About St. Augustine · Spokane, Washington
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish on Spokane's South Hill, founded in 1914 and part of the Diocese of Spokane. The parish is well known for its striking sanctuary, distinctive baptistry mosaic, and catechetical artwork that weaves the life and theology of its patron, St. Augustine of Hippo, into the very fabric of the building. Worship is offered in English, with weekday and Sunday Masses, Saturday confession, monthly Eucharistic adoration, and OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults seeking to enter the Church.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- St. Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew Nicks
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
St. Augustine is a Spokane South Hill parish that makes the Catholic faith visible in its very walls — from the octagonal baptistry mosaic that teaches baptismal theology, to the newly renovated marble sanctuary inscribed 'tolle lege,' to the flaming heart of St. Augustine on the altar. Worshippers are drawn by traditional and reverent English Masses on Sundays and weekdays, monthly Eucharistic adoration, daily morning rosary, OCIA for adults, and sacramental preparation for children. It is a parish that takes seriously St. Augustine's maxim that the church should be a 'catechetical textbook,' and welcomes anyone seeking a devout, beauty-filled, teaching parish.
Mass times at St. Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month following Mass, 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (September – May)
Parish Overview
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish founded in 1914, located at 428 W 19th Ave on Spokane's South Hill and part of the Diocese of Spokane. The parish is distinguished by its devotional and catechetical architecture, including an octagonal baptistry mosaic and a recently renovated marble sanctuary, both intended to teach the faith visually. The parish is led by Rev. Matthew Nicks (pastor since July 2024) with parish administrator Teresa Reuter, and offers weekend and daily Masses in English, Saturday confession, monthly First Friday adoration, a daily morning rosary, OCIA for adults, and religious education and sacramental preparation for children.
History of St. Augustine Parish
St. Augustine Parish was established in 1914 on Spokane's South Hill and has served the neighborhood continuously for more than a century. The parish takes its identity from St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430), Doctor of the Church, whose baptism by St. Ambrose of Milan in 386 is depicted in the north transept of the church. The 2022 sanctuary renovation, completed in time for the Feast of St. Augustine on August 28, 2022, modernized the worship space under the direction of longtime pastor Msgr. Brian A. Mee and continues the parish's century-long commitment to making the building itself a catechetical tool.
- Founded 1914
- Feast of patron: August 28
- 2022 sanctuary renovation
- 2024 pastoral transition: Msgr. Brian Mee retired; Rev. Matthew Nicks appointed pastor
The 2022 Sanctuary Renovation
In early summer 2022, St. Augustine Parish began a major renovation of the sanctuary with three goals: safety, functionality, and beauty. The former sanctuary had multiple steps and dark green tile that made elevation changes hard to see; the renovation removed excess steps, pushed the sanctuary back into the nave by removing a partition wall, and covered the new floor in white marble tile with black stone trim. New marble pieces — the altar, the ambo, and a tabernacle altar — were installed with inscriptions drawn from St. Augustine's life and theology.
- Altar: white Carrera marble with a Portoro (black-and-gold) center panel
- Center panel bears the emblem of St. Augustine — a heart on fire pierced by two arrows
- Ambo inscribed 'tolle lege' ('take up and read') with reliefs of the four Evangelists
- Presider chair and ambo on one level; altar on a dais
- Renovation completed in time for the Feast of St. Augustine, August 28, 2022
The Baptistry of St. Augustine
The baptistry is one of the most distinctive features of the parish church. Its octagonal floor mosaic, surrounding an octagonal font, follows the design of St. Ambrose's baptistry at Milan and the Lateran baptistry in Rome. The octagonal shape symbolizes the 'eighth day' — the day of Christ's resurrection and the New Creation — and the descent into and rising from the baptismal waters. Much of the imagery is drawn from St. Ambrose's baptismal theology and was designed by the pastor to provide a permanent baptismal catechesis.
- Octagonal floor mosaic around an octagonal font
- Raven and dove (sin washed away; the Holy Spirit)
- Tree of Forbidden Fruit (pear — in honor of St. Augustine) and Tree of Life (pomegranate — symbol of the Church)
- Rooster (the gallus mysticus — Christ) and tortoise (the sinner called out of darkness) — inspired by a 3rd-century mosaic at Aquileia, Italy
- Sun and moon framing the font (Christ and the Church)
- Depiction of the baptism of St. Augustine by St. Ambrose in the north transept
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
The parish runs religious education for children and sacramental preparation programs, and also offers the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA — the updated name for the former RCIA) for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their initiation. OCIA classes begin each year in October and culminate with the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. People already Catholic but not yet confirmed or in need of First Communion are also welcome to prepare through OCIA.
- Religious Education for children
- Sacramental Preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — classes begin in October each year
- Easter Vigil reception of Sacraments of Initiation for OCIA candidates
Catechetical Resources & Media
Under Msgr. Brian Mee, the parish produced a series of short catechetical videos hosted on its Vimeo page. The two main series are 'Walking Through the Mass,' which walks viewers through the parts and meaning of the Mass, and a Lenten video series for the season. The parish also maintains an active Facebook presence for parish news and announcements.
- Vimeo page with 'Walking Through the Mass' series by Msgr. Mee
- Lenten video series by Msgr. Mee
- Facebook: facebook.com/staugustinespokane
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is currently led by Rev. Matthew Nicks (pastor, appointed July 2024) and parish administrator Teresa Reuter. Msgr. Brian A. Mee continues to be associated with the parish as pastor emeritus following his retirement. Deacon Richard Borda is listed as the parish deacon in the 2023-24 directory. The parish is registered as 'St. Augustine Catholic Parish – Spokane,' a Washington nonprofit corporation.
- Rev. Matthew Nicks — Pastor (effective July 1, 2024)
- Rev. Msgr. Brian A. Mee — Pastor Emeritus (retired July 2024)
- Teresa Reuter — Parish Administrator
- Deacon Richard Borda — Parish Deacon
- Fr. Kyle Ratuiste — listed as officer
- Diocese of Spokane contact: [email protected]
Visiting & Contact
St. Augustine is located at 428 W 19th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill, at the corner of 18th and Bernard, where the parish's bell tower rises above the surrounding trees. The church is open for personal prayer from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visitors and parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office or consult the website for the latest schedule of Masses and events.
- Address: 428 W 19th Ave, Spokane, WA 99203
- Phone: (509) 747-4421
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://staugustinespokane.com/
- Facebook: facebook.com/staugustinespokane
- Personal prayer hours: Mon–Fri, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Brian A. Meeuntil July 2024
Longtime pastor; oversaw the 2022 sanctuary renovation, the baptistry catechetical program, and the parish's Vimeo catechetical video series ('Walking Through the Mass,' Lenten series). Retired in July 2024.
- Rev. Matthew Nicksfrom July 2024
Appointed pastor of St. Augustine, Spokane by Bishop Thomas Daly, effective July 1, 2024.