St. Margaret Mary, Oakland

[OnlyAmbrose]

It seems too good to be true!

So I’m going to UC Berkeley on the NROTC scholarship. For those familiar with American universities, you’re probably aware that Berkeley is probably the least friendly location for practicing Catholics, let alone practicing traditional Catholics. I was so worried that there would be no TLM in the Bay area, but to my surprise the Institute of Christ the King has a church in Oakland just 40 minutes by bus away from my dorm!!!

Anyone else in the bay area who goes here for Mass?

institute-christ-king.org/oakland/

 

[Dale_M]

Is this the same church which 15 years ago was nicknamed “Saint M & M” because it was so unorthodox? I haven’t lived in the Bay area for 15 years, but it seems familiar.

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

Is this the same church which 15 years ago was nicknamed “Saint M & M” because it was so unorthodox? I haven’t lived in the Bay area for 15 years, but it seems familiar.

Lord I hope not. I can’t imagine that it would be though, ICRSS is quite orthodox as far as I know…

 

[strugglingalong]

Lord I hope not. I can’t imagine that it would be though, ICRSS is quite orthodox as far as I know…

ICK is very orthodox and traditional. I am sure it is a very good parish. I wish I could attend an ICK parish!

Pax Christi tecum.

 

[SanJudas]

So I’m going to UC Berkeley on the NROTC scholarship. For those familiar with American universities, you’re probably aware that Berkeley is probably the least friendly location for practicing Catholics, let alone practicing traditional Catholics.

Berkley, eh? Do you realize what a wonderful opportunity this is for you to “witness” there, as the Prods like to say, for traditional Catholicism? This can’t be mere coincidence you know.

You are now on a mission. A mission from God.

 

[peregrinator_it]

Is this the same church which 15 years ago was nicknamed “Saint M & M” because it was so unorthodox? I haven’t lived in the Bay area for 15 years, but it seems familiar.

Umm… while I’ve seen (more than heard) St. Margaret Mary’s referred to as St. M & M, even 15 years ago you could never have (in truth) called that parish unorthodox.

To illustrate my point a little parish history: the tradition of Latin in the liturgy has never been broken at St. Margaret Mary’s. Immediately after Vatican II the Pauline Mass was offered in Latin (the whole Mass except readings, homily and intercessions) and this has continued without interruption to this day. In the 1980s the parish petitioned for and obtained the indult to offer the TLM. And this was in one of the most notoriously liberal dioceses in the country.

St. Margaret Mary’s and its parishioners could be (and have been) called a lot of things-- but unorthodox, no.

Incidentally, it’s one of two (? I think) ICK parishes in the country that’s also a parish in it’s own right and not exclusively an ICK chapel (because the TLM there pre-dated ICK’s presence.)

 

[peregrinator_it]

For those familiar with American universities, you’re probably aware that Berkeley is probably the least friendly location for practicing Catholics, let alone practicing traditional Catholics.

I’m a born & raised and, (until very recently) life-long, Bay Area resident now living on the East Coast.

I agree that the prevailing secular culture in the Bay Area is highly toxic and you will meet a lot of people who will be unfriendly towards your beliefs and ridicule you for being a Catholic.

Here in the East, however, the secular culture is not only toxic, but also extremely conformist and driven by status and respectability. While people in the Bay Area aren’t necessarily friendly towards Catholics, I think it’s a little easier to be less than respectable there than out East (even your form of not respectable is praying the Rosary in public or having 10 kids) because the culture is so accepting of … quirks (for lack of a better word.) So, in my mind, there are some advantages to living in Berkeley…

Anyone else in the bay area who goes here for Mass?

institute-christ-king.org/oakland/

I attended that parish for most of my life, though never the TLM Mass.

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

It seems too good to be true!

So I’m going to UC Berkeley on the NROTC scholarship. For those familiar with American universities, you’re probably aware that Berkeley is probably the least friendly location for practicing Catholics, let alone practicing traditional Catholics. I was so worried that there would be no TLM in the Bay area, but to my surprise the Institute of Christ the King has a church in Oakland just 40 minutes by bus away from my dorm!!!
institute-christ-king.org/oakland/

Ambrose,

You are in for another treat. My wife & I attend a parish in Milwaukee run by the Institute, and we know (from one Mass he said) a priest coming your way. He was just assigned to Oakland, and he’s super (as, well, are all the Institutes’s priests).

 

[belgianwaffles9]

I’m a born & raised and, (until very recently) life-long, Bay Area resident now living on the East Coast.

