About St. Philip the Apostle · Occidental, California
St. Philip the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish in the small Sonoma County town of Occidental, California, sharing its pastorate with the nearby mission church of St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega. The historic Victorian Gothic church was built in 1902 by Italian and Irish immigrants and dedicated in June 1903, and the parish has served the western Sonoma County communities of Occidental, Bodega and the surrounding redwood-and-oak countryside ever since. Belonging to the Diocese of Santa Rosa, the community describes itself as 'bonded in a rich heritage of faith' and is centered on the Eucharist, faith formation for children and adults, a Rural Food Program, music ministry, two Ladies Guilds, an active cemetery ministry, and the ongoing care of its two landmark churches.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. John M. Plass
- Diocese
- Diocese of Santa Rosa
Why belong here
St. Philip & St. Teresa is a small, rooted country parish where nearly everyone knows one another — a community bonded in what its mission statement calls 'a rich heritage of faith' and centered on the Eucharist. Worship is offered in two beautiful historic churches (a Victorian Gothic in Occidental and the Ansel Adams–associated St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega), with daily weekday Mass, a Thursday evening Holy Hour, weekly confession, a CCD program from kindergarten through Confirmation, a Rural Food Program serving neighbors in need, two Ladies Guilds, a parish choir, and the care of a country cemetery. It's the kind of parish where joining the Boosters Club, helping with gardens and grounds, singing in the choir, or visiting the sick are real, visible ways to live the gospel.
Mass times at St. Philip the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday at 8:30 AM — St. Philip, Occidental
- Saturday at 4:30 PM — St. Teresa, Bodega
Adoration times
- Thursday at 5:30 PM — Holy Hour, St. Philip, Occidental
About St. Philip & St. Teresa
St. Philip the Apostle in Occidental and St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega together form one Catholic community served by a single pastor in the Diocese of Santa Rosa. Their mission statement reads: 'We, the Catholic community of St. Philip the Apostle, Occidental, and St. Teresa of Avila, Bodega, are bonded in a rich heritage of faith. We strive to understand and live out the gospel values of love, hope and forgiveness. We joyfully embrace Christ's call to serve through liturgies centered on the Eucharist that reflect a welcoming and compassionate people of prayer; ministries that nurture God's presence in ourselves, our families and our community; programs of faith enrichment that nourish and renew our commitment; and social gatherings that unite us in Christian fellowship.'
History of St. Philip the Apostle
The parish traces its origin to a wave of Italian and Irish Catholic immigration to western Sonoma County in the late 1800s. Originally served from the Church of the Assumption in Tomales, the community won a donated plot of land from the Asti family, and Father John Rogers — Assumption's pastor — oversaw the design and construction of a new church. Architects Shea and Shea of San Francisco drew the plans; the Neles Brothers of Bodega served as contractors; and local laborers did the building, finishing in December 1902. The coadjutor bishop of San Francisco formally dedicated the church in June 1903, the date the parish counts as its official opening. For the next sixty years St. Philip was a mission church — first of Assumption Tomales (19 years), briefly of St. Elizabeth in Guerneville, and then of St. Sebastian in Sebastopol for about forty years — until 1964, when it was established as an independent parish with its first resident pastor, Msgr. James T. Monagle. The Victorian Gothic church has since been carefully restored and still retains most of its original woodwork.
- Architects: Shea and Shea, San Francisco
- Contractors: Neles Brothers, Bodega
- Land donated by the Asti family
- First building phase completed December 1902
- Dedicated by the coadjutor bishop of San Francisco, June 1903
- Independent parish established 1964
Mass & Worship Schedule
Regular parish Mass is offered at both churches. St. Philip in Occidental celebrates Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM and 11:15 AM, with weekday Mass Wednesday through Friday at 8:00 AM and a First Saturday Mass at 9:00 AM. St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega offers the Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM and a Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM.
- St. Philip Sunday: 8:00 AM & 11:15 AM
- St. Philip Weekday: Wed–Fri 8:00 AM
- St. Philip First Saturday: 9:00 AM
- St. Teresa Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- St. Teresa Sunday: 9:30 AM
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD)
St. Philip & St. Teresa provides religious education for students from Kindergarten through the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Classes meet 2–3 times each month in the parish hall at St. Philip Church, Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 11:00 AM; afterwards all the children are encouraged to attend the 11:15 AM Mass together. The program is staffed by volunteers, and parental involvement — in the classroom, providing snacks, or organizing events such as the Christmas play and the May procession — is warmly welcomed. Children registering from outside the parish boundaries must provide a permission letter from their own pastor.
- Director of Religious Education: Jolene Corcoran (707-545-4755)
- Grades K through Confirmation
- Sunday 9:45–11:00 AM, parish hall at St. Philip
- Children attend 11:15 AM Mass after class
Music Ministry
Instrumentalists and singers provide music primarily for the weekend liturgies at both churches, and the parish's many talented musicians also perform special music events throughout the year. Anyone who loves to worship through song is encouraged to join the choir. Choir rehearsals are held on most Friday and Saturday mornings. The music director is Janis Wilson.
