St. Joseph Parish stands at 280 Oak Tree Lane in Lincoln, California, and is known for a shape that is both local and regional: one parish with three churches. St. Joseph Church serves Lincoln, St. Boniface Church serves Nicolaus, and St. Daniel Church serves Wheatland. The parish's mission statement calls it a geographically and culturally diverse community united by faith in God and committed to preaching, teaching, healing, building community, and reaching out to all people.
One Parish, Three Churches
The main St. Joseph Church and parish office are at 280 Oak Tree Lane in Lincoln. St. Boniface Church is at 1045 Marcum Road in Nicolaus, while St. Daniel Church is at 214 Main Street in Wheatland. Together they form one Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Sacramento, with a shared mission, clergy, formation programs, social services, and worship life.
That structure gives the three churches a shared identity without blending their local histories. Each has its own building, regular Mass schedule, choir, and community connections, while bilingual worship and parish-wide ministries bind them together. Father Fredhelito Gucor serves as pastor, and Father Karun Kumar Gade serves as parochial vicar. The parish's mission is practical as well as devotional: to continue the mission of Jesus Christ by preaching, teaching, healing, and building community through outreach to all people.
Mass in English and Spanish Across Three Towns
St. Joseph Church, Lincoln: Saturday Mass is at 5:00 p.m. in English. Sunday Mass is at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. in English and at noon in Spanish. Daily Mass is at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, with another 8:30 a.m. Mass on the first Saturday of each month. A Spanish Mass is celebrated at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.
St. Boniface Church, Nicolaus: Mass is at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Spanish and 10:00 a.m. Sunday in English.
St. Daniel Church, Wheatland: Mass is at 7:00 p.m. Saturday in Spanish and 8:00 a.m. Sunday in English.
The 8:00 a.m. English and noon Spanish Masses at St. Joseph are livestreamed, as are the 8:30 a.m. weekday Masses on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The parish's YouTube channel carries the live broadcast, and its archived Masses and Spanish-language services allow viewers to return to earlier celebrations.
Music is a strong part of the parish's worship life. Music and Liturgy Coordinator Nina Malone oversees music that supports Mass with voice and instruments. At St. Joseph, the schedule includes a 5:00 p.m. Saturday choir, an adult choir for the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, a men's choir for the first-Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass, a Spanish choir for noon, and a Spanish choir for the Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Mass. Choirs also serve the evening Spanish Mass at St. Boniface and both the Sunday morning Mass at St. Daniel and its Saturday evening Spanish Mass.
Confession, Adoration, and the Eucharist at Home
Reconciliation is offered at St. Joseph from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. every Saturday. On the first Saturday of the month, confession is also available from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Weekday confession can be arranged by appointment.
Perpetual Adoration is generally available in front of the Exposed Blessed Sacrament daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at St. Joseph in Lincoln, with an invitation to spend an hour in prayer. The Homebound Ministry carries the Eucharist to people who are sick or confined to their homes, extending the parish's worship life beyond the church buildings.
From a Settlers' Church to Oak Tree Lane
Saint Joseph Church was one of the earliest churches established by settlers in Lincoln under the leadership of Father John Leahey. Land for a church was acquired by 1864 from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Crosby. The original building was not constructed until 1877. It stood south of First and F Street, and Archbishop Joseph Dadoc Alemany of San Francisco dedicated it.
In the church's earliest days, Lincoln was a mission of parishes in Marysville and then Folsom. In 1907, when Southern Pacific moved its shop to Roseville, St. Rose became a parish with Lincoln as its mission. Lincoln became a parish in 1925 with Father Patrick Donnelly as pastor. Under his direction, a new church was built in 1926 at Sixth and D Streets. Bishop Patrick J. Keane of the Sacramento Diocese dedicated it on Pentecost Sunday. Before a rectory was built, Father Donnelly lived for about a year and a half in the work sacristy, later moving to the Burgess Hotel because dampness aggravated his rheumatism.
Father Daniel Twomey became pastor in 1934, and the rectory beside St. Joseph was built in 1936. Around 1948, Father Andy Tynan acquired two military barracks from Beale Air Force Base and moved them onto parish property across the street to serve as the parish hall. During Father Arnold Schaffer's pastorate, Ethel Mulligan gave the parish six acres at East 12th and Virginiatown Road, and he purchased eight adjoining acres. A 1983 renovation under Father John E. Boll refreshed the church with new paint and carpeting, a reconciliation room, and a new altar and ambo.
