A Trilingual Parish on McKenzie Street
St. Anthony Catholic Church sits on SW McKenzie Street in Tigard, just southwest of Portland, and serves one of the most linguistically diverse Catholic congregations in the Archdiocese of Portland. On any given Sunday the sanctuary fills three times over: first for English-speaking families at 7:00, 8:15 and 10:00 am, then for the Spanish-speaking community at 11:45 am, then for the Vietnamese community at 1:30 pm, and finally for a bilingual English and Spanish Mass at 7:00 pm. The parish identifies itself as a single community composed of three main cultural congregations (American, Mexican and Vietnamese) that share one pastor, one church building and one set of ministries.
The Vietnamese community, called Cộng Đoàn Việt Nam, traces its presence at the parish to the years shortly after the fall of Saigon in April 1975 and was formally established in 2020, marking its twenty-fifth anniversary. The community runs a Vietnamese language school and religious education program (Trường Việt Ngữ và Giáo Lý Thánh An Tôn), the Huong Chieu choir (Ca Đoàn Hương Chiều), a Catholic Mothers' Association, an altar server corps, a Eucharistic youth group named after Christ the King, and a St. Joseph head-of-household society (Hội Gia Trưởng Thánh Giuse).
Mass Schedule and the Three Communities
Sunday Mass at St. Anthony begins with the Saturday Vigil at 5:00 pm in English, followed on Sunday by 7:00 am, 8:15 am and 10:00 am in English, 11:45 am in Spanish, 1:30 pm in Vietnamese and 7:00 pm bilingual in English and Spanish. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 8:15 am in English, with two additional evening Masses each week: Wednesday at 6:30 pm in Spanish and Thursday at 6:30 pm in Vietnamese. On Holy Days the parish offers 6:00 am, 8:30 am and Noon in English, plus a 7:00 pm trilingual Mass.
Confessions are heard Tuesday from 11:15 am to 12:45 pm and Saturday from 7:30 to 9:00 am, with appointments available through the parish office. Eucharistic Adoration runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm in the Divine Mercy Chapel (entered through the parish offices) and Tuesday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in the main church, with Benediction at 12:45 pm. The First Saturday Devotion brings the community together monthly with confession from 7:30 to 8:45 am, a rosary at 8:30 am and Mass at 9:00 am. During Lent, Stations of the Cross are prayed Thursdays at 6:00 pm in Vietnamese, Fridays at 6:00 pm in English and Fridays at 7:00 pm in Spanish.
Masses are livestreamed, and recordings remain available afterward; streams begin five minutes before each scheduled Mass.
Becoming a Dynamic Disciple
The parish describes its mission as "forming dynamic disciples of Jesus Christ." That phrase organizes everything from the homily to the school curriculum. Discipleship is broken into five principles that show up on banners and in parish materials:
- Believe: that Jesus is savior.
- Grow: in following Jesus.
- Gather: in faith community.
- Love: unconditionally.
- Lead: others to Jesus.
Each member of the parish is invited to steward time, talent and treasure along those five lines. Three online portals make that practical: one to share time by finding a ministry that fits a person's schedule, one to share talent by matching gifts and interests to a place to serve, and one to offer financial support through online giving.
Parish Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Fr. John Henderson, Pastor, assisted by two parochial vicars, Fr. Theo Lange and Fr. Peter Hoang. Fr. Theo is also the contact for after-hours emergencies at 503-862-9077. Gerlinde Lamer serves as assistant to the pastor and is the first point of contact for most parish business. Jerry Voelker is the business manager; Andy Nichols is director of development; and Dr. Gary Beckley directs the parish cemetery as well as serving on the school advisory council.
Faith formation is led by Miriam Marston, director of faith formation, and Kathy Reilly, who coordinates the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), baptism preparation for children and adults, the Disciples Believe adult learning series and confirmation preparation for older teens and adults. Nichlas Schaal directs the music ministry.
