5 Notable Catholic sites to visit in Nevada

While Nevada might be better known for its casinos and desert landscapes than its religious heritage, the Silver State holds meaningful Catholic sites that tell the story of faith in the American West. 

From historic missions to modern architectural wonders, here are sites worth visiting in Nevada.

Guardian Angel Cathedral is a rare example of mid-century modern religious design. It is famous not only for its world-renowned stained glass windows, mosaics, murals, and striking angular architecture but also for its history.

Its origins go back to 1958 when Priests of St. Viator began celebrating a 4:30 AM Sunday Mass in various hotels and casinos along the world-famous Las Vegas “Strip” to accommodate tourists and employees. 

Their first church, St. Viator, was built on the site of the former city dump in 1955, but the ground proved to be unstable. The church was condemned and torn down just six months after it opened. 

The pastor approached Moe Dalitz, a casino owner called “Mr. Las Vegas,” asking him to donate land on the Las Vegas Strip. Although Jewish, Dalitz liked the idea of having a church conveniently located for his casino workers. 

He donated land near the Desert Inn in 1961 and asked Los Angeles architect Paul R. Williams to design the new church. Guardian Angel Shrine was opened in 1963 and elevated to co-cathedral status when the Diocese of Reno was renamed the Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas in 1977.

Just steps away from the famous Las Vegas Strip, this striking A-frame cathedral serves as an oasis of peace amid the city's buzz. 

Every year Las Vegas has about 42 million visitors from around the world, of whom 5-6 million are Catholic. The needs of this many visitors proved complicated to handle. Guardian Angel Cathedral was enlarged and even then could not accommodate the growing number of visitors as more resorts were built. 

The solution? The Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer was built, seating 2,000 and funded largely through donations by the people of Las Vegas. As it is a shrine and not a parish, this church depends on volunteers. Active and retired parish priests, deacons and seminarians help out, as do more than 150 volunteers. These many volunteers make it possible for the Shrine to serve the thousands of tourists and Las Vegas residents who come for Mass.

This beautiful church includes an outdoor memorial walkway, Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, and Catholic gift shop.

As the mother church of the Diocese of Reno, this Spanish-style cathedral has served northern Nevada's Catholic community since 1908. The cathedral's mission-style architecture reflects the region's Hispanic heritage. 

The mural painting that adorns the sanctuary is considered to be one of the finest works of art of its kind in America. Don't miss the beautiful stained glass windows depicting the life of St. Thomas Aquinas and other saints or the Blessed Sacrament Altar made of native Nevada aragonite. 

End your visit with a stop in the peaceful courtyard nestled beside the church that offers a quiet place for prayer.

Formerly called St. Peter Canisius Church, this parish just completed a massive renovation project at the end of 2024. The story behind it is remarkable.

Years ago, a 19-year-old young man from Mexico walked into St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Reno, Nevada, for Mass, when the priest made a most unusual prophecy:

“He asked me, ‘Do you know Sun Valley?’ And I was new here, so I said, ‘No, I don’t.’ And he said, ‘Well, you need to find out, because one day you are going to be a priest and you are going to build a church in Sun Valley for your people,’” the young man recalled.

Today that young man is Fr. Edgar Villanueva, who was appointed pastor of the Sun Valley church in 2016. He had his work cut out for him. The capacity for the church was about 220, but at least three times that number attended Sunday Mass. So almost 500 people had to be outside or in a classroom, watching the Mass on a screen. 

Villanueva dedicated himself to raising funds to expand the church, and at last their efforts came to a successful end. The renovated church building holds 800. 

Though not as old as many California missions, this church holds special significance as one of Las Vegas's first Catholic parishes, established in 1908. 

The current building, with its distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, features beautiful mosaics and murals.

The church's prayer garden includes a replica of the Lourdes Grotto, a connection to the French heritage of the church’s patron saint.

This historic church, first built in 1862 during the Comstock Lode silver mining boom, is the oldest active Catholic church in Nevada. After a devastating fire in 1875, it was rebuilt in 1876 with even greater grandeur.

The world-class church museum contains artifacts from Nevada's mining era. The restored interior showcases Victorian Gothic architecture that reveals the inspiring faith of early Nevada settlers. 

Come in and say a prayer, light a candle, and enjoy the peacefulness of this magnificent house of God.