A Marian and Eucharistic Community in the Heart of Calistoga
Tucked along Washington Street in Calistoga, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is "A Praying, Marian and Eucharistic Faith Community." The parish greets visitors in two languages - "Welcome To All!" and "¡Bienvenidos a Todos!" - a sign of the bilingual rhythm that shapes its life. Pastored by Rev. Andres L.F. Querijero, Jr., the church serves a town at the northern end of the Napa Valley with a weekly schedule of Masses, the sacraments, and a wide circle of ministries that reach beyond the parish walls.
Mass in English and Spanish
The Mass schedule is built around two communities worshiping under one roof. English Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m., on Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. There is no Mass on Mondays.
Misa en Español fills out the rest of the week, with a Saturday evening Mass at 6:30 p.m. and a Sunday Mass at noon. Together the two schedules give Spanish-speaking families full access to weekend worship and weekday Masses alongside their English-speaking neighbors.
Reconciliation, Confesiones and the Parish Office
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with confessions also available by appointment. The Spanish-language schedule mirrors this: Sábado de 4 p.m. a 4:30 p.m. o con cita.
The parish office keeps more limited hours, opening Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Miércoles, Jueves y Viernes de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m.). Visitors planning a baptism, requesting sacramental records, or arranging the parish hall will find the staff available during these windows.
Preparing for Baptism at OLPH
Baptisms at Our Lady of Perpetual Help are celebrated on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m., and parents are asked not to make other plans until a baptism date has been reserved through the parish office. Before the celebration, parents attend a Baptism Preparation class held in the parish hall on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. The talk costs $20 per couple or individual.
Godparents must be practicing Catholics at least 16 years old who have received Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation; if married, they must be married in the Church. Parents of children should bring a copy of the child's birth certificate. A donation of $100 per child is requested at the time of reservation, or $150 for families coming from outside Calistoga. Parents who complete a preparation class at another parish can present a certificate in lieu of attending the OLPH session, and godparents living outside Calistoga may take the talk at their own parish and bring proof of completion.
Spanish-speaking parents follow the same pathway, with the parish providing the same requirements and donations on the Spanish-language side of the schedule.
Fr. Andres Querijero and a Parish with a Wider Mission
Father Andres L.F. Querijero, Jr., known to parishioners as "Fr. Andres," arrived in Calistoga on October 5, 2021, replacing Fr. Angelito after his retirement. A native of the Philippines, Fr. Andres first entered the seminary at age 12 before stepping away to earn a bachelor's degree in business administration and an MBA. After a career in human resources, he answered a second call to ministry, returning to seminary at 29 and completing a master's degree in pastoral ministry.
Following ordination, his assignments took him to Vietnam to help start a seminary, then to parishes in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Manhattan, before eight years at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fort Bragg, where he founded a K-8 Catholic school. His move to Calistoga came in response to a direct request from Bishop Robert F. Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa. "It was a message from God. I believe things happen for a reason."
From the start Fr. Andres has framed his work as extending beyond the parish. His vision is to build a community of men and women in Calistoga and to serve the town beyond the parish, providing "not just spirituality-based prayer, but also that of action." He offers marriage and family counseling to parishioners and to others in need, continuing a practice he developed in Fort Bragg.
Ministries That Shape Parish Life
The parish's ministries aim to make "a huge impact in our community with their activism and spirit of unity and belonging." The current roster is wide and intentionally bilingual in spirit, even when it gathers under a single language name.
- Grupo de Oración and Parejas Para Cristo provide Spanish-language prayer and couples' fellowship.
- The Guadalupanos keep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe at the heart of the parish's Spanish-speaking life.
- Family Life supports marriages and parents across the parish.
- Women's Club and Men's Club bring the two halves of the parish together around service and fellowship.
- The Rock Youth Band gives young musicians a place to lead worship.
- OLPH Parish Music coordinates the broader music ministry.
- The Altar Society cares for the sanctuary, linens, and liturgical environment.
- Lectors, Ushers and Altar Servers fill the everyday roles that make Sunday Mass possible.
Each ministry is open to new members, and the parish's invitation is simple: "Whatever your likes, skills and interests are, there is a place for you at OLPH."
Reaching Out: A Food Pantry for the Poor
Beyond its internal ministries, the parish operates a food pantry for the poor, extending Fr. Andres's vision of "prayer that is also action" into the wider Calistoga community. The food pantry is one of the clearest examples of how the church puts its Catholic identity into service for neighbors in need.
The Gift Shop and Parish Hall
A small gift shop runs through the parish's online store, offering religious items that lean toward the Christmas season: a baby Jesus figure with a burgundy and gold pillow, an 8-inch Baby Jesus, a 3.5-inch resin Baby Jesus, and a 13.7-inch wooden nativity stable scene. The shop gives visitors and parishioners a way to take devotional items home while supporting the parish.
The parish hall is also available for rental. Inquiries go through Lucia Leonard at (415) 678-9142, separate from the main parish phone line.
Staying Connected
Our Lady of Perpetual Help keeps in touch with parishioners and friends through a weekly bulletin that lists the Sunday readings, announcements, and community events, plus a YouTube channel for the parish's media. A Facebook page carries parish news and event updates. The parish contact phone is (707) 942-6894, with a secondary cell line at (707) 813-1723, and email at olphincalistoga@gmail.com. Online donations can be made through the parish.
From a Tuesday morning weekday Mass to the Spanish-language Guadalupanos devotion, from a Saturday morning baptism to the food pantry that opens its doors through the week, Our Lady of Perpetual Help offers the small-town parish a full Catholic life in two languages, centered on the Eucharist and on Mary, under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Andres Querijero.