About St. Anthony · Mendocino, California
St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a small but historically rich parish serving the picturesque village of Mendocino on California's North Coast. Founded in 1852 (the oldest parish in Mendocino County), the parish is part of the Diocese of Santa Rosa and shares its ministry with Blessed Sacrament Church in Elk, a mission established in 1896. With fewer than 100 families, the parish leans heavily on visitor support and a deeply engaged lay community to sustain its worship, ministries, and recently renovated Parish Hall.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- Saint Anthony of Padua (also called St. Anthony of Lisbon)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert "Rob" Torczynski
- Diocese
- Diocese of Santa Rosa
Why belong here
St. Anthony's is a small, historic parish of fewer than 100 families where more than half of adult members serve in parish ministries and contribute about a third of the $100,000 annual budget. Visitors and tourists are warmly welcomed, weekly daily Mass is offered, and a recently renovated Parish Hall hosts community life. Knights of Columbus Council 8187 and a "Seven at Seven" Zoom prayer group led by Father Rob give parishioners easy ways to grow in faith and fellowship.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Anthony's Parish
Founded in 1852, St. Anthony's is the oldest Catholic parish in Mendocino County. The first church stood across Lansing Street on what is now the parish cemetery; it was soon replaced by a larger church on the present site. In March 1905, builder Fred W. Stickney began work on a new church (40 × 86 feet) with an adjoining Capuchin Franciscan monastery, both dedicated on September 2, 1906 by Very Reverend Father Anthony Brennan, Provincial Superior of the Capuchins. A Statue of St. Anthony of Lisbon was unveiled that day as a gift from A. L. Gonsalves of Melbourne. The complex burned in 1930, destroying all parish records; the present church was completed in 1931 and the monastery was never rebuilt.
- 1852 — parish established in Mendocino, the oldest in the county
- Late 1850s — original church built across the street (site of the present cemetery)
- March 1905 — Fred W. Stickney begins building the second church
- September 2, 1906 — Capuchin Provincial Anthony Brennan dedicates the church and adjoining monastery; Statue of St. Anthony of Lisbon unveiled
- 1930 — second church and monastery burn down
- 1931 — current St. Anthony's Catholic Church completed on the same corner lot
The 1999 Fire and Restoration
On November 30, 1999, a fire destroyed the sanctuary and roof of the 1931 church and severely damaged the interior and furnishings, including the ocean mural behind the altar. Restoration, generously funded by parishioners, friends, and visitors and supplemented by insurance proceeds, began on March 13, 2000. For more than six months, Mass and other services were held in the Parish Hall next door. The most recognizable interior artwork—the ocean mural—was repainted by its original artist, E. John Robinson.
- November 30, 1999 — fire destroys sanctuary, roof, and much of interior
- March 13, 2000 — restoration work begins
- Six+ months of Mass celebrated in the Parish Hall
- E. John Robinson repaints the signature ocean mural
Artwork at St. Anthony's
Over the last twenty years, several artists have contributed to the interior decoration of St. Anthony's. The dominant work is the large ocean mural behind the altar, originally painted by E. John Robinson and helpers, and graciously repainted by Robinson after the 1999 fire. Outside, on the south side of the church, stands a large wooden sculpture by S.R. Kelly depicting a woman and child looking out to sea, in memory of two fishermen lost at sea.
- Ocean mural behind the altar by E. John Robinson (original and restoration)
- Wooden sculpture on south side by S.R. Kelly — woman and child gazing seaward, memorial to two fishermen lost at sea
- Stained glass windows noted by visitors
St. Anthony's Parish Hall
The newly renovated Parish Hall, together with the church, accommodates gatherings from 10 to 150 people. It is available for Catholic Weddings, Vow Renewals, Baptisms, business conferences, art shows, and other events, and is equipped for food preparation or to accommodate an outside caterer. Audio/visual aids and internet access (on request) support major presentations.
- Capacity: 10–150 people (church and hall combined)
- Available for Catholic Weddings, Vow Renewals, Baptisms
- Also rented for business conferences, art shows, community meetings
- AV equipment and internet access available on request
- Convenient to downtown Mendocino hotels, B&Bs, shopping and restaurants
Mass and Prayer Schedule
St. Anthony's offers daily Mass Monday through Friday, preceded by the Rosary, plus a Saturday Vigil Mass and a Sunday Mass. Blessed Sacrament, the parish's mission church in Elk, celebrates a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM. The parish also hosts the "Seven at Seven" Zoom prayer initiative launched by Father Rob in July to deepen parishioners' prayer lives.
