About Blessed Sacrament · Twentynine Palms, California
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is a parish in Twentynine Palms, California, in the Mojave Desert gateway community to Joshua Tree National Park. Founded in 1940 under the Diocese of San Diego and rededicated into the newly created Diocese of San Bernardino in 1978, the parish worships in a classic mission-style church built by the residents themselves and dedicated on February 12, 1949. Today the parish serves a diverse community through English and Spanish Masses, a Filipino Ministry, a thrift store, religious education for children and adults (OCIA), and a broad range of liturgical and fellowship ministries under the leadership of Fr. Khan D. Ngo.
- Established
- 1940
- Patron
- Blessed Sacrament (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
- Rector
- Fr. Khan D. Ngo
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Bernardino
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament is a small but unusually diverse desert parish where English, Spanish, and Filipino Catholic communities worship side-by-side under one mission-style roof with views toward Joshua Tree National Park. Members can grow through OCIA and children's faith formation, serve in well-organized ministries for youth, young adults, women, men, the Knights of Columbus, hospitality, or music, and put faith into action through the parish thrift shop that serves the wider Twentynine Palms community.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM
Adoration times
- Following the 8:00 AM First Friday Mass
Welcome & Mission
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church states its mission plainly on its website: 'We, the Catholic community of Blessed Sacrament Church, shall strive to live the Gospel. Nurtured by the Eucharist and inspired by the Holy Spirit, we come together to worship, serve, and educate so that Christ may impact the lives of all whom we encounter.' The parish welcomes visitors to its mission-style church overlooking the Oasis of Mara and Joshua Tree National Park and invites them into a community that worships in English and Spanish, serves through its thrift shop, and forms children and adults in the faith.
- Parish mission statement on the homepage
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Online giving available via the parish website
History of Blessed Sacrament Church
Established in 1940 by Bishop Charles F. Buddy of the Diocese of San Diego with Father H.J. Han as first pastor, Blessed Sacrament grew from a small mission holding Masses at Joshua Way and Cholla Avenue into a community-built church of its own. Father O'Dowd, a Sligo native, oversaw the construction of the mission-style church (groundbreaking June 6, 1948; first Mass at midnight, Christmas Eve 1948; dedication February 12, 1949). He also built a school and convent that opened in 1956 with four Irish sisters. The school closed in 1972, reopened in 1984 under Fr. Michael Sturn, and closed again in 2005. When the Diocese of San Bernardino was erected in 1978, Blessed Sacrament became one of its founding parishes.
- 1940: Parish established by Bishop Charles F. Buddy; Fr. H.J. Han first pastor
- 1948: Groundbreaking June 6; first Mass at midnight on Christmas Eve
- 1949: Church dedicated February 12 by Bishop Buddy — 'a miracle in the desert'
- 1956: Parochial school and convent completed; staffed by four sisters from Sligo, Ireland
- 1972: School closed
- 1978: Parish transferred to the new Diocese of San Bernardino
- 1984: School reopened under Fr. Michael Sturn
- 2005: School closed permanently due to financial constraints
- Land donated by Harry G. Johansing (29 Palms Inn); architect Claude Powell of Palm Springs; contractor Walter Berg
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Khan D. Ngo as Pastor and supported by a small staff handling faith formation, music, parish communications, and facilities.
- Pastor — Fr. Khan D. Ngo
- Director of Catechetical Ministries — Leslie Collard
- Parish Secretary — Elaine Ashfield
- Music Director — Cindy Minarik
- Building and Maintenance Supervisor — Steve Foose
Religious Education & Sacraments
The parish's Religious Education program is the center of faith formation for both adults and children, with programs running September through May. Parents can register children for catechesis and sacramental preparation, while adults seeking to become Catholic or complete their sacraments journey through OCIA.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Mondays 6:00–7:00 PM in the Church Office, September–May
- Youth Faith Formation — Sundays 9:15–10:15 AM in the classrooms, September–May; includes sacrament classes
- Baptism Classes — various evenings as needed; preparation for parents and godparents
- Marriage Convalidations — contact the parish office
- Online registration forms available in English and Spanish
Parish Ministries
Blessed Sacrament's ministries reflect its multicultural, multigenerational character. The parish hosts cultural ministries (Hispanic and Filipino), age-based groups (Youth, Young Adults, Women's and Men's Fellowship), liturgical ministries (Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers, Choir, Altar Society), and service organizations (Knights of Columbus, Hospitality, Annulment Advocacy).
- Hispanic Ministry — Leader: Elizabeth Amaro
- Filipino Ministry — Leader: Shannan Limon (per website listing)
- Youth Group Ministry — Leader: Shannan Limon
- Young Adult Meetup (ages 18–39) — meets 2nd Sunday, 12:30–1:30 PM, Room 5
- Women's Fellowship — meets 2nd Sunday, 7:00–8:00 PM, Room 5
- Men's Fellowship — meets 2nd and 4th Thursday, 6:30–8:00 PM, Room 5
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic fraternal service organization
- Hospitality Ministry — 3rd Thursday, 6:00–7:00 PM
- Ushers — Leaders: Bob and Lisa Bowman
- Lectors & Liturgical Ministry
- Altar Servers — Leader: Philip Limon
- Altar Society — meets 1st Friday at 10:00 AM in the conference room (no meetings July or August)
- Adult & Junior Choir — Director: Cindy Minarik
- Annulment Advocacy — contact parish office
Ongoing Devotions & Parish Life
Alongside the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish sustains a weekly devotional rhythm and ongoing fellowship events designed to build community across generations and cultures.
- Rosary — every Wednesday at 4:30 PM in the Office Chapel
- Anointing of the Sick — after the First Friday Mass
- Hospitality gathering — 3rd Thursday, 6:00–7:00 PM
- Young Adult Meetup — 2nd Sunday, 12:30–1:30 PM, Room 5
- Women's Fellowship — 2nd Sunday, 7:00–8:00 PM, Room 5
- Men's Fellowship — 2nd and 4th Thursday, 6:30–8:00 PM, Room 5
- Altar Society — 1st Friday, 10:00 AM in the conference room (no meetings in July or August)
Blessed Sacrament Thrift Shop
An important piece of Blessed Sacrament's outreach to the wider Twentynine Palms community is its parish thrift shop. Located at 6235 Adobe Road, the shop provides reasonably priced goods and serves as a place for parishioners to volunteer.
- Location: 6235 Adobe Rd, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
- Summer Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Volunteer contact: Betty, 760-220-7330
Visit, Contact & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach Blessed Sacrament by phone or email during office hours, drop in to the parish office on Sage Avenue, or attend Mass or events at the historic church on National Park Drive overlooking the Oasis of Mara and Joshua Tree National Park.
- Church: 74462 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
- Parish Office: 6785 Sage Avenue, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
- Phone: (760) 367-3343
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Diocese: Diocese of San Bernardino
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father H.J. Han1940–
First pastor assigned to the mission; started the building fund for a new church.
- Father O'Dowd
Pastor from Sligo, Ireland; oversaw construction of the mission-style church (groundbreaking June 6, 1948; first Mass Christmas Eve 1948) and built the parochial school and convent, which opened in 1956.
- Fr. Michael Sturn
Parish priest during whose tenure the parochial school was reopened in 1984.