As the parish community outgrew the 1926 church, leaders began planning a larger complex. A capital stewardship effort began in 1987. During Father Manuel Soria's pastorate, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ferrari donated 16 acres for a new church in memory of their parents. Another stewardship effort began in early 2002 under Father Vincent Brady, and Father Pol Gumapo became administrator that fall. The church now standing on Oak Tree Lane was completed on March 18, 2007. Father Eric Lofgren, pastor from 2009 through 2021, oversaw the capital campaign and completion of the St. Joseph Family Center and courtyard. Father Gucor was appointed pastor on July 1, 2021.
St. Boniface and the Flood Year
The first Mass in Nicolaus was held in the Nicolaus School from 1867 to 1869 by Father Calahan. A church organization was formed and the first church erected in 1869. A windstorm severely damaged it in 1878. For many years St. Boniface remained a mission church; in 1923, under Monsignor Cornelius Murphy, it became a mission of North Sacramento with Mass celebrated on Sundays and holy days. It was transferred to St. Joseph in Lincoln in the early 1940s. Construction of a new St. Boniface began in 1952, and Bishop Robert Armstrong of Sacramento presided over its dedication on May 11. Father Eymard Gallagher celebrated the Mass.
The new church endured a dramatic flood on December 23, 1955, when the Feather River levee broke just west of Nicolaus. Four to five feet of water filled the interior, and Father Arnold Schaffer entered by boat to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament. In 1965, Father Schaffer bought the former Nicolaus schoolhouse on Marcum Road for use as a parish hall. It now serves as a meeting place for parish activities and a classroom for religious education.
St. Daniel Through Fire, Storm, and Construction
The first Catholic church in Wheatland was built in 1872 or 1873 on the corner of Main and B Streets. It had no known name and served as a mission of Marysville. It was probably destroyed when the town burned in 1898. A second church rose on the same lot and was a mission of Smartsville until the early 1900s, when it came under Father Daniel Twomey and the jurisdiction of St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln. A cyclone blew down that second church in 1937. Until a replacement was completed in 1940, weekly Mass was celebrated in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Villa.
The present St. Daniel was constructed by Lamon Construction of Marysville in 1971. Bishop Alden J. Bell dedicated it for sacred worship on February 27, 1972, with Father Arnold Schaffer as pastor and Father John J. Myles as associate priest. Father John E. Boll directed a renovation in 1989.
Catechesis for the Youngest and Lifelong Formation
Children ages 3 to 6 can join Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. Joseph in Lincoln and St. Boniface in Nicolaus. The hands-on program uses Scripture, silence, reflection, and modeled activities to help young children become attentive to God. Its learning spaces include the Atrium, the gift of light, the mustard seed that grows strong and beautiful, and the pearl of great value.
Religious Education for grades 1 through 12 prepares students for First Communion and Confirmation. Confirmation is a two-year process for students in grades 7 through 11 who have received Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Eucharist. Preparation includes classes, parent or sponsor sessions, retreats, and community and liturgical service each year. A student in grade 12 waits until age 18 and enrolls in Adult OCIA. The parish also offers First Communion preparation and uses the Order of Christian Initiation of Children for children who need to complete their sacramental initiation.
Life Teen serves teens who have been confirmed and are 13 to 18. It meets from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the Life Teen Building at St. Joseph. Its mission is to build relationships with Christ, other teens, the parish, and the community through Eucharistic adoration, retreats, corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and adult-led faith groups.
Adults preparing to become Catholic walk through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, or OCIA. Its four periods are the Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogy, moving from an introduction to the Gospel and Catholic Church through deeper spiritual growth, prayer, and preparation for the sacraments of initiation. People already baptized in another Christian church make a solemn profession of faith and receive Confirmation and Eucharist. The parish also offers a Spanish-language OCIA track.
FORMED, a Catholic video platform from the Augustine Institute, adds another formation option. St. Joseph Parish provides a subscription for parishioners, making most of the digital material free. Parents can also use it for family faith content, while adults can explore Catholic teaching or prepare for initiation. FORMED is one of several resources the parish offers families, alongside children's Catholic resources and Catholic youth resources.
Ministry Teams for Worship, Fellowship, and Care
The parish's liturgical ministries are broad and concrete. Altar servers may begin in fourth grade and continue through young adulthood after First Communion. Lectors proclaim the Word, ushers assist at Mass and church functions and may serve at age 16, and Eucharistic Ministers assist the priest in distributing Christ's presence. Altar Society members maintain vestments, sacred vessels, and altar linens, while the Leaf and Floral Ministry furnishes the church. The music ministry serves each of the three churches with choirs and musicians, and the AV and Media Ministry supports worship, parish gatherings, and the parish's YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram presence.
