SF Archdiocese and LA Diocese

[lola5555]

I’m from San Francisco and currently living in LA. My work may take me back to SF, but I may also have a choice to stay in LA. Does anyone know how the latin mass compares in the SF Archdiocese vs. LA? There seems to be only two, one being at a chapel way down in Bernel Heights. I really like my parish in LA and I don’t want to find myself in a situation where spiritual growth is not well supported, especially given where I am in my spiritual growth. I’m looking for very traditional and solidly Catholic environments. Everyone in my parish in SF is very sweet, but my catechism was pretty bad and they stray pretty far from church doctrine. Besides, they don’t offer TLM. So it’d be Star of the Sea probably. (Side note: I do miss home.)

At some point I may want to move some place a little less expensive and that would mean Davis, CA or Santa Rosa…any thoughts on those areas are welcome, too.

 

[Annie39]

San Francisco has a new Archbishop who seems to be wonderful from what I have read. You might call the Archdiocese and ask them about their parishes or do what I did before moving from the Diocese of San Bernardino, CA to the Phoenix Diocese. Find the names of some parishes where you live or will be living and surf their web sites. This gives can give you a “feel” for the Parish.

BTW Los Angeles is also an Archdiocese.

 

[Auntie_A]

Sundays at noon, I think, in Marinwood (30 minutes drive north on 101) is a beautiful Latin mass community. Also Mater Dolorosa in South San Francisco has a Latin mass. St Mary’s in Oakland, the Portuguese church in San Jose, St Eugene’s in Santa Rosa has a Sunday and Tuesday Latin mass. The interesting thing is that these “small” church communities have very high rates of Baptism. They are “growing” communities.

Not sure about Davis.

Good luck with your move.

 

[Catholic1954]

You can try looking up the Archdiocese of LA and check around the parishes in your area for a Latin Mass. I don’t think it is a popular in LA as it is in other parts of the state, so may be in for a drive. If I had to choose between southern and northern California, I would go back North; I miss the trees. :christmastree1:

 

[lola5555]

San Francisco has a new Archbishop who seems to be wonderful from what I have read. You might call the Archdiocese and ask them about their parishes or do what I did before moving from the Diocese of San Bernardino, CA to the Phoenix Diocese. Find the names of some parishes where you live or will be living and surf their web sites. This gives can give you a “feel” for the Parish.

BTW Los Angeles is also an Archdiocese.

I looked about and that’s when I got concerned. Star of the Sea had a mass online that I saw and the homily gave me the impression that the priest was doing the latin mass as a chore or a favor perhaps. I also read that the Archbishop kind of ‘assigned’ latin mass to this parish. I don’t want to be in precarious situation where the EF may just disappear in a year or two.

And uh-huh, lazy fingers on my part.

Sundays at noon, I think, in Marinwood (30 minutes drive north on 101) is a beautiful Latin mass community. Also Mater Dolorosa in South San Francisco has a Latin mass. St Mary’s in Oakland, the Portuguese church in San Jose, St Eugene’s in Santa Rosa has a Sunday and Tuesday Latin mass. The interesting thing is that these “small” church communities have very high rates of Baptism. They are “growing” communities.

Not sure about Davis.

Good luck with your move.

I went to St. Eugene’s as a kid and it was pretty…how do I describe it?..Vatican II mass and attitude, if that makes any sense.

I believe there’s an FSSP near downtown Sac, about 30 minutes from Davis.

You can try looking up the Archdiocese of LA and check around the parishes in your area for a Latin Mass. I don’t think it is a popular in LA as it is in other parts of the state, so may be in for a drive. If I had to choose between southern and northern California, I would go back North; I miss the trees. :christmastree1:

I go to an EF mass now about 10 minutes from my house. There seem to be quite a few. Moreover I’ve noticed a much more traditional, conservative vibe in this area.

Here in San Marino we have trees, but no rain… The sky never changes, day after day. I agree I like the landscape of the North better, too…but I’m torn because I like things here as well.

Thanks to you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut. I appreciate it. Anyone live in these archdioceses or have recently who can speak to the original question? I’m looking for a supportive and stable EF, traditional environment…I suppose Orange County might be better for that, but I don’t know about living there. Anyhow, if God placed me in LA for a reason I don’t want to dismiss that, but I’m interested in returning home.

 

[christofirst]

For L.A., have you been to SS. Peter and Paul in Wilmington? The Norbertines offer the Mass in Latin there, and they are very reverent. It has been some years since I attended there, so maybe things have changed. I don’t know about San Francisco, except that Bishop Cordelione needs our prayers, just like Archbishop Gomez does here

 

[StPatricksPurg]

The Latin Mass Quarter of San Francisco has one of the highest concentrations of latin masses of any area in possibly the world. The pastor of Star of the Sea is very orthodox and loves the latin mass unfortunately he will be leaving in 3 weeks for an Oratory of St. Phillip Neri to be setup August 1st 2014 with the new pastor being Fr. Joseph Illo head chaplain of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula and Fr. Driscoll will be his parochial vicar a diocesan priest from St. Louis joining them will be two brothers not only will the tlm continue but any novus ordo will become more traditional (ad orientem etc.) The Sunday Mass is at 11am with weekday mass at 7:30am. Masses are celebrated on holy days and first friday at 6:30pm and often there is dominican rite masses within a few months we will see the first pontificial high mass celebrated in the archdiocese in 50 years (just about as old as the surplices) Up the street at St. Monica’s you can find the tlm daily at noon. Also across the street from St. Ignatius (about 5 minutes from Star of the Sea) are the Carmelite nuns of Cristo Rey who have a rotation of priests which sometimes includes the tlm including one of the norbertines mentioned above who led a retreat for them. Across town the tlm can be found at Immaculate Conception at 5pm on Sundays and as mentioned Marinwood and Mater Dolorosa outside the city although just barely for the latter have the tlm. I believe 12:15 and 7:00 respectively on Sundays but I’m not sure.

 

[StPatricksPurg]

The 730 mass remains on holy days

 

[lola5555]

The Latin Mass Quarter of San Francisco has one of the highest concentrations of latin masses of any area in possibly the world. The pastor of Star of the Sea is very orthodox and loves the latin mass unfortunately he will be leaving in 3 weeks for an Oratory of St. Phillip Neri to be setup August 1st 2014 with the new pastor being Fr. Joseph Illo head chaplain of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula and Fr. Driscoll will be his parochial vicar a diocesan priest from St. Louis joining them will be two brothers not only will the tlm continue but any novus ordo will become more traditional (ad orientem etc.) The Sunday Mass is at 11am with weekday mass at 7:30am. Masses are celebrated on holy days and first friday at 6:30pm and often there is dominican rite masses within a few months we will see the first pontificial high mass celebrated in the archdiocese in 50 years (just about as old as the surplices) Up the street at St. Monica’s you can find the tlm daily at noon. Also across the street from St. Ignatius (about 5 minutes from Star of the Sea) are the Carmelite nuns of Cristo Rey who have a rotation of priests which sometimes includes the tlm including one of the norbertines mentioned above who led a retreat for them. Across town the tlm can be found at Immaculate Conception at 5pm on Sundays and as mentioned Marinwood and Mater Dolorosa outside the city although just barely for the latter have the tlm. I believe 12:15 and 7:00 respectively on Sundays but I’m not sure.

This is great to know and super helpful. Thank you very much!

 

[Auntie_A]

I went to St. Eugene’s as a kid and it was pretty…how do I describe it?..Vatican II mass and attitude…"

I think you might want to check it out again. They have a new and growing order of nuns and they teach in the schools as well as catechism. Solid education.

Of course, the Bishop seems to be getting flack from some of the “attitude” types.

The TLM in Marinwood, Petaluma, Oakland, and San Jose are long lasting and solid also.

 

[lola5555]

lola5555;12158666:

I went to St. Eugene’s as a kid and it was pretty…how do I describe it?..Vatican II mass and attitude…"

I think you might want to check it out again. They have a new and growing order of nuns and they teach in the schools as well as catechism. Solid education.

Of course, the Bishop seems to be getting flack from some of the “attitude” types.

The TLM in Marinwood, Petaluma, Oakland, and San Jose are long lasting and solid also.

Well it’s been quite awhile since I last went to St Eugene’s…I’ll take your suggestion and check it out again next time I’m there. From the little I’ve heard there was some scandal and upheaval in the recent past and the new Bishop is quite different. I hope the Bishop is also getting support, as well, but I suppose there are always detractors.

Thank you for your insights…they’re much appreciated.

 

[onegirlinchrist]

I totally understand your concerns. I’m converting to the Catholic Church and plan on doing RCIA in the Fall. Was interviewed by a nun in the South Bay and her ideas were not orthodox per birth control, homosexuality, and papal infallibility. Sent me looking elsewhere! I attended a Young Adult Group for South Bay Parishes (Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Stanford University) and it was tiny and…the ideas of those there didn’t seem particularly orthodox. An East Bay Catholic Young Adult event in Berkeley was rather small. Not sure about San Francisco. From my experience thus far as a young adult looking to meet other orthodox catholic young adults, the Bay Area in general does not seem to have a thriving and orthodox Catholic community.

I asked around and Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara was recommended as a very orthodox parish. I checked it out, and it was…and guess what they practice? Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. I think there’s a link between orthodoxy and the centrality of the Blessed Sacrament in the life of a community. I’d recommend that as a litmus test. See how often a Parish celebrates Eucharistic Adoration, as well as confession.

