About St. Patrick · Heppner, Oregon
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Heppner, Oregon — a rural ranching town in Morrow County often called the 'Irish Capital of Oregon' — and naturally took its patron from the community's strong Irish heritage. It belongs to the Diocese of Baker and shares its pastor with the mission church of St. William in nearby Ione. Despite its modest size, the parish maintains an unusually full schedule of Masses (Sunday and daily), weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a Wednesday Bible study, and a Spanish-language Mass on Fridays, plus livestreamed Sunday and daily Masses for those who cannot attend in person.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Reverend Alexandar Poulose
- Diocese
- Diocese of Baker
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers an unusually full sacramental life for a small rural parish: a Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM, a Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM, daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, Wednesday evening Bible study, confession before Sunday Mass, and even a Friday evening Spanish-language Mass. The parish welcomes visitors, livestreams its Sunday and daily Masses for the homebound, and treats its Irish-Catholic pioneer heritage as a living part of community identity — making it a warm, hardy faith home in eastern Oregon's high desert.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM at St. William Church, Ione
- Saturday: 5:00 PM at St. Patrick Church (before Vigil Mass)
- By appointment (call 541-676-9462)
Adoration times
- Friday: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (every Friday at St. Patrick Church)
About St. Patrick Catholic Church
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small parish located in Heppner, Oregon, a rural community in the eastern part of the state. Heppner is fondly known by many as the Irish Capital of Oregon. Because of the strong Irish heritage in this little town, the parish was naturally named for Saint Patrick. The congregation is small but hearty, and is very proud of its parish and rich history. Visitors are welcomed and encouraged to consider becoming a part of the parish community.
Parish History
Heppner's Catholic community has worshipped as St. Patrick's for well over a century. The first St. Patrick's Church was built in 1887. When Father Francis McCormack arrived as pastor in 1940, he set out to build a new church; a site was purchased in 1941 and the new church was completed that November, while the old church was sold and remodeled into the American Legion Hall. A rectory followed in 1948. Father Raymond H. Beard later oversaw construction of the parish hall (1959–1960) and then the present church, dedicated and blessed by Bishop Thomas J. Connolly in November 1971.
- 1887 — First St. Patrick's Church built in Heppner
- 1940 — Father Francis McCormack appointed pastor; launches new-church campaign
- 1941 — Second St. Patrick's Church completed in November; old church becomes American Legion Hall
- 1948 — Rectory completed
- 1959–1960 — Parish hall built under Father Raymond H. Beard (~$55,000)
- November 1971 — Present church dedicated and blessed by Bishop Thomas J. Connolly
Architecture of the 1971 Church
According to the diocesan history 'The Cross in the Middle of Nowhere,' the 1971 St. Patrick's was the first new construction in the Diocese of Baker to reflect the liturgical changes called for by the Second Vatican Council. The design combined several innovations into a unique interior: a shorter and broader nave, divided to form a 'Y' shape, coupled with the elimination of the communion rail so that the congregation sits closer to the sanctuary.
Faith Formation & Bible Study
The parish offers ongoing faith formation through a weekly Wednesday Bible study, held before the Wednesday evening Mass at St. Patrick Church.
- Wednesday Bible Study — 5:15 PM at St. Patrick Church
- Religious Education / Faith Formation programs (parish-wide)
Liturgy in Two Languages
While most Masses at St. Patrick are celebrated in English, the parish's mission of St. William in Ione hosts a Spanish-language Mass on Friday evenings, extending the Diocese of Baker's reach to Spanish-speaking Catholics in the area.
- English Masses — Saturday Vigil, Sunday, and most daily Masses
- Spanish (Español) Mass — Friday 7:00 PM at St. William, Ione
Livestreamed Masses
For parishioners and visitors who are homebound or unable to attend in person, St. Patrick livestreams its Sunday Mass and daily Mass via its website. The parish lists a dedicated livestream link on the homepage.
- Sunday Mass — livestreamed
- Daily Mass — livestreamed
Clergy & Mission Parishes
St. Patrick, Heppner is served by the Reverend Alexandar Poulose, who is also pastor of the mission church of St. William in nearby Ione, Oregon. Together the two form a single pastoral unit within the Diocese of Baker.
- Reverend Alexandar Poulose — Pastor, St. Patrick (Heppner) and St. William (Ione)
- Parish phone — (541) 676-9462
Visiting & Contact
St. Patrick Catholic Church is located at 525 N. Gale Street in Heppner, Oregon, the county seat of Morrow County. The parish office can be reached at (541) 676-9462 or by email at [email protected]. Visitors are warmly welcomed.
- Address — 525 N. Gale Street, Heppner, OR 97836
- Phone — (541) 676-9462
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — http://www.saintpatschurch.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis McCormack1940–
Appointed pastor in 1940; led the campaign and construction of the second St. Patrick's Church, completed November 1941.
- Father Raymond H. Beard1950s–1970s
Built the parish hall (1959–1960) and directed the construction of the current St. Patrick's Church, dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. Connolly in November 1971.
- Reverend Alexandar Poulosepresent
Current pastor of St. Patrick, Heppner, with mission to St. William, Ione.