About St. Anthony of Egypt Mission · Farmersville, California
St. Anthony of Egypt Mission is a Roman Catholic mission parish serving the small, predominantly Latino community of Farmersville in Tulare County, California. It is a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in nearby Exeter, both of which were originally founded as mission communities of St. Mary's in Visalia (est. 1861). The mission building itself has an unusual origin: it was originally an Episcopal church in Visalia that was physically moved to Farmersville in 1948 and re-purposed for Catholic worship. Today St. Anthony's is administered from Sacred Heart, Exeter by Rev. Juan Manuel Flores, and most of its liturgical life — including weekday Masses and at least one Sunday Mass — is celebrated in Spanish, reflecting the make-up of the surrounding community.
- Established
- 1948
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Egypt (Anthony the Great)
- Rector
- Rev. Juan Manuel Flores (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Egypt is the Catholic home for many Spanish-speaking families in Farmersville, with most of its Masses celebrated in Spanish and a parish life that is deeply tied to the rhythms of a small agricultural town. Worship is rooted in traditional devotions — including weekly Spanish prayer groups on Wednesday evenings — and is paired with practical outreach, such as the bimonthly distribution of government commodities to those in need. As a mission of Sacred Heart in Exeter, it offers the warmth of a close-knit chapel community while being connected to a larger parish for sacraments, formation, and sacramental preparation.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Egypt Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 6:30 PM
St. Anthony of Egypt Mission in Farmersville
St. Anthony of Egypt Mission is a Roman Catholic mission chapel in the small city of Farmersville, California, in the Diocese of Fresno. Although it has its own church building and its own lively schedule of Masses and devotions, it is canonically a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in Exeter, and the two share pastors and pastoral staff. The mission's patron is St. Anthony of Egypt (also called Anthony the Great), the third-century Desert Father regarded as one of the founders of Christian monasticism.
- Diocese of Fresno
- Mission of Sacred Heart, Exeter
- Patron: St. Anthony of Egypt (feast day January 17)
- Administrator: Rev. Juan Manuel Flores
- Address: 121 S. Ventura Ave., Farmersville, CA 93223
- Phone: (559) 747-0234
History
Catholic life in the Exeter–Farmersville area is older than either of the present churches: both began as mission communities of St. Mary's in Visalia, which was founded in 1861. Sacred Heart was built in Exeter in 1928 as the dedicated parish church, and from it, mission Masses were offered in nearby Farmersville. In 1948, a small Episcopal church building in Visalia was moved to Farmersville and re-purposed as the new home of the Catholic mission, rededicated under the name of St. Anthony of Egypt.
- Roots as a mission of St. Mary's, Visalia (founded 1861)
- Sacred Heart, Exeter built in 1928
- Mission building moved from Visalia and rededicated in Farmersville, 1948
- Has operated continuously as a Spanish-language mission of Sacred Heart, Exeter
The Mission Building
The present mission church is a modest, vernacular wood-frame building in the style of an early-20th-century small-town Protestant church. Its history — physically relocated from another city and from a different denomination — gives it an unusually personal place in the Farmersville community. Because Sunday noon Mass has historically been celebrated outdoors to accommodate the large Spanish-speaking congregation, the surrounding grounds function as an extension of the worship space during the warmest months.
- Former Episcopal church, originally built in Visalia
- Relocated to Farmersville in 1948
- Outdoor Sunday noon Mass tradition
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
St. Anthony's is administered as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in Exeter. The current administrator is Rev. Juan Manuel Flores, who oversees sacramental life, formation, and pastoral care across both communities.
- Administrator: Rev. Juan Manuel Flores
- Pastoral team shared with Sacred Heart, Exeter (417 N. E St., Exeter, CA)
Prayer Groups & Devotions
Spanish-language prayer groups form the devotional heart of the mission's parish life. The Wednesday evening group at St. Anthony's meets from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and is open to anyone, regardless of parish registration. A parallel group meets Friday evenings at Sacred Heart in Exeter.
- Wednesday Spanish prayer group — 7:00–9:00 PM at St. Anthony's
- Friday Spanish prayer group — 7:00–9:00 PM at Sacred Heart, Exeter
- Holy Day Masses as announced
Outreach & Community Service
In addition to spiritual ministries, St. Anthony's runs practical outreach to the wider Farmersville community. Government commodities are distributed every other month at the mission, providing food assistance to families in need. Together with Sacred Heart, Exeter, the linked parishes are a visible presence in the daily life of Tulare County's small farm towns.
- Bimonthly government commodities distribution at St. Anthony's
- Pastoral care and emergency assistance through the Exeter–Farmersville parish team
Connection to Sacred Heart, Exeter
Because St. Anthony's is canonically a mission rather than an independent parish, much of its sacramental preparation, faith formation, and community programming happens in coordination with Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 417 N. E St., Exeter. The two parishes share clergy, bulletin, prayer life, and outreach, and parishioners are considered part of one faith community across both towns.
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 417 N. E St., Exeter, CA
- Shared clergy with St. Anthony's Mission
- Joint faith formation and sacramental preparation
Visiting & Contact
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Anthony's. Because the mission is administered from Sacred Heart in Exeter, the most reliable way to confirm Mass times, schedule a baptism or wedding, or reach a priest is to call the parish office.
- Address: 121 S. Ventura Ave., Farmersville, CA 93223
- Phone: (559) 747-0234
- Diocese: Diocese of Fresno
- Official Facebook: Sacred Heart / Sagrado Corazón — Exeter & Farmersville