- Choir singing at all weekend Masses
- Rehearsals most Friday and Saturday mornings
- Music director: Janis Wilson
Parish Pastoral Council
Self-described as 'the eyes and ears of the parish,' the Parish Council advises the pastor on parish administration, worship, outreach, and service. Council meetings are open and are held quarterly; times are published in the bulletin.
Finance Council
A working group of parishioners from backgrounds in business, finance, law, and banking who oversee parish finances, plan budgets, and advise the pastor. Meetings are open, are held quarterly, and times are published in the bulletin.
Liturgy Committee
Includes parishioners with particular interest and skill in the many aspects of worship — music, the ministries of the Word and of the Altar, and the seasonal decoration of the churches (especially at Christmas and Easter). The committee meets as needed, usually four to six times a year.
Ladies Guilds
Two parish guilds — one at St. Philip, one at St. Teresa — are open to all women of the parish. Their aspiration is spiritual, service, and social, and they organize fund-raising events (such as the Annual Ravioli Luncheon, Pancake Breakfast, and St. Patrick's Day Dinner) that greatly benefit the parish, along with opportunities for spiritual growth, friendship, and parish involvement.
- St. Philip Ladies Guild — contact Penny Applegarth
- St. Teresa Ladies Guild — contact Diane Schwab-Merget
Gardens and Grounds
Each church has a dedicated group of volunteers who tend the gardens and maintain the parking areas and other open spaces. Green thumbs are always welcome.
- Head Gardener, St. Philip: Tom Novello
- Head Gardener, St. Teresa: Open
Home Visitation
Visits to the sick and those confined to their homes are a ministry of the parish, and may include visits by the parish nurse or an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. Contact: Dolores Novello.
Boosters Club (St. Philip Church)
Plans, organizes, and carries out special fundraising projects, with proceeds going to the care and maintenance of St. Philip Church, the Parish Hall, and the rectory.
- Contact: Cathy McCool (707-861-9302)
St. Teresa Restoration Committee
St. Teresa of Avila congregation members are devoted to the restoration and historic preservation of their 19th-century mission church, a California Registered Historical Landmark (No. 820). The committee is funded through donations and through the sale of an Ansel Adams Limited Edition print of 'Saint Teresa of Avila.'
Bodega Cemetery
The parish cemetery sits near the junction of Bodega Highway and California Highway 1 in Bodega — a country cemetery, well-maintained and set in a lovely rural landscape. Graves for earthen burial are available, along with a new outdoor columbarium for cremated remains. A new limestone altar, donated by Jim and Jackie Smith, has been installed. Plots are available for parishioners and former parishioners.
- Contact: Jim Smith, 707-875-3953
- Earthen burial plots available
- Outdoor columbarium for cremated remains
- New limestone altar donated by Jim and Jackie Smith
Rural Food Program
A parish-run outreach ministry that helps address food insecurity in the surrounding rural communities of western Sonoma County.
- Hal McGuirk — 707-874-3304
- Catherine McCool — 707-861-9302
Endowment Fund
Working with the Finance Council, the parish has established an endowment fund dedicated to providing for the perpetual maintenance of the two historic churches — St. Philip in Occidental and St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega — ensuring they can be cared for into the future.
Parish Staff & Contacts
The parish office is open weekday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon (voicemail and email reviewed weekday mornings). For Last Rites or pastoral emergencies, call 707-874-3812 ext. 4.
- Pastor — Rev. John M. Plass, 707-874-3812 ext. 2
- Parish Office — 707-874-3812 ext. 1
- Bookkeeper
- Rural Food Program — Hal McGuirk (707-874-3304), Catherine McCool (707-861-9302)
- Hall Rental Coordinator — 707-874-3812
- Religious Education — Jolene Corcoran, 707-545-4755
- Bodega Cemetery — Jim Smith, 707-875-3953
Locations & Visiting
St. Philip the Apostle sits at 3730 Bohemian Highway in Occidental, California. St. Teresa of Avila sits at 17120 Bodega Highway in Bodega. Both churches have no mail delivery to their street addresses; all mail should be sent to P.O. Box 339, Occidental, CA 95465. Parking is available on the church grounds.
- St. Philip — 3730 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, CA 95465
- St. Teresa — 17120 Bodega Highway, Bodega, CA
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 339, Occidental, CA 95465
- Phone: 707-874-3812
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. James T. Monagle1964–1966
First resident pastor when St. Philip became an independent parish.
- Rev. Jerald F. Thomas1966–1974
- Rev. Henry Faucher1974–1979
- Rev. Norman Van Sile1974–1984
- Rev. Justin McIntyre1984–1985
- Rev. Thomas W. Devereaux1985–1989
- Rev. Vincent O'Neil1989–1994
- Msgr. Daniel P. Whelton1994–1998
- Rev. Walter Rogina1998–2004
- Rev. Gary Logan2004–2011
- Rev. Loren Allen2011–2017
- Rev. Fergal McGuinness2017–2019
- Rev. Balaswamy Govindu2019–2024
Listed on staff page as 'Fr. Bala'.
- Rev. John M. Plass2024–
Current pastor.