On Mission Boulevard in Fremont, St. Joseph Catholic Church rises next to the adobe walls of Old Mission San José, the fourteenth of California's twenty-one Spanish missions. Together they form a single Roman Catholic parish under the Diocese of Oakland, and in March 2024 Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J., named the Mission Church the Diocesan Shrine of St. Joseph - one of only a handful of such shrines in the diocese. The parish is known for a Mass schedule that unfolds in five languages, a music ministry of international scope, the regular practice of ad orientem worship at the Mission's high altar, and a long roster of charitable works from Sister John Marie's Pantry to refugee resettlement.
The Mission Becomes the Diocesan Shrine of St. Joseph
Mission San José was founded by Padre Junípero Serra on June 11, 1797. The current church on the site was built in 1985 and contains a feature rare among post-Vatican II churches: both a freestanding altar and a high altar against the east wall. On June 11, 2022, the 225th anniversary of the Mission's founding, Bishop Barber came to celebrate the anniversary Mass and consecrated the high altar. Two years later, on March 19, 2024 - the feast of St. Joseph - the bishop designated the Mission Church as the Diocesan Shrine of St. Joseph, effective immediately.
Pastor Father Thi Hoàng, in announcing the designation, explained its meaning: the Mission is set apart as holy ground, a place of pilgrimage, healing, and intercession. The parish points to six pillars of the shrine's significance - its dedication to St. Joseph, the sacredness of the ground, its association with healing and answered prayer, its origin in the Great Commission, its capacity to build community across cultures and languages, and its role as a space for encounter with the divine. Each month on the 19th, in keeping with a tradition Padre Serra began in 1770 after a relief vessel arrived in answer to a novena, Mass is celebrated at the St. Joseph Chapel of Healing in the Museum.
Sunday Mass in Five Languages
The Sunday schedule at St. Joseph is a multilingual rotation across two principal worship spaces: the Main Church on Mission Boulevard and the Mission Church on the historic grounds. The day begins at 8:00 AM with Mass in the Mission, moves to the Main Church at 10:00 AM (live-streamed in English), continues at noon with the Family of Faith and Youth Mass, and then pivots into the parish's Asian-language communities. At 3:00 PM the Vietnamese Mass is celebrated in the Main Church, also live-streamed; at 5:00 PM the Mandarin Mass follows, likewise live-streamed. All three are available on the parish's YouTube channel, YouTube.com/SaintJosephParish.
Two evening Masses complete the Sunday pattern at the Mission Church. On the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 PM the parish celebrates Mass ad orientem - facing the high altar and the liturgical east - and live-streams the liturgy from the Mission. On the second Sunday at 7:00 PM, Santa Misa en Español fills the same space, and is also broadcast online. The livestream cameras focus on the sanctuary, but visitors who prefer not to appear on camera may sit in the family room to the right of the altar in the Main Church or at the rear of the Mission.
Filipino, Indonesian, and Chinese communities gather round the parish in additional ways. The Filipino Community celebrates an annual Santo Niño Mass in January, Flores de Mayo in May, the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz in September, and Simbang Gabi in December; their choir sings in Tagalog for select liturgies. The Indian Community - whose roots trace to the Apostle Thomas's evangelization of South Asia - celebrates an annual Our Lady of Vailankanni Mass with devotional hymns and refreshments. The Indonesian Community is affiliated with W.K.I.C.U., the Indonesian Catholics of Northern California. The Chinese Catholic Community gathers with its own choir and devotions.
The Ad Orientem Mass and the Chapel of Healing
Ad orientem worship, introduced parish-wide in late 2022 at the urging of Bishop Barber, has become one of the parish's defining features. In a 2022 letter to the parish, then-pastor Fr. Anthony Huong Le explained that the practice does not reduce to "the priest with his back to the people"; rather, priest and people together face the same direction, toward the rising sun and the Resurrection. Citing Cardinal Ratzinger's Spirit of the Liturgy, Fr. Anthony wrote that the eastward orientation protects the Mass from becoming "a self-enclosed circle" and recovers its character as a procession toward the Lord. Today, ad orientem Mass is celebrated at the Mission on the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 PM, with worship aids available online.
