A Bilingual Catholic Parish at the Heart of Madera
St. Joachim Catholic Church stands at 401 West 5th Street in downtown Madera, the largest Catholic parish in this Central California farming town and one distinguished by a 1,000-seat sanctuary under a 135-foot bell tower. Cared for since its founding by the Oblates of St. Joseph, the parish serves an English- and Spanish-speaking community through eleven weekend Masses, two mission churches in the surrounding countryside, a K-8 Catholic school, and a soup-kitchen-style breakfast that has welcomed the hungry every morning of the year since 2009.
The current sanctuary was designed by architect Kazuo Goto, A.I.A., of Berkeley and constructed by the Robert G. Fisher Company, Inc., of Fresno; Madera's own Rogers Materials Company delivered 1,100 yards of concrete for the building. Inside, the parish preserves a masterwork of mid-century religious art: stained glass by Max Ingrand of Paris, monumental mosaics by Alberto Garcia Alvarez of Mallorca, and Stations of the Cross set in terrazzo by Fauret Mosaic Studios of Pietrasanta, Italy. Together they make St. Joachim a point of pilgrimage for art lovers as well as for the Catholic faithful of Madera County.
Mass and Confession: A Weekly Rhythm in Two Languages
The weekend Mass schedule begins on Saturday with a 5:00 PM Vigil in English and a 6:30 PM Vigilia in Spanish. Sunday brings four additional English Masses in the main church - 6:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 5:30 PM - plus a 9:00 AM Mass at St. Anne's Chapel in Raymond. Four Spanish Masses fill out the rest of the day at 8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 7:00 PM.
Weekday Masses run in both languages. From Monday through Friday a 7:00 AM Mass is celebrated in English and an 8:00 AM Misa Diaria in Spanish, with an additional 9:00 AM School Mass at St. Joachim School on Fridays. On Wednesdays a 7:00 PM Misa gathers Spanish-speaking Catholics who work during the day. Saturday morning includes an 8:00 AM Mass in English, and the First Friday of each month brings a special devotion to the Sacred Heart.
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered twice weekly: Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The parish priest describes St. Joachim as a community "blessed with priests on fire to spread the Mercy of God." Emergency anointing of the sick outside of office hours is available through a 24-hour night line at (559) 507-0893.
Adoration in the Family Chapel
Tucked inside the larger church, the Family Chapel is the quiet center of daily prayer at St. Joachim. From Monday through Friday, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held in the chapel from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM. Coordinated by Carmen Molina, the chapel's expanded hours give working Catholics, students from the parish school, and retirees the chance to spend time in the presence of the Eucharist throughout the working week.
The chapel also serves as overflow seating for Saturday evening and Sunday Masses, hosts weekday school Masses, and is reserved for weddings, memorial Masses, and smaller quinceañera celebrations on Saturdays. The chaplains' code for entry into the adoration chapel is available from the Parish Rectory.
Cared for by the Oblates of St. Joseph
St. Joachim is one of many parishes entrusted to the Oblates of St. Joseph, the religious congregation founded in Italy by Saint Joseph Marello and headquartered in the United States at Loomis, California. The pastor, Fr. Mariusz Beczek, OSJ, oversees a team of three associate pastors - Fr. Stephen Spencer, OSJ, and Fr. Baiju "Rockie" Thareparambil, OSJ, along with Fr. Jose Batista, OSJ - and two priests in residence, Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ, and Fr. James Catalano, OSJ. Two permanent deacons assist the priests at the altar and in service: Deacon Enrique Medina, who coordinates adult sacramental preparation in Spanish, and Deacon Ramiro Flores. Both were ordained on October 5, 2019 by Bishop Joseph V. Brennan.
Two men from St. Joachim are presently in formation for the priesthood with the Oblates of St. Joseph, and the parish encourages men discerning a vocation to the diocesan permanent diaconate and the vocations office in Fresno and Santa Cruz. The parish frequently asks for the intercession of St. Joseph for guidance in "planning, financing, and building our much-needed new church," a prayer recited before every Mass.
Holy Family Table: Breakfast for Anyone Who Is Hungry
The most visible ministry of St. Joachim beyond the sanctuary walls is the Holy Family Table, a free breakfast program that has operated in downtown Madera since 2009. Open every morning of the year from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM, the Table serves a hot meal to anyone who is hungry - regardless of age, religion, race, or ethnic background. Most mornings between 200 and 250 meals are handed out, and on busy mornings more than 500 are served.
The Table is housed in Griffin Hall at 201 North C Street, a building owned by St. Joachim Catholic Church. About forty volunteers organized into seven daily crews share the work of cooking and serving; a part-time coordinator oversees the daily operation, and Angie M. and Betty S. lead the fundraising committee that hosts events to support operating costs. Religious activity is not part of the program, though an informational table about the Catholic faith is set to the side, and stopping by it is strictly voluntary. The parish underwrites the hall, provides clerical and fiscal support, and uses donations both of money and of food from local farmers, merchants, and individuals to keep the kitchen running. Griffin Hall occasionally hosts other community services such as immunization clinics.
