About St. Joseph · Mammoth Lakes, California
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a resort-community Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Stockton serving all of Mono County in the Eastern Sierra of California. The parish church sits in Mammoth Lakes and is supported by two missions — Our Savior of the Mountains in Lee Vining and Infant of Prague in Bridgeport — plus Our Lady of the Valley Chapel in Coleville. Under its current pastor, Father Jorge Román (pastor since 2013), the parish welcomes full-time residents, second-homeowners, and visitors with weekday bilingual Masses, a Sunday Spanish Mass, and 24-hour Adoration once a month. With 3,030 square miles of territory (94% publicly owned), St. Joseph is the spiritual home of one of the most geographically expansive parishes in California.
- Established
- 1939
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Jorge Román
- Diocese
- Diocese of Stockton
Why belong here
St. Joseph is the only Catholic parish serving all 3,030 square miles of Mono County, so whether you live in Mammoth Lakes full-time, own a second home in the Eastern Sierra, or are just passing through to ski, fish, hike, or climb, this is your spiritual home in the high country. Mass is offered in both English and Spanish, with a Saturday Vigil, multiple Sunday Masses, and a daily bilingual Mass — a real gift in a remote mountain region. The parish actively extends charity to those in need who request help, runs OCIA (formerly RCIA) and religious education, commissions liturgical, extraordinary, and homebound ministers at the Easter Vigil, and gathers as one faith family across the church in Mammoth Lakes plus its missions in Lee Vining, Bridgeport, and Coleville.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM (St. Joseph Church, Mammoth Lakes) — also listed on the homepage as 8:30–8:45 AM
- Sunday: 5:30–5:45 PM (en Español) at St. Joseph Church, Mammoth Lakes
- Saturday: 4:30 PM — also listed on the homepage as 5:30–5:45 PM at St. Joseph Church
- Immediately after Sunday Mass at the Infant of Prague Mission, Bridgeport
- Reconciliation also available after Mass at Our Lady of the Valley Chapel, Coleville
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM — 24 Hours of Adoration begins on the Thursday before the First Friday of the month
About the Parish
St. Joseph is a resort-community parish of the Diocese of Stockton serving all of Mono County in California's Eastern Sierra. The church sits in Mammoth Lakes, with missions in Lee Vining and Bridgeport and a chapel in Coleville. According to the parish's own 'About Our Parish' page, the community is a mix of full-time residents, second homeowners, and visitors from around the world — and because of the recreational economy the full-time population turns over more than at most parishes. Pastoral capacity has been directed at serving the large part-time and tourist population as well as the local members, and the parish depends on the generosity of part-time parishioners to heat the church and missions, plow snow, and make repairs.
- Pastor: Father Jorge Román
- Pastoral staff: one part-time staff person
- Parish center building campaign still in process (land already purchased)
Parish History
The earliest record is the Baptismal Register, which begins in 1939 with Fr. Edward D. Maginnis, S.J. — the parish founder. Fr. James D. Kelly, S.J. soon joined him and is considered the priest who essentially formed the parish. The early baptisms were all in Bridgeport or Lee Vining, since these were the main Eastern Sierra towns at the time. In 1962, when the Diocese of Stockton was created, Mono County was transferred from Sacramento to the new diocese, and Fr. Thomas V. Savage, S.J. succeeded Fr. Kelly. Fr. Andrew C. Dachauer, S.J. then led the parish for 27 years (1983–2010) and in 1984 moved the parish seat from Lee Vining to Mammoth Lakes. Fr. Paul Boudreau succeeded him (2010–2013) before Fr. Jorge Román took over in July 2013.
- 1939 – Parish founded by Fr. Edward D. Maginnis, S.J.
- 1949–1962 – Fr. James D. Kelly, S.J., pastor
- 1962 – Diocese of Stockton formed; Mono County transferred from Sacramento
- 1962–1983 – Fr. Thomas V. Savage, S.J., pastor
- 1984 – Parish seat moved from Lee Vining to Mammoth Lakes
- 1983–2010 – Fr. Andrew C. Dachauer, S.J., pastor
- 1987–2010 – Br. Daniel C. Corona, S.J., Special Assistant to the Pastor
- 2010–2013 – Fr. Paul Boudreau, pastor
- 2013–present – Fr. Jorge Román, pastor
Parish Leadership
The pastor is Father Jorge Román, ordained June 6, 1981, currently assigned to St. Joseph, Mammoth Lakes by the Diocese of Stockton. The parish is supported by a Pastoral Council (PPC) and a Finance Council (PFC); the Finance Council roster lists Matt Underhill as Acting Finance Council Chair and Parish Administrator/Director of Religious Education, alongside other Finance Council members including Greg Rosa.
