About St. William [Sanders County Catholic Community] · Thompson Falls, Montana
St. William is a Roman Catholic parish in the small Clark Fork River town of Thompson Falls, Montana, serving Catholics across rural Sanders County as part of the Sanders County Catholic Community, a pastoral unit that also includes St. James Parish in Plains, Noxon Mission in Noxon, and Sacred Heart in Hot Springs. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Helena and is pastored by Father Jeffrey Benusa, with the help of Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak (Senior Status) and secretary/bookkeeper Theresa McDonald. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:45 a.m., supplemented by weekday Masses on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:05 p.m. and on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m., making it a quiet but faithfully kept spiritual center for the surrounding mountain communities.
- Patron
- St. William
- Rector
- Father Jeffrey Benusa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Helena
Why belong here
St. William is a tight-knit mission-minded parish where the faithful of Sanders County gather around a steady rhythm of weekday noon Masses, Sunday liturgy with the Rosary prayed before Mass, and full-day Eucharistic Adoration on the 2nd and 4nd Tuesdays. The community welcomes new members with a Sacraments of Reconciliation offered both by regular schedule and by appointment, an active Youth Ministry coordinated by Deacon Kazmierczak, and the warmth of a small-town Catholic family that worships together across the cluster of missions in Thompson Falls, Plains, Noxon and Hot Springs.
Mass times at St. William [Sanders County Catholic Community]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 1st Friday, 11:15 a.m. – Noon
- 4th Saturday, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- 2nd & 4th Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Parish Identity & Sanders County Catholic Community
St. William is the Thompson Falls parish of the Sanders County Catholic Community, a pastoral unit of the Diocese of Helena that brings together St. William in Thompson Falls with St. James Parish in Plains and two missions — Noxon Mission in Noxon and Sacred Heart in Hot Springs. A single pastor, Father Jeffrey Benusa, shepherds all four worship sites, with the assistance of Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak and Deacon Lynn McAtee (both Permanent Deacons, Senior Status). The administrative home of the community is at 416 Preston Avenue in Thompson Falls, the same address as St. William Church itself.
- St. William, Thompson Falls
- St. James, Plains
- Noxon Mission, Noxon
- Sacred Heart, Hot Springs
- Part of the Diocese of Helena
Clergy & Parish Staff
Pastoral leadership at St. William is provided by Father Jeffrey Benusa. Assisting him are Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak (Senior Status), who also coordinates the Youth Ministry program, and Deacon Lynn McAtee (Senior Status), who is listed on the Sanders County Catholic Community diocesan page. Day-to-day parish administration and bookkeeping are handled by Theresa McDonald, the parish secretary/bookkeeper.
- Father Jeffrey Benusa — Pastor
- Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak (Senior Status) — also Youth Ministry Coordinator
- Deacon Lynn McAtee (Senior Status)
- Theresa McDonald — Secretary/Bookkeeper
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond Mass and Adoration, St. William maintains a Marian and liturgical prayer rhythm: the Rosary is prayed every Sunday at 8:15 a.m., half an hour before Mass; and Evening Prayer is sung or recited every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., often in continuity with that day's period of Adoration. Together these devotions give the parish a clear weekly shape of prayer rooted in tradition.
- Rosary — Sundays at 8:15 a.m., before the 8:45 a.m. Mass
- Evening Prayer — Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.
Youth Ministry
Faith formation for the young people of the parish and the wider Sanders County Catholic Community is coordinated through St. William's Youth Ministry, led by Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak. As is common in Diocese of Helena rural parishes, the program is organized across the cluster of worship sites, allowing young Catholics from Thompson Falls, Plains, Noxon and Hot Springs to share in faith, fellowship and catechesis together.
- Led by Deacon Ronald Kazmierczak
- Serves the wider Sanders County Catholic Community
Visiting & Contact Information
St. William Catholic Church is located at 416 Preston Avenue in Thompson Falls, Montana (mailing address: P.O. Box 186, Thompson Falls, MT 59873). The parish can be reached by telephone at 406-827-4433 (also listed as the fax line) and by email at [email protected]. The parish is part of the Diocese of Helena's official directory, and a Facebook page for the Sanders County Catholic Community shares news and announcements across the parish family.
- Address: 416 Preston Ave., Thompson Falls, MT 59873
- Mailing: P.O. Box 186, Thompson Falls, MT 59873
- Phone/Fax: 406-827-4433
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan listing: diocesehelena.org/parishes/st-william-thompson-falls/
- GCatholic ID: 37696