About Vail Interfaith Chapel · Vail, Colorado
The Vail Interfaith Chapel is a Catholic mission church located in the heart of Vail, Colorado, at 19 Vail Rd., shared by multiple faith communities. Administered by the Catholic Parishes of the Valley (a union of St. Patrick in Minturn, St. Mary in Eagle, St. Clare of Assisi in Edwards, plus the Beaver Creek Interfaith Chapel and Vail Interfaith Chapel), it is staffed from St. Patrick Parish. The chapel itself, opened in 1969 and stewarded by the nonprofit Vail Religious Foundation, is one of the nation's earliest interfaith worship spaces and hosts Catholic Masses throughout the week as well as dozens of community and cultural events each year.
- Established
- 1969
- Rector
- Rev. José María Quera (Pastor of St. Patrick Parish; the Catholic mission at the Vail Interfaith Chapel is staffed from St. Patrick's in Minturn)
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver
Why belong here
Worshipping at the Vail Interfaith Chapel means celebrating Catholic Mass in one of Vail's most iconic buildings—steps from Vail Village and Lionshead, on the banks of Gore Creek, and shared in genuine interfaith cooperation with Jewish, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Baptist neighbors. The Catholic community offers a full weekly Mass schedule, weekday Adoration and Confession on Fridays, sacramental preparation in English and Spanish through St. Patrick Parish, and a parish school (St. Clare of Assisi) and religious-education programs serving children preschool through high school. With 50,000+ visitors a year, the chapel also functions as a year-round community center hosting AA and other support groups, Bravo! Vail concerts, weddings, and outreach to travelers stranded on I-70—making it a parish where worship is woven into the everyday life of the Vail Valley.
Mass times at Vail Interfaith Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM (or by appointment)
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM (or by appointment)
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM at the Vail Interfaith Chapel
About the Vail Interfaith Chapel
The Vail Interfaith Chapel, located at 19 Vail Road in the heart of Vail, Colorado, is a shared worship space stewarded by the Vail Religious Foundation. For more than 50 years it has been the spiritual heart of the Vail Valley, hosting up to six congregations under one roof and serving over 50,000 people annually. As a Catholic mission, it is staffed from St. Patrick Parish in Minturn and is part of the Catholic Parishes of the Valley.
- Address: 19 Vail Rd., Vail, CO 81657
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver
- Steward: Vail Religious Foundation (501(c)(3) nonprofit)
- Capacity: ~250 in the main chapel (500 in the original 1969 interior design)
History of the Chapel
The Vail Religious Foundation was organized in 1965 by Richard M. Dobson, John V. Amato, and Mrs. Keith L. Brown. After a two-year community fundraising drive and a land gift from Vail Associates, ground was broken in September 1968. The chapel was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1969, to a packed house of about 300 worshippers, with Rev. Thomas Stone of St. Patrick Catholic Parish and Rev. Don Simonton of Holy Cross Lutheran officiating. In 2019 the Town of Vail issued an official proclamation honoring the chapel's 50th anniversary, and the Foundation launched a $10 million capital campaign to secure the building's future.
- 1963 – early discussions about a permanent worship space for Vail
- 1965 – Vail Religious Foundation incorporated (Nov. 12, 1965)
- Sept. 1968 – groundbreaking
- Nov. 28, 1969 – Thanksgiving Day dedication
- 1973 – land formally transferred to the Vail Religious Foundation by Vail Associates
- 1976 & 1978 – building enlarged, Pierce, Briner and Scott
- c. 2000 – caretaker unit and Ministry Building added
- 2019 – 50th anniversary proclamation; $10M capital campaign launched
Architecture & Campus
Designed by the firm Pierce, Briner and Scott, the chapel is a Modernist re-interpretation of a Tyrolean alpine church: white stucco walls with dark wood trim, set right next to Gore Creek. The 500-seat interior features modernized Gothic glue-laminated arches—a generic enough design to accommodate multiple denominations. The campus today includes the main chapel, the adjacent Ministry Building (added c. 2000), two outdoor terraces, a creekside labyrinth, a fully stocked kitchen, conference space, professional A/V equipment, and free Wi-Fi for guests.
