About St. Teresa of Avila · Occidental, California
St. Teresa of Avila is a historic Roman Catholic church located in the tiny rural town of Bodega, California, in western Sonoma County. It is a mission church of St. Philip the Apostle in Occidental, and together they form one combined parish — St. Philip & St. Teresa Catholic Churches — under the Diocese of Santa Rosa. Built by New England shipbuilders in 1859–1860 and dedicated on June 2, 1862, it is the oldest Catholic church in continuous use in Sonoma County. The white wooden church on its hilltop is famous beyond the parish for being California Historical Landmark No. 820, being photographed by Ansel Adams in 1953 ("Church and Road"), and appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film "The Birds."
- Established
- 1862 (dedicated June 2, 1862; built 1859–1860)
- Patron
- St. Teresa of Avila (Spanish Carmelite mystic, Doctor of the Church; named in honor of the patron saint of Jasper O'Farrell's sister)
- Rector
- Rev. John M. Plass
- Diocese
- Diocese of Santa Rosa (originally part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco)
Why belong here
This is one of the most historic Catholic parishes in Northern California — the oldest church in continuous use in Sonoma County, where Mass is still celebrated in a building dedicated in 1862 and visited by Ansel Adams and Alfred Hitchcock. The combined St. Philip & St. Teresa parish welcomes visitors and locals alike with daily and weekend Masses in two intimate rural churches, weekly confession, Thursday Holy Hour adoration, and a vibrant CCD religious-education program for K–Confirmation. Its ministries are grounded in small-town Sonoma County life: the long-running Rural Food Program feeds 300–400 neighbors a month, the Ladies Guilds host pancake breakfasts and the annual Ravioli Luncheon, and the St. Teresa Restoration Committee preserves California Historical Landmark No. 820 for future generations.
Mass times at St. Teresa of Avila
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 8:30 AM — St. Philip, Occidental
- Saturday 4:30 PM — St. Teresa, Bodega
- Reconciliation also available by appointment through the parish office
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:30 PM — Holy Hour, St. Philip, Occidental
About the Parish — St. Philip & St. Teresa
St. Philip & St. Teresa Catholic Churches is a single combined Roman Catholic parish serving western Sonoma County from two historic churches: St. Philip the Apostle in Occidental and St. Teresa of Avila in Bodega. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Santa Rosa and is bonded by a shared mission to live the gospel values of love, hope and forgiveness through Eucharistic worship, faith formation, service ministries and Christian fellowship. The parish office is located at the St. Philip Parish Hall in Occidental and is open weekday mornings.
St. Teresa of Avila Church, Bodega
St. Teresa of Avila is a small white wooden church with a steeple, perched on a hilltop above Bodega Highway in the rural town of Bodega, about four miles from the Pacific Ocean. It was built in 1859–1860 by New England ship's carpenters using redwood timber donated by Jasper O'Farrell from his 1843 Mexican Land Grant, Rancho Estero Americano. The Archbishop of San Francisco, Joseph Alemany, dedicated the completed church on June 2, 1862 under the name Saint Teresa de Avila — the patron saint of O'Farrell's sister. A young French-Italian priest, Father Louis Rossi, was appointed the first pastor. St. Teresa began as a mission of the Church of the Assumption in Tomales under the Archdiocese of San Francisco; in 1962–63, shortly after the creation of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, it became part of the Parish of St. Philip the Apostle in Occidental — a relationship that continues today.
- Built 1859–1860; dedicated June 2, 1862
- First pastor: Father Louis Rossi (appointed March 8, 1860)
- Oldest Catholic church in continuous use in Sonoma County
- California Registered Historical Landmark No. 820 (designated June 2, 1968)
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM; Sunday Mass: 9:30 AM
- Confessions: Saturday 4:30 PM
A History of Preservation and Restoration
The little wooden church has been saved and renewed by its community several times. In 1872 worshippers dramatically enlarged it by cutting the structure in half, pulling the two ends apart and building a new section in the gap — the seams are still visible on the ceiling today. A steeple and choir loft were added at the same time. By the 1940s and 1950s the building was in severe disrepair and there was an active movement to dismantle it. In 1954 the congregation voted to save the church; a year-long restoration finished on June 12, 1955 with a new foundation and external concrete buttresses. A second major restoration ran from 1967 to 1974, focused on preserving the original beauty and simplicity; replicas of the old carved front doors were installed during that period. The choir loft was judged unsafe and removed in 1967, and the rear of the church was modified in 1992 to accommodate a new organ and furnace.
