About St. Rose of Lima · Ephrata, Washington
St. Rose of Lima is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Ephrata, Grant County, Washington, belonging to the Diocese of Yakima. The parish traces its origins to 1915 and serves a geographically wide area of the Columbia Basin, including Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Quincy, George, and the Crescent Bar communities. It is known for its strong Hispanic ministry (Spanish-language Mass every Saturday evening and Sunday noon), an attached Catholic grade school (Preschool–Grade 6, with a new middle-school program launching in fall 2026), and its role as a hub of Catholic life in one of the smallest communities within the Diocese of Yakima.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Rev. Cesar Izquierdo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Yakima
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima offers a rare combination in central Washington: a historic small-town Catholic parish (since 1915) with full bilingual English/Spanish liturgy, daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and a parish-based Catholic school serving preschool through sixth grade (with a new middle-school track). It also functions as the Catholic hub for a wide swath of the Columbia Basin — Ephrata, Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Quincy, George, and Crescent Bar — making it a natural spiritual home for Catholic families across Grant County who want a tight-knit, bilingual community and a Christ-centered K–8 education.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- Tuesday through Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM (in the Church)
- Friday 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM (in the Church)
- First Friday 6:00 AM (beginning) – Saturday 6:00 AM (concluding, in the Chapel)
About St. Rose of Lima Parish
St. Rose of Lima is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Yakima serving Ephrata and the surrounding Columbia Basin of central Washington. The parish was formally established in 1915, with its church building dating to 1913, making it one of the oldest Catholic congregations in the region. Today it ministers to a wide geographic area — Ephrata, Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Quincy, George, and Crescent Bar — through Sunday and weekday Masses in both English and Spanish, a Catholic grade school, faith-formation programs for all ages, and a parish cemetery. The parish is staffed by a pastor (currently Rev. Cesar Izquierdo), a deacon (Juan Manuel Reyes), and a team of lay ministry leaders, with daily office support from a parish secretary and bookkeeper.
- Established 1915 (church built 1913)
- Raised to parish status 1941
- Diocese of Yakima
- Bilingual English / Spanish
Parish History
St. Rose of Lima was built in 1913 as a mission church and formally established as a parish in 1915, making it one of the pioneer Catholic congregations of the Columbia Basin. It was canonically raised from mission to parish status in 1941. In 1959 the parish opened St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, which was originally staffed by the Daughters of Charity and grew rapidly. Following the closure of Larson Air Force Base and the eventual withdrawal of the Daughters of Charity from teaching, the parish and a core of lay supporters kept the school open, transitioning it to lay leadership and rebuilding enrollment. The parish today continues to operate the school and, in 2026, added a middle-school track.
- 1913 – Church building constructed
- 1915 – Parish formally established
- 1941 – Raised from mission to parish
- 1959 – Parish school opened by the Daughters of Charity
- 1963–64 – School peak enrollment: 346 students across eight grades
- Late 1960s – Larson AFB closure triggers enrollment decline
- 1970s onward – Lay leadership saves the school
- 2026 – St. Rose Preparatory (middle school) announced
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School has been in continuous operation since 1959 and currently serves students from preschool through sixth grade, drawing families from Ephrata, Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Quincy, George, and Crescent Bar. The school's mission is to provide a faith-filled environment for academic excellence, self-discipline, mutual and self-respect, personal morality, a sense of community, and social justice as taught by the Catholic Church. For the 2026–27 school year, the parish is launching 'St. Rose Preparatory' — a hybrid middle-school program partnering with the Ephrata School District, beginning with seventh grade and capped at 20 students per class. Principal Amy Krautscheid leads the school, which is supported by a School Advisory Council chaired by Steven Prentice.
- Preschool through Grade 6 (current)
- Enrollment ~111 students (most recent reporting)
- Average class size: 9 students
- Founded 1959 by the Daughters of Charity
- St. Rose Preparatory (grades 7–8) launching 2026–27
- School Principal: Amy Krautscheid
- School Advisory Council Chair: Steven Prentice
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a full faith-formation program for children, youth, and adults. Religious Education is provided for Pre-K through 8th grade, with a separate High School youth ministry led by Julio Maceda. Confirmation preparation is coordinated by Nicole Prentice, and the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) team is led by Tim O'Donnell, with adult faith formation under Gene Butterly. The current Religious Education Director is Rebecca Lundgren.
