St. Charles Borromeo

About St. Charles Borromeo Parish

St. Charles Borromeo is a Catholic parish in south Tacoma, Washington, in the Archdiocese of Seattle's Pierce Deanery. Founded in 1956, it serves approximately 1,824 households from its campus at 7112 S. 12th Street, offering three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil and a daily 9:00 AM Mass, weekly confession, Friday all-day adoration, faith formation for all ages, a Preschool–Grade 8 Catholic school, and a wide range of liturgical and pastoral ministries. The parish's mission statement invites newcomers to 'Come and See' how the Lord may speak to them — to deepen faith, celebrate in worship, and go out in loving service to one another and to the larger Tacoma community.

Our History

The parish was founded in 1956 by Fr. Edward F. McCallion and its charter members. The founding community secured the present site and quickly built a temporary church (still in use as the parish social hall and lunchroom), then a rectory, convent, and 16 classrooms. The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia took on teaching and administrative duties, and on September 3, 1958, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School opened with six sisters teaching 200 students in grades one through six. The Sisters provided administrative leadership until 1985, when a school commission was formed and Steve McCoy became the first lay interim principal.

• 1956 – Parish founded by Fr. Edward F. McCallion and charter members; temporary church (now social hall/lunchroom), rectory, convent, and 16 classrooms built.
• Sept. 3, 1958 – School opens with six Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia teaching 200 students in grades 1–6.
• 1976 – Fr. George Rink becomes pastor; parish continues to grow.
• 1985 – School administration restructured, school commission formed, first lay principal (Steve McCoy, interim).
• 1986 – Patrick Feist becomes principal; school grows to three sisters and 26 lay teachers serving 504 K–8 students.
• 1990 – Fr. Patrick Ritter succeeds Fr. Rink as pastor; new facilities added and parish grows to over 2,000 families.
• 1991 – Capital campaign funds new parish center, kitchen, library, and two classrooms.
• Nov. 3, 1996 – Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy dedicates the new library during the parish's 40th anniversary.
• July 1, 2000 – Archbishop Alex Brunett appoints Fr. Michael J. McDermott as pastor.
• 2006 – 50th Anniversary of the parish celebrated.
• 2015 – Fr. Mike McDermott celebrates his own 50th Jubilee of priesthood with the parish.
• 2021–22 – New music room and classroom added, funded by a generous benefactor.
• 2023–24 – Toddler program introduced in the convent.
• 2024–25 – Convent expands to include two more early-education classrooms.
• July 1, 2024 – Partners in the Gospel takes effect: parish joins St. Leo the Great as Parish Family 35; Fr. Michael E. Radermacher appointed pastor; Fr. Marc L. Powell appointed parochial vicar; Fr. McDermott transitions to Senior Priest status.

Our Staff & Clergy

St. Charles Borromeo is led as part of Parish Family 35 by Pastor Fr. Michael E. Radermacher and Parochial Vicar Fr. Marc L. Powell, supported by three deacons, directors of pastoral ministries and music, pastoral associates for faith formation, and a parish operations and accounting team. Many staff share ministry across both St. Charles Borromeo and St. Leo the Great parishes, and use a unified '@charles-leo.org' email format.

• Pastor — Rev. Michael E. Radermacher
• Parochial Vicar & Spiritual Direction — Rev. Marc L. Powell
• Pastor Emeritus / Senior Priest — Rev. Michael J. McDermott (pastor 2000–2024)
• Deacons — Rev. Mr. Eric Paige (Parish Family 35); Rev. Mr. Mark Shine; Rev. Mr. Jim Nazzal; Rev. Mr. Tom O'Loughlin
• Director of Pastoral Ministries — Marianne Manning (also Pastoral Assistant for Young Adult Ministry and for Weddings, Funerals and Partners in the Gospel)
• Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation — Amy Orm
• Pastoral Assistant for Music — Jina Darnell
• Pastoral Assistant — Candyce Ochoa (Hispanic Ministries, Quinceañeras, Bautismo, First Communion at St. Leo)
• Office Administrator — Cathy Lamet; Lynda Sandschulte
• Operations Director — Adriana Julian (Lamet/Ashford-White listed on parish staff page)
• Bookkeeper — Mary Derouin; Jessica Basquette; Megan Carey

Pastoral Succession

The parish has been shaped by four pastorates since its 1956 founding, each one leaving a distinct mark on the buildings, school, and community life — from the building campaign of the founding years under Fr. McCallion, through the growth years under Fr. Rink and Fr. Ritter, to the long McDermott pastorate that overlapped the 50th Anniversary and the parish's transition into Partners in the Gospel.

• Fr. Edward F. McCallion (1956 – c. 1976) — Founding pastor; oversaw construction of temporary church (now social hall/lunchroom), rectory, convent, and 16 classrooms.
• Fr. George Rink (1976 – 1990) — Guided continued parish growth; 1985 restructuring of school administration.
• Fr. Patrick Ritter (1990 – 2000) — Succeeded Fr. Rink; new facilities added; parish grew to over 2,000 families.
• Fr. Michael J. McDermott (2000 – 2024) — Appointed by Archbishop Alex Brunett; led 50th Anniversary (2006) and his own 50th Jubilee (2015); transitioned to Senior Priest status in 2024.