Sacraments
St. Anthony celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Infant baptism is offered for children in third grade or younger, while older children and adults prepare through the OCIA process. First Communion preparation is open to children whose families are registered in the parish. Confirmation is offered to any Catholic in seventh grade or older who has been baptized; youth in seventh through tenth grade attend a separate track that begins each fall, while students in eleventh grade and older prepare through the Disciples Believe series.
Couples preparing for marriage meet with Fr. John Henderson and follow the parish's preparation process before celebrating the sacrament in the church. The Sacrament of the Sick can be arranged in advance of a hospital procedure by calling the parish office; Fr. Henderson, Fr. Lange and Fr. Hoang are all listed as contacts. Reconciliation follows the regular Tuesday and Saturday schedule described above, or by appointment. The parish also accompanies men discerning a call to Holy Orders, directing them to Fr. Henderson and to the Archdiocesan vocations office.
Faith Formation for Children, Teens and Adults
Children's faith formation generally meets on Sunday mornings and is coordinated through the catechist leadership team. Adult formation runs throughout the year and is built around two named series. Disciples Believe is a ten-session course for anyone already baptized who wants to become Catholic, for Catholics in eleventh grade or older preparing for confirmation, and for Catholics who want a solid introduction to the faith or a way back to the Church. Sessions meet on Tuesday evenings and combine prayer, a video lecture, discussion and home study, with an afternoon retreat for those preparing for sacraments. Disciples Grow is the next step, designed for those already established in the faith or for those who have completed Disciples Believe. Father John also hosts Discipleship Evenings throughout the year, evenings of reflection on one of the marks of being a dynamic disciple.
ACTS Retreats extend that adult formation offsite. ACTS is a three-day Catholic retreat led by fellow parishioners, beginning Thursday evening and ending Sunday with Mass back at the parish. Separate men's and women's retreats are offered; both are built on four pillars (Adoration, Community, Theology and Service) and are held at Our Lady of Peace Retreat House in Beaverton, with transportation to and from St. Anthony included.
Youth Ministry and Young Life
The youth ministry at St. Anthony serves both middle school and high school students through Youth Nights that combine snacks, activities, conversation and teaching. In addition to its own programming, the parish partners with Tigard-Tualatin Young Life, which runs clubs for high school teens, Wyldlife clubs for middle schoolers, and summer Young Life Camp experiences. The parish also connects families with Alpha Youth as another entry point for teenagers exploring the Christian faith.
Music and Worship
The music ministry draws on a roster of choirs and ensembles that mirror the parish's three languages: English Contemporary Ensembles, English Traditional and Children's Choirs, Spanish Adult and Children's Choirs, and the Vietnamese Huong Chieu choir. The team also trains lectors, cantors and worship leaders, and provides sound and tech support at weekend liturgies. The parish's stated goal is to participate in, lead and serve the Divine Liturgy (what the Second Vatican Council called the "source and summit" of Catholic life) while preserving the musical tradition of the universal Church. Musicians and tech volunteers of all experience levels are invited to join.
The Love in Action Committee and Action Teams
St. Anthony runs one of the more developed parish social-justice structures in the archdiocese, organized around the Love in Action Committee (LAC). The LAC is a core group of eight to twelve leaders working with the social-justice coordinator, Danny Rauda, to formalize and expand the parish's social ministry along the seven pillars proposed by the U.S. bishops in Communities of Salt and Light: prayer and worship; education and formation; family, work and citizenship; outreach and charity; legislative advocacy; community organizing; and global solidarity.
Under the LAC sit the Action Teams, small groups of parishioners who run specific ministries around a single issue. Active teams include:
- Women's Justice Circle for Mental Health, which has compiled a bilingual resource list, hosts monthly educational workshops on the first Wednesday at 7:00 pm, offers financial assistance for counseling, and organizes an annual bilingual mental health conference.
- Prison Ministry, which began a pen-pal program in 2022 with women at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility and now partners with the organization CREW to provide safe rides for women on the day of their release, along with an annual toiletry drive.
