at Puyallup who assumed pastoral care of Buckley Catholics; performed the first recorded baptism in Buckley (Mary Burley, April 19, 1891).
- Father B. F. Kornkeuntil 1933
Served St. Aloysius as a mission from St. Andrew's Parish in Sumner.
- Father Michael Rosoluntil 1943
Regularly served the church in Buckley; ill health ended his tenure.
- Father Adolph Badranafter 1943
Out of Enumclaw, served Buckley following Father Rosol's retirement due to illness.
- Father Paul Byrnelate 1950s
Pastor in the years shortly after St. Aloysius was erected as a parish in 1954.
- Father Hervey Vanassearound 1992
Led the parish around the time of its centennial celebration on August 22, 1992, with Archbishop Thomas Murphy presiding.