Mission Churches in Raymond and Ripperdan
Beyond the main parish campus, St. Joachim ministers to two historic mission communities in the rural areas surrounding Madera.
St. Anne Chapel, Raymond-Knowles
St. Anne Chapel sits at 36483 Road 606 in Knowles-Raymond. Built in 1920 as the Knowles School by architect Henry F. Starbuck of Fresno, the granite-stone building was donated to the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno in 1961 by Mr. and Mrs. Herb Bucheneau at the request of John Alexander, president of the Raymond Granite Company, who was concerned that his Catholic employees had no nearby place for worship. Remodeled into a chapel, it was blessed on Easter Sunday, April 7, 1962, by Father Mario Buttini and Sunday Mass has been celebrated there ever since, now at 9:00 AM each Sunday, with the Vigil Mass added at 4:00 PM on Holy Days when a priest is available.
St. Agnes Mission Church, Ripperdan
St. Agnes Mission Church stands at 7308 Highway 145 in Ripperdan, eleven miles north of Madera. The building was first erected by the Ripperdan School District in 1913 and relocated to land donated by Tony Moreno in honor of his wife Agnes. The community dedicated it on June 10, 1951, and when the previous St. Joachim church was completed in 1958 the parish transferred its pews, windows, and Stations of the Cross to the new mission. The mission serves sacramental preparation for Madera's migrant community, with Migrant Ministry contacts Lucy Gomez at (559) 479-8231 and Karina Hernandez at (559) 232-9807. Catechetical courses leading to First Communion and Confirmation are taught there year-round.
Preparing the Sacraments: CCD, OCIA, and Confirmation
St. Joachim takes seriously its responsibility to walk children, teens, and adults through the sacraments of initiation.
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (C.C.D.) program prepares baptized children, aged seven and older, for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Classes are held once a week from October through late April, with sessions available on Wednesdays at 4:00 PM, Thursdays at 4:00 PM, Saturdays at 9:30 AM, and a Spanish-language session on Saturdays at 11:00 AM. Annual tuition is $80 per child including books, with a $10 late fee applied after September 1. Maria Celina A. directs the program from the Religious Education Office at (559) 674-5871. Unbaptized children of catechetical age enter the Order of Christian Initiation for Children (O.C.I.C.), a separate, multi-year program adapted to each child's spiritual growth.
Teenagers prepare for Confirmation through a dedicated two-year curriculum that begins in the freshman year of high school. Class days are Thursdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM and Sundays in two sessions from 8:30 to 11:00 AM and 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Candidates and their parents must sign a code of conduct addressing behavior and dress, and each teen chooses a Confirmation sponsor and a patron saint during the first year. The youth are confirmed each year at a 2:30 PM Mass on a Saturday in late February, with bilingual and Spanish-only options throughout the preparation.
Adults preparing to enter the Church or to complete their sacraments follow the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A., formerly R.C.I.A.). Classes meet Sunday mornings from September through early May. Unbaptized candidates and those baptized in other Christian traditions are both welcomed; inquiries are directed to Deacon Enrique Medina at the Parish Rectory.
Youth Ministry Across English and Spanish
The parish's youth and young adult office sits in the same 401 West 5th Street complex and is staffed by Lucia G., Parish Ministries Coordinator. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and reaches out to high-school-age youth with a balanced program of catechesis, retreats, and social service that runs in both English and Spanish.
Several weekly groups give the youth of St. Joachim a place to belong. "Theology of the Body for Teens" gathers those 14 and older on Tuesdays from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in Room 41 of the Parish Center. "Jóvenes Unidos en Cristo" offers the same in Spanish on Saturdays from 7:45 PM to 9:30 PM in Room 21. "Recollection," in English, meets Monday evenings for those 15 and older who have completed the Recollection Retreat, and a Spanish "Recolección" draws young adults on Saturdays from 4:30 to 6:30 PM in Room 21. "Edge," the parish's middle-school group for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, meets Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in Room 32. A young-adult ministry gathers those 18 and older on Friday evenings at 7:00 PM in Room 52.
Retreats and one-day events are offered throughout the year, including a "Theology of the Body Retreat," a NorCal OnFire Jam, and the annual Vacation Bible School. Pope Saint John Paul II's appeal frames the ministry's spirit: "Dear young people, let yourselves be taken over by the light of Christ, and spread that light wherever you are."
Weddings, Quinceañeras, and the Bereavement Ministry
Weddings are celebrated on Saturdays either in the main church - with seating for 900 guests and fees of $450 total - or in the smaller, 45-seat chapel with fees of $200 total. Couples are required to meet with wedding coordinator Paola Alvarado at least six months before the wedding date, to attend Marriage Preparation Classes, and to provide all necessary sacramental records; cases involving annulments or dispensations are handled individually. Available Mass times in the main church are 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM; in the chapel, ceremonies are scheduled at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
Quinceañera celebrations are typically held on the last Saturday of each month at 11:00 AM in the main church, shared in a community setting with other young women who have already received First Communion. Private quinceañera ceremonies can be arranged in the chapel at 12:00 PM. Young women must first attend a $50 retreat before booking a date; retreat dates run quarterly at the parish. Blessings for girls who have not yet made First Communion are offered by a deacon at 10:00 AM with a $300 chapel fee.