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School is a Preschool through Grade 8 Catholic elementary school sharing the parish campus at 7112 S. 12th Street. The school opened in 1958 under the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia and has grown into a modern, traditional Catholic school offering a gymnasium, music room, computer lab, science lab, and state-of-the-art library. Recent campus additions include a new music room and classroom (2021–22) and a Toddler program expanded into two additional early-education classrooms in the former convent (2023–25).

• Preschool through Grade 8 Catholic elementary school on the parish campus.
• Opened September 3, 1958, with six Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia teaching 200 students in grades 1–6.
• Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia provided administrative leadership until 1985.
• Patrick Feist became principal in 1986, growing the school to three sisters and 26 lay teachers serving 504 K–8 students.
• Current principal — Dr. Beth O'Reilly (welcomed 2021–22).
• School phone (listed separately from parish): (253) 564-6511; Fax (253) 566-5491.
• Athletics (CYO), SCOPE parent organization, SCRIP, Summer Camp, Nursing Office, Hot Lunch Program, School Commission.
• Recent gifts supported a new music room and classroom (2021–22) and convent expansion for early education (2023–25).

Faith Formation

Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation Amy Orm coordinates sacramental preparation and ongoing faith formation for children, youth, and adults. Programs include Baptism preparation, First Eucharist preparation for English-speaking children and youth, ongoing religious education, and young adult ministry coordinated through Marianne Manning.

• Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation — Amy Orm ([email protected])
• Baptism preparation via the parish office
• First Eucharist preparation — English-speaking children and youth
• Young Adult Ministry — Marianne Manning
• RCIA-style adult formation referenced via [email protected]

Liturgical Ministries

The parish invites parishioners to serve at Mass through a full slate of liturgical ministries, each with a named staff contact. Music ministry is led by Pastoral Assistant for Music Jina Darnell; liturgical coordination flows through Pastoral Assistants Candyce Ochoa and Cathy Lamet.

• Altar Serving — Amy Orm
• Eucharistic Ministry at Mass — Candyce Ochoa; to the sick and homebound — Cathy Lamet
• Greeting (Greeter team) — Cathy Lamet
• Lectoring — Candyce Ochoa
• Music Ministry — Jina Darnell
• Ushering — Candyce Ochoa

Partners in the Gospel & Parish Family 35

St. Charles Borromeo is part of the Archdiocese of Seattle's Partners in the Gospel strategic pastoral planning process, which in 2024 paired it with nearby St. Leo the Great (710 S. 13th Street, Tacoma) to form Parish Family 35. The unified family shares clergy — Pastor Fr. Michael E. Radermacher and Parochial Vicar Fr. Marc L. Powell — and many parish staff under a common '@charles-leo.org' email convention. Pastoral Assistant Marianne Manning coordinates the parish's Partners in the Gospel work alongside weddings and funerals.

• Parish Family 35 = St. Charles Borromeo + St. Leo the Great (effective July 1, 2024)
• Pastor — Rev. Michael E. Radermacher; Parochial Vicar — Rev. Marc L. Powell
• Deacons — Rev. Mr. Jim Nazzal, Rev. Mr. Tom O'Loughlin, Rev. Mr. Mark Shine
• Pastoral Assistant for Partners in the Gospel — Marianne Manning
• Transition acknowledged in the April 15, 2024 SCB School Newsletter, with Fr. McDermott moving to Senior Priest status and Fr. Dwight Lewis moving to Parish Family 21.

Sacraments & Pastoral Care

The parish prepares parishioners for and ministers the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, with dedicated pastoral staff for weddings, funerals, First Communion, Baptism, quinceañera, and Communion to the sick and homebound. Reconciliation is offered weekly on Saturday afternoons and by appointment.

• Baptism — preparation via the parish office
• First Eucharist (English) — children and youth, Amy Orm
• Marriage / Weddings — Marianne Manning
• Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the homebound — Cathy Lamet
• Quinceañera / Bautismo (Hispanic Ministries at St. Leo) — Candyce Ochoa
• Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM or by appointment

Visit, Contact & Getting Involved

The parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at 7112 S. 12th Street, Tacoma, WA 98465. The main phone line is 253-564-5185 (press 3 for emergencies), with a fax line at 253-565-0936. Mass streaming is available online for the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass. Newcomers and visitors are warmly invited to call or email Fr. Michael Radermacher for more information, and to consider joining one of the parish's many ministries.

• Address — 7112 S. 12th Street, Tacoma, WA 98465-1799
• Phone — 253-564-5185 (press 3 for emergencies)
• Fax — 253-565-0936
• Office hours — Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (visits by appointment or essential only)
• Parish email — [email protected]
• Mass streaming — 10:00 AM Sunday Mass at saintcharlesb.org/mass-streaming
• Archdiocese parish page — archseattle.org/parish/st-charles-borromeo-tacoma-98465/