St. Juan Diego Catholic Church stands on five acres at 5995 NW 178th Avenue in the Cedar Hills and Bethany area of northwest Portland, Oregon, a suburban stretch that has grown steadily since the parish was first planned. The community takes its name and identity from Saint Juan Diego, the indigenous Mexican layman to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in 1531, and who was canonized by Pope John Paul II on July 31, 2002.
The parish was declared that very same day by Archbishop John G. Vlazny, who assigned Father John Kerns to begin organizing the new community. The Archdiocese of Portland provided $100,000 to purchase the property at the corner of 178th and Springville Roads. The first Mass was celebrated on the feast of Saint Juan Diego itself, December 9, 2002, hosted by Christ Church (Lutheran) in Hillsboro. From those early home Masses followed by potluck dinners on Friday evenings, the fledgling community grew into what is today a bilingual Catholic parish serving English and Spanish-speaking families across northwest Portland and Washington County.
For almost eight years the parish worshipped in borrowed spaces, the gymnasium of Portland Community College's Rock Creek Campus across the street on Sundays and Saint Gabriel's Episcopal Church on NW West Union Road for Saturday evening Mass. Dedicated parishioners arrived ninety minutes before each Sunday Mass to set up sacred space in the rented gym, transforming it for liturgy each week. On October 24, 2010, Archbishop Vlazny presided at the Rite of Dedication of the new church, with pillars harvested from the parish property supporting the sanctuary roof. A new parish office, gathering hall and kitchen opened in 2023.
Masses in English and Spanish
St. Juan Diego offers Masses in both English and Spanish throughout the week, with one bilingual Mass on Mondays. The weekend schedule is:
- Saturday at 6:15 a.m. in Spanish
- Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in English
- Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in English
- Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in Spanish
- Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in English
Daily Mass is celebrated Monday at 6:00 p.m. (bilingual), Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. (English), and Thursday at noon (English). A communal celebration of Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours takes place every Sunday at 5:30 p.m., an offering the parish extends in keeping with the Second Vatican Council's call for the principal hours to be prayed in common on Sundays. All are welcome to join.
Confessions and the Anointing of the Sick
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. and Saturday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., as well as by appointment. The church remains open for individual prayer during scheduled confession times. A sacramental emergency line is available for those in immediate need of Anointing of the Sick, and the parish periodically celebrates the sacrament in a special Mass of Healing.
Preparation for the Seven Sacraments
St. Juan Diego prepares members for each of the seven Catholic sacraments. Infant baptism classes are held four times a year, with parents and godparents both expected to attend. Older children and teens needing baptism (ages 7 to 17) prepare alongside their peers in faith formation, middle school ministry, or confirmation prep, receiving Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation together at the Easter Vigil. Adults preparing for initiation take part in OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), with both English and Spanish classes offered.
First Communion is typically prepared for in second grade, with older children in grades 2 to 5 able to register. Confirmation preparation for grades 7 and up begins in October and concludes with the Confirmation Mass in January or February. Adults seeking Confirmation receive classes in early spring, with Confirmation celebrated at the Cathedral after Easter. Couples wishing to marry at St. Juan Diego are asked to contact a priest or coordinator at least six months before their wedding date.
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Children's Faith Formation serves students in grades 1 to 5. A new Children's Choir is being introduced, and a Grades 3 to 5 program offers monthly family-style gatherings with shared meals, an interactive at-home curriculum, and conversation prompts to keep faith alive in daily family life. Families with children in grades 2 to 5 preparing for sacraments gather monthly from October through April. First Reconciliation is prepared for by December, and First Communion Masses are scheduled in April or May.
Youth Ministry covers grades 6 to 12, gathering most Sundays from late September through mid-May after the 12:30 p.m. Mass, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. The program meets in the last classroom at the end of the hall and includes pizza lunch. Confirmation preparation for grades 7 to 12 meets on Sundays from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m., with a snack provided. Registration opens August 17 each year for the following program year.
