Churches in the Lake Tahoe Area

[zunshynn]

Hi!

I lurk around here sometimes and I’m trying to decide where to go to Mass while I’m camping with my family in Lake Tahoe this summer, so I thought I’d ask here if anyone knows of a good, reverent parish in the Lake Tahoe area (either California or Nevada).

I usually attend a TLM at an FSSP parish, and right now am considering just driving the two hours from Tahoe to get to my parish, or there is also a mission in Washoe Valley, Nevada that has a TLM on Sundays that would be an hour and fifteen minute drive.

I’m open to going to a Novus Ordo though if I can find one that’s closer and pretty decent, but my experiences going to Mass in Tahoe in the past have been not so good, so I don’t really know where to look. If you have any experience going to Mass in the area, I’d appreciate your (name removed by moderator)ut! Thank you so much!

ETA : I’m sorry if I should have posted this somewhere else, I wasn’t sure where it fit the most where people would see it.)

 

[GwenL]

Zunshynn, I live in Sparks, NV. Take the following with a large block of salt, as I am a brand-new Catholic.

Will you be camping at North or South lake?

Holy Spirit Mission in Washoe Valley lost their TLM priest to a stroke, so their TLM schedule is not as regular as the website or masstimes.org might imply. Email them (contact info on the website holyspiritcatholicmission.com ) to confirm and understand that they may not know the schedule until a week or so out. They are at the mercy of visiting priests and hospital chaplains (at least they were the last time I contacted them). It’s a very small mission church, and they have always been very responsive to my inquiries about times.

There is a TLM at St Joseph’s in Auburn, about an hour west on I80 from Truckee. I have been told that their TLM is at a different time than posted on the website stjoseph.auburncatholic.com/ I would call them to confirm.

I have been told that there is an SSPX chapel in Carson City.

I attend at St Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno. stacathedral.com/ It’s run by three Conventual Franciscans and I have found them to be by-the-book and orthodox. This is why I am there; the “liturgical creativity” and teaching at odds with the Church at my former parish became just too distracting. It seems like everyone I meet in the parish is a “refugee” from some other unorthodox parish. The really good news is that our incoming rector supposedly knows the TLM, loves chant, and uses a lot of Latin in the OF. A group of us are going to approach him and see if he’ll start a TLM. That’s a bit longer-term project than your camping trip this summer!

Hope this helps.

 

[zunshynn]

Thank you! We’ll actually be camping at Fallen Leaf Lake Campground in South Lake Tahoe, not at Lake Tahoe itself.

I’m sorry to hear about the priest that celebrated the TLM for Holy Spirit Mission … I will definitely remember him in my prayers.

I did see that there was a TLM in Auburn, although it would be about the same drive that it would be to get to my parish in Sacramento.

Thanks for letting me know about the Cathedral though… I might consider that. It would only be about 20 minutes less of a drive than going to my parish, but it still might be nice to go to Mass in a different place… plus, I have a fondness for Franciscans.

Thanks again! I hope that you are able to get a TLM going at the Cathedral! I will pray for the success of that endeavor!

 

[GwenL]

Fallen Leaf Lake is beautiful country. If you have not, I highly recommend the hike to Mt Tallac–it’s not too difficult and the view is worth the work. Hopefully the snow melts before your trip; there is still a lot of snow in the high country. In fact, it is supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow morning , and I have to drive over Mt Rose summit to Incline Village for class. I’m going to the Vigil Mass at St Francis in IV tomorrow; we’ll see. I don’t know much about parishes at South Lake. You are right, a drive to Auburn from South Lake would be long haul.

Our Franciscans also are great homilists. They even talk about mortal sins, which is a bit rare in my limited experience. Why, I even heard one proclaim the Catholic Church as the “one true church,” and explain why Islam is a false religion. Amazing, huh?

 

[zunshynn]

Fallen Leaf Lake is beautiful country. If you have not, I highly recommend the hike to Mt Tallac–it’s not too difficult and the view is worth the work. Hopefully the snow melts before your trip; there is still a lot of snow in the high country. In fact, it is supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow morning , and I have to drive over Mt Rose summit to Incline Village for class. I’m going to the Vigil Mass at St Francis in IV tomorrow; we’ll see. I don’t know much about parishes at South Lake. You are right, a drive to Auburn from South Lake would be long haul.

Yeah… I don’t think I’ve been to Mass at St. Francis. My experience going to Mass in the area has been St. Theresa’s, and I think Our Lady of the Snows… or Our Lady of Tahoe… or Our Lady of the Lake. lol… I don’t remember exactly… it’s been a couple of years. I’d like to hear what your experience was at St. Francis though if you think about it!

We have done the Mt. Tallac hike… we might do it again. My family goes every year but this will be my first time there in about 4 years, so I’m looking forward to it.

As it is, I usually drive an hour to get to my parish in Sacramento, so one more hour wouldn’t be too bad, but my family would probably be more comfortable if I went somewhere closer, since I’m not familiar with the area. I’m not too worried about it though.

Our Franciscans also are great homilists. They even talk about mortal sins, which is a bit rare in my limited experience. Why, I even heard one proclaim the Catholic Church as the “one true church,” and explain why Islam is a false religion. Amazing, huh?

That is pretty awesome! Solid Franciscans are really wonderful, especially because all too often Franciscans get such a reputation for being the eco-theology types… (sadly not undeservedly much of the time)… but St. Francis was so dedicated to the Church, which such a deep love of the Eucharist and Our Lady, etc.

Anyway, thank you again.

 

[system]

Lake Tahoe Area Churches 2012 update: I have been attending mass at St. Francis in Incline Village, Nevada (North Lake Tahoe). It is a beautiful church, but the mass is disappointing. After attending TLM and orthodox Catholic masses in other states, the progressive Post Vatican II masses leave me with an empty, dissatisfied feeling, like I haven’t really been to mass. To use the analogy of a church official that I heard recently, the pastor at St. Francis gives “cotton candy” sermons to please everyone - all fluff and no substance. The music is too loud, distracting and annoying. The pastor has all of the visitors stand and introduce themselves before the final blessing, which takes a long time when there are so many summer visitors. The last mass I attended, the Deacon gave the homily - I thought the priest is always supposed to give the homily.

I have been searching for a TLM in the area, but haven’t had any luck. I saw a post online that the Washoe Valley Mission is losing congregants (reduced from about 200 to about 80) because the Bishop has replaced the former TLM priest with a priest who says the TLM mass, but gives liberal homilies, and the Bishop is threatening to close the mission because of poor attendance. This is second hand information, so I’m not certain about it. The SSPX offers mass at a funeral home chapel in Carson City, but only on the second and fourth Sundays.

Based on the above posts, I will try the St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno.