One Parish, Two Worship Sites in Contra Costa County
Christ the King - St. Stephen Parish serves Catholics across the Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek communities of Contra Costa County from two campuses that were once separate parishes. On April 23, 2023, Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland merged the two faith communities into a single parish with two worship sites, joining more than seven decades of Catholic life in the area into one family.
The Christ the King campus sits on Brandon Road in Pleasant Hill, where the first parish Mass was celebrated on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1951. The community of St. Stephen in Walnut Creek took root fifteen years later, on July 1, 1966, under Bishop Floyd L. Begin. Today, parishioners move freely between the two sites for Mass, formation, sacraments, and the gatherings that knit the parish together.
Mass and Reconciliation Across Two Churches
Sunday Mass at Christ the King in Pleasant Hill is offered at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 4:00 p.m., with a Saturday Vigil at 4:00 p.m. and confessions heard in private from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. before that Vigil. St. Stephen in Walnut Creek celebrates the Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m., with confessions heard before the Vigil Mass, and a single Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m.
Daily Mass rotates between the two campuses at 9:00 a.m.: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at St. Stephen; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at Christ the King. On the first Friday of each month, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 8:15 a.m. at St. Stephen, followed by Benediction at 8:45 a.m. and Mass at 9:00 a.m. Every Friday afternoon, Eucharistic Adoration is held in the chapel at the CTK Ministry Center from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., and all are welcome to spend quiet time in prayer.
Three of the regular Masses are livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel for those unable to celebrate in person: the daily 9:00 a.m. Mass Monday through Saturday, the 4:00 p.m. Saturday Vigil, and the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.
Sacraments for Every Stage of Life
The parish prepares Catholics for the seven sacraments of the Church with programs for children, youth, and adults. Parents begin baptismal preparation with Sr. Dominic Marie Bonnici, the parish's Pastoral Associate and a Dominican sister, before the birth of a child if they wish, and the parish requires godparents and practicing-Catholic parents as part of that preparation.
First Reconciliation and First Communion are offered through the Religious Education program and begin as early as first grade, with a two consecutive year commitment. The Confirmation program is a two-year journey designed primarily for high school freshmen and sophomores, although juniors and seniors may also register. Year One candidates in grades 9 through 11 meet on most first and third Sundays of the month from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the CTK Main Hall and join the 4:00 p.m. Sunday Mass. Year Two candidates in grades 10 through 12 gather on most second and fourth Sundays, attend the 4:00 p.m. Mass, and continue with a session from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Sponsor-candidate sessions, a weekend retreat, and service and social experiences are part of the second year.
Adults who are not yet Catholic, were baptized Catholic but have not received the other sacraments of initiation, or who have drifted from the practice of the faith find a home in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, called OCIA. The OCIA process meets on most Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Rooms A and B adjacent to the parish hall and welcomes inquirers at any time without commitment. Tom Bobich coordinates the program.
Weddings at the parish begin with a call to the office manager, Helen, who confirms the date, reserves the church, and walks couples through the required paperwork. Donna Bradshaw serves as wedding coordinator, while Jennifer Bennett coordinates all wedding music, since recorded music is not allowed. The florist and photographer work through the coordinator to keep the church as a sacred space. Funeral planning is supported by a Bereavement Ministry that calls families who have lost loved ones, and a Grief Ministry that reaches out to anyone who would welcome a caring phone call.
Christ the King Catholic School
Christ the King Catholic School is a family-centered, parish school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with a current full enrollment of about 320 students and waiting lists in many grades. The school was founded in 1961 when the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet arrived to teach the first four grades, and a separate convent was built at the same time. A kindergarten program was added in 1975, a junior high wing in 1998, and a full rebuild of the original school after a 1999 electrical fire produced the modern building that was blessed and reopened on September 9, 2000. Dr. Joe Silveira serves as principal.
The school's mission pairs communication of the Catholic message with academic excellence and recognizes parents as the primary educators of their children. The parish Religious Education office, the parish school, and the family-based youth ministry together support the formation of children and teens in the parish.
Lifelong Faith Formation for Children and Families
The Religious Education program for kindergarten through fifth grade meets after school and on Sundays. Tuesday and Wednesday classes run from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday classes from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. Rosa Panelli administers the program, which rests on ten core values: faith, integrity, service, forgiveness, love and compassion, respect for dignity, hope and trust in God, peace and justice, stewardship of creation, and community.
Children in kindergarten through fourth grade are invited to the Children's Liturgy of the Word, or CLOW, during the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass at Christ the King. They are called forward at the start of Mass for an interactive, child-friendly hearing of the day's readings, return to the church to present the Gifts and sit near the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and rejoin their families at the sign of peace. No registration is needed.
