St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church serves Pismo Beach as a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Monterey, entrusted since 1929 to the Conventual Franciscan Friars (OFM Conv.). The parish gathers at 800 Bello Street, where daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic adoration, and a wide circle of ministries invite worshippers into a Franciscan life of humility, fraternity, and joyful service. The parish motto, Embrace Humility, Serve Selflessly, Love Deeply, reflects its Franciscan character, and its daily prayer draws on the rhythm of the Mass, the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration, and Marian devotion.
Founded by the Conventual Franciscans in 1929
The parish traces its origins to the late 1920s, when Most Rev. Bishop MacGinley of the Monterey-Fresno Diocese asked the Conventual Franciscan Order to organize a new Catholic community in Pismo Beach. Until then, Catholic families along this stretch of the San Luis Obispo County coast had been part of the Old Mission Parish of San Luis Obispo, with priests making the journey down from neighboring Arroyo Grande. With the bishop's request, Father Mathias became the parish's first resident pastor. Working alongside his Franciscan brothers, his nephews, and the growing congregation, Father Mathias set about turning donated land into a worship site, erecting the church and a parish house on land given by Mr. and Mrs. D. McNamara. Despite financial constraints, the early community managed to install pews, altars, and communion rails and to bring the new church to completion. On March 9, 1930, Bishop MacGinley joined Father Mathias for the dedication of St. Paul the Apostle, celebrated with a Solemn High Mass that marked the beginning of a thriving parish community.
Successive pastors shepherded the parish through decades of growth. Father Gregory Kareta's tenure from 1971 to 1978 was marked by a deepening outreach to the elderly and the homebound. By the parish's fiftieth year, its records showed 836 baptisms, 200 marriages, and 355 funerals, a portrait of a community deeply woven into the life of the area. On October 7, 1979, St. Paul's marked its Golden Jubilee with a Mass of Thanksgiving and Jubilee Dinner under Father Peter Parchem, who had been appointed pastor in 1978. Today the parish is shepherded by Fr. James Phan, OFM Conv., and the church remains a fixture of the Pismo Beach community.
Mass and the Sacraments
Mass is the heartbeat of the parish. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Saturday at 8:00 a.m. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Sunday brings three Masses: 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. Reconciliation is heard each weekday morning before Mass, from 7:15 to 7:55 a.m., and on Saturday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The Sacrament of the Sick and Communion for the homebound are arranged by calling the parish office. Infant baptisms are scheduled on the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Couples wishing to marry at St. Paul's are asked to contact the parish office at least six months in advance so that proper preparation can begin.
A Parish Shaped by Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is one of the parish's distinctive rhythms. Every Thursday, the church is open for adoration from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with volunteers covering each hour and Benediction closing the day. On the First Friday and First Saturday of each month, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the 8:00 a.m. Mass and closes with Benediction. The parish teaches that adoration is a profound and beautiful expression of Catholic faith, where worshippers spend time in the real presence of Jesus Christ, made manifest in the consecrated host placed in a monstrance on the altar. Parishioners are invited to read Scripture, pray the Rosary, or simply sit in silence during their hour. The First Saturday observance is offered in a special way in honor of Our Lady of Fatima, with recitation of the Rosary to restore world peace. The parish describes this sacred practice as a cornerstone of its spiritual life, a reminder of the transformative power of Christ's presence in the life of the community.
Faith Formation for Every Age
The parish's faith formation program serves children, teens, and adults. Religious Education classes meet on Wednesdays during the school year from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m. in the parish hall, drawing children from preschool through eighth grade. Catechists prepare students for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation, and a Safe Environment training program, Protecting God's Children, is in place for all who work with minors. The High School Confirmation program guides older students into a deeper understanding of Catholic teaching and the Sacraments, with discussions, service projects, prayer experiences, and retreats forming a young Catholic ready to bear witness to Christ in everyday life. Coordinator Ann Boulais oversees the children's and youth programs.
Adults who wish to explore the Catholic faith or complete their Sacraments meet for O.C.I.A. (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) on Wednesday evenings in the library from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.; participants may join even after the class has begun, and the program is also a place for those returning to the practice of their faith or seeking fuller instruction. Two Bible studies gather during the week: the St. Paul's Bible Study meets on Thursdays after the 8:00 a.m. Mass in the Hall Library, led by Scotty and Janice Scott, and the Little Rock Bible Study meets Friday mornings from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the parish hall from September through May, with both studies focused on individual books of Scripture.
Marian Devotions and the Rosary for Priests
The parish nurtures a strong Marian and devotional life. The Rosary is prayed daily at 7:35 a.m. before the 8:00 a.m. Mass, with the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries prayed on alternating days. On Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., a Scriptural Rosary for Priests gathers in the family room in the rear of the church (parking lot side). The prayer reflects the conviction that Catholic priests need the prayers of the faithful and uses a prepared booklet drawn from the book Praying for Priests: A Mission for the New Evangelization by Kathleen Beckman. On the First Thursday of each month, the Cenacle of Prayer of the Marian Movement of Priests meets at 8:30 a.m. in the church, following the 8:00 a.m. Mass. The Cenacle reflects messages given to Fr. Gobbi in 1973, calling priests, religious, and faithful to gather in fervent prayer as the early apostles did with Mary in the Upper Room, awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. On the First Wednesday of each month, the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena is prayed after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. A Secular Franciscan Fraternity also meets at the parish under formation director Jim Morrissey, SFO, drawing lay men and women into the broader Franciscan family.