I’m not sure which if any churches practice perpetual adoration in San Francisco…

I’m thinking of joining Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park, which has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Also, they have a strong Opus Dei group (tends to be “orthodox”, perhaps see if you can locate an Opus Dei center in SF, and see which parish they associate themselves with). I spoke with an Opus Dei coordinator and she verified that the catechesis at Church of the Nativity is very orthodox. After Saturday morning Mass, there was a long line for Confessions with the Opus Dei Priest @ Church of the Nativity, in case that helps you form a mental image of the community. Any church with long confession lines on Saturday morning is doing something to get people to take the faith seriously! Either that or they all misbehave badly on Friday nights lol

So yes, my suggestion is look for perpetual (or frequent) Eucharistic Adoration, Opus Dei centers…

My experience with Catholicism thus far is that it’s a big tent and people have the freedom to stick to the catechism or…not. As much as I dream of living in a community surrounded by passionate, orthodox Catholics, I realize that…passion for religion and orthodoxy have always been, and probably always will be…hard to find. I wouldn’t rule out San Francisco if you’re missing it. You’ll just have to do some extra hw to find an orthodox parish. I’m sure there’s at least one.

In the South Bay, Church of the Nativity (Menlo Park) and Our Lady of Peace (Santa Clara) are orthodox and well attended.

As a plus, Church of the Nativity is a gorgeous, 1850s-ish Church. Stunningly, stunningly beautiful and antique…45 min. from SF though, probably too far.

 

[StPatricksPurg]

A note on Church of the Nativity it’s open 24 hours never been there before

 

[onegirlinchrist]

A note on Church of the Nativity it’s open 24 hours never been there before

Yes, you’re right. They have 24-7 Eucharistic Adoration (except during Masses, Weddings, and Funerals, etc.). If you live nearby, you should check it out. Beyond beautiful. One of the oldest churches in the Bay Area I thought I heard.

 

[lola5555]

I totally understand your concerns. I’m converting to the Catholic Church and plan on doing RCIA in the Fall. Was interviewed by a nun in the South Bay and her ideas were not orthodox per birth control, homosexuality, and papal infallibility. Sent me looking elsewhere!..

…As a plus, Church of the Nativity is a gorgeous, 1850s-ish Church. Stunningly, stunningly beautiful and antique…45 min. from SF though, probably too far.

Thank you very much. I appreciate the suggestions. As someone who lives in the city, it can be really hard to get out on public transportation. From my neighborhood to Powell Station is an hour alone…so outside the city is sometimes crazy. Hopefully I can find something in the city. It’s good to know about nearby communities too, however, for future possibilities.

A note on Church of the Nativity it’s open 24 hours never been there before

Thanks for the information.

 

[onegirlinchrist]

You’re very welcome and best of luck in your search. I’m interested in learning as much as possible about the Catholic community in the Bay Area, so please do post any finds here.

 

[hwriggles4]

lola5555:

Since you currently live in the Los Angeles Area (I know it is spread out, and this may be a drive) but one parish I highly recommend checking out is St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. While it is not a TLM parish, it has a strong reputation for orthodoxy. It is staffed by priests from the Oblates of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and parishioners from miles around attend Mass there. Confessions are abundant there as well. I think the pastor there forbids the use of altar girls (one practice I would like to see more, since I believe that the so-called vocations crisis is in part due to the reduction of men being involved in our churches).

St. Peter Chanel is worth a look. You can get the address, directions, and Mass times online.

As far as the San Francisco/San Jose area, the parish in Marinwood came highly recommended to me today by a brother Knight who lived in the Bay Area prior to moving out of state. He said that the parish he and his family attended in Marinwood was also staffed by an order, I think it is the CSSP, and the order often did mission work in South America.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I think I recall a Catholic Answers broadcast a few years ago where St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in the Los Angeles area (I don’t know the part of town) was also given high praise. There’s also an older parish close to the Port of Los Angeles where Michael Barber’s uncle is the priest, and that was given high praise in an article that I read.

 

[lola5555]

lola5555:

Since you currently live in the Los Angeles Area (I know it is spread out, and this may be a drive) but one parish I highly recommend checking out is St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. While it is not a TLM parish, it has a strong reputation for orthodoxy. It is staffed by priests from the Oblates of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and parishioners from miles around attend Mass there. Confessions are abundant there as well. I think the pastor there forbids the use of altar girls (one practice I would like to see more, since I believe that the so-called vocations crisis is in part due to the reduction of men being involved in our churches).

St. Peter Chanel is worth a look. You can get the address, directions, and Mass times online.

As far as the San Francisco/San Jose area, the parish in Marinwood came highly recommended to me today by a brother Knight who lived in the Bay Area prior to moving out of state. He said that the parish he and his family attended in Marinwood was also staffed by an order, I think it is the CSSP, and the order often did mission work in South America.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I think I recall a Catholic Answers broadcast a few years ago where St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in the Los Angeles area (I don’t know the part of town) was also given high praise. There’s also an older parish close to the Port of Los Angeles where Michael Barber’s uncle is the priest, and that was given high praise in an article that I read.

I have a parish I really like in LA, but it can’t hurt to know of others too. Thanks so much for the recommendation.

I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to Marinwwod. It’s probably quite lovely. While the distance would preclude it being a weekly option, it might make for a nice adventure one Sunday. Hopefully the ferries and buses are running on Sundays to get me there…I’m quite interested in attending. Thank you!