Two blocks from the western edge of Balboa Park, where the trees of Banker's Hill rise toward the San Diego skyline, the stone towers and stained glass of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral mark a presence in the city that reaches back more than 150 years. The cathedral is the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and the official seat of its bishop, the Right Rev. Dr. Susan Brown Snook. Its mission, posted across the top of its main page, is simple and direct: Love Christ. Serve Others. Welcome All.
The Cathedral for the City of San Diego
St. Paul's is one of 42 congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, but as the cathedral it carries a wider role. Major diocesan events such as ordinations happen here, and the building has hosted governors, city leaders, and on one notable occasion Queen Elizabeth II during her 1983 visit to San Diego. Bishop Susan Brown Snook leads the diocese; the head priest of a cathedral is known as a dean. The Very Rev. Penelope Bridges, who served from 2014 until her sabbatical in 2023, continues as Dean Emerita. The cathedral's leadership is currently shared by The Very Rev. Allisyn Thomas, an attorney-turned-priest and certified spiritual director who returned from retirement to serve as Interim Dean, and by two residentiary canons.
The Very Rev. Allisyn Thomas leads the senior staff. The Rev. Canon Brooks Mason, an accountant turned priest who has served on the cathedral staff since 2005, oversees liturgy and is the primary contact for acolytes, chalice bearers, and lay eucharistic visitors. The Rev. Canon Richard Hogue Jr., who joined the cathedral in late 2021 after serving as vicar of Holy Cross in San Diego and earlier in the Diocese of Newark, serves as Canon for Congregational Life and oversees newcomers, baptism, confirmation, and the annual formation classes.
The cathedral's identity is rooted in welcome. The congregation embraces its location near Hillcrest and is an explicitly LGBTQ+ welcoming and affirming church. Its principles for social justice and the baptismal covenant guide its work. In May 2023 the Chapter adopted a formal land acknowledgment that recognizes the cathedral sits on unceded Kumeyaay land and pledges ongoing work toward reconciliation with Indigenous neighbors.
A Lineage that Goes Back to 1869
St. Paul's has been a San Diego institution since 1869, the diocese celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2019 and continues to mark its lineage through vestments, silver, and the built spaces of the campus. The Great Hall, built in 1928 as the congregation's original worship space, retains its soaring ceilings, Spanish mission detailing, and rose window. The current Cathedral Nave, which replaced it, is filled with stained glass by the Judson Studios of Pasadena, with distinctive carvings and vaulted ceilings that create one of the most spacious worship rooms in the city.
In the late 2010s the cathedral launched the Cathedral Campus Redevelopment Project to steward several of its properties. The Olive Street parcel between Fifth and Sixth avenues was sold in 2019 and a 20-story apartment building rose there. The first two floors now house the cathedral's administrative offices and ministry space, including two technology-equipped conference rooms. The Nutmeg parcel was sold in 2014 and is now a condominium development. Underneath the new building the cathedral operates an underground parking garage available to worshippers and visitors.
Sunday Worship, from Early Eucharist to Evensong
The Sunday rhythm at St. Paul's follows the deep Anglican tradition of offering more than one entry point into worship. At 8 am the cathedral offers a quiet Holy Eucharist in the nave. At 10:30 am the principal service of the day, the Choral Eucharist, fills the cathedral with organ and choral music, along with a sermon from one of the clergy or a guest preacher; this service is livestreamed and recorded for those who cannot attend. Sunday School for children from Pre-K through fifth grade begins at 10:20 am in the Queen's Courtyard. Children in kindergarten through seventh grade gather twice a month for SPY Club, which follows the miniREVOLUTIONS curriculum tied to the liturgical year.
At 5 pm the cathedral transitions into Evensong, a forty-five-minute contemplative service of choral music, chants, hymns, and prayers. The form draws on a tradition that dates to 1549, and the service includes no sermon and no communion. Evensong is also livestreamed, allowing viewers across the diocese and beyond to share the music and stillness.