- Pre-K–8 Religious Education (Director: Rebecca Lundgren)
- High School Youth Ministry (Julio Maceda)
- Confirmation Preparation (Nicole Prentice)
- RCIA (Tim O'Donnell)
- Adult Faith Formation (Gene Butterly)
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Rose of Lima is led by a pastor and supported by a deacon, parish staff, and elected parish councils. The pastor, Rev. Cesar Izquierdo, also serves as pastor of St. Joseph Parish (Waterville), St. Henry Parish (Grand Coulee), and Holy Angels Mission (Coulee City). Deacon Juan Manuel Reyes serves the parish and also serves as Pastoral Council President. Day-to-day operations are handled by the parish secretary (Christine Navarro) and bookkeeper (Cathy Carranco). Two elected councils guide the parish: the Finance Council (chaired by Matt Moore) and the Pastoral Council.
- Pastor: Rev. Cesar Izquierdo
- Deacon: Juan Manuel Reyes (also Pastoral Council President)
- Parish Secretary: Christine Navarro
- Bookkeeper: Cathy Carranco
- Finance Council Chair: Matt Moore
- School Principal: Amy Krautscheid
Parish Councils
Parish life at St. Rose of Lima is shaped by two councils whose members are drawn from the parish community. The Finance Council oversees the temporal affairs of the parish, and the Pastoral Council assists the pastor in planning the spiritual and pastoral mission of the parish.
- Finance Council — Chair: Matt Moore; Members: Cathy Carranco, Diane Ratigan
- Pastoral Council — President: Juan Manuel Reyes; Members at large: Lisa Hile, Matt Moore, Julio Maceda, Stef Bafus, Becca Lundgren, Mario Cruz, Mary Rohlman, Gilbert Vela, Edie Turner
- School Advisory Council — Chair: Steven Prentice
Sacraments
St. Rose of Lima celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. The Sacrament of Penance is offered Saturday afternoons and Thursday evenings, and by appointment Tuesday through Friday. Baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and First Communion preparation are coordinated through the parish office. Confirmation is prepared for through a dedicated parish program.
- Baptism — by appointment (parish office)
- Penance — Saturday 4:00 PM, Thursday 5:30 PM, or by appointment
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass (see schedule)
- Confirmation — parish-based preparation program
- Marriage — preparation through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
St. Rose of Lima Cemetery
The parish operates St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, one of the historic Catholic burial grounds of the Columbia Basin. Inquiries about plots, scheduling, and records are handled through the parish office.
- Cemetery contact: Christina Navarro, parish office (509) 754-3640
Visiting, Contact & Location
The parish church is located at 323 D Street SW in downtown Ephrata, with the parish office and mailing address at 560 Nat Washington Way and the school at 520 Nat Washington Way. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. The parish can be reached by phone at (509) 754-3640 or by email at [email protected].
- Church: 323 D Street SW, Ephrata, WA 98823
- Parish Office (mailing): 560 Nat Washington Way, Ephrata, WA 98823
- School: 520 Nat Washington Way, Ephrata, WA 98823
- Phone: (509) 754-3640
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM – 4 PM (closed 12–1 PM)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mauricio MuñozAssigned June 6, 2016 – c. 2021/2022
Predecessor pastor; listed in 2020 Diocese of Yakima Official Directory.
- Rev. Cesar IzquierdoCurrent
Ordained July 3, 2018 at Christ the King Parish, Richland; native of San Luis Potosí, Mexico; holds degrees from Lumen Gentium University (Mexico City), the Angelicum, and the Gregorian University (Rome); also serves as pastor of St. Joseph Parish Waterville, St. Henry Parish Grand Coulee, and Holy Angels Mission Coulee City.