- Architect: Pierce, Briner and Scott
- Style: Modernist Tyrolean alpine
- Materials: white stucco, dark wood, glue-laminated arches
- Enlarged: 1976, 1978
- Features: outdoor terraces, labyrinth over Gore Creek, kitchen, conference rooms, A/V, free Wi-Fi
Congregations Sharing the Chapel
Five faith communities share the Vail Interfaith Chapel under the stewardship of the Vail Religious Foundation. Each brings its own traditions and clergy, and the collaboration is held up as a national model of interfaith cooperation. The Catholic presence is served by St. Patrick Parish (with St. Mary in Eagle and St. Clare of Assisi in Edwards as part of the Catholic Parishes of the Valley).
- St. Patrick Catholic Parish — Rev. José María Quera, Pastor
- Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration — Father Brooks Keith III
- B'nai Vail Jewish Congregation — Rabbi Joel D. Newman
- Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran — Reverend Dr. Scott Beebe
- Mountain Community Church (Baptist) — Pastor Matt Wyatt
Liturgical Ministries (St. Patrick & Vail Chapel)
Liturgical ministry coordination for St. Patrick and the Vail Interfaith Chapel is handled by Angela Lavelle ([email protected] / 970-926-2821 Ext. 402). Ministries are open to fully initiated Catholic parishioners and provide an opportunity to serve at the altar and in the assembly.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Ushers / Greeters
- Sacristans
- Art & Environment
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Sacramental preparation and ongoing religious education for St. Patrick and the Vail Interfaith Chapel are coordinated through the Catholic Parishes of the Valley. The program serves children preschool through high school, with First Communion and Confirmation prepared according to the Restored Order of the Archdiocese of Denver. Adult formation is offered through RCIA from August to April.
- Religious Education, Preschool–High School (St. Patrick & Vail Chapel) — Angela Lavelle, 970-926-2821 Ext. 402
- Sacramental Prep (First Communion & Confirmation, Restored Order) — contact the parish office
- RCIA (English & Spanish) — Fr. Joe Bui, 720-496-1956, August–April
- Hispanic Ministry / Educación Religiosa en Español — Deacon Gelasio Velasco, [email protected], 970-926-2821 Ext. 404
Parish & Community Schools
Two parish schools serve the Catholic Parishes of the Valley community and welcome students connected to the Vail Interfaith Chapel mission.
- St. Clare of Assisi Catholic School (Edwards, 31622 US Hwy 6) — Principal Sr. Regina Marie Connor, RSM, 970-926-8980
- St. Mary's Preschool (Eagle, 215 Capitol St.) — Director Evangelina Martinez, 970-328-5699
Community Life & Outreach
Beyond its Catholic mission, the Vail Interfaith Chapel functions as a year-round community center used by over 50,000 people annually. Alcoholics Anonymous hosts 14–18 meetings a week; Bravo! Vail Music Festival uses the chapel as a primary summer venue for free community concerts; the Vail Symposium convenes several sessions a year on site; and the Vail Police Department uses the building as an emergency shelter when Interstate 70 is closed over Vail Pass.
- Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step / support groups
- Bravo! Vail Music Festival — free community concerts each summer
- Vail Symposium lecture series
- Weddings, funerals, memorial services, and life-event hosting
- Emergency shelter in partnership with the Vail Police Department during I-70 closures
Staff & Contacts
The Catholic mission at the Vail Interfaith Chapel is staffed from St. Patrick Parish (Minturn), part of the Catholic Parishes of the Valley. Sacramental emergencies outside office hours should be directed to (720) 496-1956.
- Rev. José María Quera — Pastor, Office: (970) 926-2821
- Rev. Jesus Murillo — Parochial Vicar, (970) 306-4684
- Rev. Joe Bui — Parochial Vicar, (720) 496-1956
- Rev. Irek Kuźmicki — Parochial Vicar, (970) 446-1099
- Deacon Gelasio Velasco — [email protected], 970-926-2821 Ext. 404
- Angela Lavelle — Faith Formation, [email protected], 970-926-2821 Ext. 402
- Marilyn Brock — Parish Business Manager, [email protected], 970-926-2821 Ext. 1085
- Carmen Fragozo — Hispanic Ministry, [email protected], 970-926-2821 Ext. 1070