Throughout the week the cathedral keeps a steady prayer rhythm. Morning Prayer is offered virtually at 8 am Monday through Saturday and Evening Prayer at 5 pm Monday through Friday, both on Zoom. On Fridays at noon a brief informal Holy Eucharist is celebrated in the Chapel of the Holy Family, followed at 1 pm by the weekly Organ Recital given by Cathedral organist Martin Green; the recital is also broadcast on YouTube. On the second and fourth Thursday evenings of each month at 6 pm the cathedral gathers in the Queen's Courtyard for a contemporary service that uses the symbolism of the day's waning light.
A Choral Tradition and a Landmark Organ
Music is one of the cathedral's defining gifts to San Diego. The Sunday Choral Eucharist is anchored by an organist and a choir that together carry the principal service, while Evensong brings its own dedicated choral preparation. The weekly Friday recital is a chance to hear the cathedral's landmark instrument for its own sake. The Interim Director of Music is Bruce Neswick, with Seonjeong Park serving as Interim Choir Director and Michael Lawrence as Organist. Past services and recitals are organized into playlists on the cathedral's YouTube channel, and the service bulletins for the 8 am, 10:30 am, and 5 pm services of each Sunday are posted on the bulletin page so that anyone wishing to follow along virtually or in person can do so.
The Pray-Ground, Sunday School, and Youth Ministry
Children are fully part of the cathedral's life. At the front of the nave, on the left side, the Pray-Ground offers a dedicated space for children from birth through kindergarten and the families who worship with them; it is stocked with quiet toys and surrounded by seats so parents can stay close. The Pray-Ground is in use during every Sunday service.
Sunday School begins at 10:20 am in the Queen's Courtyard. Check-in starts at that time, with a required waiver on a child's first visit. The Sparkhouse curriculum carries younger children through accessible Bible stories, songs, and activities. On the second and fourth Sundays the older children gather for SPY Club, a progressive formation group that uses the Illustrated Ministry miniREVOLUTIONS curriculum, designed around the Revised Common Lectionary. SPY Club welcomes new arrivals at any point in the church year so that no child feels behind.
Family Ministry is led by Taylor Milam-Samuel, the cathedral's Youth and Family Minister. Throughout the year the ministry sponsors family-friendly events such as the annual Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis, an Ash Wednesday Family Service, a Pentecost Play Day at Bahia Point, and summer Vacation Bible School opportunities hosted at neighboring parishes. The cathedral holds a fall Ministry Fair each year to introduce newcomers to the many ways they can serve. Family Ministry also partners with parents through at-home resources, weekly formation groups, and age-inclusive worship.
Becoming an Episcopalian
The cathedral offers two seasonal classes each year for newcomers. In the fall, "What is a Christian?" introduces the basics of the Christian faith and the Bible. In the spring, "What is an Episcopalian?" explores the church's particular Anglican identity. Both classes are open to everyone, and confirmation by the bishop is offered each spring at the end of the spring class to those who wish to be confirmed, received, or have their baptismal vows reaffirmed.
The cathedral prepares adults for baptism throughout the year. Baptism is normally scheduled to coincide with one of four church festivals, with a prerequisite course of instruction. To begin, candidates complete an editable PDF application available on the cathedral's baptism page and submit it to the Canon Liturgist. Members are also encouraged to make an annual pledge of financial support at any time of year, and the In-Gathering on Pledge Sunday each year is an opportunity to bring that pledge forward at the altar.
Liturgical Ministries and a Host of Lay Roles
Worship at St. Paul's is served by a large and intentional lay community. Acolytes serve as crucifers, torch bearers, banner bearers, icon bearers, and altar servers at the 8 and 10:30 am services and at holy days. Thurifers carry incense into the cathedral and cense the people and the elements during the eucharist. Chalice bearers assist the clergy in administering communion. Lectors read scripture and lead the Prayers of the People. Ushers greet visitors, hand out bulletins, and facilitate communion at the rail. Vergers work behind the scenes as masters of ceremony, ensuring that processions and rituals unfold smoothly; the Canon Verger, Lisa Churchill, leads this ministry. Lay Eucharistic Visitors take communion to those who are unable to attend, after special training and licensing by the bishop. Members are warmly invited to step into any of these roles.