The St. Joseph Chapel of Healing, located inside the Mission Museum, continues the tradition Padre Serra began in 1770: a High Mass in honor of St. Joseph on the 19th of each month. When the 19th falls on a Sunday, the Mass moves to the Mission itself because of the Chapel's limited seating. The Chapel is also a quiet place for prayer outside of Mass.
Daily Mass, Adoration, and the Sacraments
The daily rhythm of the parish centers on the Mission Church. From Monday through Saturday the doors open at 7:30 AM for the Holy Rosary, followed by Mass at 8:00 AM and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 8:30 AM. The Main Church is open for visiting from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM every day except Wednesday, when visiting hours run from 10:30 AM to 8:00 PM. The Adoration Chapel inside the Main Church is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM (10:30 AM to 8:00 PM on Wednesdays), and on the first Friday of each month the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for a full twenty-four hours, ending with Benediction at 7:30 AM on Saturday. Thursday evenings add a Holy Hour at 5:00 PM, Vespers with Benediction at 6:00 PM, and the Vietnamese Mass at 7:00 PM.
First-week devotions are built into the calendar. On the first Wednesday at 7:00 PM the parish gathers for the Devotion to Saint Joseph (in English) in the Main Church. On the first Friday at 8:00 AM, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is honored at the Mission. On the first Saturday at 8:00 AM, the Immaculate Heart of Mary is remembered - at the Main Church, except when the first falls on a Saturday, in which case it moves to the Mission. Four times a year - in January, April, July, and October - the first Saturday 8:00 AM Mass at the Mission includes the Anointing of the Sick, and the sacrament is also offered at the Vietnamese Mass on the first Thursday of each month.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM and Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 AM at the Mission. Confessions can also be arranged by appointment through the parish office. Baptisms are prepared through the parish office, which provides a Standard Baptism Booklet, a Baptism Calendar, and the Rite of Baptism. Marriages are scheduled at either Old Mission San José or St. Joseph Church on any day and time, first-come first-served; couples are asked to call at least six months in advance. Marriage preparation follows the Witness to Love program, supplemented by the Retrouvaille program for couples in difficulty. Funeral arrangements are made in cooperation with Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services of the Diocese of Oakland, which also oversees niches for cremated remains in the historic Mission San Jose Cemetery.
The Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at St. Joseph is led by Ronald E. McKean, Director of Music Ministries, whom the parish describes as bringing "international acclaim" and a "passionate for global sacred music" to the role. The department serves every liturgy at the parish - Masses, weddings, funerals and memorials, baptisms, devotions, and Evening Prayer/Vespers.
Choirs are organized by language and age. The Adult Multicultural Choir draws singers from across the parish's communities; in addition, dedicated choirs sing in Mandarin, Vietnamese, Filipino, and East Indian music for their respective liturgies. Children, youth, and Family of Faith musicians form the K-12 choir; the Young Adult and Confirmation choir provides musicians for those liturgies. Cantors are drawn from the choirs and receive ongoing formation. The Classical Instrument Ensemble includes a Chamber Orchestra, a String Ensemble, the Family of Faith Orchestral Ensemble, and the Laudate Ringers handbell choir. Educational videos, audio rehearsal files, and a Gregorian chant tutorial series are available through the parish.
Family of Faith and Sacramental Preparation
The parish's faith formation program is built on the principle that "parents are the primary and first educators of their children." Family of Faith gathers at the noon Mass each Sunday, with children and parents serving as greeters, choir members, ushers, lectors, altar servers, and offertory bearers. Monthly small-group sessions, faith-family stewardship activities, at-home lessons through the Parent Guide, and parish event service round out the program. Nancy Flores-Mai directs Family of Faith, with Grace Lichauco assisting.
For children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, Sacramental Preparation is a two-year program that builds on Family of Faith (or attendance at St. Joseph School). It includes Sunday attendance at the 12:00 PM Mass, parent and child sessions, parent-only sessions, and First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion retreats. For children not baptized as infants, the Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) prepares young people ages seven to seventeen for Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is offered in a Montessori-style Atrium at the St. Joseph Workshop for Level I on Sundays from 10:00 to 11:30 AM.