- 1872 expansion — sawed in half and rebuilt with an inserted section
- 1886 — 850-lb cast-iron bell added (later moved to property entrance)
- 1954–1955 — rescue restoration completed June 12, 1955
- 1967–1974 — grand-scale restoration; choir loft removed; replica front doors
- 1992 — sound chamber for new organ and furnace installed
Connections to Ansel Adams and Alfred Hitchcock
St. Teresa of Avila is far better known to the wider world than most rural California missions. In 1953 the photographer Ansel Adams made the church the subject of his black-and-white photograph "Church and Road"; limited-edition prints of that image are sold today through the St. Teresa Restoration Committee to fund ongoing preservation. The church sits directly next to the historic Potter School, which was used as the schoolhouse in Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film "The Birds"; the church itself is visible in the film, and local tradition holds that Hitchcock attended services at St. Teresa while filming in Bodega.
- Ansel Adams photograph "Church and Road" (1953) — limited prints sold to fund restoration
- Featured in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1963); visible in the film
- Hitchcock reportedly attended Mass at St. Teresa during filming
The Sister Church — St. Philip the Apostle, Occidental
St. Philip the Apostle in Occidental is the other half of the combined parish. The Catholic population of the Occidental area was originally served by the Church of the Assumption in Tomales, but the late-1800s influx of Italian and Irish immigrants led to a movement to build a church closer to home. When the Asti family donated a plot of land to the (then) Diocese of San Francisco, Father John Rogers — pastor of the Assumption — hired San Francisco architects Shea & Shea to draw the plans and the Neles Brothers of Bodega to build it, employing local workers. The church was completed in December 1902 and dedicated by the coadjutor bishop of San Francisco in June 1903. It is a Victorian Gothic–style church whose original woodwork and details have been lovingly preserved. St. Philip was a mission of the Assumption for nineteen years, then briefly of St. Elizabeth in Guerneville, before being placed for forty years under St. Sebastian's in Sebastopol, and is today the parish church paired with St. Teresa.
- Completed December 1902; dedicated June 1903
- Architects: Shea & Shea (San Francisco)
- Contractors: Neles Brothers of Bodega
- Built on land donated by the Asti family
- Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM and 11:15 AM
- Weekday Masses: Wednesday–Friday 8:00 AM; First Saturday 9:00 AM
- Confessions: Friday 8:30 AM
- Holy Hour: Thursday 5:30 PM
Religious Education (CCD)
The parish provides a vibrant religious-education program for students from kindergarten through Confirmation, meeting two to three times each month in the parish hall at St. Philip's Church in Occidental on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 11:00 AM. After class, all children are encouraged to attend the 11:15 AM Mass together with their families. First Communion and Reconciliation are typically prepared for in at least 1st grade (age 7+), and Confirmation in 7th grade, each requiring two consecutive years of preparation. The program is staffed by volunteers and welcomes parental involvement in the classroom, with snacks, or with larger events such as the Christmas play and May procession. Tuition is $60 for the first child and $30 for each additional child; scholarships are available for families in financial hardship. Registrations from outside the parish boundaries require a permission letter from one's pastor.
- Classes Sunday 9:45–11:00 AM, St. Philip Parish Hall
- Director of Religious Education: Jolene Corcoran (707-545-4755)
- Tuition: $60 first child / $30 each additional
- Scholarships available for financial hardship
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with preparation programs tailored to each. Baptisms are scheduled two months in advance through the parish office. First Communion and Confirmation are coordinated through the Director of Religious Education. Reconciliation is offered weekly (Friday 8:30 AM at St. Philip and Saturday 4:30 PM at St. Teresa) and by appointment. Marriage preparation follows the Diocese of Santa Rosa's guidelines. Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites are available on request; for emergencies there is a dedicated Last Rites line.
- Baptism — schedule two months in advance; intake form on parish website
- Eucharist / First Communion — through Religious Education Director
- Reconciliation — weekly schedule plus by appointment
- Confirmation — through Religious Education Director (typically 7th grade)
- Marriage — see Diocese of Santa Rosa marriage-preparation page
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- Last Rites emergency line — (707) 874-3812 ext. 4
St Philip–St Teresa Rural Food Program
Since June 1986, the parish's Rural Food Program has provided food for residents of western Sonoma County in collaboration with other local charities. Founded under the leadership of long-time parishioner Naomi Curtis during the pastorate of Rev. Thomas Devereaux, the program distributes fresh dairy, produce, commodities and proteins for a variety of diets on the second Tuesday of every month from 9:00 to 11:00 AM (registration at 8:30 AM) at the parish hall in Occidental. Food is sourced largely through the Redwood Empire Food Bank, supplemented by fresh poultry, eggs and other items the program purchases directly. A monthly second collection at St. Philip and St. Teresa churches raises $800–$1,200, alongside individual and group donations. The program feeds roughly 300–400 people each month and is staffed by volunteers from both churches and the surrounding community; the program's federal tax ID is #37-1874623.