Stephen Ministry and Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at St. Paul's is available around the clock. Clergy are on call 24 hours a day through the main office line; after hours, callers hear a recording that connects them to the after-hours pastoral care line. The cathedral's Pastoral Counseling Center, shut-in visitation, prayer support, and health and wellness care round out the offerings.
Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring program in which Stephen Ministers - trained caregivers - meet weekly with a single care receiver for about an hour, providing confidential, Christ-centered care during difficult passages such as grief, divorce, job loss, or chronic illness. Stephen Leaders at St. Paul's include Dean Bridges, The Rev. Canon Brooks Mason, Terry Kelly, and Roxanne Perfect-Knight. Men are paired with men, women with women, and when needs exceed what a Stephen Minister can provide the team makes referrals to appropriate community resources.
Listening Hearts is the cathedral's discernment ministry. Trained discerners meet quietly with individuals who are seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit for decisions about work, relationships, vocation, or a possible call to ordained ministry. The contact for Listening Hearts is Susan Ward.
Centering Prayer and the Labyrinth
The cathedral hosts two Centering Prayer groups each week. The Monday group meets from 7 to 8 pm in the Parlor under the Great Hall. The Thursday group meets from 5:30 to 7 pm in the St. Paul's Manor Chapel at 2635 Second Avenue. Both groups are ecumenical and draw from the contemplative prayer tradition of the Desert Fathers and the teachings of Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton, and Henri Nouwen. Each year the groups attend a four-day silent retreat in June at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside. They are listed in the newsletter of Contemplative Outreach of San Diego, which offers Centering Prayer workshops and other events throughout the year.
An outdoor labyrinth in the Dean's Courtyard is available for walking prayer throughout the year. During Lent, Stations of the Cross are walked inside the cathedral each Friday evening; the fourteen sculptures depict Jesus' last days and the path is open to anyone wishing to follow the service.
Showers of Blessings and a Partnership with Voices of our City
St. Paul's commitment to outreach is grounded in the cathedral's stated baptismal promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons. Its flagship outreach ministry is Showers of Blessings, which offers showers, clothing, and haircuts to neighbors without homes. First United Methodist Church partners with the cathedral to provide a hot breakfast each month. Volunteers are needed to support the offerings and spend time in fellowship with the neighbors who come.
Voices of our City Choir, an unhoused choir whose work secures permanent housing and employment for its members, has its offices and rehearsal space on the cathedral campus. The cathedral describes the partnership as part of its commitment to restorative work, and credits the choir with making clear that music has an unmatched ability to mend the soul and uplift the spirit.
The Peace and Justice Ministry carries the cathedral's wider social justice work, drawing on the catechism's call to seek justice, freedom, and the necessities of life for all people. As a designated Fair Trade congregation, St. Paul's sells Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil, and nuts after services on the first and third Sundays of each month and serves Fair Trade coffee and tea at its hospitality functions.
Simpler Living: A Decade and a Half of Creation Care
Simpler Living is among the cathedral's most distinctive ministries. Founded more than fifteen years ago by parishioners concerned about the Christian response to environmental crisis, the ministry meets virtually on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:45 pm, gathering first informally and then holding its formal meeting from 7 to 8 pm. Its interests range across creation stewardship, food justice, sustainable agriculture, energy conservation, fair trade, composting, and political advocacy.
The ministry sponsors film screenings with slow-food potlucks, organizes workshops, partners with other churches in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego through the diocesan Creation Care Community, coordinates the cathedral's CSA delivery, and works with staff on the "greening" of the cathedral's campus. Annual events include the Lenten book study and the spring retreat, Earth Month observances in April, and the September Season of Creation programming that has, in recent years, included Creation Care Sunday, advocacy tables, a Book Swap, Balboa Park hikes, Creation Care Faith Forums, and the Blessing of the Animals. Members also engage with Interfaith Power and Light, GreenFaith, the Interfaith Coalition on Earth Justice, and diocesan advocacy efforts.
