About St. Philip · Woodland, Washington
St. Philip Catholic Church (Iglesia de San Felipe) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Woodland, Washington, part of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Southern Deanery. The parish serves Cowlitz County Catholics from its church at 430 Bozarth Avenue and is paired with St. Mary of Guadalupe Mission in nearby Ridgefield. In 2024, St. Philip was grouped into Archdiocese of Seattle "Parish Family 44" under the Partners in the Gospel pastoral planning initiative, which also includes Sacred Heart (Battle Ground), St. John the Evangelist (Vancouver), St. Joseph the Worker (Yacolt), and St. Mary of Guadalupe (Ridgefield). The parish offers Mass in English and Spanish, weekly Reconciliation, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, faith formation for all ages, Vacation Bible School, and a range of liturgical and outreach ministries including the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. Philip (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. José Maria C. Ramirez Briseno
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Southern Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Philip is a small, family-sized parish where the Eucharist is clearly the center of parish life, but where the people around it also matter. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, weekly Reconciliation on Wednesdays and Fridays, and First Friday Eucharistic Adoration — making it easy to build a regular rhythm of prayer. It runs faith formation for all ages, an active RCIA journey for those becoming Catholic, a Vacation Bible School for kids, and a wide range of ministries from choir and lectors to visiting the homebound and serving the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Because it is paired with St. Mary of Guadalupe Mission in Ridgefield under Parish Family 44, parishioners are also connected to a broader community of Catholic life in north Clark and Cowlitz counties.
Mass times at St. Philip
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 8:30 am – 8:55 am (before 9:00 am Mass)
- Friday: 8:30 am – 8:55 am (before 9:00 am Mass)
- 1st Saturday of the month: 8:30 am – 8:45 am, then immediately following the 9:00 am Mass until all are heard
Adoration times
- 1st Friday of the month: 10:00 am – 11:00 am at St. Philip, Woodland (the Archdiocese of Seattle listing also notes First Friday Adoration at 5:00 pm)
About St. Philip Parish
St. Philip Catholic Church (Iglesia de San Felipe) is a bilingual Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Seattle, located in Woodland, Washington in Cowlitz County. It belongs to the Southern Deanery and, as of 2024, is part of Parish Family 44 under the Partners in the Gospel pastoral planning process. The parish shares clergy with St. Mary of Guadalupe Mission in Ridgefield and is paired for planning purposes with Sacred Heart (Battle Ground), St. John the Evangelist (Vancouver), and St. Joseph the Worker (Yacolt).
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Seattle
- Deanery: Southern Deanery
- County: Cowlitz
- Parish Family: 44 (Partners in the Gospel, 2024)
Parish History
Catholic life in the Woodland area goes back to 1872, when Mass was first celebrated in the home of F.N. Goerig. That home served as the area's worship space until 1879. In 1912 the community was formally erected as St. Philip Parish and the original church was consecrated by Bishop O'Dea. In April 1990 the original church was destroyed by fire, and the present St. Philip church was dedicated in March 2001. The parish also maintains a historical connection with St. Joseph Mission in Kalama (founded 1876 by Fr. Francois Norbert Blanchett, with the current hilltop church completed in 1909) and St. Mary of Guadalupe in Ridgefield, which has alternated with Sacred Heart, Battle Ground as a mission of St. Philip since 1940.
- 1872 – First Catholic service in the Woodland area, at the home of F.N. Goerig
- 1879 – Last year Mass was held in the Goerig home
- 1876 – St. Joseph Mission established by Fr. Francois Norbert Blanchett (Kalama)
- 1909 – Current St. Joseph church building completed, overlooking Kalama
- 1912 – St. Philip erected as a parish; original church consecrated by Bishop O'Dea
- April 1990 – Original St. Philip church destroyed by fire
- March 2001 – New St. Philip church dedicated
- 1867 – St. Mary became the first Clark County mission; erected as a parish in 1891; current church dedicated May 1959
St. Mary of Guadalupe Mission (Ridgefield)
St. Philip shares pastoral ministry with St. Mary of Guadalupe Mission in Ridgefield (1520 N 65th Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642). St. Mary has historically alternated with Sacred Heart, Battle Ground as a mission of St. Philip Woodland since 1940, and today the two parishes are formally linked under Partners in the Gospel as part of Parish Family 44. The Ridgefield mission offers its own Sunday Mass at 10:30 am, a Thursday 9:00 am Mass, and a Wednesday 6:00 pm Mass. The parish also operates St. Mary Cemetery in Ridgefield.
