About St. Anthony Catholic Church · Forest Grove, Oregon
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) parish serving Forest Grove, Oregon, in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. The parish's mission is 'to love God, love our neighbor, and make disciples of all people by sharing the gifts God has given us.' Worship is centered on a mid-century church built in 1957 that incorporates stained-glass windows salvaged from the old St. Joseph's Church in Salem, and the parish campus is also home to St. Vincent de Paul's most influential social-outreach operation in the Forest Grove area, supporting more than 250 households per month.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Fr. Pao Dayto
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua is a warm, bilingual parish where English- and Spanish-speaking families worship side-by-side and grow together as missionary disciples. Parishioners of all ages are fed through a full Faith Formation program (K–5, Middle School, High School, and Confirmation), share in liturgical ministries such as music, altar serving, lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and live their faith through service — most notably the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference, now serving more than 250 households per month from the Rectory garage. With vibrant community fundraisers (the Holiday Bazaar, Tamale Sales, Drive-Thru Dinners), a long-running Praise Gathering prayer group, and a beautifully light-filled church built around turn-of-the-century stained glass, St. Anthony's is a place where Forest Grove families have built 'a community in Christ' for more than a century.
Mass times at St. Anthony Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm (or by appointment)
- Saturday 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm (per catholicmasstime.org listing)
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month: Eucharistic Adoration following First Friday Mass until 9:00 am Saturday
About St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
St. Anthony of Padua is a bilingual Catholic parish in Forest Grove, Oregon, belonging to the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. The parish's stated mission is 'to love God, love our neighbor, and make disciples of all people by sharing the gifts God has given us.' It serves both English- and Spanish-speaking families, with a Sunday Mass in Spanish (12:00 pm) drawing more than 300 people. The parish campus at 1660 Elm Street includes the 1957 church, the Parish Center (built 1982), and offices for Faith Formation and Youth Ministry.
- Full name: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
- Address: 1660 Elm St., Forest Grove, OR 97116
- Phone: 503-357-2989
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.safg.org
- Office hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
- After-hours sacramental emergency: 844-203-0379
Parish History
The parish was born in 1908 when Father F.J. Kettenhofen, pastor of Visitation Church in Verboort, bought property in Forest Grove and remodeled a house into a rectory-chapel. Archbishop Christie appointed Father J.P. Buck as the first resident pastor in 1909; with help from the Extension Society, Buck built the first St. Anthony's Church, which Archbishop Christie dedicated on August 27, 1911. When Buck arrived the parish had just seven families. In 1955 the parish bought the South Park High School for $71,870, but a fire in February 1956 destroyed the building during remodeling. The present church — built on the old school site and designed around stained-glass windows (crafted 1890–1910) salvaged from Salem's old St. Joseph's Church — was dedicated by Archbishop Edward D. Howard on September 23, 1957.
- 1908 — Father F.J. Kettenhofen purchases property; first chapel built
- 1909 — Father J.P. Buck appointed first resident pastor (7 families)
- 1911 — First St. Anthony's Church dedicated by Archbishop Christie (Aug. 27)
- 1955 — Parish purchases South Park High School for $71,870
- 1956 — Fire destroys the structure during remodeling (February)
- 1957 — Present church dedicated by Archbishop Edward D. Howard (Sept. 23)
- 1963 — Parochial school opens (Sept. 9, grades 1–8, Sisters of St. Joseph)
- 1971 — Parochial school closes (June)
- 1973 — St. Vincent de Paul begins as a collection site for FISH in the rectory
- 1976 — St. Anthony's Prayer Group founded (later becomes the Praise Gathering)
- 1982 — Ground broken for the Parish Center (June 6)
- 1983 — First annual Italian Dinner (March 13) raises money to retire parish debt
- 1999 — Hispanic outreach launched to support neighbor parish St. Alexander
Sacraments
St. Anthony of Padua prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments. Information about each is available through the parish office. First Friday Masses include the Anointing of the Sick, and the parish website links to the Archdiocese of Portland vocations site (archdpdxvocations.org) for those discerning Holy Orders as priests or deacons.
- Baptism
- Eucharist / First Communion
- Confirmation (preparation Sunday 10:30 am – 11:45 am)
- Reconciliation / Confession
- Anointing of the Sick (First Friday Mass)
- Marriage
- Holy Orders — see archdpdxvocations.org
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministers serve as 'instruments of Christ's presence during the Mass.' The parish invites parishioners to serve as Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Ushers, Music Ministers, Nursery Leaders, and Sacristans. The Music Ministry and Altar Servers each have their own ministry pages on the parish website.
- Priest and Deacon
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMOHC)
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Music Ministers
- Nursery Leaders
- Sacristans
Faith Formation
The parish's Faith Formation program aims to equip people 'to live as disciples of Jesus' through lifelong growth in the sacraments, Scripture, service, and parish life. Programs serve children, middle-schoolers, high-schoolers, and Confirmation candidates, alternating Wednesday evenings and gathering on Sunday mornings.
- Religious Education K–5 — Hugo Escutia, 503-359-0660, [email protected]
- Middle School Youth Group (Grades 6–8) — alternate Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
- High School Youth Group (Grades 9–12) — alternate Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
- Confirmation Preparation — Sundays 10:30 am – 11:45 am (must have attended Youth Group the prior year)
- Contact for Youth Ministry / Confirmation: Sandy Bazan, 503-357-8075, [email protected]
Community Ministries & Outreach
Beyond the liturgy, St. Anthony of Padua sustains a wide network of parish life and charitable outreach. The St. Vincent de Paul conference — the most influential social-outreach operation in the Forest Grove area — began in 1973 as a FISH collection site in the rectory and now serves more than 250 households per month. The Praise Gathering prayer group, founded in 1976, remains the parish's longest-functioning group. Hispanic Ministry, Care Ministry, and Women's Fellowship accompany parishioners through life's milestones.
- St. Vincent de Paul Outreach (parish food/household help, 250+ households/month)
- Hispanic Ministry (Spanish Mass and outreach since 1999)
- Care Ministry
- Women's Fellowship
- Praise Gathering (prayer group since 1976)
- Fundraising events: Holiday Bazaar, Drive-Thru Dinners, Tamale Sales, Annual Italian Dinner, Parish Auction
- Parish Maintenance / Fix-It volunteers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. F.J. Kettenhofen1908
Pastor of Visitation, Verboort; purchased the property on which the first Forest Grove church was built.
- Fr. J.P. Buck1909–
First resident pastor; arrived to seven families; built and dedicated the first St. Anthony's Church (dedicated August 27, 1911).
- Fr. William 'Bill' Holtzinger
Listed by St. Anne parish as having completed seven years as pastor at St. Anthony's, Forest Grove, before moving to St. Anne in 2009.