About St. Anthony · Mount Shasta, California
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a parish in the Diocese of Sacramento serving the mountain community of Mount Shasta in Siskiyou County, California, at the foot of Mt. Shasta. The parish was canonically established on November 9, 1947, and worships today in the church completed in December 1954 on Pine Street. Together with its mission church, St. Joseph in nearby McCloud, St. Anthony offers weekend and weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, the sacrament of Reconciliation, RCIA, CCD religious education, and a vibrant St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. The parish is also widely known for Our Lady of Mt. Shasta Grotto, a Lourdes-inspired Marian prayer garden on the parish grounds that draws visitors of all faiths from around the world.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Reji Joseph CMI (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento (Siskiyou Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Anthony offers a faithful, small-town Catholic home in the shadow of Mt. Shasta, with daily and weekend Masses in Mount Shasta plus a Sunday Mass at its mission church of St. Joseph in McCloud. Parishioners are ministered to through Eucharistic Adoration, weekly confession on Saturdays, RCIA, CCD religious education for grades 1-8, a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry serving all Siskiyou County residents in need, parish hospitality gatherings, the parish Women's Group, and Bible study. The parish grounds also include the celebrated Our Lady of Mt. Shasta Grotto, an open Marian prayer garden built by the community and welcoming to people of every faith.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00-4:45 PM (St. Anthony, Mt. Shasta)
Adoration times
- Friday 11:00 AM-12:00 noon (St. Anthony, Mt. Shasta, preceding noon Mass)
Parish History
Catholic life in Mt. Shasta predates the formal parish by decades. The first Catholic church in what was then called Sisson was built in 1889 on Cedar Street, with Father McGrath offering the first Mass. After the 1914 fire that destroyed that building, the community shared the Episcopal church on Alma Street before building again in 1915. St. Anthony Parish itself was canonically established on November 9, 1947, with Father Edward Christen as founding pastor, and the present church on Pine Street was completed in December 1954 and dedicated by Bishop Robert Armstrong. The succession of pastors — Christen, Michael Myles, Walter Albrecht, John J. Myles, Aidan O'Reilly, Michael T. Canny, Lester Menor, and now Reji Joseph CMI — has carried the parish through its second century of Catholic presence in the region.
- 1889 — first Catholic church built in Sisson on Cedar Street
- 1914 — original church destroyed by fire
- 1915 — interim church built on Pine Street
- November 9, 1947 — St. Anthony Parish formally established; Fr. Edward Christen first pastor
- December 1954 — present church completed; first Mass on Christmas Day
- Bishop Robert Armstrong dedicated the new church
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Reji Joseph CMI, with Rev. Lester Menor continuing in pastoral service and Rev. Aidan O'Reilly and Rev. Michael T. Canny listed as Pastors Emeriti. The rectory/office staff includes Administrative Assistant Kris Acord, Bulletin Editor Cindy Corrales, and Webmaster Joie Borra Croft. The Diocese of Sacramento page confirms Rev. Reji Joseph CMI as the current Parochial Administrator.
- Rev. Reji Joseph CMI — Parochial Administrator
- Rev. Lester Menor — Pastor
- Rev. Aidan O'Reilly — Pastor Emeritus
- Rev. Michael T. Canny — Pastor Emeritus
- Kris Acord — Administrative Assistant
- Cindy Corrales — Bulletin Editor
- Joie Borra Croft — Webmaster
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD)
St. Anthony's Children's Faith Formation (CCD) program serves students in grades 1 through 8 and provides additional sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. The CCD year typically ends in mid-May with a class party; new students and parents are invited to contact Karen Clyde through the parish office at (530) 926-4477 for details on the upcoming school year.
- CCD classes for grades 1-8
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
- Contact: Karen Clyde via the parish office, 530-926-4477
- Confirmation students historically meet Sunday evenings; elementary CCD after school
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, or simply in learning more about the faith, are invited to the parish's Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. The parish RCIA contact is Ronald LaGro, reachable at 530-859-0445 or [email protected].
- RCIA contact: Ronald LaGro
- Phone: 530-859-0445
- Email: [email protected]
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry & Outreach
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Anthony runs a parish food pantry that distributes food to anyone in Siskiyou County who needs assistance; recipients simply need a valid ID. The parish also takes up targeted monthly food collections to keep the pantry stocked, and welcomes donations of blankets, sleeping bags, and tents during cold-weather months.
