About St. Therese Mission (Charleston View) · Tecopa, California
St. Therese Mission (Charleston View) is a Roman Catholic mission church located in the Mojave Desert town of Tecopa, California, about 45 minutes from Las Vegas. It sits on 17.5 acres along the historic Old Spanish Trail and is a full standing mission of the Diocese of Fresno, affiliated under Lone Pine Parish. Beyond serving as a place of worship with Sunday Mass, the mission is also the only Catholic cemetery serving the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys, and its grounds include a Visitor Center, Plaza, Event Center, Gift Shop, and a playfield. The mission was founded by Rafael 'Boy' Dizon Jr. and his wife Rosaline 'Shalene' Dizon, who credit St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus with a miracle of healing.
- Established
- 2003
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus)
- Rector
- Fr. Douglas Walker
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno (under Lone Pine Parish / Church of Santa Rosa, Lone Pine)
Why belong here
St. Therese Mission offers a genuinely unique Catholic experience in the American Southwest: a place to worship the Eucharist, receive the sacraments, and venerate St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus — all on a tranquil 17.5-acre sanctuary in the Mojave Desert, within easy driving distance of Las Vegas. The mission welcomes people of all faiths and backgrounds, and the same grounds provide a Catholic cemetery, a visitor center, an event plaza, and a gift shop that together make it a place of pilgrimage, remembrance, and community gathering as well as Sunday worship.
Mass times at St. Therese Mission (Charleston View)
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Thérèse Mission
St. Thérèse Mission is a Roman Catholic mission church and cemetery complex in the Mojave Desert town of Tecopa, California. Officially recognized as a Catholic Mission within the Diocese of Fresno, it is administered under the Lone Pine Parish and led by Fr. Douglas Walker, with Fr. Joel Aquino serving as resident chaplain. The mission's elegant yet modern architecture is described as thoughtfully designed to foster prayer and reflection, with every detail intended as a reminder of St. Thérèse of Lisieux's unwavering devotion to God.
- Located at 881 E Old Spanish Trail, Tecopa, California 92389
- 17.5 acres along the historic Old Spanish National Trail
- About 45 minutes from Las Vegas
- Officially recognized Catholic Mission within the Diocese of Fresno
- Operates under the Lone Pine Parish, led by Fr. Douglas Walker
- Resident chaplain: Fr. Joel Aquino, PACEM, MA-PAM
History & Founding
The mission was born from a family's experience of answered prayer. After Rafael 'Boy' Dizon Jr. recovered from cancer — a healing the family credits to their devoted prayers to St. Thérèse — he and his wife Rosaline 'Shalene' Dizon resolved to build a church in her honor. Their first realization of that dream was the Shrine of St. Thérèse in Pasay City, Philippines, established in 2003. The family's faith journey then carried them to the Mojave Desert, where the same vision took root as the St. Thérèse Mission in the United States.
- Founders: Mr. Rafael 'Boy' Dizon Jr. and Mrs. Rosaline 'Shalene' Dizon
- Origin: gratitude for the founder's recovery from cancer, attributed to St. Thérèse's intercession
- 2003 — establishment of the Shrine of St. Thérèse in Pasay City, Philippines
- U.S. mission built afterward along the Old Spanish Trail in Tecopa
- Why the Mojave: peaceful religious solitude, away from city lights, but close to the large Catholic community of Las Vegas
The Grounds & Facilities
Spanning 17.5 acres of Mojave Desert landscape, the St. Thérèse Mission is more than a chapel: it is a full sanctuary campus. The property includes the Catholic Mission church, an on-site Catholic cemetery, a Visitor Center / Preview Center, a Plaza, an Event Center, a Gift Shop, and a playfield. The grounds are described as a sacred and cultural haven for pilgrims devoted to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, hosting religious and community gatherings and providing a place of reflection that honors both the living and the departed.
- Catholic Mission church
- Catholic cemetery (the only one serving the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys)
- Visitor Center / Preview Center
- Plaza and Event Center
- Gift Shop
- Playfield
Sunday Mass & Liturgy
The mission celebrates the Eucharist every Sunday at 11:00 AM in person, and also offers an 8:00 AM Sunday Mass online via Zoom (Meeting ID: 889 6774 6262, Password: 467613) — an unusual feature for a remote desert mission that lets devotees and pilgrims from anywhere join the parish. The mission describes itself as a full standing mission of the Catholic Diocese of Fresno, capable of celebrating Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, and Confession. Schedule is subject to change; visitors are encouraged to confirm before traveling.
- Sunday 8:00 AM — Online Mass via Zoom (Meeting ID: 889 6774 6262, Password: 467613)
- Sunday 11:00 AM — Mass in person at St. Therese Mission
- Schedule subject to change
- Inquiries: [email protected] or (702) 848-7577
Sacraments
As a full standing mission of the Diocese of Fresno, St. Thérèse Mission is authorized to celebrate the full range of core sacraments. Inquiries about Baptisms, Weddings, Confession, and other sacramental needs are directed to the church services email and phone line.
- Baptisms
- Weddings
- Confession
- Masses
- Funeral liturgies / burial in the on-site Catholic cemetery
- Contact for sacraments: [email protected], (702) 848-7577
Catholic Cemetery
The mission's 17.5-acre grounds include a Catholic cemetery described as the only Catholic cemetery serving the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys. It is set within the serene grounds of a Catholic Mission where weekly services, a dedicated resident chaplain, and a vibrant church community ensure that loved ones are laid to rest in sacred ground, their legacies honored through prayer and remembrance. The cemetery welcomes individuals of all religious backgrounds.
- Only Catholic cemetery serving the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys
- Weekly services held on site
- Resident chaplain present
- Welcomes people of all religious backgrounds
A Message from the Chaplain
Fr. Joel Aquino, PACEM, MA-PAM, the resident chaplain, has written a pastoral welcome for the mission's website. He invites devotees and pilgrims to deepen their devotion to St. Thérèse into 'concrete works of faith and warm gestures of love,' invoking the saint's 'little way' of doing even the smallest things with great love. He prays that the mission become 'a growing little flower in the desert' — a humble yet promising faith-community at the heart of the Old Spanish Trail.
- Chaplain: Fr. Joel Aquino, PACEM, MA-PAM
- Theme: St. Thérèse's 'little way' of small acts done with great love
- Vision: a 'growing little flower in the desert' at the heart of the Old Spanish Trail
Visitor & Pilgrim Information
The mission welcomes visitors of all faiths and beliefs. A Preview Center is operated out of its Las Vegas office at 6785 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 7, Las Vegas, NV 89119, open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with appointments encouraged. The general contact number is (702) 507-4172 and the general email is [email protected]. The site is described as a meaningful place of remembrance and reflection, and many visitors report 'an inexplicable sense of serenity and comfort' on their first visit.
- Las Vegas Preview Center: 6785 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 7, Las Vegas, NV 89119
- Preview Center hours: Tuesday–Friday, 9:30 AM–4:30 PM (appointments encouraged)
- General phone: (702) 507-4172
- General email: [email protected]
- Welcomes people of all faiths and beliefs
Events & Community Life
Beyond Sunday Mass, the mission is designed as a joyful gathering place that invites visitors to engage in cultural, social, and educational events that bring faith and community together. The Plaza, Event Center, and playfield are part of the property, and the mission hosts religious and community gatherings throughout the year in addition to the regular liturgical schedule.
- Sunday Mass (in person and online)
- Cultural and social events on the mission grounds
- Educational and faith-focused gatherings
- Use of the Plaza, Event Center, and playfield for community life