Two programs serve children and adults with developmental disabilities. Adaptive Faith Formation welcomes children of all abilities into Family of Faith, supported by catechists with special-education experience. SPRED (Special Religious Education) integrates adults with developmental disabilities into the faith and life of the Church using the Method Vivre of symbolic catechesis; the parish currently hosts a 22+ group. A contact number, 510-657-0905, connects families to both programs.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA and Adult Confirmation
For adults considering the Catholic faith, the parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), directed by Sr. Kathy Littrell. Inquiry sessions are ongoing throughout the year; formal OCIA classes begin in late August. The process walks inquirers through the four periods of the rite - Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogia - leading to reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Already-baptized adults seeking full communion enter through a separate path and prepare for the sacraments alongside the catechumens.
For Catholics who have been baptized and received First Communion but were never confirmed, the parish offers a six-week Adult Confirmation program on Tuesday evenings from December through early February. The program leads to the reception of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil (or at the Cathedral of Christ the Light during the Bishop's schedule).
Youth Confirmation preparation, coordinated by the Society's Confirmation and Youth Ministry, serves students in grades 8 through 12. The two-year program runs September through May on Sundays - Year 1 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Year 2 from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM - with attendance at the 12:00 PM Sunday Mass and monthly Teen Spirit Night expected.
The Young Adult Group at the Carriage House
Young adults in their twenties and thirties meet every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM at the first floor of St. Joseph's Carriage House/Workshop for prayer, dinner, discussion, and fellowship. Dinner is provided free of charge. A reading or discussion covers scripture, prayer habits, vocational discernment, spiritual warfare, and other topics. Rosary precedes the meeting at 6:30 PM. The group is led by Jeff de Jesus.
The Prayer Team and the St. Jerome Library
The Prayer Team Ministry gathers parishioners who submit all prayer intentions to the Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying the rosary together every evening at 8:00 PM. Prayer requests can be submitted online. The parish also maintains the St. Jerome Library, with a separate page noting the Body-Soul Unity of the Person document on its teaching.
Liturgical Ministries and the St. Martha Guild
Sunday and weekday liturgies at St. Joseph are sustained by a wide array of lay liturgical ministries. Altar Servers assist the priest at the altar; the schedule is coordinated through Richard Allen. The Art Environment Ministry decorates the churches for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, with a particular need for those with floral and "green thumb" talents. The Lector Ministry provides readers for the Liturgy of the Word, with training, self-evaluation, and prayer; lectors can use the parish's weekly Scripture Study materials, the USCCB daily readings, and the Kids Bulletin for younger parishioners. Eucharistic Ministers bring Holy Communion to the assembly with reverence and safety; Ushers welcome and assist parishioners during liturgies (Mark Schmitz leads the Ushers); the Sacristy Team cares for the sacred vessels and linens. Hospitality Ministers host monthly Hospitality Sundays after Mass, receptions for parish events, refreshments for special liturgies, care for grieving families at funerals, and welcome bags for new parishioners (Lauri Kaefer leads Hospitality).
The newest liturgical ministry is the St. Martha Guild. Each Saturday after the 8:00 AM Mass, members give the floor a quick cleaning, check the restrooms, straighten hymnals, and tend to the small things that prepare the parish home for the weekend liturgies. The work takes less than an hour, supplies are provided, and no special Mass attendance is required.
Works of Mercy: SVdP, the Pantry, and Beyond
The parish's outreach arm is organized under the heading "Works of Mercy." Saint Vincent de Paul (St. Joseph Conference) helps over 800 individuals and families each month with food, rent assistance, utilities, and other direct aid. Sister John Marie's Pantry distributes food to an average of 72 families a month. The Homeless Outreach Ministry serves those experiencing homelessness in the surrounding area. Refugee Resettlement supports newly arrived refugee families with housing setup, English language help, and friendship; six families were being supported at the time of the parish's last published update. Employment Assistance helps job seekers with resumes, interview prep, and referrals. The Seniors ministry visits and supports older parishioners, including those who are homebound. Saint Joseph for Life, the parish's Respect Life ministry, advocates for the dignity of life from conception to natural death. Pastoral Care visits the sick, the homebound, and those in hospitals and care facilities.
