Vail, which was carved out of a mountain valley in 1962, has emerged as North America's premier ski resort.
Many Catholic vacationers joined locals to establish a Catholic community in 1965. Thomas Stone, the pastor of St. Patrick's in Minturn, offered Mass for the Vail congregation in a restaurant and bar until the only church, the Interfaith Chapel, was constructed in 1966, an inspiring architectural monument designed by Pierce/Briner & Fitzhugh Scott, Inc. In 1978, the chapel was enlarged to accommodate 300 people.