St. Joseph Church stands on Tennent Avenue in Pinole, a small city on the eastern shore of San Pablo Bay in Contra Costa County, and it is by far the largest Catholic parish in the area. More than 3,500 households and roughly 10,000 individuals are registered there, and on any given Sunday the building fills four times over for Mass, with a fifth Mass offered on Saturday evening in Spanish. The parish grounds include the church itself, a school, a parish center, and spaces where Scouts, prayer groups, and Oktoberfest volunteers gather. St. Joseph is a community shaped by the people who came to this stretch of the bay long before there was a Pinole, and by the Irish, German, Portuguese, Filipino, and Hispanic families whose names still appear in the stained glass and on the rolls of every ministry.
The Shape of Sunday: Mass and Reconciliation
Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m., and on Saturday morning at the same hour. Saturday also brings the regular schedule of Reconciliation, with confessions heard from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the church, followed by the Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. and the Spanish Mass at 6:30 p.m. Sunday Masses are offered at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., noon, and 5:00 p.m. On First Fridays, an additional Mass is celebrated at 7:30 p.m. in the evening.
Reconciliation follows the four movements the parish teaches in its sacramental preparation: contrition, confession to a priest, the reception of absolution, and a renewed commitment to live a Christian life. Individual confession with a priest is the principal means of absolution, and the parish encourages anyone who has been away from the sacrament to return.
From the Huchiunes to St. Joseph's: The Long Story of Pinole
The history of St. Joseph is woven into the history of Pinole, and the parish tells both stories together. The first European ship to enter San Francisco Bay, the San Carlos, sailed through the Golden Gate on August 5, 1775, and was greeted near the eastern shore by people the Spanish called the Huchiunes, who came out in tule reed boats bearing fresh fish. In April 1776, the Anza-Font expedition reached an Indian village probably located on Pinole Creek, where they were welcomed with food and invited to dance. Between 1780 and 1810, more than 400 Huchiunes were converted to Catholicism and most were baptized at Mission Dolores, becoming among the first in the region to embrace the faith. The warmth of those encounters is the same spirit that has characterized St. Joseph's ever since.
The name Pinole itself comes from a meal of ground acorns, seeds, and wild grain that the native people gave to hungry Spanish explorers in the 18th century. For the parish, that simple food recalls the Bread of Life that the Catholic Church has shared with this community for more than a century and a quarter. The neighboring area of Hercules, which makes up part of the parish's northern boundary, was once the site of a dynamite factory, a reminder the parish draws of the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit. The southern boundary crosses the Hayward earthquake fault as it enters the bay at Point Pinole, and the parish's location on San Pablo Bay echoes the ministry of St. Paul, the great apostle and writer.
The Mission Years and the First Church
St. Joseph was first a mission of St. Paul Church in San Pablo, and in 1923 it became a mission of the newly formed St. Patrick Church in Rodeo. The first St. Joseph Church was a wooden structure, said to have been used by people and bees alike, built in 1881 on the site now occupied by the present rectory. On September 4, 1947, Fr. Flatley, pastor of St. Patrick, wrote to Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco to say that the Pinole community could care for itself, and some weeks later the mission was constituted a parish in its own right.
Building the Parish and the School
During World War II, industry and population grew rapidly in the area, and Fr. Dennis Glennon, the first pastor, oversaw construction of a new church and rectory in 1950. Fr. Joseph Smith succeeded him in 1955, and Fr. Thomas Collins followed, building St. Joseph School in 1962 to 1963 and enlarging the church in 1966 to 1967. Fr. Patrick Finnegan established one of the first functioning parish councils in the Diocese of Oakland. Fr. John Crumlish, the popular Irish tenor, consolidated the ministries of the parish. Fr. Thomas Gallagher had the church block landscaped. Fr. Thomas Ryan revived the Parish Council, renewed the church roof, and refreshed the interior and exterior. Fr. Paddy Bishop, S.M., remembered as Father Oktoberfest, served as parish administrator from 1988 to 1992. Fr. Ray Sacca was pastor from 1992 to 1996, Fr. Michael Galvan from 1996 to 1998, and Fr. Quang Minh Dong from 1998 to 2005, during whose tenure a new middle school was built, the sanctuary was renovated, and a baptismal pool was installed. Fr. Paul Schmidt served from 2005 to 2014 and Fr. John Direen from 2014 to 2016.
The Portuguese Heritage
For decades, the Portuguese community shaped the character of St. Joseph's. Pinole's Portuguese pioneers came primarily from the Azores - Fayal, Pico, São Jorge, and Terceira - between 1870 and 1921. Many worked in whaling, mining, fishing, farming, and ranching, and at the nearby California Powder Works and Hercules Powder Company. They became shopkeepers, dairy operators, and saloon owners along what is now San Pablo Avenue. The annual Festa do Espírito Santo, with its parade, the crowning of a queen at St. Joseph's Church, the sopas banquet, and the Azorean folkdance called the Chamarrita, was the high point of the year until the last Festa was held in 1959. Today, the stained-glass windows of St. Joseph's still bear the names of Fernandez, Faria, Marcos, Costa, and other Portuguese families, alongside a window donated by the Portuguese organizations of Pinole.
