About St. Rita · Wellington, Florida
Saint Rita Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Wellington, Florida, part of the Diocese of Palm Beach. Founded in 1979 as a mission and formally established as a parish on July 1, 1980, Saint Rita is bilingual (English and Spanish) and serves a vibrant, multigenerational community in the western Palm Beach County villages. The parish offers a full sacramental life — daily and Sunday Masses, Confession, Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, OCIA (formerly RCIA), and Eucharistic Adoration — together with a robust slate of ministries for children, youth, young adults, adults, and seniors. A new Family Life Center was under construction in 2024–2025 to replace the original 1983 Parish Hall.
- Established
- 1979 (mission); 1980 (parish)
- Patron
- Saint Rita of Cascia
- Rector
- Rev. Mario Castañeda
- Diocese
- Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
Saint Rita is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic family where faith is shared across generations — from the Growing In Faith Together (G.I.F.T.) intergenerational faith formation program and Vacation Bible School for children, to Middle School, High School, and Young Adult Bible Study groups, to senior clubs and a Council of Catholic Women. The parish combines a rich sacramental schedule (a Vigil Mass and four Sunday Masses in English and Spanish, plus two daily Masses Monday–Friday, Saturday Confessions, and Thursday Eucharistic Adoration) with a strong culture of outreach, including a Respect Life Ministry, Catholic Charities ambassador, Bereavement Support, Knights of Columbus Council 8419, Legion of Mary, and a Divine Mercy Prayer Group.
Mass times at St. Rita
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (also Monday through Friday by appointment). The confessional is in a separate room within the church's Chapel and offers the option of face-to-face or behind-the-screen confession.
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on First Fridays
Parish History
Saint Rita Catholic Church began as a mission founded by Father Michael Devaney, O.M.I., on March 10, 1979. The community first gathered for Mass at the Lions Club in Royal Palm Beach. On July 1, 1980, Father Walter J. Dockerill was appointed as the first pastor and celebrated the first Mass as 'Saint Rita Catholic Church.' The Parish Center was completed on Thanksgiving Day 1983, and the current church building was dedicated on September 20, 1992. Father Dockerill retired in 2002, Father Donald Munro became the second pastor that July, and Father Mario Castañeda became the third pastor on January 1, 2020, following Father Munro's retirement in December 2019. On November 19, 2023, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito presided at the groundbreaking for the new Family Life Center, signaling the parish's next chapter.
- 1979 — Mission founded by Father Michael Devaney, O.M.I.
- 1980 — First pastor, Father Walter J. Dockerill; first Mass celebrated as 'Saint Rita Catholic Church'
- 1983 — Parish Center completed on Thanksgiving Day
- 1992 — Church building dedicated September 20
- 2002 — Father Donald Munro appointed second pastor
- 2019 — Father Munro retires from the priesthood
- 2020 — Father Mario Castañeda appointed third pastor by Bishop Barbarito
- 2023 — Groundbreaking for the new Family Life Center, November 19
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
Saint Rita celebrates a full schedule of weekend, daily, and bilingual Masses. The Saturday Vigil includes an English Mass at 4:30 p.m. and a Spanish Mass at 7:00 p.m. Sundays offer four English Masses and one Spanish Mass. Weekday Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. The 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. English Sunday Masses and the 1:00 p.m. Spanish Sunday Mass are live-streamed on the parish website and Facebook.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM (English), 7:00 PM (Spanish)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM (English); 1:00 PM (Spanish)
- Monday–Friday: 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM
- Saturday: No morning Mass
- Live-streamed: English 9 AM & 11 AM; Spanish 1 PM
Faith Formation (G.I.F.T.)
Saint Rita's Faith Formation ministry (formerly CCD / Religious Education) is built around the Growing In Faith Together (G.I.F.T.) intergenerational model, which gathers all ages — children, teens, and adults — for a shared meal, age-specific learning, and a closing communal prayer before sending families home with a Home Kit to continue the journey during the week. The model is in its eighteenth year at the parish and is grounded in the National Catechetical Directory, integrating catechesis with the Church year, the Sacraments, and the Liturgy. Sacramental preparation for First Eucharist and Confirmation is offered through this program.
- Children — Pre-K to 6th Grade
- Middle School & High School — discussion and real-life application
- Adults — guided conversation on the same weekly topic
- First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Family Home Kit to extend learning through the week
Youth Ministry
The Youth Ministry at St. Rita is described as an integral part of the faith community, with programming that walks with children and teens at every stage. Events, service projects, retreats, and Bible studies are designed to help young people make Christ the center of their daily lives and to share His love with their peers.
- Upper Elementary Youth Group (Grades 3–5) — first two Tuesdays of the month, 6–7 PM
- Middle School Youth Group — first two Tuesdays of the month, 6–7 PM
- High School Youth Group — Sunday evenings, 5–7 PM, beginning with the 5 PM Mass
- High School Bible Study — Friday evenings at 5 PM
- Young Adult Bible Study — Tuesday evenings, 7:30–9 PM, in the Church
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (O.C.I.A., formerly RCIA) welcomes any adult interested in learning about the Catholic faith and completing the Sacraments of Initiation. The 2025–2026 cohort is invited to receive their Sacraments at the Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Deacon Jose Ortiz serves as the spiritual director for the Spanish-language OCIA.