- Pro-life Ministry in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a Spanish-language holy hour held every Saturday at 8:00 am in the chapel that has grown from eleven to twenty-five members in its first two months.
- The Senior Educational Series, monthly seminars on topics chosen by parish seniors, ranging from Medicare and fraud protection to QR codes and meal delivery apps, with a longer-term goal of forming a "Village Without Walls" to help Tigard seniors stay in their homes.
Parishioners are invited to start a new Action Team around any cause they care about; the LAC supplies tools, training and support.
Immigration Accompaniment
In addition to the Action Teams, the parish maintains a separate Immigration Resources ministry. A compiled set of resources includes know-your-rights information, hotline numbers and links to legal aid and accompaniment programs, and the parish is forming a group to support immigrant and refugee communities through prayer, education, outreach, legislative action and community organizing. Anyone interested can reach Danny Rauda, the social-justice coordinator, through the parish office.
Small Church Communities and Hospitality
Beyond the larger liturgies, parishioners gather in Small Church Communities, small groups that meet regularly to pray, study the Sunday readings, study a book together or share an activity like making prayer shawls. The Gathering Space, where coffee and snacks are served after weekend Masses, doubles as a meeting room for bible studies, volunteer clubs and other parish groups during the week.
The Parish Cemetery
St. Anthony Parish Cemetery, located at the corner of SW 115th and Gaarde Street, has served the community since 1890, making it one of the older continuous Catholic institutions in the Tigard area. The cemetery offers graveside plots and niches in a columbarium for urns, and the parish regards burial as both a Corporal Work of Mercy and a sign of the resurrection. Dr. Gary Beckley serves as cemetery director and can assist with plot purchase, marker planning and other arrangements.
Funerals and Bereavement
The pastoral team accompanies families through all three rites of the Order of Christian Funerals: a Vigil Service with the Rosary on the evening before the funeral, the Funeral Mass in the church, and the Rite of Committal at the graveside. Families are encouraged to contact the parish office as soon as practical to begin planning.
The Parish School
St. Anthony Catholic School shares the campus and shares a name with the parish, and is led by Principal Mrs. Sally Plasker. The school is supported by a School Advisory Council that includes Fr. John Henderson, Dr. Gary Beckley and parent representatives. A New School Campaign is currently underway to fund facilities improvements; details are posted at school.satigard.org.
Liturgical Ministries at Mass
Parishioners serve the liturgy in many of the roles that surround a Catholic Mass. Altar Servers is the first ministry open to young people; children in third through eighth grade who have received Baptism and Eucharist may serve, with training provided and parent-child teams welcome. Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and Sacristans are open to confirmed Catholics of high-school age and older, with training and ongoing formation offered and a rotating schedule that lets each volunteer pick preferred Mass times. The Welcome Ministry staffs the doors at every weekend Mass, holy day and special feast, greeting visitors, directing Communion lines and handing out bulletins.
Catholic Organizations on Campus
Three affiliated organizations are listed under Catholic Organizations: Hijas Católicas de las Américas, the Knights of Columbus (Caballeros de Colón), and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (San Vicente de Paul). Each operates as a lay Catholic association under the umbrella of the parish.
Joining the Parish, Giving and Getting in Touch
Anyone can register as a parishioner online; registration gives a family a formal home in the community and helps the parish plan its sacraments, ministries and communications. Young adults aged nineteen to thirty-five who still live with their parents are encouraged to register on their own. Online giving is available through the parish's Realm portal, with separate options for one-time donations, recurring stewardship pledges and cemetery payments. Those interested in becoming Catholic can schedule an appointment with Fr. John Henderson or the director of faith formation to begin the conversation.
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at 9905 SW McKenzie Street, Tigard, OR 97223, and can be reached at 503-639-4179 or glamer@satigard.org. For anointing of the sick in an emergency, call 503-862-9077. Weekly bulletins and recordings of past homilies, including Father John's daily reflections, are posted online.