The Bereavement Ministry, also coordinated by Paola Alvarado, walks families through funeral planning after an initial funeral Mass or Vigil is scheduled through the funeral home of their choosing. Paola's hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with administrative help from Rubi at the Rectory. St. Isidore of Seville's reflection on sorrow is the parish's touchstone for this work: "The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance in the next."
St. Joachim School
St. Joachim School shares the parish campus and offers an education rooted in the Catholic tradition for students in the elementary and middle grades. The school can be reached at (559) 674-7628 and is administered separately from the parish. Its presence on the same grounds as the church means that students have ready access to Friday School Masses, the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel, and the wider liturgical life of the parish, while contributing their voices to the parish as a whole.
The Building Itself: Art, Architecture, and Adoration Spaces
The sanctuary measures 180 feet long, 47 feet high, and 97 feet wide, and its reinforced concrete walls and steel-and-wood roof support a unique ensemble of religious art. The main stained glass windows were designed and produced by Max Ingrand of Paris. Ingrand worked in one-inch-thick "slab glass" - a modern technique in which glass is cast in panels and bound with cement rather than lead - giving the windows their distinctive crystalline shimmer.
Inside the sanctuary itself, the walls are wrapped in massive mosaics by Alberto Garcia Alvarez of Mallorca, Spain. They depict the high drama of the Redemption: the Annunciation, the death of the Son of God on the Cross, and the glorious Resurrection and Ascension. Garcia Alvarez explained the artistic choice behind the Resurrection panel: by representing Christ as the single High Priest offering His own sacrifice, attention is drawn to the altar just beneath, the center of every liturgical celebration.
The fourteen Stations of the Cross occupy the center aisle, their Roman numerals inset into the terrazzo floor. The mosaic artwork is by Garcia Alvarez; the work was fabricated by Fauret Mosaic Studios of Pietrasanta, Italy. Statues, the crucifix, the ambry and Paschal candle, the baptistery, and the tabernacle each receive their own place of reverence. Christmas and Easter bring seasonal decorations throughout the church, and the sanctuary floor features four symbols carved in stone: wheat, grapes, Alpha, and Omega.
The Family Chapel, the smaller gathering room for weddings, quinceañeras, memorial Masses, and weekday adoration, was described by the parish's tour guide as a place that is "set aside from the rest of the church structure" - a setting in which weddings, quinceañeras, memorial Masses, and weekday adoration all unfold.
Harvest Festival, Bookstore, and Parish Life
The parish's largest fundraiser of the year is the Harvest Festival, held on the school yard over a Friday and Saturday in early October. The festival features live and silent auctions, a raffle with cash prizes of $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000, plus a $5,000 vacation grand prize, farmers market booths, food sales, live music, games for children, and a Bingo night organized by the school. The Catholic faith is not promoted through tickets or booths; instead, the festival brings together ministries, parish families, and the wider Madera community.
For everyday needs, the parish operates St. Marello Bookstore, named for Saint Joseph Marello, the founder of the Oblates of St. Joseph. Manager Jennifer V. and Lead Sales Associate Nellie U. curate Catholic books, devotional items, and sacramentals. The parish also gives an online home to FORMED, a library of Catholic video, audio, and reading material, accessible at sjoachim.formed.org.
Additional prayer and devotion resources include a daily Reflection on the Readings through an embedded calendar, an archive of weekly bulletins going back to December 2021, a Right to Life outreach page, and pages on St. Joseph Spirituality, St. Joseph Prayers, the prayers recited before and after Mass, and "Marellian Pathways" - reflections rooted in the spirituality of the Oblates of St. Joseph.
Supporting St. Joachim
Parishioners and friends of St. Joachim are invited to share their time and treasure in several ways. Electronic giving by check, credit card, or debit card is available, with all donations directed to the parish's general operating account; contributions by check can also be dropped off in person at the Rectory. To become a registered parishioner - and so receive envelopes, year-end tax statements, sponsor-eligibility letters for Baptisms and Confirmations outside the parish, and a sense of belonging to the parish family - parishioners complete a registration form online or at the Rectory.
Volunteer opportunities include cleaning teams, ushers, catechists, altar servers, lectors, and Holy Family Table support as standing needs. The parish also operates a Right to Life ministry, supports Bishop Brennan's diocesan appeal, and prays regularly for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and permanent diaconate. Registering, joining a parish group, lending a hand in the kitchen at Griffin Hall, signing up to wash the altar linens, supporting the parish school, or stopping in to pray in the Family Chapel: each is a way of belonging to St. Joachim Catholic Church.
Parish Rectory: 401 W. 5th Street, Madera, CA 93637. Phone: (559) 673-3290. Office hours: Monday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM; Tuesday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.