Young Families, Moms, and Walking With Purpose
The Young Families Ministry reaches out to families with children from birth through about age five, along with older siblings. Parents are welcomed at all Masses and find a bookshelf in the narthex stocked with coloring pages, children's bulletins, interactive Mass books, crayons and pencils, plus a second shelf of books children may borrow during Mass. Monthly Mom's and Dad's Nights Out help parents connect, and four times a year the parish rents Happy Play in North Plains for open play after the 8:30 a.m. Mass.
The Moms Ministry gathers mothers of children of all ages for monthly events ranging from happy hour and line dancing to bunco, faith sharing, and Adoration. Walking With Purpose is a women's Bible study and faith sharing program open to all women 18 and older, with a nine-week study of Beholding His Glory offered in the fall.
Young Adults and the Newman Club at PCC Rock Creek
Young adults ages 21 to 35 gather on Wednesday evenings for Bible study, board games, talks on Adoration and the saints, the Rosary, and outings for boba followed by Holy Hour and Benediction. The parish is launching a PCC Rock Creek Newman Club, designed for young adults ages 18 to 21 and welcoming all who wish to grow in faith and community, with outreach to students at the neighboring Portland Community College campus.
Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary
St. Juan Diego Council 15729 of the Knights of Columbus was formed in 2013 and welcomes Catholic men 18 and older who wish to serve the parish and local community. The Legion of Mary meets every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Classroom 1 of the Parish Hall, with members over 18 taking on weekly spiritual works of mercy such as home visits, the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, and praying the Rosary in homes following Our Lady of Fatima's request. Auxiliary members commit to daily recitation of the Rosary and the Legion prayer.
Caregiver, Pastoral Care, and Homebound Ministry
The Caregiver Ministry supports those who care for loved ones through person-to-person listening, prayer, empathy, encouragement, respite, and referral. The Caring Circle meets quarterly for caregivers to share their stories, challenges, and hopes in a confidential setting, and the parish offers a library of pamphlets and semi-annual presentations on topics ranging from ethics and nutrition to end-of-life planning. The Pastoral Care and Homebound Ministry brings Communion to the ill and aged who can no longer attend Mass, as well as to inpatients at Kaiser Westside Medical Center, and provides a Communion Service every Friday at three local retirement centers, Laurel Parc, Rock Creek, and Avamere, along with visits to the memory care units at Laurel Parc and Avamere.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and Social Justice
The parish operates the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, which distributes food on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The pantry is closed on federal holidays and Good Friday. Food and monetary donations are collected at all Masses the second weekend of each month, with a permanent collection cupboard in the narthex accepting non-perishable donations year-round.
The Social Justice ministry's mission is to act as both catalyst and participant in building a just society that reflects the Kingdom of God. Care for Creation resources include guides to caring for our living planet and Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si' in both English and Spanish, and a monthly TerraCycle recycling program is offered the fourth Sunday of the month. The ministry also promotes mental health prayer resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and information on income-qualified utility bill discounts.
Music, Prayer, and the Patron Saint
Music at St. Juan Diego is led by Hector Mendoza, Coordinator of Music, whose background includes orchestral initiatives inspired by El Sistema and several years of music ministry at the University of Portland. The main image of Mary in the church is a tapestry of Our Lady of Guadalupe by artist John Nava, commissioned by founding pastor Father John Kerns after he admired a similar piece at Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey in Lafayette, Oregon. An icon of Saint Juan Diego painted by Brother Claude Lane, OSB, and a statue of the patron saint in the front garden complete the visual focus on the parish's namesake.
Joining the Parish
Registration forms for the parish are available in English and Spanish, along with forms for room reservations and baptism registration. Parish office hours are Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (closed noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch). The Prayer Chain offers immediate, short-term prayer support during times of crisis, with the Book of Intentions available at church for ongoing prayer. Online donations may be made to the Parish Offeratory, the Building Fund Pledge, Parish Events, Liturgical Flowers, other special donations, and the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.