Beyond the immediate neighborhood, St. Joseph maintains a Sister-Parish relationship with a parish in Ghana, and CYO Sports operates community athletics programs through the parish.
The Neighborhood Outreach Program
The Neighborhood Outreach Program (NOP) is the parish's parish-wide bridge-building ministry, designed to help a large and diverse community truly know one another. NOP organizes Hospitality Sundays and summer BBQs, pairs visitors with homebound elderly parishioners, welcomes new arrivals, and coordinates small gifts and cards for those who need a reminder they are remembered. Roles are designed to fit limited time: a single event, an occasional visit, or a small recurring task.
The Garden and Flower Group, the Men's Ministry, and CYO
The Garden and Flower Group tends the parish gardens on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM. The Men's Ministry organizes formation and fellowship for the men of the parish. CYO Sports runs youth athletics in the area, with registration through Bluesombrero.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Mission Cemetery
Couples preparing for marriage meet with a priest at least six months before their wedding, complete the Witness to Love marriage preparation program, and may reserve either the Main Church or the Mission Church on any day of the week. Funeral arrangements are made through Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services (CFCS) of the Diocese of Oakland, with the parish priest celebrating the funeral Mass at the Mission Church in most cases. The historic Mission San Jose Cemetery, adjacent to the Mission, now offers niches for the cremated remains of loved ones, administered by CFCS at 800-498-4989.
The Mission Museum, Pilgrimage, and Tours
The Mission Museum on the historic grounds houses artifacts of California's mission era and the St. Joseph Chapel of Healing. The gift shop and museum are open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The parish also operates a Mission Museum Repair Project and a Renewal Project to preserve the site.
Because Mission San José was founded by the Franciscans, the parish hosts a regular pilgrimage program. The Mission Trail is one of the Jubilee Year pilgrimage sites designated by the Diocese of Oakland in the Franciscan Jubilee Year, and day pilgrimages are scheduled throughout the year. Mission Tours can be arranged through the parish office.
St. Joseph School
St. Joseph School, on the parish campus, is a Diocesan K-8 Catholic school serving families of the parish and surrounding area. Children attending the school participate in parish sacramental preparation alongside their academic coursework. The parish points donors wishing to give through their employer's matching gift program to St. Joseph School as a designated recipient.
The Parish Master Plan, Facilities, and Giving
The parish operates an extensive campus including the Main Church, the Mission Church, the St. Joseph Chapel of Healing in the Museum, the Adoration Chapel inside the Main Church, St. Joseph's Workshop / Carriage House, and St. Joseph School. A 2022 Parish Master Plan guides future development, and an engraved-brick fundraiser supports brick paths around the outdoor Stations of the Cross.
Online giving is available through the parish's Online Giving platform. Text-to-Give can be sent to 510-647-6027 with specific fund codes (Sunday, Christmas, SVdP, Pantry, Renovations, etc.). Stock, mutual fund, and IRA required-minimum-distribution gifts are coordinated through Business Manager Gina Mehta. Limited edition signed prints of the parish's Wedding Feast of the Lamb painting, installed in the Main Church in 2024, are available through the parish office.
Communication and Pastoral Leadership
The parish communicates through several channels. The Online Bulletin is published regularly and embedded on the parish homepage. FlockNote provides email and text updates. A livestream of the Sunday 10:00 AM English Mass, the 3:00 PM Vietnamese Mass, and the 5:00 PM Mandarin Mass is available on the SaintJosephParish YouTube channel. The parish Facebook page keeps current news and event listings.
The parish is pastored by Father Thi Hoàng, who has served as Pastor in recent years. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday during business hours at 510-656-2364; the parish staff includes a Business Manager, Family of Faith team, Music Director, OCIA Director, and coordinators of every liturgical and outreach ministry. Safe Environment training is required for all adults working with minors and vulnerable adults.