- Weekday Rosary — Mon–Fri 8:30 AM
- Weekday Mass — Mon–Fri 9:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 5:30 PM (St. Anthony's, Mendocino)
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM (Blessed Sacrament, Elk)
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 AM
- Seven at Seven prayer group — Mondays via Zoom
Parish Staff and Leadership
St. Anthony's is served by a lay staff and council in addition to its pastor and mission pastor. The parish operates with a small annual budget of roughly $100,000.
- Pastor — Rev. Robert "Rob" Torczynski (Rectory: 707-937-5808)
- Mission Pastor — Fr. Arsenius Anachoreta (Blessed Sacrament, Elk; 707-877-3275)
- Parish Liaison Officer — Carol Ann Walton
- Mission Liaison Officer (Elk) — Dorothy Cong
- Parish Office — Marietta Coyle (707-937-2406)
- Parish Accountant — Susan Walsh
- Parish Finance President — Mark Mertle
- Bulletin Editor — Kathleen Smith
- Lector/Eucharistic Coordinator, Saturday — Carol Ann Walton
- Lector/Eucharistic Coordinator, Sunday — Marian Brannan
- Music Director — Ed Welter
- Garden Maintenance — Ann Owings
Ministries and Groups
With more than half of adult members engaged in ministries, St. Anthony's relies on a wide range of lay-led programs. The parish hosts a Knights of Columbus council, a weekly Zoom prayer group, music, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and grounds keepers, all supported by a finance council and bulletin team.
- Knights of Columbus — Council 8187 (meets 1st Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Parish Hall)
- Seven at Seven — Monday Zoom prayer/discussion group
- Music Ministry
- Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers
- Garden Maintenance
- Parish Finance Council
- Bulletin editorial team
Mission: Blessed Sacrament Church, Elk
Blessed Sacrament Church in Elk was established in 1896 and later became a mission of St. Anthony's. The mission is served by Fr. Arsenius Anachoreta with parish liaison Dorothy Cong, and celebrates a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM. Together the two communities are committed to growing spiritually through worship, prayer, and continued renewal.
- Established 1896 in Elk, California
- Became a mission of St. Anthony's
- Mission Pastor — Fr. Arsenius Anachoreta
- Liaison — Dorothy Cong
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM
Our Pastor — Father Robert "Rob" Torczynski
Father Rob was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1964. Before seminary he worked in avionics for American Airlines. He credits the lectures of Dennis Quinn and John Senior at the University of Kansas with inspiring his vocation to the priesthood. He began as pastor of St. Anthony's and its Elk mission in June 2019, succeeding Fr. Lou Nichols, who retired. In July he launched the "Seven at Seven" Zoom prayer initiative to help parishioners deepen their prayer lives.
- Born Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1964
- Former avionics technician for American Airlines
- Inspired by Dennis Quinn and John Senior at the University of Kansas
- Became pastor June 2019, succeeding Fr. Lou Nichols
- Launched "Seven at Seven" Zoom prayer group in July
Visiting and Supporting the Parish
Because the parish has fewer than 100 families and depends on the generosity of friends and visitors, donations by mail or in person are warmly welcomed. The church and Parish Hall are also available for Catholic weddings, vow renewals, baptisms, conferences, and community gatherings. Visitors from around the world come to enjoy the Mendocino Coast and to worship at one of California's oldest North Coast parishes.
- Donations: checks payable to St. Anthony, mailed to P.O. Box 665, Mendocino, CA 95460
- Church available for Catholic Weddings, Vow Renewals, Baptisms
- Parish Hall available for business meetings, conferences, art shows
- Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Lou NicholsRetired 2019
Retired as priest of St. Anthony's and Blessed Sacrament Mission in Elk; succeeded by Fr. Rob Torczynski in June 2019.
- Rev. Robert "Rob" TorczynskiJune 2019–present
Current pastor; born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1964; credits the lectures of Dennis Quinn and John Senior at the University of Kansas with inspiring his vocation.