- Address: 1520 N 65th Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 am
- Thursday Mass: 9:00 am
- Wednesday Mass: 6:00 pm
- Cemetery: St. Mary, Ridgefield
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastor and parochial vicar, supported by a small administrative team that includes both English- and Spanish-speaking staff.
- Pastor: Rev. José Maria C. Ramirez Briseno
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Vu P. Tran
- Pastoral Assistant for Administration: Lisa Ripp ([email protected], ext. 1)
- Administrative Assistants: Sylvia Moreno ([email protected], ext. 3, habla Español); Yarely Duran (Hablo Español)
- Bookkeeper: Eveline Mahoney (ext. 4)
- Liaison for Hispanic Ministry: Hilda Morales
Sacraments
St. Philip celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Its website has detailed pages on Baptism, Marriage, the Anointing of the Sick, and the Sacraments of Initiation. Baptisms are celebrated on Saturday mornings or during Sunday Mass; preparation is required for parents and godparents, with sessions offered in English (on Mondays) and in Spanish (3rd Saturday of the month).
- Baptism — Saturday mornings or during Sunday Mass; one preparation session required; offered in English and Spanish
- Marriage — lifelong covenant; preparation through the parish
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA — Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) for adults at the Easter Vigil
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the parish's formal path for adults seeking to become Catholic or to complete their initiation. It is described as a communal process of study, exploration, faith-sharing, and faith formation with specific liturgical rites — a return to the formation of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries. The parish has an RCIA team of sponsors who walk alongside inquirers through the steps of the journey.
- Pre-Catechumenate (Period of Inquiry)
- Rite of Initiation / Acceptance
- Catechumenate
- Rite of Election
- Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)
- Mystagogy
Parish Life & Ministries
St. Philip describes the parish as a family whose heart is the Eucharist. Beyond the celebration of the sacraments, the parish offers a variety of ministries, groups, and programs that allow parishioners to put their faith into action — both inside the church (liturgical ministries) and out in the community (social-justice and outreach ministries). The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin and a parish calendar to keep everyone informed.
- Liturgical ministries: choir, lector, altar server, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist
- Faith Formation for children and adults
- Youth Ministry
- Men's and Women's groups
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Visiting the homebound
- Food pantry volunteering
- Annual parish bazaar
- Vacation Bible School
Hispanic Ministry
Spanish-language ministry is an integral part of parish life at St. Philip. Mass is celebrated in Spanish every Sunday at 1:00 pm, and the parish maintains a dedicated Liaison for Hispanic Ministry (Hilda Morales). Baptism preparation is offered in Spanish on the third Saturday of each month.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish — 1:00 pm at St. Philip
- Liaison for Hispanic Ministry: Hilda Morales
- Bilingual Administrative Assistants: Sylvia Moreno, Yarely Duran
- Baptism preparation in Spanish — 3rd Saturday of the month
Partners in the Gospel & Parish Family 44
In 2024 the Archdiocese of Seattle placed parishes into parish families under the leadership of one pastor as part of Partners in the Gospel, a strategic pastoral planning process. St. Philip Woodland was grouped into Parish Family 44, sharing resources and clergy across five parishes in north Clark and Cowlitz counties.
- St. Philip, Woodland
- St. Mary of Guadalupe, Ridgefield
- Sacred Heart, Battle Ground
- St. John the Evangelist, Vancouver
- St. Joseph the Worker, Yacolt
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Philip by phone, email, or in person at the parish office in Woodland.
- Address: 430 Bozarth Ave, Woodland, WA 98674
- Mailing: P.O. Box 2169, Woodland, WA 98674-0021
- Phone: (360) 225-8308
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stphilipwoodland.com/