About St. Anthony · Atwater, California
St. Anthony and Immaculate Conception Catholic Churches is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish in Atwater, California, in the Diocese of Fresno. Founded in 1909, the parish serves the Atwater community from its church at 1801 Winton Way and operates St. Anthony Catholic Parish School (preschool through 8th grade), with Immaculate Conception Church in nearby Buhach functioning as its mission church. It is currently pastored by Rev. Hilary Silva, assisted by two deacons and a lay staff, and offers daily Mass, weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, religious education, RCIA, Confirmation preparation, and a youth group (Anchor).
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Hilary Silva
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
St. Anthony and Immaculate Conception is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic community rooted in Atwater since 1909, with a Catholic school, religious education, RCIA in both English and Spanish, Confirmation preparation, and an active youth group (Anchor). Daily Mass and weekend Masses in both languages, along with Eucharistic Adoration and Friday confessions, make it easy to build a weekly rhythm of prayer, while the parish school and parish staff offer strong faith-formation support for the whole family.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM (per parish-published schedule)
About St. Anthony and Immaculate Conception Parish
St. Anthony and Immaculate Conception is a single Catholic parish in Atwater, California (Diocese of Fresno) that worships at two church sites: St. Anthony Church at 1801 Winton Way in Atwater, and Immaculate Conception Church at 2988 N. Buhach Road in Buhach. The parish is bilingual, with Masses, faith formation, and sacramental preparation offered in both English and Spanish. It is pastored by Rev. Hilary Silva and supported by two deacons and a staff of lay ministers and office personnel.
- One parish — two worship sites (St. Anthony, Atwater; Immaculate Conception, Buhach)
- Parish office at 1799 Winton Way, Atwater, CA 95301
- Pastor: Rev. Hilary Silva
- Deacons: Jesus Cisneros and Rene Rubalcava
Parish History
The parish was established in 1909 (per GCatholic) in the Atwater area and has grown over more than a century into a community that today includes a parish school, religious education programs, and a mission church in nearby Buhach. The parish school, founded in 1953, was originally staffed by five Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary from Chigwell, Essex, England, and has expanded incrementally into a preschool–grade 8 program.
- 1909 — Parish founded in Atwater
- 1953 — St. Anthony School opened, staffed by Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- 1978 — Kindergarten added to the school
- 1989 — Extended Care program began
- 1996 — Preschool opened
- 2019 — Junior Kindergarten added
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently led by Father Hilary Silva, with two permanent deacons and a parish staff handling administration, religious education, and safe-environment coordination.
- Pastor — Rev. Hilary Silva
- Deacon — Mr. Jesus Cisneros
- Deacon — Mr. Rene Rubalcava
- Office Manager / Bookkeeper — Shirley Rubalcava
- Parish Secretaries (part-time) — Claudia Hernandez, Vianey Hernandez
- Safe Environment Coordinator — Claudia Hernandez
- Website / YouTube Manager — Patrick Helms
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education for children and youth is led by Director of Religious Education Deacon Rene Rubalcava. Programs include ongoing catechism classes for parish youth, preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, and the Anchor Youth Group for teens. Adult faith formation is available through the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, which runs in parallel English and Spanish tracks each year.
- Director of Religious Education: Deacon Rene Rubalcava (209-676-2076)
- Catechism Coordinator: 209-676-2076
- Confirmation Coordinator: Claudia Hernandez (209-564-1294)
- Anchor Youth Group: Alex & Lucy Cisneros (209-261-5460)
- RCIA (English): Andy Miller (209-631-9146)
- RCIA (Spanish): Fernando and Claudia Hernandez (209-564-1294)
St. Anthony Catholic Parish School
St. Anthony Catholic Parish School is a parish-affiliated Catholic elementary school serving preschool through 8th grade at 1801 Winton Way in Atwater. Its mission is to inspire students to follow Christ's example, partnering with parents as the primary educators of their children. The school was founded in 1953 when the pastor secured the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary from Chigwell, Essex, England, and has expanded over the decades to include kindergarten, Extended Care, preschool, and (as of 2019) a junior kindergarten.
- Principal: Monica Cuevas Avila
- Office Manager: Mrs. Lori Ceja
- Phone: (209) 358-3341 | Fax: (209) 357-0186
- School website: http://stanthonyknights.org/
- Levels served: Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grades 1–8, Extended Care
- Philosophy: Catholic faith, love, and respect; partnership with parents in holistic student development
Sacraments
Information on how parishioners can receive the sacraments is available through the parish office and faith-formation staff.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Confirmation — youth preparation coordinated by Claudia Hernandez
- RCIA (English and Spanish) — for adults becoming Catholic
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Fridays 5:00 PM or by appointment
Immaculate Conception Mission Church (Buhach)
Immaculate Conception Church at 2988 N. Buhach Road in Buhach functions as the mission church of St. Anthony Parish, sharing the same pastor and parish staff. It is listed on GCatholic as a church under the mission of St. Anthony, Atwater.
- Address: 2988 N. Buhach Road, Buhach, CA 95301
- Status: Mission church of St. Anthony Parish
- Same parish office / phone: (209) 358-5743
Visit, Contact, and Parish Registration
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to register with the parish, attend weekend Mass, and contact the office during business hours for sacramental and pastoral needs. The current parish bulletin is hosted at parishesonline.com (linked from the parish home page).
- Church: 1801 Winton Way, Atwater, CA 95301
- Parish Office: 1799 Winton Way, Atwater, CA 95301 (across the street from the church)
- Phone: (209) 358-5743 | Fax: (209) 358-2423
- Email: [email protected]
- Bulletin online: parishesonline.com/organization/st-anthony-church-95301
- Church Registration: available online via the parish website