- Founded June 1986 by parishioner Naomi Curtis
- Distribution: second Tuesday, 9:00–11:00 AM, parish hall, Occidental
- Funded by monthly second collection and donations
- Partners with Redwood Empire Food Bank
- Coordinators: Hal McGuirk (707-874-3304) and Cathy McCool (707-861-9302)
Volunteer Ministries & Organizations
The parish offers a wide range of ways to get involved. The Parish Pastoral Council advises the pastor on administration, worship, outreach and service and meets quarterly; the Parish Finance Council oversees parish finances and budgets. The Liturgy Committee supports music, Word and Altar ministries and church decoration. There are two Ladies Guilds (one at each church) — open to all women of the parish — that combine spiritual growth, friendship, fundraising (including the annual Ravioli Luncheon and Pancake Breakfast) and parish involvement. The St. Teresa Restoration Committee funds preservation of the landmark church through donations and Ansel Adams print sales. The Boosters Club at St. Philip raises funds for the church, parish hall and rectory. The Music Ministry welcomes instrumentalists and singers, with choir rehearsals on most Wednesdays and Friday mornings. Gardens-and-Grounds teams care for each church's landscaping, and the Cemetery Committee oversees Calvary Cemetery near Bodega.
- Parish Pastoral Council (quarterly)
- Parish Finance Council (quarterly)
- Liturgy Committee
- St. Teresa Ladies Guild & St. Philip Ladies Guild
- St. Teresa Restoration Committee (Ansel Adams prints: contact Joe, 707-322-2652)
- Boosters Club (St. Philip fundraising)
- Music Ministry / Choir (rehearsals most Wednesdays and Friday mornings)
- Gardens and Grounds
- Cemetery Committee (Calvary Cemetery: Jim, 707-875-3953)
Calvary Cemetery
The parish operates Calvary Cemetery, located near the junction of Bodega Highway and California Highway 1, not far from St. Teresa of Avila Church. A short distance west up the road from the church, it is a well-maintained country cemetery that contains the O'Farrell family graves (the oldest known burial dates to 1860). The Cemetery Committee works to ensure the grounds are cared for now and into the future. Both earthen burial plots and outdoor columbaria for cremated remains are available for parishioners and former parishioners.
- Located near Bodega Highway and Highway 1 junction
- Oldest burial on record: 1860
- Contains the O'Farrell family graves
- Earthen burial plots and outdoor columbaria for cremated remains
- Contact: Jim Smith, (707) 875-3953
Parish Staff & Contact
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. John M. Plass. The parish office is staffed by a bookkeeper, and the Rural Food Program is coordinated by Hal McGuirk and Cathy McCool. Jolene Corcoran serves as Director of Religious Education. The parish office is located in the St. Philip Parish Hall, 3730 Bohemian Highway, Occidental; it is open weekday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon (M-W-F), with email and voicemail reviewed weekday mornings 8–11 AM.
- Pastor — Rev. John M. Plass — (707) 874-3812 ext. 2
- Parish Office — (707) 874-3812 ext. 1
- Bookkeeper — via parish email
- Director of Religious Education — Jolene Corcoran, (707) 545-4755
- Rural Food Program — Hal McGuirk (707) 874-3304; Cathy McCool (707) 861-9302
- Hall Rental — leave a message for the Hall Coordinator
- Bodega Cemetery — Jim Smith, (707) 875-3953
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Louis Rossi1860–
Italian-born itinerant missionary appointed first pastor on March 8, 1860; also built Our Lady of the Assumption (Tomales), St. John the Baptist (Healdsburg) and St. Rose of Lima (Santa Rosa).
- Rev. Thomas Devereaux
Served at the parish in the mid-1980s; enlisted parishioner Naomi Curtis to found the Rural Food Program in 1986.
- Rev. Fr. Balaswamy Govindu2022
Pastor at the time of the 160th anniversary celebration on October 8, 2022.
- Rev. John M. Plasspresent
Current pastor (as listed on parish staff page).