Rooted in a common baptism and nourished by the Gospel and the Eucharist, the Saint Peter's parish community is rich and diverse. People of many countries, educational backgrounds, ages, and economic backgrounds come from all over the Portland metro area to worship at this centrally located parish.
In December, 1910, St Peter Parish was established in Lents by Archbishop Christie of the Archdiocese of Oregon City. Rev. Peter Beutgen was named pastor and he offered the first Mass in mid-January 1911, in a hall located above Duke’s Market on Main (now 92nd Ave) in Lents. Plans for the building of a parish church were soon underway – aided by a contribution from the church Extension society. At this time, the Lents district was not yet annexed to the City of Portland.
The first St Peter Church was dedicated by Archbishop Christie who celebrated High Mass on Dec. 15, 1911. It was a 3-storey building with the main entrance facing what is now SE 91st Avenue just north of SE Ellis street. The lower level was to serve as a school, with classrooms and a music room. The second floor space was a parish hall and the third floor contained the chapel. Since no teaching order of nuns was available, the planned parish school never came into being at this location.
According to the 1913 Portland City Directory, the original St Peter Church was located at “es Mohr Ave 2n Gilbert Ave – Lents”. This address was later known as Gilbert & Main. Over the years, City street names were changed and, in 1932/33, there was major revision of both the name and numbering systems, and a cross-reference book was published. All earlier addresses can be researched and identified with today’s nomenclature. Using this information, it has been determined that the first St Peter parish church was located on the east side of present-day SE 91st Ave. (formerly Mohr) about 2 lots north of SE Ellis Street (formerly Gilbert Road)..
By 1922 the congregation had outgrown this building and the property was eventually sold. In 1923, land at the corner of SE Foster Rd. and SE 87th Ave. was purchased. Under the pastorate of Fr James O’Flynn, construction of a new church was begun at this location. Due to financial setbacks, only the lower level (basement) of the planned new church was completed. In this basement space, which served as both church and parish hall, Mass was celebrated for several years.
In 1930, when Fr O’Keefe became pastor, he immediately began work on the construction of an upper structure to cover the existing basement church/hall space. In 1931, the end result was a building which held a church (at the north end) and four (4) classrooms at the south end. It was much less elaborate than the original architectural plans which had been submitted earlier by architects Jacobberger & Smith. The main (Foster Rd) entry opened into the church worship area, and three other doors provided entrance to the schoolroom area. There was one door on the east (SE 87th) side, one door at the south end of the building and another entrance on the west side – across a narrow driveway between it and the rectory/office at 8648 SE Foster Road. The lower level was then converted for use as the parish hall.
In 1932, Father O’Keefe died and Rev.George Sniderhon became pastor, serving until 1936. During these years, the addresses for both rectory and church were listed as 8648 SE Foster Rd.
In 1936, when Father Cregan was appointed pastor, he was determined to prepare the schoolrooms for their long-planned use. The Holy Name (SNJM) sisters had agreed to staff the school, which consisted of only the first 4 grades. Because of the Great Depression and the parish financial situation, the Sisters agreed to teach at the school without pay. In September 1936, St Peter School opened in the 4 classrooms located in the south end of the building located at the corner of SE 87th and Foster Road.
The Holy Names sisters who taught at St Peter School lived at St Mary’s Academy in downtown Portland, and rode the bus to and from St Peter’s each day. A few years later, their home was at St Ignatius parish convent and they would travel from there to St Peter School. It was not until 1949 that the parish acquired a house on the east side of SE 88th Ave, between Foster and Woodstock, to be used as the sisters’ convent. In 1963, the sisters moved into the newly completed convent on SE Woodstock.
