About St. Helen · Roosevelt, Utah
Saint Helen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Roosevelt, Utah, in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah (Duchesne County). It belongs to the Diocese of Salt Lake City and serves as the hub parish for the surrounding rural area, with two mission churches: Holy Spirit Mission in Duchesne and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission in Fort Duchesne. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish, and has been a presence in the basin since its establishment in 1940, serving both longtime local families and the Ute community on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
- Established
- 1940
- Patron
- Saint Helen (of the True Cross)
- Rector
- Reverend Joven Opalda (Temporary Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salt Lake City
Why belong here
Saint Helen is the Catholic heart of the Uinta Basin, a bilingual English/Spanish parish that gathers longtime farming and ranching families, Hispanic Catholics, and the wider Duchesne County community around the Eucharist. As the mother parish of two missions — Holy Spirit Mission in Duchesne and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission in Fort Duchesne — it offers daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and ongoing Catholic life for a large rural area. Worshippers here join a parish with a documented history stretching back to 1940 and a continued ministry to the Ute community of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
Mass times at St. Helen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM (30 minutes before weekend Masses)
About Saint Helen Catholic Church
Saint Helen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving Roosevelt and the surrounding Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Located at 433 East 2nd North in Roosevelt (Duchesne County), it is part of the Diocese of Salt Lake City and serves as the mother parish for the area's two Catholic missions. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in English and Spanish, and is staffed by diocesan priests.
- Parish name: Saint Helen Catholic Church
- Location: Roosevelt, Duchesne County, Utah
- Diocese: Diocese of Salt Lake City
- Type: Parish (with two attached missions)
History of the Parish
Founded in 1940, Saint Helen is one of fourteen parishes established under Bishop Duane G. Hunt's long episcopate. The original building was dedicated May 12, 1940, and a second dedication took place October 14, 1945. The parish marked its 75th anniversary on August 16, 2015, with a Mass celebrated by Diocesan Administrator Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, while Rev. Showri Kalva served as Administrator. The parish's early history is intimately tied to the Ute people of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, and its sacramental records for Ute parishioners are documented in archival guides of Catholic records about Native Americans.
- Founded 1940 (Diocese of Salt Lake City)
- First dedication: May 12, 1940
- Second dedication: October 14, 1945
- 75th anniversary Mass: August 16, 2015
Religious Orders Who Have Administered the Parish
Saint Helen has a notable succession of religious orders administering it, beginning with the Paulist Fathers, who founded the parish in 1937–1942 and ran the Ute missions and stations on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. Subsequent administrators include the Benedictines of Saint John's Abbey, diocesan priests, the Jesuits of the California Province, and the Servites of the U.S.A. Province. Since 1984, diocesan priests of the Diocese of Salt Lake City have continuously administered the parish.
- 1937–1942: Paulist Fathers (New York)
- 1943–1950: Benedictines — Saint John's Abbey (Collegeville, Minnesota)
- 1950–1972: Salt Lake City diocesan priests
- 1972–1973: Jesuits — California Province
- 1974–1982: Salt Lake City diocesan priests
- 1982–1984: Servites — U.S.A. Province (Chicago)
- 1984–present: Salt Lake City diocesan priests
Parish Staff & Clergy
The current Temporary Administrator of Saint Helen Catholic Church (and of its two missions, Holy Spirit Mission and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission) is Reverend Joven Opalda, as listed on the Diocese of Salt Lake City's official parish page. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, or by appointment.
- Temporary Administrator: Rev. Joven Opalda
Missions Served from Saint Helen
Saint Helen functions as the mother parish for two Catholic missions in the Uinta Basin, each with its own Mass schedule. These missions extend the parish's reach into the rural communities of Duchesne and Fort Duchesne, including ministry to the Ute community of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
- Holy Spirit Mission, Duchesne — Sunday Mass at 1:00 PM
- Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission, Fort Duchesne — Wednesday Mass at 4:45 PM
Contact & Office Information
The parish can be reached by phone, mail, or in person during posted office hours. The mailing address uses a P.O. Box, while the physical address is on East 2nd North in Roosevelt.
- Address: 433 East 2nd North, Roosevelt, UT 84066
- Mailing: P.O. Box 415, Roosevelt, UT 84066
- Phone: (435) 722-2975
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, or by appointment
- Website: www.dioslc.org/parishes/saint-helen-catholic-church
- Facebook: facebook.com/sthelenscatholichurch
Languages & Community
Saint Helen Catholic Church is a bilingual parish celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish, reflecting the Hispanic Catholic population that is a significant part of the Uinta Basin community. This bilingual character helps the parish serve a diverse rural congregation that includes longtime ranching and farming families, Hispanic Catholics, and the local Ute community.
- English
- Spanish
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Paulist Fathers1937–1942
Established and administered the parish; also served Ute missions on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
- Benedictines (Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville)1943–1950
Administered the parish.
- Salt Lake City diocesan priests1950–1972
- Jesuits (California Province)1972–1973
- Salt Lake City diocesan priests1974–1982
- Servites (U.S.A. Province, Chicago)1982–1984
- Salt Lake City diocesan priests1984–present
Diocesan clergy have administered the parish continuously since 1984.
- Rev. Showri Rayalu Kalva2015 (Administrator at 75th Anniversary)
Listed as Administrator at the August 16, 2015 75th anniversary Mass.