Parish Staff and Pastoral Team
Fr. Geoffrey Baraan serves as pastor and is joined by Parochial Vicar Fr. Joseph Nguyen and Permanent Deacon Rev. Mr. Ben Agustin. The parish staff also includes Aura Mendieta as business manager, Teena Posas as youth ministry and confirmation coordinator, Christine Suarez as faith formation director and RCIA coordinator, Sr. Christine Le as office assistant and bookkeeper, and Michael Chio as music director. Natalie Acuna is the principal of St. Joseph School, and a corps of parish center volunteers keeps the office and the many programs running. The parish is one of more than 50 parishes and missions of the Diocese of Oakland, whose chancery is at 2121 Harrison Street, Suite 100, Oakland.
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
The faith formation program at St. Joseph provides religious instruction and spiritual formation for students in grades 1 through 6, with weekly classroom sessions, seasonal celebrations, and special activities such as a rosary-making project and a Christian commemoration of the paschal Seder meal. Spanish-language classes for students in grades 1 through 6 and those in their first or second year of sacramental preparation meet on Wednesdays from 4:45 to 6:00 p.m. English classes for the same grades meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. All classes are held at St. Joseph School on Plum Street, and parents or guardians are expected to accompany their child to the first class of the year.
Children preparing for First Communion participate in a two-year formation program. Students who begin in the fall are eligible to receive First Communion in the spring two years later. A mandatory Family Mass is celebrated on the second Saturday of each month at 4:30 p.m., with a hot dog social in the parish hall afterwards. No child is turned away for financial reasons; scholarships are available, and registration fees help cover the cost of books, materials, and the use of the school facilities.
Youth programs for grades 7 through 12 include a class for 7th and 8th graders on Wednesday evenings, a first-year Youth Ministry class for high schoolers that meets on Mondays and is the first year of Confirmation preparation, and a second-year Confirmation class that meets at least twice a month on Sundays. The Rite of Confirmation is celebrated in the spring or early summer as determined by the Diocese of Oakland. Emmaus Peer Ministry invites high schoolers and young adults into a leadership role within the program, and there is a dedicated first communion track for teens in grades 7 through 12 who have completed their first year of formation.
Becoming Catholic: RCIA and Adult Faith Formation
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the formal path into the Catholic Church for adults who have never been baptized, for Christians baptized in another community who wish to be received into full communion, and for Catholics who have not yet received Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The process is built around four phases: the Inquiry period, the Catechumenate, the Period of Purification and Enlightenment leading to the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, and Mystagogy following the Easter Vigil, when the Elect receive Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
RCIA meetings at St. Joseph involve prayer, study of Church teaching, and discussion of the Sunday Scriptures. Adults who have been baptized Catholic but have not completed their Christian initiation can prepare for Confirmation and First Communion as adults, often alongside those preparing to enter the Church. Returning Catholics are warmly welcomed, and the parish invites anyone who has been away to come home.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish teaches the seven sacraments in three groups. The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Baptism is celebrated after an interview with a parish priest and a preparation class for parents and godparents, and the parish strongly encourages families to bring infants for baptism early. Adults are baptized at the Easter Vigil through the RCIA. First Eucharist is received after two years of faith formation, and Confirmation for high schoolers follows a two-year preparation process. The Sacraments of Healing are Penance (Reconciliation) and the Anointing of the Sick, with Reconciliation available each Saturday afternoon and the Anointing of the Sick offered in communal celebrations in addition to visits to the sick and homebound. The Sacraments of Vocation are Marriage and Holy Orders. Couples preparing for marriage must contact a priest or deacon at least six months before the wedding and participate in either a weekend Engaged Encounter retreat or a six-week Evenings for the Engaged program held in the homes of trained married couples. Men discerning priesthood, diaconate, or religious life are encouraged to speak with a priest or deacon at the parish or to call the Diocesan Office of Vocations.
Funerals at St. Joseph follow the full Catholic tradition, with a Vigil Service, a Mass of Christian Burial, and prayers at the burial place, with cremation permitted but the remains to be placed in a holy place. Families are encouraged to plan ahead, and the parish staff can guide them through the arrangements.
Cultural and Prayer Groups
St. Joseph's is known for the breadth of its cultural and devotional life. The Association of Our Lady of Guadalupe, part of the Catholic Federation of Guadalupana Associations in the Diocese of Oakland, promotes devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe and serves the Spanish-speaking community through weekly Rosary on Mondays, a Wednesday prayer group in Spanish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on the last Saturday of the month, hospitality after the 7:00 p.m. Spanish Mass, a Via Crucis during Lent, and the celebration of patron saint feasts from across Latin America. The association also participates in the Feeding the Homeless program at the Brookside Shelter, awards scholarships to Spanish-speaking students, runs a Mexican food booth at Oktoberfest, and organizes a Posada and Fiesta de Reyes.