In 1954, the Lents Methodist Episcopal church and gymnasium property on SE 86th was purchased and named “Methodius Hall”. In 1956, as school enrollment was then 505, two additional classrooms were developed by remodeling the Methodist church building. At this time, all Masses were celebrated in the gym space so that the worship space (in the north end of the Foster Road church/school building) could be remodeled in time for the new school year. Two additional classrooms, a school office and faculty lounge, lavatory and storerooms were carved out of the space once used as the church. The original basement of this building was updated to include additional lavatories, remodeled music rooms, a kitchen and new interior paint. The exteriors of all parish buildings were painted a matching color – all these activities being completed over the summer months of 1956!
In March 1957, the official inauguration of “Funds for the New Church” drive was held. Groundbreaking for the new church took place on April 7 – and the slogan “A New Church by Christmas 1957” was sounded. The architect was Elmer Zeller with construction done by the N.A. Minden Company. This new church was completed in October 1957, and on Nov. 28, the first Mass in it was celebrated to mark, as Fr Dooley said, “the dream of 46 years”.
On December 9, 1957, the official dedication of St Peter Church took place with Archbishop Howard presiding at a solemn Pontifical High Mass. Fr Pat Dooley was the designated Arch-priest and 10 other diocesan priests were present as deacons of honor, cross-bearers and masters of ceremonies. Rev. George Campbell, pastor of Madeleine Parish, provided a resume of St Peter parish history.
St Peter Parish School existed from 1936 until 1972 when it was no longer feasible to continue its operation due to lower enrollment and higher costs. Students transferred to other parochial schools and to their neighborhood public schools. At this time, a very successful parish religious education program was launched. It included Sunday classes for 4 & 5-year old preschoolers, elementary, high school and adult education programs. Mass times were adjusted so that parishioners could attend early Sunday Mass and then stay for classes (held at same time for all age groups!) - or attend classes, then stay for Mass after classes ended. Ministry to seniors, youth and social justice programs were also begun. Some Holy Names sisters remained in residence and helped coordinate these educational and new programs.
Fr Pat Walsh initiated the archdiocesan ministry to the deaf and it was headquartered at St Peter’s.
In 1994, our parish grew to include members of the Spanish-speaking community. Father Dale Waddill learned to speak Spanish and instituted religious education and sacramental preparation programs for the new parishioners and added a Sunday Mass, celebrated in Spanish, and initiated bilingual liturgies at Christmas, Holy Week and Easter.
With the generous funding support made available in 2016, the entire church interior was freshly painted resulting in a beautiful and elegant atmosphere in this holy space. The large crucifix on the sanctuary wall was cleaned and renovated and set back in place.
In 2017, all of the original wooden pews and kneelers were removed and painstakingly refinished. While the pews were undergoing this process, the damaged church flooring was repaired, cleaned and polished in preparation for the return and re-installation of the refurbished pews and new kneelers. One row of pews on the widened north-south aisle were prepared for ease of use by wheelchair-bound parishioners or guests. These pews are clearly marked and easily accessible for those with mobility problems.
All of these repairs and renovations have been professionally and beautifully completed and are greatly admired and appreciated by all St. Peter parishioners. They contribute to the sense of beauty and peace in our place of worship.
It is with deep gratitude that we acknowledge the generous support of the Joyce Miller Owens Charitable Foundation which has made all of this possible.
Our parish includes members from Southeast Asia, Philippines, the South Pacific Islands, Central America, South America and Mexico as well as others with varied heritage. We celebrate our diversity and our parish history!
St Peter Church Pastors
1910: Fr. Peter Beutgen
1922: Fr. James O'Flynn
1930: Fr. O'Keefe
1932: Fr. George Sniderhon
1936: Fr. Cregan
1946: Fr. Dooley
1966: Fr. John Berger
1968: Fr. Stephen Breitenstein
1971: Fr. John Brouillard
1978: Fr. J.J. Linehan
1988: Fr. Rock Sassano
1992: Fr. Martin Senko
1993: Fr. Dale Waddill
2008: Fr. Dave Zegar
2012: Fr. Raul Marquez
2023: Fr. Stephen Kenyon