I agree that the prevailing secular culture in the Bay Area is highly toxic and you will meet a lot of people who will be unfriendly towards your beliefs and ridicule you for being a Catholic.

Here in the East, however, the secular culture is not only toxic, but also extremely conformist and driven by status and respectability. While people in the Bay Area aren’t necessarily friendly towards Catholics, I think it’s a little easier to be less than respectable there than out East (even your form of not respectable is praying the Rosary in public or having 10 kids) because the culture is so accepting of … quirks (for lack of a better word.) So, in my mind, there are some advantages to living in Berkeley…

I attended that parish for most of my life, though never the TLM Mass.

Not really related… but i wanted to say hi because I, too, lived in the Bay Area for a number of years, but now live in DC.

Its an interesting swap… a very liberal diocese (Oakland) to a very conservative (Arlington for me, though Baltimore and Washington are pretty conservative, too). I disagree with you; I think it is far easier to be traditional out east than in California. It shouldn’t be though. I still go out to California for college (Stockton) so the constant back-and-forth really shows me the differences.

Anyways, about the original question… This church is not actually a ICK chapel, they just use it for their mass. So i guess outside of the ICK mass, it could be more liberal, but I don’t think it is. They have a pretty conservative feel.

 

[peregrinator_it]

it could be more liberal, but I don’t think it is.

It isn’t liberal & never has been. To call St. Margaret Mary’s liberal is about as accurate as calling the Newman Center at UC Berkeley or Most Holy Redeemer in SF conservative.

Not really related… but i wanted to say hi because I, too, lived in the Bay Area for a number of years, but now live in DC.

“Hi” back at ya.

Its an interesting swap… a very liberal diocese (Oakland) to a very conservative (Arlington for me, though Baltimore and Washington are pretty conservative, too).

Oakland (the diocese, not the city) has been slowly turning around in recent years–although I didn’t actually live in it for the last few years I was in CA. (In fact, for a couple years I lived in the Sacramento diocese, worked in the Santa Rosa diocese and went to church in the Oakland diocese. )

I disagree with you; I think it is far easier to be traditional out east than in California. It shouldn’t be though. I still go out to California for college (Stockton) so the constant back-and-forth really shows me the differences.

Well, I’m a Bay Area native (I was born in Oakland) and I only left the area about 3 years ago (at first to live in the Napa valley, and then DC just this year.)

I wouldn’t identify myself as a Traditionalist, (I don’t know what I’d call myself; I dislike the label “conservative” because it smacks of politicking) so I suppose you can take my opinion with a grain of salt. The Catholics that I meet out here in DC seem very anxious not to be too outwardly Catholic, not to stand out; they seem to take the opinions secular society has of them much more seriously than most people I know back in CA. There isn’t this push to be (or appear) “respectable” in the Bay Area. To me, its easier being a committed Catholic where the committed Catholics themselves a are not trying to meet the world’s standards.

But perhaps things are different in Stockton… I’ve never spent a whole lot of time there.

 

[OnlyAmbrose]

Ambrose,

You are in for another treat. My wife & I attend a parish in Milwaukee run by the Institute, and we know (from one Mass he said) a priest coming your way. He was just assigned to Oakland, and he’s super (as, well, are all the Institutes’s priests).

He just arrived today We had a reception for him in the parish hall.

The Church is beautiful by the way!

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

He just arrived today We had a reception for him in the parish hall.

The Church is beautiful by the way!

Sweet! Our new priest from the institute starts officially next week. He’s starting daily Mass & a bunch of other stuff.

(Two guys on their way out both just passed their - get this - 61st anniversaries (as priests). And can they deliver the sermons.)

 

[mrjmsbond007]

It seems too good to be true!

So I’m going to UC Berkeley on the NROTC scholarship. For those familiar with American universities, you’re probably aware that Berkeley is probably the least friendly location for practicing Catholics, let alone practicing traditional Catholics. I was so worried that there would be no TLM in the Bay area, but to my surprise the Institute of Christ the King has a church in Oakland just 40 minutes by bus away from my dorm!!!

Anyone else in the bay area who goes here for Mass?

institute-christ-king.org/oakland/

I do! For the past two years in fact. I work at campus (Gilman Hall) so on some occasions I’m able to attend the low mass (6pm) on weekdays. I’d love to go there everyday if not for my 2-hour commute (i live in tracy). However, I’m always there for the Sunday 12:30 TLM mass.

Were you able to meet Abbe Estrada when he was visiting here last month? He’s a Cal graduate but now a seminarian at the Institute’s Seminary at Gricigliano (Italy).