Other prayer groups meet regularly in the parish center. The Eucharistic Adoration Group gathers for Holy Hour with Exposition, Evening Prayer, and Benediction on the First Friday, and for a Holy Hour following the 9:00 a.m. Mass on other Fridays. The New Covenant Prayer Group meets on Wednesday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to noon for communal worship, praise, and intercession. The Cursillo movement forms small groups of Christians committed to living their faith and to apostolic witness in daily life.
Filipino devotional life is expressed in the Santo Niño feast in January, the Divine Mercy novena and feast, the family visitation of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima on the second Saturday of October, the Mother of Perpetual Help novena on Wednesdays after the 9:00 a.m. Mass, Flores de Mayo in May, and the Simbang Gabi novena of Advent Masses from December 16 to 24.
Liturgical Ministries
A wide circle of laypeople take part in the celebration of Mass. Altar servers assist the presider at the altar, lectors proclaim the Word of God, sacristans prepare the church for each liturgy, and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist distribute Holy Communion. A separate Children's Liturgy of the Word breaks open the Gospel for children during Mass, with leaders processing with the children to the parish hall and returning during the offertory. The Music Ministry, led by Music Director Michael Chio, raises up voices and instruments to help the assembly sing. The Liturgical Environment team decorates the church for feasts and seasons, the Hospitality Ministry serves refreshments after Sunday morning Masses, and the Media Ministry produces audiovisual reflections to support worship and catechesis. A separate group of ministers brings the Eucharist to homebound parishioners.
Social Justice and Outreach
St. Vincent de Paul provides material and spiritual assistance to the poor and needy within parish boundaries, with two-member teams visiting clients in their homes one week per month. The Juvenile Hall Ministry visits incarcerated youth at the Martinez Juvenile Hall, bringing the love and hope of Christ and Holy Communion to Catholic youth who request it; volunteers are background-checked and trained. The Hospital Homebound Visitation Ministry prays with patients in homes and assisted care facilities, brings them Holy Communion, and occasionally celebrates Mass on site. Respect Life Ministry integrates the Church's teaching on the dignity of human life into parish life through education, pastoral care, and legislative engagement. The parish is also active in CCISCO, the Contra Costa Interfaith Sponsoring Committee, which works to reduce violence and empower local communities.
The Knights of Columbus welcome practicing Catholic men 18 and older into service to the parish, and the Young Ladies' Grand Institute (formerly the Young Ladies' Institute), founded in 1887 in San Francisco and present at St. Joseph's since 1917, brings together Catholic women in the parish for fellowship, perpetual novenas, scholarships, and outreach to Birthright, Meals on Wheels, and the GRIP soup kitchen.
Youth Organizations: Scouts, Sports, and Service
The parish sponsors a Boy Scout troop and a Cub Scout pack, a Brownie troop for girls in grade 3, and a wide-ranging Catholic Youth Organization athletic program. CYO volleyball and basketball are open to girls enrolled in faith formation, St. Joseph School, or youth ministry, and basketball is open to boys in the same programs, with an emphasis on Christian values, fair play, and good sportsmanship. All coaches must be certified through the Safe Environment for Children Program of the Diocese of Oakland.
The Oktoberfest: A Community Tradition
The Saint Joseph Oktoberfest, held the first weekend of October on the school grounds, is the parish's signature community event and the largest annual fundraiser for both the parish and the school. Originally begun as a way to build parish community, it has grown into a festival with food booths, games, raffles, and entertainment. The celebration draws on the same communal spirit the parish sees in the old Portuguese Festa do Espírito Santo, and members of the Association of Our Lady of Guadalupe run a Mexican food booth each year. The Young Ladies' Grand Institute runs the Cake booth, and many hands pitch in to make the weekend possible.
St. Joseph School
St. Joseph School, located at 1961 Plum Street, has been part of the parish since 1962 to 1963, when Fr. Thomas Collins oversaw its construction. Today the school continues to provide a Catholic elementary education under Principal Natalie Acuna, and its students join with the parish for school Masses, the parish school of religion, and the wider life of the parish.
Small Christian Communities and the Parish Library
Small Christian Communities (SCCs) grew out of the parish's participation in the RENEW process and offer parishioners a way to share faith stories, study Scripture, and support one another in weekly, biweekly, or monthly gatherings. The parish library, located in the parish center at 2100 Pear Street, holds a collection of books, CDs, and tapes organized by topic, including spirituality, history, catechesis and sacraments, Mary the Mother of God, religious life, prayers and devotion, children, religious education, recovery and healing, family and morality, and the lives and writings of the saints.
Visiting and Getting Involved
Visitors are warmly welcomed at all Masses. The Parish Center at 2100 Pear Street is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on the second and third Saturdays of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The parish office can be reached at 510-741-4900 or at contact.sjcpinole@gmail.com. Online giving is available through the parish's secure giving page, and the weekly bulletin and the parish's Facebook and YouTube channels keep the wider community informed of Mass times, faith formation, and the many programs that make St. Joseph's a parish where many traditions meet and where there is a place for everyone to serve.