About St. John the Baptist · Clatskanie, Oregon
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic mission church in the small Columbia County town of Clatskanie, Oregon. It is served as a mission of the parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in nearby Rainier, and the two communities share clergy, a mailing address, and a joint pastoral council. The mission is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and is cared for by Father Mark Gikenyi and Deacon Paul Cramer. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 11:15 a.m. at the church on SW High Street in Clatskanie.
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Father Mark Gikenyi
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist brings the Sunday Eucharist to Catholics in the lower Columbia County town of Clatskanie through the pastoral care of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Rainier. Parishioners of both the mission and the parish gather together for shared liturgical seasons — Advent celebrations, the Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis, a Christmas Pot Luck, and joint funeral-planning resources — and are served by a stable priest and deacon team. It is a small, close-knit mission where the faithful are known by name and welcomed into one Catholic family that spans Rainier and Clatskanie.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
St. John the Baptist Mission in Clatskanie
St. John the Baptist is a Catholic mission church serving the small town of Clatskanie in Columbia County, Oregon. Although it has its own name and worship site on SW High Street, it is canonically a mission of the parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in neighboring Rainier. The mission was founded to bring regular Sunday Mass and pastoral care to Catholics in the lower Columbia River region who live outside the town of Rainier.
- Location: 100 SW High Street, Clatskanie, OR
- Sunday Mass: 11:15 AM
- Mailing address shared with Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: P.O. Box 340, Rainier, OR 97048
- Phone: (503) 556-5641
Pastoral Leadership
The mission is served by the priest and deacon of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish. Father Mark Gikenyi is the pastor for both the parish and the mission, and Deacon Paul Cramer assists with liturgy and pastoral ministry across the two communities. Together they care for the Catholic faithful of both Rainier and Clatskanie.
- Father Mark Gikenyi — Pastor (Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist)
- Rev. Mr. Deacon Paul Cramer
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
Sunday Mass at St. John the Baptist in Clatskanie is celebrated at 11:15 AM, an hour after the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass at the parent parish in Rainier. This back-to-back schedule allows one pastor to serve both communities in a single morning. Weekday Masses are celebrated at the Rainier church (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11:00 AM, and Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM).
- Sunday — St. John the Baptist, Clatskanie: 11:15 AM
- Sunday — Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Rainier: 10:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil — Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 11:00 AM
Seasonal and Special Celebrations
Parishioners of both the Rainier parish and the Clatskanie mission come together for the major seasons of the liturgical year. Council meeting minutes record joint planning for Advent, Christmas, All Saints and All Souls days, the Solemnity of St. Mary, and the annual Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis.
- Christmas Eve Mass at St. John the Baptist: 4:00 PM
- Christmas Day Mass at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 10:00 AM
- All Saints Day Mass: 11:00 AM (NBVM)
- All Souls Day Mass: 11:00 AM (NBVM)
- Blessing of the Animals — Feast of St. Francis, October 4
Parish Life and Ministries
Although small, the mission is supported by a network of lay ministries organized through the joint NBVM Pastoral Council. The Hospitality Ministry plans social gatherings such as the annual Christmas Pot Luck in December, at which parishioners from both the parish and the mission share food and a white-elephant gift exchange. A Funeral Planning ministry is preparing written guidelines to help parishioners arrange Catholic funerals, and a Book of Intentions at the back of church lets the faithful write down the names of family and friends to be remembered in the parish prayers.
- Pastoral Council — meets quarterly at the parish hall in Rainier
- Hospitality Ministry — fellowship meals and Christmas Pot Luck
- Funeral Planning ministry — drafting parish funeral guidelines
- Book of Intentions — prayer remembrance book at the back of church
- Flower and decor volunteers for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter
Visiting or Joining the Mission
Visitors and new parishioners are warmly welcomed. Because the mission is cared for by the Rainier parish, the easiest way to make contact — for Mass intentions, sacramental preparation, or to register as a parishioner — is by calling the parish office at (503) 556-5641 or writing to the shared mailing address at P.O. Box 340, Rainier, OR 97048. The mission shares in all parish-wide events, including the annual Blessing of the Animals and the Christmas Pot Luck, which are open to families from both churches.
- Parish office phone: (503) 556-5641
- Shared mailing: Nativity and St. John the Baptist, P.O. Box 340, Rainier, OR 97048
- Sunday worship at the mission: 11:15 AM
Diocese and Canonical Status
St. John the Baptist Mission belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Within the archdiocese, it is registered not as an independent parish but as a mission of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Rainier, sharing one pastor and one pastoral council with that parish.
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- Status: Mission of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Rainier
- Rite: Roman (Latin)