About St. Peter · Spokane, Washington
St. Peter Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Spokane, located at 3520 E 18th Avenue on Spokane's south side. Founded in 1956 by Bishop Bernard Topel, it was the first parish in the diocese named after an Apostle and grew quickly with a parish school opening in 1958 and eventually serving more than 900 families. Today the parish offers weekend and daily Mass in English, regular Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, faith formation for children and youth, an OCIA (RCIA) process for adults, and an active music ministry — all under the leadership of Pastor Rev. Kevin D. Oiland. The parish describes itself as a 'place to believe, belong, and become,' a fellowship of disciples sharing the Good News through learning, listening, praying, and serving.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin D. Oiland
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
St. Peter offers a full sacramental and devotional life in a welcoming south-Spokane community: three Sunday Masses (Saturday vigil and two Sunday morning), a daily 7:15 AM Mass with morning Rosary, weekly Friday and Saturday confessions, and one of the more robust Eucharistic Adoration schedules in the area (Tuesday all day with Divine Mercy Chaplet and Benediction, plus Friday evenings). Families can enroll children in faith formation and youth ministry, adults can journey through OCIA into the Church, and parishioners of any musical ability are invited into the parish's music ministry. The parish's mission statement — 'a place to believe, belong, and become' — captures what newcomers will find: a neighborhood parish rooted in the Apostles, anchored in daily prayer, and focused on forming disciples.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3:00 PM; Benediction with Rosary at 5:30 PM)
- Friday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Fridays outside of Lent)
History of St. Peter Parish
St. Peter Parish was founded in 1956 by Bishop Bernard Topel as part of a wave of new parishes created to serve Spokane's post-war Catholic growth. Groundbreaking took place on March 30, 1956, and the church was dedicated on October 20, 1957. It was the first parish in the Diocese of Spokane named after an Apostle. The accompanying parish school opened in 1958 with 107 students and, through decades of volunteer-driven growth, the community expanded to serve more than 900 families. The parish today continues the legacy of those founding families with a full schedule of Masses, sacraments, formation, and outreach.
- Founded: 1956 by Bishop Bernard Topel
- Groundbreaking: March 30, 1956
- Dedication: October 20, 1957
- First parish in the Diocese of Spokane named after an Apostle
- Parish school opened 1958 with 107 students
- Grew to serve more than 900 families
Mass & Worship Schedule
The parish offers a robust schedule of Masses in English, including a Saturday vigil, two Sunday morning Masses, and a daily morning Mass with Rosary preceding it. An additional Wednesday Mass is celebrated during the school year. Parishioners gather at 6:45 AM each weekday for the Rosary before the 7:15 AM Mass.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
- Monday–Friday: 7:15 AM (Rosary at 6:45 AM)
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM (School Year Only)
- All Masses celebrated in English
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Kevin D. Oiland, assisted by Senior Pastor Rev. Michael D. Venneri and three Permanent Deacons. A lay staff handles religious education, youth ministry, music, accounting, and building and grounds.
Priests
- Rev. Kevin D. Oiland — Pastor, ext. 206
- Rev. Michael D. Venneri — Senior Pastor
Deacons
- Deacon Victor Lopez (also contact for some ministry scheduling, 995-2457)
- Deacon Nicholas Senger
- Deacon Scott Haisley
Lay Staff & Office
- Rylan Buchanan — Director of Youth Ministry, ext. 207
- Ellany Collins — Director of Religious Education, ext. 208
- Heather Fuller-Johnson — Music Administrator, ext. 210
- Jeanne Schmitz Uphus — Accountant, ext. 234
- Sandra Cronin — Building & Grounds
- Mary Lee — (parish office, ext. 208)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Peter's faith formation program provides Catholic religious education for the children of the parish under the direction of the Director of Religious Education. The program supports parish families in passing on the Faith and preparing children to receive the sacraments.
- Director of Religious Education: Ellany Collins (ext. 208)
- Contact the parish office at (509) 534-2227 for enrollment details
Youth Ministry
The parish's youth ministry, directed by Rylan Buchanan, ministers to the middle-school and high-school young people of the parish and is a point of contact for families seeking faith formation beyond elementary age.
- Director of Youth Ministry: Rylan Buchanan, ext. 207
O.C.I.A. — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
For adults seeking to become Catholic or to complete their initiation into the Church, St. Peter offers the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (O.C.I.A.), the current name for the traditional RCIA process. Classes begin in mid- to late October each year and conclude before Easter, with the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation received at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday.
- Program begins each fall (mid- to late October)
- Concludes before Easter
- Baptism and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday
- Contact: parish office at (509) 534-2227
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry of St. Peter Parish supports the sung worship of the parish at its weekend and daily Masses, including the Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM liturgies and the family Mass. Rehearsals are scheduled through the week, and the ministry is led by Music Administrator Heather Fuller-Johnson.
- Music Administrator: Heather Fuller-Johnson, ext. 210
- Rehearsal times posted on the parish Music Ministry page
- Opportunities for choir, cantors, instrumentalists, and the family Mass ensemble
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the parish's worship as Altar Servers, Ushers, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. The parish publishes a Ministry Schedule (with editions for March–April and May–June 2026 found on the website) and invites new volunteers to contact the coordinators listed below.
- Altar Servers — open to youth and adults who feel called to serve at the altar
- Ushers — hospitality, seating, and collections (Contact: Cathy Smalley)
- Lectors — proclaiming the Word of God at Mass
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Contact: Roger Townsend, 448-0164
- Ministry scheduling contact: Deacon Victor Lopez, 995-2457
Sacraments
St. Peter celebrates all the usual sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. The Eucharist is offered daily (see schedule above); Reconciliation is heard Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons; adults seeking Baptism or Confirmation enroll in O.C.I.A.; and couples preparing for Marriage should contact the parish office.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass schedule above
- Reconciliation — Friday 6–7 PM and Saturday 3–4 PM
- Confirmation — typically received through O.C.I.A. for adults; preparation for youth through faith formation
- Matrimony — contact the parish office to begin preparation
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Sunday Homily Podcasts ("Keys to the Kingdom")
The parish publishes recordings of its Sunday homilies online under the title 'Keys to the Kingdom,' allowing parishioners and the wider community to listen again to the preaching of the parish clergy during the week.
- Podcast series title: Keys to the Kingdom
- Linked from the parish website (stpeterspokane.org)
Visit & Contact St. Peter
St. Peter Catholic Parish is located on East 18th Avenue in Spokane's 99223 ZIP code. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and visitors are warmly welcomed to weekday or weekend Mass.
- Address: 3520 E 18th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99223
- Phone: (509) 534-2227 (with extensions for staff)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stpeterspokane.org/