- Fr. Jorge Román — Pastor
- Matt Underhill — Parish Administrator, Director of Religious Education, Pastoral Council Chair, Acting Finance Council Chair
- Greg Rosa — Finance Council Member
Sacraments & Faith Formation
The parish celebrates Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion, Matrimony, Quinceañeras, and Reconciliation. OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) prepares candidates who receive Baptism and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. The parish also has a Director of Religious Education on staff to oversee faith formation.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Religious Education / Director of Religious Education
- First Communion Masses (Our Lady of the Valley Coleville, Infant of Prague Bridgeport, St. Joseph Mammoth Lakes)
- Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion, Matrimony, Quinceañera
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Anointing / care of the sick and homebound
Parish Ministries & Service
The parish extends charity to those in need who request help and supports a range of lay ministries. Liturgical, Extraordinary, and Homebound Ministers are commissioned at the Easter Vigil. Parish leadership is exercised through a Pastoral Council and Finance Council.
- Pastoral Council (PPC)
- Finance Council (PFC)
- Liturgical Ministers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Homebound Ministers
- Charitable outreach to those in need
Missions & Wider Parish Territory
In addition to St. Joseph in Mammoth Lakes, the parish includes two missions and a chapel stretching across Mono County — Our Savior of the Mountains in Lee Vining (the former seat of the parish) and Infant of Prague in Bridgeport, plus Our Lady of the Valley Chapel in Coleville. Together these sites form one parish family covering 3,030 square miles, 94% of which is publicly owned land.
- St. Joseph Church — Mammoth Lakes (parish seat since 1984)
- Our Savior of the Mountains Mission — Lee Vining (Sunday 11:00 AM)
- Infant of Prague Mission — Bridgeport (Sunday 12:30 PM)
- Our Lady of the Valley Chapel — Coleville (Sunday 10:00 AM)
Events & Holy Week
The parish publishes its events on the mammothcatholicchurch.org events page. The signature event of the year is the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil at St. Joseph Church (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM), which includes commissioning of Liturgical, Extraordinary, and Homebound Ministers, oathtaking of PPC and PFC candidates, and administration of Baptism and Confirmation to OCIA graduates.
- Holy Saturday Easter Vigil — 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at St. Joseph Church
- Commissioning of Liturgical, Extraordinary, and Homebound Ministers
- Oathtaking of PPC and PFC candidates
- Baptism and Confirmation of OCIA graduates
- Annual First Communion Masses by chapel
- Feast of Mary, the Obedient Jewish Maiden — Bridgeport Grotto
Visiting & Getting Involved
St. Joseph explicitly welcomes visitors — whether coming to fish, hike, camp, bike, ski, snowboard, kayak, or just enjoy the Eastern Sierra outdoors. The pastor has only a part-time staff person, so the parish asks for patience when calling to schedule sacraments, appointments, or ask questions. The parish relies on the generosity of its part-time parishioners to keep the churches heated, the missions plowed, and repairs made.
- Call 760-934-6276 to schedule sacraments, appointments, or ask questions
- Visitors and second-homeowners are an essential part of parish life
- Parish Center building campaign still accepting support
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Edward D. Maginnis, S.J.1939–1949
Parish founder; first priest named in the Baptismal Register.
- Fr. James D. Kelly, S.J.1949–1962
Considered the priest who essentially formed the parish; retired when the Diocese of Stockton was created.
- Fr. Thomas V. Savage, S.J.1962–1983
First pastor after Mono County joined the new Diocese of Stockton in 1962.
- Fr. Andrew C. Dachauer, S.J.1983–2010
Moved the parish seat from Lee Vining to Mammoth Lakes in 1984; launched the Parish Center building campaign.
- Br. Daniel C. Corona, S.J.1987–2010
Special Assistant to the Pastor; retired January 2011.
- Fr. Paul Boudreau2010–2013
Succeeded Fr. Dachauer; retired July 2013.
- Fr. Jorge Román2013–present
Current pastor.