- St. Vincent de Paul phone: 530-926-3061
- Food Pantry — open to all Siskiyou County residents with valid ID
- Monthly targeted food collections (e.g., canned beans and vegetables)
- Seasonal collection of blankets, sleeping bags, tents
Parish Life & Hospitality
Beyond the sacraments, St. Anthony sustains an active social and devotional life. Hospitality gatherings follow Saturday evening Mass (typically the last Saturday of the month), the parish Women's Group hosts regularly, and St. Anthony Bingo is held on the second Wednesday of each month. A Summer BBQ traditionally follows the Feast of St. Anthony Mass in mid-June.
- Hospitality Saturday after the 5 PM Mass (last Saturday of the month)
- St. Anthony Bingo — 2nd Wednesday of each month
- Women's Group (hosts Hospitality)
- Summer BBQ on the Feast of St. Anthony weekend
Bible Study & Ongoing Faith Formation
St. Joseph's in McCloud hosts a Bible Study on Thursdays at 4:00 PM in St. Joseph Hall. The parish website also points to external Catholic Bible study resources, including USCCB tools and the Little Rock Scripture Study program.
- Bible Study: Thursdays, 4:00 PM, St. Joseph Hall (McCloud)
- Online resources: USCCB scripture tools, Little Rock Scripture Study
Our Lady of Mt. Shasta Grotto
Behind St. Anthony Church stands Our Lady of Mt. Shasta Grotto, a Lourdes-inspired Marian prayer garden built during the pastorate of Father Michael T. Canny. Inspired by both the grotto at Lourdes in France and the stone replica at Notre Dame, the grotto features statues of the Virgin Mary and St. Bernadette, water flowing from the rock, a relic of St. Jude the Apostle (patron of hopeless causes), and the prayers of St. Bernadette and St. Jude inscribed on the wall. Hundreds of parishioners, local citizens, and businesses donated money, materials, equipment, and labor, with local civil engineer Chuck Schlumpberger contributing three years of service and Tom Hesseldenz helping with the design. The grotto is open to all — Catholic or not — and people of every faith have visited, with a vision of offering the same welcome to pilgrims that Lourdes itself does.
- Built under the pastorate of Fr. Michael T. Canny
- Inspired by the grotto at Lourdes and the Notre Dame replica
- Features a relic of St. Jude, patron of hopeless causes
- Water flows from the rock; statues of the Blessed Virgin and St. Bernadette
- Open to all, Catholic or non-Catholic
St. Joseph Mission Church, McCloud
St. Anthony shares pastoral care with St. Joseph Catholic Church in nearby McCloud, CA. St. Joseph offers Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM and a Wednesday noon Mass, hosts a Thursday Bible Study in St. Joseph Hall, and maintains Wednesday office hours (10 AM-12 noon) at 213 W. Colombero Drive. St. Joseph also has its own Facebook page under the parish's network.
- Address: 213 W. Colombero Drive, McCloud, CA 96057
- Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM
- Weekday Mass: Wednesday 12 noon
- Bible Study: Thursdays, 4:00 PM, St. Joseph Hall
- Office hours: Wednesday 10 AM-12 noon
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The St. Anthony rectory/office is located at 507 Pine Street, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone at (530) 926-4477, by email at [email protected], or through the parish website at www.stanthonymtshasta.com. The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry has its own line at 530-926-3061. Masses are also livestreamed and posted on the parish YouTube channel ('Mount Shasta St. Anthony'), and the parish maintains an active Facebook page.
- Address: 507 Pine Street, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
- Phone: (530) 926-4477
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stanthonymtshasta.com
- Office hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 12:00 noon
- YouTube: Mount Shasta St. Anthony
- Facebook: SaintAnthonyMountShasta
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward Christen1947-1955
First pastor of the newly formed St. Anthony Parish; later transferred to Sacramento to establish St. Peter Parish.
- Rev. Michael Myles1955-
Invited the Sisters of the Holy Family to provide religious education in Mt. Shasta and adjoining parishes.
- Rev. Walter Albrecht
- Rev. John J. Myles
Nephew of Father Michael Myles.
- Rev. Aidan O'Reilly
Now listed as Pastor Emeritus on the Diocese of Sacramento site.
- Rev. Michael T. Canny
Pastored during construction of Our Lady of Mt. Shasta Grotto; now Pastor Emeritus.
- Rev. Lester Menor
Listed as Pastor (2024 bulletin); continued in role with Rev. Reji Joseph CMI as Parochial Administrator.
- Rev. Reji Joseph CMI
Current Parochial Administrator (Diocese of Sacramento listing).