Liturgical Ministries and the St. Paul's Choir
Music and the liturgy are carried by a dedicated circle of lay ministers. The St. Paul's Choir sings at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass and at other special Masses and liturgies throughout the year, with practices held on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. under Music Director Susan Davies. Organists provide musical accompaniment at the 5:30 p.m. Saturday Mass and the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday Masses. Lectors proclaim Sacred Scripture and guide the congregation through the celebration. Special Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest at Mass and may take the Eucharist to the sick and homebound, with Coordinator Arlene Gee organizing this ministry. Ushers welcome worshippers, take up the collection, and coordinate the presentation of the gifts at weekend Masses. Altar Servers assist the priest at Masses and liturgies. Couples and families coordinating a wedding at St. Paul's work with the pastor on the details of the ceremony. A team of volunteers decorates the altar and sanctuary throughout the year, with colors and themes keyed to feasts and seasons such as Pentecost, Lent, and Advent.
The Altar & Rosary Society
The Altar & Rosary Society is one of the parish's oldest lay organizations, dedicated to uniting parishioners in religious, educational, and social activities. The Society assists the pastor in caring for the church's liturgical needs, providing altar coverings, vestments, hosts, wine, and related supplies. Members foster devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially during the months of May and October and on other Marian feasts. The Society meets on the third Tuesday of each month (no meetings in June, July, or August), with a rosary and Mass preceding a luncheon and business meeting, and a Christmas luncheon each December at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. Annual fundraisers include bake sales on Palm Sunday weekend and the weekend before Thanksgiving. Dues are ten dollars per year, and membership is open to all parishioners.
Parish Outreach: Food, Visits, and a Listening Presence
The parish is deeply engaged with neighbors in need through several practical ministries. Every week, non-perishable food items and toiletries are collected in the church vestibule and delivered to the Five Cities Christian Women Emergency Food Bank in Grover Beach, where volunteers also serve weekday shifts stocking food and assisting clients from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the Knights of Columbus Council at the parish prepare and serve food at People's Kitchen for the homeless and those in need every fifth Friday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with parishioners welcome as volunteers. Martha's Ministry provides care and comfort to families at the time of funeral by hosting a reception in the parish hall after the Funeral Mass. Parish priests visit the sick and homebound at home or in care facilities, and the parish partners with Hospice of SLO County to support those facing life-threatening or terminal illness. Sunday hospitality volunteers set up and serve coffee and doughnuts after Sunday morning Masses. Fr. John Farao, OFM Conv., serves as chaplain for prison ministry.
Respect Life: Prayerful Presence and a Pro-Life Library
St. Paul's is well known for its Respect Life ministry, which focuses on the protection and sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Each Thursday from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m., parishioners gather for Prayerful Presence in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic at 743 Pismo Street in San Luis Obispo, walking with signs and praying peacefully outside the building. The ministry also keeps a reference library of pro-life materials and serves as an information resource for local pregnancy support, adoption, and post-abortion counseling. Fundraisers and collections of baby and mother items run throughout the year, and the ministry hosts quarterly educational meetings. The parish maintains an extensive online directory of Catholic and pro-life resources, organized into categories such as abortion, adoption and foster care, Catholic teachings about human life issues, contraception, end of life, euthanasia, fertility counseling, legislation, post-abortion counseling, pregnancy counseling, and stem cell research. Recommended organizations include Rachel's Vineyard, Project Rachel, Silent No More, Natural Family Planning through the Couple to Couple League, and many others.
Knights of Columbus Council #8762
St. Paul the Apostle is home to the St. Maximilian Kolbe Council #8762 of the Knights of Columbus, founded on August 1, 1984, and currently numbering 118 members. Named for St. Maximilian Kolbe, the Franciscan priest and martyr (1894-1941), the Council supports parish and community service projects including Franciscan and Catholic education funds and scholarships, People's Kitchen, Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics, and Achievement House. The Council's general meeting is held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the parish hall, and the chaplain is Fr. James Phan, OFM Conv. Officers include Grand Knight Ray Fada, Deputy Grand Knight David Boultinghouse, Financial Secretary Gabe Huck, Chancellor Joe Carotenuti, and a full board of trustees and directors. The Council works closely with the parish, providing funds for various projects and engaging members as active participants in parish life.
Joining the Parish
The parish office is open Monday from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. The mailing address is 800 Bello Street, Pismo Beach, California 93449; the rectory phone is (805) 773-2219 and the fax is (805) 773-8617. Online giving is available through a secure portal, and worshippers can register with the parish by downloading a registration packet. The parish is part of the Diocese of Monterey and remains committed to the Franciscan vision of St. Francis of Assisi, whose prayer, My God and my all, is featured on the parish's materials.