About St. Boniface · Sublimity, Oregon
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish serving the small rural community of Sublimity, Oregon, in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Founded in 1879 by German immigrant farmers from the Midwest, the parish has worshipped continuously in its striking 1889 Carpenter Gothic wooden church for over 130 years. Today it is administered by Fr. Paul Materu, ALCP, with a small staff and lay ministries including the long-running Sublimity Quilters, religious education, and a children's liturgy at the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. Boniface (Winfrid), Martyr, Apostle of the Germans (c. 675–754)
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Materu, ALCP (Administrator, appointed July 2013)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. Boniface is a small, close-knit rural parish where generations of German-Catholic farm families have worshipped since 1879. It offers daily Mass four days a week, a children's liturgy at the Sunday 10 a.m. Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Hour on Thursdays, a long-standing Sublimity Quilters group that makes quilts for local charity, religious education for children, and an active parish archive and museum across the street. For anyone looking for a historic parish with deep local roots and a tangible sense of community, St. Boniface is a place where you can both belong and serve.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Every Saturday (check parish calendar for the exact time — commonly 5:30 PM–6:30 PM before the 7:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 2:00 PM–6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Thursday 6:00 PM–7:00 PM (Holy Hour)
About St. Boniface Catholic Church
St. Boniface is a Roman Catholic parish in the small rural community of Sublimity, Oregon, in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Founded in 1879 by German immigrant farmers and now worshipping in its 1889 Carpenter Gothic church, the parish continues to offer daily Mass, a children's liturgy at the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a number of lay ministries.
History of St. Boniface
The Catholic community in Sublimity was started in the 1870s by German immigrant farmers from the Upper Midwest. The parish was canonically founded on December 3, 1879, when Father Peter Juvenal Stampfl made the first entry in the parish records and the community chose St. Boniface as patron. After the loss of its first makeshift church to a snowstorm in 1880, the parish acquired the old United Brethren College buildings and 20 acres, converting the ground floor into its second church. The present church was built in 1889, and from 1881 the parish was served by Benedictine monks from nearby Mt. Angel.
- 1877 — First Catholic services in private homes and a leased building in Block 7 (rent $1.00).
- 1879, Dec. 3 — Official founding; St. Boniface chosen as patron.
- 1880 — First church roof collapses under heavy snow; Stampfl buys the former United Brethren College and 20 acres for $400.
- 1889 — Present Carpenter Gothic church constructed; steeple rises 110 feet.
- 1979 — Centennial celebration.
- 2004 — Quasquicentennial (125th anniversary).
- 2009 — 130th anniversary celebrated on June 6.
The Carpenter Gothic Church Building
The 1889 church is a massive six-bay wooden structure in the Carpenter Gothic style, with lancet stained-glass windows and a steeply sloping roof. Its cross-topped steeple reaches a height of 110 feet and is a landmark in the Santiam Canyon area. A historic Catholic cemetery adjoins the building on one side.
- Built 1889
- Wood-frame, six bays, Carpenter Gothic
- Lancet stained-glass windows
- Steeple 110 feet above ground
- Historic Catholic cemetery adjoining
Clergy and Staff
St. Boniface is administered by Fr. Paul Materu, ALCP, who was appointed in July 2013. He is assisted by Deacon Steve Tabor (ordained July 2016) and a small lay staff.
- Fr. Paul Materu, ALCP — Administrator (since July 2013)
- Deacon Steve Tabor — ordained July 2016
- Kim Zuber — Administrative Assistant
- Betty Young — Office Assistant
- Debbie Bowers — Religious Education Coordinator
- Terry Hendricks — Maintenance Manager
Ministries and Groups
Parish ministries include faith formation for children, a long-running quilting ministry that supports local charities, a children's liturgy at Sunday Mass, and ongoing work to preserve the parish's history through its on-site archives.
- Religious Education (Coordinator: Debbie Bowers)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — during the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Sublimity Quilters — Thursdays 9:00 AM–3:00 PM; quilts donated to local charities
- St. Boniface Community Archives & Museum
- Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Hour (Thursday)
The Sublimity Quilters
A hallmark ministry of the parish, the Sublimity Quilters meet at St. Boniface on Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM to make quilts that are donated to local charities and community members in need. Everything is provided and new members are welcome.
- Thursdays, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Meets at St. Boniface Church, Sublimity
- Quilts donated to local community charities
- All supplies provided; new members welcome
St. Boniface Community Archives & Museum
Across the street from the church, the parish maintains a Community Archives & Museum that preserves the history of St. Boniface and the broader Sublimity area. The parish's online history pages also link to detailed chronicles of the early German-Catholic settlers, the construction of the 1889 church, and the succession of priests who have served the parish.
- Located across the street from the church
- Operated by the parish; further information at SublimityHistory.net
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors are welcome at Mass and at the parish office during posted hours. The parish is located one mile north of the intersection of Highway 22 and Highway 213 in Sublimity.
- Address — 375 SE Church St, Sublimity, OR 97385
- Phone — (503) 769-5664
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — http://saintboniface.net/
- Office hours — Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Getting there — one mile north of the Hwy 22 / Hwy 213 intersection
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Peter Juvenal Stampfl1879–1881
Missionary priest from Austria/Minnesota who founded the parish; made first entry in parish records December 3, 1879; returned to Minnesota in 1881.
- Benedictine priests from Engelberg, Switzerland1881–
Care of the parish was largely entrusted to Benedictines from the new Mt. Angel foundation; many short-term assignments followed over the decades.
- Fr. Paul Materu, ALCP2013–present
Appointed Administrator of St. Boniface in July 2013.