- English OCIA — inquire at the parish office, (561) 795-4321
- Spanish OCIA — directed by Deacon Jose Ortiz
Parish Staff & Clergy
Saint Rita is shepherded by Father Mario Castañeda (Pastor), Father Daniel Donohue (Parochial Vicar), Deacon Jose Ortiz, and Deacon Joe O'Connell. Father Daniel, ordained in May 2022, joined the parish July 1, 2025, after serving at St. Juliana Catholic Church; he was assigned by Bishop Barbarito. The lay staff includes parish secretaries, bookkeeping, the Director of Music (Liliana Bernal), and a Faith Formation team led by Director Donna McDermott with coordinators for K–6, Confirmation/MS/HS, and First Eucharist.
- Rev. Mario Castañeda — Pastor
- Rev. Daniel Donohue — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Jose Ortiz
- Deacon Joe O'Connell
- Cecilia — Bookkeeping
- Johanna — Parish Secretary
- Maria — Priests' Secretary
- Liliana Bernal — Director of Music
- Donna McDermott — Director of Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
- Donna Rose — Assistant Director & K–6 Coordinator
- Tammy — Confirmation, MS & HS Coordinator
- Theresa — First Eucharist Coordinator
Spanish-Language Ministry
Saint Rita has a vibrant Hispanic ministry, with a Spanish Vigil Mass on Saturday and a Spanish Sunday Mass, Spanish OCIA led by Deacon Jose Ortiz, and a constellation of Spanish-language prayer and faith groups. Deacon Ortiz also assists with Spanish Baptisms, Weddings, and funerals, and accompanies the parish's many Hispanic community events.
- Spanish Baptism Class — Second Monday, 6:30 PM in the Chapel
- Legión de María — Tuesdays 5:00 PM
- Ministerio Orando por Nuestros Hijos — Last Monday of the month, 7:00 PM in the Chapel
- Grupo de Oración el Buen Pastor — Wednesdays 7:00 PM in the Chapel
- Grupo de Apoyo y Oración Santa Mónica — Thursdays 7:00 PM in the Chapel
- Grupo de Jóvenes Adultos — Thursdays 6:30 PM in the Cry Room
- Juan XXIII — Fridays
Sacraments at St. Rita
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates all the usual Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Parents seeking Baptism for a child must first be registered members of St. Rita for six months or longer, then attend a Baptism Preparation Class (English on the first Sunday at 3:00 p.m., Spanish on the second Monday at 6:30 p.m.). First Eucharist and Confirmation are prepared through Faith Formation. Couples preparing for Marriage and families seeking Anointing of the Sick should contact the parish office.
- Baptism — English class first Sunday 3:00 PM; Spanish class second Monday 6:30 PM
- First Eucharist — preparation through Faith Formation
- Confirmation — preparation through Faith Formation
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 3:00–4:00 PM and by appointment
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Parish Life, Outreach & Community Groups
Beyond the sanctuary, Saint Rita runs an extensive calendar of parish-life, outreach, and fellowship ministries. The Knights of Columbus Council 8419 meets the second Tuesday of the month, the Council of Catholic Women supports parish life through service and fellowship, and the Forever Young Club hosts Friday Bingo at the Wellington Community Center. Pastoral outreach includes Bereavement Support, Compassionate Friends, Marriage Ministry, Health & Wellness Ministry, Respect Life Ministry (which raised $12,275 in its 2025 baby-bottle campaign for Catholic Charities), and a parish ambassador to Catholic Charities.
- Knights of Columbus Council 8419 — second Tuesday at 7 PM
- Council of Catholic Women
- Forever Young Club Bingo — Fridays at Wellington Community Center, opens 9 AM
- Health & Wellness Ministry — first Friday at 9 AM at OLQA
- Respect Life Ministry / Baby Bottle Campaign
- Catholic Charities Ambassador — Carol Rodriguez, (561) 345-2005
- Bereavement Support — (561) 793-8544
- Marriage Ministry — (561) 795-4321
New Family Life Center
The parish's most visible building project, the new Family Life Center, broke ground on November 19, 2023, following the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito presided at the groundbreaking, with longtime TV news anchor Jim Sackett serving as master of ceremonies. The new building — constructed on the site of the original 1983 Parish Center, which was demolished — will feature a parish hall, a state-of-the-art kitchen, office spaces, a gift shop, and many meeting rooms for parish ministries.
- Groundbreaking — November 19, 2023, after the 11 AM Mass
- Presided by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito
- Master of ceremonies: Jim Sackett
- Site: former 1983 Parish Center, demolished for the new build
- Features: parish hall, state-of-the-art kitchen, offices, gift shop, ministry meeting rooms
Visit, Contact & Office Information
The parish office is located in the Gathering Area of the Church building at 13645 Paddock Drive, Wellington, FL 33414. Office hours are 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The main parish office line is (561) 793-8544 (fax 561-793-4082); the Faith Formation / faith-information line is (561) 795-4321. Live-streamed Sunday Mass is available at saintrita.com and on the parish Facebook pages.
- Parish Office — (561) 793-8544; fax (561) 793-4082
- Faith Formation / Faith Information — (561) 795-4321
- Office Hours — Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Gathering Area of the Church
- Live-stream — saintrita.com and Facebook (St. Rita's Catholic Church, St. Rita Faith Formation)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael Devaney, O.M.I.1979
Founded the mission on March 10, 1979; an Oblate of Mary Immaculate.
- Father Walter J. Dockerill1980–2002
First pastor; appointed July 1, 1980; shepherded the parish from the Lions Club in Royal Palm Beach to the 1983 Parish Center and the 1992 church building.
- Father Donald Munro2002–2019
Second pastor; appointed July 2002; championed the new Family Life Center vision; retired from the priesthood in December 2019.
- Father Mario Castañeda2020–present
Third pastor; appointed by Bishop Barbarito effective January 1, 2020; led the November 19, 2023 groundbreaking for the new Family Life Center.