Community-life groups give members regular ways to grow in faith and serve one another. The Catholic Men's Fellowship meets on the second and fourth Saturday mornings, while the Faith Sharing Group meets for discussion and prayer on Tuesdays. Divine Mercy meets on the first and third Mondays, the Legion of Mary on Wednesdays, and the Rosary Guild on Thursdays. Lay Canossians share Christ's love through prayer and action, and the Prayer Shawl Ministry knits, crochets, or sews shawls and lap blankets while praying for their recipients. A monthly Women of Faith gathering features guest speakers and fellowship. The parish also includes an Italian Catholic Federation, a Filipino-American ministry, and Troops of St. George.
Hispanic ministries have their own identity within the one parish. They include Adoracion Nocturna, Cursillos, the Guadalupana Society, Renovacion Carismatica, and El Grupo de Matrimonios. Cursillos meets at 7:00 p.m. Thursday in the chapel, the marriage group meets at 6:00 p.m. Monday in the chapel, and Renovacion Carismatica gathers at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at St. Joseph. Spanish choirs serve both Sunday and Wednesday Masses. English and Spanish Bible study, catechesis, family life, charitable works, and worship thus occupy different but connected parts of parish life.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a particularly concrete role in the life of St. Joseph Parish. Its St. Joseph Conference provides person-to-person assistance with time, talent, and resources for families and individuals in Lincoln, Sheridan, Wheatland, and Nicolaus. The local group supports people with food and with financial help for rent or utilities, while its food pantry helps address food insecurity and prevent homelessness. Its promise is direct: 100 percent of the funds received are used to help people in need in these communities.
The Conference gathers at 3:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the St. Joseph Family Center. Volunteers serve through home visits, phone support, food-pantry stocking and organization, fundraising, grant writing, bilingual support, accounting, event planning, and record keeping. Nonperishable food donations are accepted in the narthex and at Safeway in Lincoln.
Other ministries extend the parish's concern for human life and community life. The Gabriel Project offers hope, friendship, and practical assistance to any woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy and meets on the third Wednesday at noon. Respect Life Ministry promotes prayer, education, advocacy, and pastoral care for human life, meeting on the third Friday at 9:30 a.m. The Knights of Columbus gathers on the first Monday at 5:00 p.m. and emphasizes spirituality and service to the Church, country, and neighbors. Online giving through ParishSoft Giving supports the parish's ongoing work.
Sacraments for Each Stage of Life
St. Joseph teaches the seven sacraments as outward signs of inward grace instituted by Christ. They are described as mysteries that make the sacred presence of God present, impart grace, nourish and strengthen faith, heal, and build the body of Christ. Through them, Jesus remains with his people as they move through life's transitions.
Baptism is presented as the basis of Christian life and the gateway to the other sacraments: through water in the Word, a person is freed from sin, reborn as a child of God, incorporated into the Church, and made a sharer in its mission. Preparation includes parental catechesis, with baptism arranged by appointment and one month's notice. For children or adults who have not yet made First Eucharist, the parish offers religious education classes that explain the sacrament and the real presence of Jesus in the Body and Blood of Christ.
Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace, strengthens the bond with the Church, and roots a person more deeply in divine filiation through the Holy Spirit. For the youngest members, First Communion and First Reconciliation preparation accompany the two-year Confirmation process. Young people preparing for the sacraments of initiation are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation of Children, while adults complete unfinished initiation through Adult OCIA.
Marriage preparation at St. Joseph begins at least six months before a wedding. Couples provide recent copies of their Baptism and Confirmation certificates, and couples living outside the parish obtain permission from their own parish. A wedding date is not set until after the first appointment with the priest. Quinceañera celebrations also use a six-month appointment window, and the young women must have received the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. The parish's worship life also includes wedding and funeral Masses.
For those facing serious illness, surgery, or the frailties of old age, Anointing of the Sick is a Catholic rite of healing for physical, mental, and spiritual suffering. It may be received before serious surgery, during a grave illness, and again if the person's condition grows more serious; it may also be repeated in a later grave illness after recovery. The parish receives requests for this sacrament through its office.
From Oak Tree Lane in Lincoln to Marcum Road in Nicolaus and Main Street in Wheatland, St. Joseph Parish is a community of bilingual worship, daily prayer, formation for every age, service to families, and direct care for neighbors in need.