Name of Church St. Columba

Address 213 Orange Avenue, Chowchilla, CA 93610

Phone number 559-665-3376

Mass times Saturday vigil, 6 p.m.  Sunday, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon (Spanish); Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.

Confessions Friday, 6 p.m.  The parish also has a mission, St. George in El Nido, with a Saturday vigil Mass at 4:10 p.m. with confessions after Mass.

Names of priests Fr. Angel Sotelo, pastor. Fr. Sotelo is a fine homilist, orthodox and knowledgeable in both philosophy and theology.  He’s also quite approachable, easy going, friendly and has a good sense of humor.  He is also an encyclopedia of knowledge about the history of the Diocese of Fresno.  Read his blog: https://fatherangel.tumblr.com/.

School No.

Special groups and activities Legion of Mary, YMI, food pantry

Music Depends on the Mass; organ and piano.

Fellow parishioners Both English and Spanish-speaking.

Parking No problem.

Cry room Yes, in the back.

Additional observations  St. Columba’s was established in 1918, and its original church was built in 1923.  The parish was named for the patron of the Diocese of Fresno, but St. Columba took a secondary patronage status to St. Therese of Lisieux after she was canonized in 1925.  The current church was built in 1963 during the Second Vatican Council in what might be called a “modern traditional” style.  It still has a communion rail and older style tabernacle, for example.  Chowchilla is a small farming town of about 7,000; perhaps 1,500 are active parishioners at St. Columba’s.