Parish History

St. Nicholas of Tolentino began as a mission of St. Leo Parish in Tacoma, to serve the fishing families in Gig Harbor. Prior to 1914, Mass and sacraments were offered by visiting priests in the homes of early pioneer Catholic families. Many of their descendants are still active in the parish to this day.



In late 1913, one-half acre of land was purchased from Mrs. Mary Oliver for $300 as the location of a permanent church. Money needed to build the church was raised through donations from Catholic families, canneries, and fishermen's supply houses. Construction began in December 1913, and was completed in the spring of 1914. Fr. Ignatius Vasta offered the first Mass in the newly completed church on Easter Sunday 1914. 

Forty years later, the Catholic community had outgrown the original church. On December 3, 1958, builders broke ground for the new (and current) church, and Fr. Henry Kruft celebrated the first mass in the current church just five months later. A new religious education building was built in 1970 (now the parish hall), and a new rectory in 1974 (now the parish offices).

In 1973, restoration of the Old Church began. The building was used for many years as a space for meetings, receptions, and other non-profit events. From 1981 to 1997, the Peninsula Historical Society leased and occupied the basement. In 2011, Old Church closed in 2011 due to structural issues, but efforts are currently underway to renovate.

In 1995, parents from the Peninsula established Holy Family School, an independent Catholic school with 14 students. For a time, they leased classrooms at St. John Episcopal and local Assembly of God churches. As class sizes grew, it became apparent that the school needed its own facilities. In 2000, Holy Family School was incorporated into the Archdiocese of Seattle and became St. Nicholas Catholic School. In 2001, the school moved to its present location behind the church. Today, the school is an integral part of our parish mission, serving over