St. Paul's stated Simpler Living principles show up in council testimony, postcard campaigns for California climate legislation, comment letters to the federal register, multi-faith ocean declarations, and a long-running advocacy focus on transportation equity in San Diego County. Sacred Ground in Action, a companion ministry, addresses racial equity and its intersections with environmental justice.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
St. Paul's hosts weddings in the Cathedral Nave and the smaller Chapel of the Holy Family. The nave, with its Judson-stained glass and vaulted ceilings, can seat up to 300 for a seated dinner and is described by the cathedral as one of the few spaces in San Diego as grand as this for a wedding. The chapel, also lit by Judson glass and centered on a handmade altar, holds up to 50 for an intimate ceremony. Weddings are open to any couple in which at least one person is a baptized Christian; if either partner has been divorced, a copy of the final decree is required before the date can be confirmed; and the principal ordained minister must be an Episcopal priest. The wedding vows are a fixed text, and same-sex marriage is celebrated with a liturgy approved by the diocese.
The cathedral holds funerals in the same spaces, and a columbarium on the cathedral campus is available for the interment of ashes. Funerals, weddings, receptions, lectures, concerts, and meetings are coordinated through the wedding and events teams.
Rentable Spaces Across the Campus
St. Paul's rents much of its campus to other groups as a way of bringing in revenue to support its ministries. Spaces include:
- The Great Hall, the former 1928 worship space with rose window and adjoining commercial kitchen, holds up to 300 for a reception, 200 in theater seating, and 150 at rounds; it has hosted galas, concerts, fashion shows, and meetings.
- The Cathedral Nave, with its Judson-stained glass and vaulted grandeur, seats up to 350 theater style, 300 at rounds, and up to 750 for a reception.
- The Queen's Courtyard, named for the 1983 visit of Queen Elizabeth II, seats 48 at rounds, 76 theater, and 100 reception.
- The Chapel of the Holy Family, with Judson glass and a handmade altar, seats up to 70 theater or 70 reception.
- The Guild Room, divided into Room A, Room B, and the Full Guild Room by a movable air wall and equipped with projector, screens, microphones, video capability, and a kitchenette, holds up to 260 reception in the full configuration.
- Conference Rooms 201 and 202, located on the second floor of the 525 Olive offices, seat 16 and 8 respectively.
- The Fireside Room and the Cathedral Parlor, both smaller and suitable for meetings, lectures, or pre-event green rooms.
All inquiries begin with an online form on the cathedral's rentable spaces page.
Getting to the Cathedral
St. Paul's stands at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Nutmeg Street in Banker's Hill, across from Balboa Park. The main entrance is on Fifth Avenue, even though the postal address is on Sixth Avenue. The MTS bus number 3 stops directly in front of the cathedral. Parking is in the underground garage beneath the cathedral campus; the vehicle entrance is on Olive Street between Fifth and Sixth. Sunday parking is free; on other days a small fee applies, paid through the LAZ Parking app. Four handicap-accessible spaces are available on both B1 and B2, and four electric vehicle charging spaces are also available on the ramp. The pedestrian entrances in the Dean's courtyard and the Administration Building lobby are accessible by elevator; the stairwells in the garage are fire exits only.
The cathedral is an equal opportunity employer. Familiarity with the Episcopal Church is helpful for many roles, but no lay staff member is required to be a member of any particular faith.
Ways to Give and the Wider Mission
The cathedral receives no endowment income to support its basic operating budget. About eighty percent of its annual operating income comes through the weekly offering and the pledges of its members. Stewardship is treated as a year-round spiritual practice, with a particular focus at the In-Gathering each year. Members may also give electronically through the Realm giving page, give securities through UBS, or arrange a legacy gift through the Legacy Society. The cathedral's tax identification number is 95-1716810 and its legal name is "The Cathedral Church of St. Paul."
As an Episcopal church and a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, St. Paul's describes its belief in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All baptized Christians are welcome at the table; women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons; lay people and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of church governance. The cathedral's stated values are community, abundance, service, love, and faith. Together they flow from the mission at the top of every page: Love Christ. Serve Others. Welcome All.