ECHO Junior High Youth Ministry is open to all sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. ECHO meets on most second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the CTK parish hall, with time for faith, fellowship, friends, and food. The parish is also part of a community preparing for World Youth Day in Seoul in August 2027, with additional travel days built in for the Christ the King - St. Stephen community.
Adult Faith Formation rounds out the program. In addition to OCIA, the parish offers workshops, Bible studies, and a free subscription to FORMED, the Catholic streaming library of movies, audio, eBooks, and studies. Parishioners can sign up by entering zip code 94523 and selecting Christ the King / St. Stephen.
Music and the Liturgical Life of the Parish
Music Ministry at Christ the King - St. Stephen is led by Music Ministry Coordinator Jennifer Bennett, with Angela Borba and Susan Comber directing the choirs, Lan Tran at the piano, and cantors including Lynn Guidi and Monique Belusa. The Family Choir, now in its fifth season, welcomes children of all ages and their families. The Family Choir sings at the 9:00 a.m. Mass on the first and third Sundays of each month and at the Family Mass on Christmas Eve. No formal training is required.
A full range of liturgical roles is open to parishioners. Children and teens in grades 5 through 8 serve as altar servers, with adult volunteers who know the Order of Mass and pass a background check. Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, ushers and greeters, funeral ushers, projectionists, and members of the Liturgical Environment Ministry and Altar Society all share in the work of the Sunday and weekday liturgies. The Environment Ministry decorates the church for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, and is especially in need of extra hands during the great seasons of the year.
A Parish of Many Cultures and Generations
The parish's cultural and social ministries reflect the breadth of its community. The Filipino Society of Christ the King, the Italian Catholic Federation, and the Knights of Columbus each bring members together around heritage, fellowship, and service. The Men's Fellowship gathers on Saturday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. in the Fr. Joyce Room of the CTK Ministry Center or via Zoom, reflecting on the coming Sunday's readings and supporting one another in prayer and outreach. The Hospitality Ministry, the Young Families group, the Adult Sports Ministry, the Dance Ministry, and the Welcome Ministry round out the social fabric, with new parishioner gatherings offered several times a year.
The parish also sponsors scouting and youth athletics. Boy Scout Troop 221, Cub Scout Pack 401, and CYO Basketball teams draw children and teens from the parish and the wider neighborhood. The Sewing Ministry, called Dress a Child Around the World, has made and sent more than 12,000 dresses for girls ages 4 to 14 and more than 3,500 pairs of shorts for boys ages 6 to 12 to children in need both at home and abroad.
Service to Neighbors in Need
Faith in Action, the parish's social-justice and outreach committee, partners with the Catholic Worker, the Monument Crisis Center, Hillcrest Church, and other organizations to serve the homeless, the hungry, immigrants and refugees, and the disadvantaged, while also advocating for policy reform at the local and state level. Carolyn Peters leads the effort.
The parish's St. Vincent de Paul Conference operates a Food and Clothing Pantry at Hillcrest Congregational Church, 404 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill. The pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon, holidays excepted. Volunteers meet with families and individuals to assess needs and provide assistance such as Grocery Outlet and SVdP clothing vouchers of $20 to $80, McDonald's gift cards and shower passes for those who are homeless, and referrals to other services. For several winters the parish also participated in the Winter Nights Family Shelter, hosting families with safe shelter, meals, and hospitality; the parish continues to discern new ways to care for unhoused families in the community.
The Prayer Line and the Sick and Homebound Ministry carry the parish into the lives of those who cannot come to church, while the Bereavement and Grief Ministries accompany families through the loss of a loved one.
Giving, Connecting, and Joining the Parish
Parishioners may give through the online REALM system, by mailing offertory envelopes or checks to Christ the King Church at 195A Brandon Rd., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, or by tapping a contactless TipTap device in the church vestibule. The TipTap devices accept tap-enabled debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and donations appear on statements as Christ the King. Tax receipts are issued for registered physical cards. The parish also accepts donations of stock, estate gifts, property, and vehicles through partner organizations.
Becoming a registered parishioner is handled through REALM, the parish's online ministry platform. REALM helps members manage their contact information, sign up for groups, view their giving history, and receive timely communications. The REALM Connect mobile app is available for iPhone and Android. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin and the Staying Connected electronic newsletter, both available to anyone who would like to follow parish life and events.
Christ the King - St. Stephen Parish welcomes new faces, returning Catholics, and longtime neighbors into a community shaped by daily Mass, the sacraments, lifelong formation, music that fills the churches on Sunday morning, and a deep commitment to serving the people of Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and the wider Diocese of Oakland.