About St. Peter · Gunnison, Colorado
St. Peter's Catholic Church is the primary Catholic parish serving Gunnison County, Colorado, in the Diocese of Pueblo. Located at 301 N. Wisconsin Street (with a church office at 400 W. Georgia Avenue), the parish describes itself as a caring, bilingual community united in faith and service, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish. Father Andres Ayala-Santiago serves as pastor alongside three deacons, and the parish shares clergy with sister missions Queen of All Saints in Crested Butte and St. Rose of Lima in Lake City. In 2025, St. Peter's marked 100 years of Catholic worship in the Gunnison Valley with a two-day fiesta.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Andres Ayala-Santiago
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pueblo
Why belong here
St. Peter's is a warm, bilingual mountain parish that has anchored Catholic life in the Gunnison Valley for a century. With daily and weekend Mass offered in both English and Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a robust choir, men's and women's faith-sharing groups, Knights of Columbus council, religious education for children and adults, and a homebound ministry that brings Communion to the sick and elderly, the parish offers something for every age and stage of life. It is also the spiritual hub for an entire county, sharing clergy with the missions in Crested Butte and Lake City.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM (Winter)
- Saturday 4:15 PM
- Saturday 4:30–4:50 PM (before 5 PM Mass, Oct 1 through weekend prior to Memorial Day; or by appointment)
- Saturday 6:00 PM (Summer)
- Saturday 7:30–7:50 PM (after 6:30 PM Mass, Memorial Day Weekend through Sept 30; or by appointment)
- Saturday 7:30 PM (Summer)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Holy Hour)
About St. Peter's Parish
St. Peter's Catholic Church is the primary Catholic parish in Gunnison County, Colorado, and belongs to the Diocese of Pueblo. The parish is described on its own website as a 'caring, bilingual community united in faith and service,' and it celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish. The same clergy team — led by Father Andres Ayala-Santiago and three deacons — ministers to St. Peter's in Gunnison, Queen of All Saints in Crested Butte, and St. Rose of Lima in Lake City, so visitors will see the same phone number, address, and email contacts across all three parishes.
- Primary Catholic parish of Gunnison County
- Diocese of Pueblo
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) worship and ministry
- Sister missions: Queen of All Saints (Crested Butte) and St. Rose of Lima (Lake City)
History of St. Peter's
Catholic worship in the Gunnison Valley stretches back to the 1880s — parish records begin in 1883, and pioneer Swiss and Italian Catholic families are documented worshipping at St. Peter's as early as the 1890s. The parish marked its 100th anniversary on June 27–28, 2025, with a special Mass followed by a town procession led by a Danzantes dance group. A formal local history — 'A History of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Gunnison, Colorado 1881–1960' by Darlene Marie Lemons — is held at the Carnegie Library for Local History and covers the parish's first eight decades.
- Catholic worship in Gunnison dates to the late 1800s (records begin 1883)
- 100-year jubilee celebrated June 27–28, 2025
- Local history preserved at the Carnegie Library for Local History (Marmot/Islandora)
- More than 350 families currently served
Meet Our Clergy
St. Peter's is pastored by Father Andres Ayala-Santiago, who also serves as the priest for Queen of All Saints in Crested Butte and St. Rose of Lima in Lake City. Three deacons — Dcn. Lloyd Hawes, Dcn. Mike Anderson, and Dcn. Josh Boden — assist with preaching, sacraments, pastoral care, and outreach. Michael Anderson also serves the parish as Director of Religious Education.
- Father Andres Ayala-Santiago — Pastor
- Deacon Lloyd Hawes
- Deacon Mike Anderson (also Director of Religious Education)
- Deacon Josh Boden
Father Andres Ayala-Santiago
Father Andres was born on November 5, 1978, in Mexico. He entered the Seminary of Guadalajara on August 28, 1996, completing formation in spirituality (Tapalpa), three years of philosophy, and three of theology, and continued at the Hispanic Seminary of Santa María de Guadalupe in Mexico City. He was ordained a deacon on March 6, 2009 by Bishop Arthur Tafoya at the Basilica of Guadalupe, and ordained a priest on December 9, 2010 by Bishop Fernando Isern at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, Colorado. He served as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Alamosa (2010–2012) and in the San Juan Community (2012–2014), then became the first Hispanic Parish Administrator of St. Peter's, Queen of All Saints, and St. Rose of Lima on October 28, 2014. He received his first decree as pastor on September 29, 2017, was installed December 17, 2017, and had his decree renewed for another six years on October 1, 2023. He earned his master's degree in philosophy on February 5, 2024.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Peter's offers comprehensive religious education for children, teens, and adults — from sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation) to lifelong faith formation — to help parishioners grow in their Catholic faith and deepen their relationship with Christ and the Church.
- Children and teen religious education
- Adult faith formation
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
- Director of Religious Education: Michael Anderson (Deacon)
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish is strengthened by a network of ministries that serve before, during, and after Mass, as well as outside the church. Opportunities span liturgical service, men's and women's faith-sharing, music, service to the homebound, and fraternal charity.
- Mass Ministry (ushers, greeters, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers)
- St. Peter's Choir (practice Wednesdays 7:00 PM; meetings 1st & 3rd Mondays in the parish hall)
- Knights of Columbus (meetings 2nd & 4th Mondays in the parish hall)
- That Man Is You (TMIY) Men's Group (Fridays 6:00 AM in the parish hall)
- Women of the Bible Small Group
- Homebound Ministry (visits to homes, nursing facilities, and hospitals)
- Charitable outreach and youth activities
Sacraments
Parishioners can arrange the sacraments through the parish office. For marriage, anointing of the sick, or homebound visits, Father Andres can be reached directly at [email protected].
- Baptism — preparation through the parish
- Marriage — contact Father Andres
- Reconciliation — Saturday per schedule or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the Homebound — contact Fr. Andres
Contact, Visit & Get Involved
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM and can be reached at 970.641.0808 or [email protected]. A 'Join Our Parish' registration page is available on the website, and a 'Get Involved' page lists current ministry openings. The parish hall and its parking lot are used for major gatherings, including the 2025 centennial fiesta reception.
- Parish office: 400 W. Georgia Avenue, Gunnison, CO 81230
- Office hours: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (call ahead for emergencies)
- Phone: 970.641.0808 / 970.671.0808
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
Centennial Celebration (2025)
On June 27–28, 2025, St. Peter's marked 100 years with a two-day fiesta. Saturday opened with a special Centennial Mass at 5:00 PM, followed by food, music, a beer garden, and raffles in the parish-hall parking lot. On Sunday, a Danzantes dance group led a town procession — a tradition blending Aztec/Maya cosmology with Catholic elements — accompanied by live music and Mexican food.
- Saturday June 27 — 5:00 PM Centennial Mass, then fiesta with live band, food, and beer garden
- Sunday June 28 — 2:00 PM parish hall, Danzantes procession through town
- Part of the parish's 'grateful for our past, united in the present, filled with hope' jubilee theme
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Andres Ayala-Santiago2014–present
First Hispanic/Latino pastor of the parish. Arrived October 28, 2014 as Parish Administrator for St. Peter (Gunnison), Queen of All Saints (Crested Butte), and St. Rose of Lima (Lake City); received first decree as pastor September 29, 2017, installed December 17, 2017; decree renewed October 1, 2023 for another six years; earned a master's degree in philosophy on February 5, 2024.