Immigrant Faith Fuels $5M Church Build

The newly dedicated Holy Cross Parish in Mattawa stands as a historic achievement, primarily funded and built by its predominantly Spanish-speaking parishioners. Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima highlighted this as the first church construction project in the diocese to be predominantly financed by immigrant communities. The final cost of the impressive $5 million project was significantly bolstered by parishioner efforts, raising nearly $2.8 million through numerous fundraisers.

Parishioners' dedication was evident in their creative fundraising, including a unique honey donation from a local beekeeper, which was sold across the diocese. The striking new building, shaped like a cross, now accommodates 450 people, a substantial increase from the previous 150-seat church. It features a 20-foot crucifix and restored 110-year-old stained-glass windows, originally from a church in Philadelphia.

The parish was renamed from Our Lady of the Desert to Holy Cross to better reflect the struggles and resilience of its migrant members, many of whom are undocumented and live with daily fears. This renaming process involved community surveys and unanimous approval from the diocese's priests. The altar now includes relics of St. Jose Sanchez Del Rio, a young martyr honored by the parish's Mexican population.