About St. Boniface · Uniontown, Washington
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Uniontown, Washington, located in the rolling Palouse country of Whitman County. Founded by German Catholic homesteaders in the late 19th century, the parish worships in a striking Neo-Romanesque brick church that was the first Catholic church consecrated in the state of Washington (1910) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Boniface is currently yoked with the neighboring parish of St. Gall in Colton, sharing a pastor, office staff, website (stgbcc.org), and school (Guardian Angel–St. Boniface School). Together the two parishes serve the Colton–Uniontown community with weekend and weekday Mass, religious education, youth ministry, and outreach rooted in more than a century of faith and tradition.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- St. Boniface (Saint Boniface, the 'German Apostle')
- Rector
- Rev. Anil Kumar Narisetti, HGN (Heralds of the Good News) — serves as Pastor of St. Boniface, Uniontown and St. Gall, Colton
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
St. Boniface welcomes you to a small, historic faith community rooted in German Catholic homesteading tradition and alive today through shared worship, religious education, and outreach with its sister parish of St. Gall in Colton. Parishioners enjoy Mass celebrated in a beautifully preserved 1905 Neo-Romanesque church — the first consecrated Catholic church in Washington state — while a forward-facing altar makes the Novus Ordo fully accessible. With an active Religious Education program, a Youth Minister, a Parish Council, and Guardian Angel–St. Boniface School (the only remaining rural Catholic school in Washington), there are real ways to grow in faith, serve neighbors, and raise children in the Catholic tradition in the heart of Whitman County.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (per Discover Mass listing for St. Boniface, Uniontown)
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Gall and St. Boniface Catholic Churches together serve the Colton, Uniontown and surrounding communities — a rural swath of Whitman County in southeastern Washington — under the banner 'Serving the Colton, Uniontown and surrounding communities since 1893.' The two parishes operate as one pastoral community, sharing a pastor, office secretary, website, school, and many ministries.
- St. Boniface — 210 S. St. Boniface Street, Uniontown, WA
- St. Gall — 312 Steptoe Street, Colton, WA
- Shared website: stgbcc.org
- Phone: (509) 229-3548
- Email: [email protected]
History of St. Boniface
The first Catholic church in Uniontown was built in 1879, the same year the town was founded, by German Catholic homesteaders. As the congregation outgrew that building, Fr. Anton Joehren in 1888 drafted plans for a grand brick-and-stone church. The foundation was laid in 1893, but the financial Panic of 1893, crop failure, and parish disputes halted construction for 11 years. Work resumed, the cornerstone was laid July 1, 1904, and the first Mass in the new church was celebrated on Christmas Day 1904. The parish of St. Boniface was formally established in 1903; the building was dedicated on November 21, 1905, and consecrated on the first Sunday in June 1910 (the feast of St. Boniface) by Bishop O'Dea of Seattle — making it the first Catholic church consecrated in Washington state.
- 1879 — First Catholic church built in Uniontown
- 1888 — Fr. Anton Joehren drafts plans for the new church
- 1893 — Foundation laid by German Catholic immigrants; construction halted
- 1903 — Parish of St. Boniface formally established
- 1904 — Cornerstone laid July 1; first Mass on Christmas Day
- 1905 — Building completed and dedicated November 21
- 1910 — Consecrated by Bishop O'Dea — first Catholic church consecrated in Washington
Architecture & Historic Preservation
Designed by architects Herman Preusse and Julius Zittel, St. Boniface is built in the Neo-Romanesque style out of brick with stone detailing. Twin towers flank the façade, and a seven-foot statue of the Blessed Mother crowns the front gable. The interior retains much of its original pre-Vatican II appearance — stained-glass windows, altar rails, several statues, five altars, and numerous frescoes — and the parish has famously resisted every proposal to modernize. The only noticeable concession to contemporary practice is the addition of a forward-facing altar for the celebration of the Novus Ordo Mass. In 1994 the church, convent, and rectory were added together to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #94001433).
- Architects: Herman Preusse and Julius Zittel
- Style: Neo-Romanesque
- Twin towers; seven-foot statue of the Blessed Mother on front gable
- Original stained-glass windows, altar rails, five altars, and frescoes preserved
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, December 9, 1994 (NRHP #94001433)
Parish Staff
The two yoked parishes share a single pastoral team, listed on the Guardian Angel–St. Boniface School website. Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated through the office secretary, and formation for children and youth is led by a dedicated director and youth minister.
- Pastor — Rev. Anil Kumar Narisetti, HGN
- Parish Office Secretary — Sue Semler
- Religious Education Director — Sarah Cucchiara
- Youth Minister — Isabella Mannano
Parish Council
A Parish Council provides lay leadership and governance for the St. Boniface / St. Gall community, working with the pastor on the life and mission of the parishes.
- Jeannie Eylar — Chair
- Sarah Cucchiara — Vice Chair
- Donna Wolf — Secretary
- Brenda Wolf — Member
- Kyle Schultheis — Member
- Carissa Scharnhorst — Member
- Scott Heitstuman — Member
- Rich Stout — Member
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Boniface, together with St. Gall, runs a Religious Education program for parish children led by Religious Education Director Sarah Cucchiara. A separate Youth Ministry, led by Isabella Mannano, engages older youth from both parishes. Together with the parish school, these programs form the backbone of faith formation across the age span.
- Religious Education (children)
- Youth Ministry (older youth)
Guardian Angel – St. Boniface School
Established in 1890, Guardian Angel – St. Boniface School is the only remaining rural Catholic school in the state of Washington. Originally founded by the parishes of St. Gall and St. Boniface, it began as a K–12 school and later operated grades 1–8 before the school building was relocated in Colton. Today it is jointly run by the two parishes.
- Founded: 1890
- Operated jointly by St. Gall (Colton) and St. Boniface (Uniontown) parishes
- Only remaining rural Catholic school in Washington state
- Principal: Mrs. Lori Becker
- Teachers: Mrs. Janette Musson, Ms. Katie Becker
- Secretary & Bookkeeper: Ms. Sue Semler
- Custodial: Mr. Mike Becker
- Outdoor Maintenance: Mr. Jerry Weber
Mission & Core Beliefs
The shared mission of the St. Gall / St. Boniface community is summarized on the school website: 'We are saints Gall and Boniface together as one community, honoring our heritage and building a unified future, led by our Catholic faith through Jesus Christ.' Four core commitments frame parish life.
- Grow in our relationship with Christ through prayer and the sacramental life.
- A community who serves as ministers of compassion, justice, reconciliation, and hope.
- Accompany those in need both spiritually and monetarily.
- Stewardship in giving our time, talent and treasure.
Getting Involved
The 'Get Involved' page on stgbcc.org invites parishioners and visitors to participate in the life of the two parishes — through the Parish Council, Religious Education, Youth Ministry, the school, and ongoing communication via Flocknote and the parish Facebook page.
- Join the Parish Council or a ministry
- Enroll children in Religious Education
- Support Guardian Angel – St. Boniface School
- Sign up for Flocknote emails
- Follow the parish on Facebook
Contact & Visit
St. Boniface Catholic Church is located at 210 S. St. Boniface St., Uniontown, WA 99179. Parish mail is received at PO Box 108, Colton, WA 99113. Visitors are welcome at weekend Masses or for a quiet visit to the historic church itself, one of the architectural and spiritual landmarks of the Palouse.
- Address: 210 S. St. Boniface St., Uniontown, WA 99179
- Mailing: PO Box 108, Colton, WA 99113
- Phone: (509) 229-3548
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stgbcc.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Anton Joehren1888–early 1890s
Began drafting plans for the grand brick church in 1888; foundation laid 1893. Construction halted due to economic downturn, crop failure, and a dispute with parishioners.
- Rev. Fr. W. J. Metz
Pastor in 1910 who oversaw the liquidation of parish debts and the historic consecration of St. Boniface by Bishop O'Dea of the Seattle diocese on the feast of St. Boniface, 1910 — the first consecration of a Catholic church in Washington state.
- Rev. Fr. Raymond Klemmer
Pastor of St. Boniface parish at the time of the school's dedication; spoke to the press about the consecration anniversary and tradition.
- Fr. Baskar 'Fr. B' Anandan, HGN2023–c. 2024
Appointed Pastor of St. Gall, Colton and St. Boniface, Uniontown effective July 1, 2023, by Bishop Thomas Daly.
- Rev. Anil Kumar Narisetti, HGNc. 2024–present
Current pastor of both St. Boniface (Uniontown) and St. Gall (Colton), per the Diocese of Spokane priest directory.