About Christ the King · Pleasant Hill, California
Christ the King is a Catholic parish in Pleasant Hill, California, in the Diocese of Oakland. Founded in January 1951 by Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco and originally carved from St. Mary's in Walnut Creek and Queen of All Saints in Concord, the parish today worships on a campus on Brandon Road that includes the current church (dedicated 1979), a parish hall/gymnasium that was once its church, Christ the King Catholic School (K–8), and a parish ministry center. On April 23, 2023, Bishop Michael Barber merged the parish with nearby St. Stephen in Walnut Creek, forming the present Christ the King–St. Stephen Parish, which now operates as one parish with two worship campuses.
- Established
- 1951
- Patron
- Christ the King (Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe)
- Rector
- Fr. Paulson Mundanmani
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
Christ the King–St. Stephen is a long-established Pleasant Hill parish with a deep tradition of lay involvement, a thriving K–8 parish school, and an unusually rich range of ministries — from CYO basketball, Boy Scout Troop 221 and Cub Scout Pack 401, to a St. Vincent de Paul outreach team, Knights of Columbus, Italian Catholic Federation, Filipinos & Friends, a Prayer Line, OCIA for adults, and a strong K–8 faith-formation program. Two campuses (Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek) and a full week of Masses, weekday adoration, and regular confession make it easy to find a service that fits your schedule, while pastoral staff and a small but dedicated office team keep the community feeling personal.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. — Christ the King
- Saturday before the 5:00 p.m. Mass — St. Stephen
Adoration times
- First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Stephen Church, beginning at 8:15 a.m., with Benediction at 8:45 a.m. and Mass at 9:00 a.m.
- Eucharistic Adoration every Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the chapel at the CTK Ministry Center
Parish History
Christ the King Parish was formed in January 1951 when Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco named Father John Murray as the first pastor, carving the new parish out of St. Mary's in Walnut Creek and Queen of All Saints in Concord. Worship began on Easter Sunday 1951 in a converted farmhouse on an almond orchard; within two years a proper 'interim' church was built (the building now used as the gymnasium). The current church, designed by architect William Gillis, was dedicated on November 25, 1979 by Bishop John S. Cummins. The companion St. Stephen community, founded in July 1966 by Bishop Floyd L. Begin, was designed by Aaron Green (a Frank Lloyd Wright protégé) and was merged into Christ the King on April 23, 2023 by Bishop Michael Barber, creating today's Christ the King–St. Stephen Parish.
- 1951 — Parish founded; first Mass Easter Sunday in a converted cottage ('Chapel of Christ the King')
- 1952 — 'Interim' church (now the gymnasium) opens Christmas Eve
- 1961 — Christ the King School opens with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
- 1966 — First 8th-grade class graduates from CTK School
- 1966 — St. Stephen Parish founded in Walnut Creek by Bishop Floyd L. Begin
- 1976 — Parish's 25th anniversary
- 1979 — Current church designed by William Gillis, dedicated by Bishop John S. Cummins
- 1999 — Electrical fire destroys original school
- 2000 — Rebuilt school reopens September 9
- 2023 — Bishop Michael Barber merges St. Stephen with Christ the King
Our Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Fr. Paulson Mundanmani as Pastor, with Fr. Lee Chompoochan serving as Associate Pastor. Two retired priests — Fr. Gerry Moran and Fr. Brian Timoney — also live in residence and assist with ministry. Two permanent deacons, Deacon Wynn Norona and Deacon Nelson Gonzales, serve the parish alongside Sr. Dominic Marie Bonnici, OP, who serves as a Pastoral Associate. A small but dedicated lay staff and a large corps of parish-office and facilities volunteers keep the front desk and buildings running, and are described by the parish as the first friendly face a visitor meets.
- Fr. Paulson Mundanmani — Pastor
- Fr. Lee Chompoochan — Associate Pastor
- Fr. Gerry Moran — Retired (in residence)
- Fr. Brian Timoney — Retired (in residence)
- Deacon Wynn Norona — Baptism Preparation
- Deacon Nelson Gonzales — Youth Minister
- Sr. Dominic Marie Bonnici, OP — Pastoral Associate
- Dr. Joe Silveira, Ed.D. — Principal, Christ the King School
- Helen Christian — Office Manager; Kathy Ridgway — Office Administrator
- Marlen Benitez — Facilities & Housekeeping; Mark Hall — Facilities & Grounds
- Joann Kurpinsky; Chris Lang — Pastoral Associate, St. Stephen
Christ the King Catholic School
Christ the King Catholic School is a family-centered, faith-based parish school serving students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, located on the parish campus at 195-B Brandon Road. The school partners with parents as primary educators to form the whole child in Gospel values, and currently operates at full enrollment. The principal is Dr. Joe Silveira, Ed.D., who was recognized with the Saint Mary's College Signum Fidei Alumni Award for his work as a Catholic educator.
- Grades K–8 parish elementary school
- Principal: Dr. Joe Silveira, Ed.D.
- Opened September 1961 with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
- Original school destroyed by electrical fire May 1999; rebuilt school reopened September 9, 2000
- Address: 195-B Brandon Road, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 — Fax: 925-685-1289
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at Christ the King–St. Stephen is designed to serve parishioners at every age and stage, from First Reconciliation/First Communion preparation (a two-year program that children can begin in 1st grade) through ongoing Religious Education and a High School Confirmation program. Adult formation is supported through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those entering or returning to the Church and through Adult Faith Formation offerings led by Jeannete Holmes.
- K–6 Religious Education — Co-Director Teresa Gonzales; Administrator Rosa Panelli
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) — coordinated by Tom Bobich
- Adult Faith Formation — Jeannete Holmes
- Youth Ministry — Deacon Nelson Gonzales; Rick Grand-Lejano
- First Reconciliation / First Communion (2-year program, begins in 1st grade)
- High School / Confirmation Program
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The parish offers a rich liturgical life, with music provided by a coordinated Music Ministry under Jennifer Bennett that includes choir directors Angela Borba and Susan Comber, pianists Lan Tran and Susan Comber, and cantors Lynn Guidi and Monique Belusa. Parishioners of all ages serve as Altar Servers, Lectors and Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers and Greeters, Projectionists, members of the Liturgical Environment team, and a Dance Ministry, in addition to a dedicated group of Funeral Ushers and the Altar Society.
- Music Ministry Coordinator: Jennifer Bennett
- Choir Directors: Angela Borba; Susan Comber (also Pianist)
- Pianist: Lan Tran
- Cantors: Lynn Guidi; Monique Belusa
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ushers & Greeters, Funeral Ushers, Projectionists
- Liturgical Environment team, Dance Ministry, Altar Society
Service, Outreach & Cultural Ministries
Christ the King–St. Stephen maintains a strong outreach to those in need, with the parish's St. Vincent de Paul team continuing to hand out food bags and grocery vouchers to neighbors in the community. The parish also hosts cultural and fellowship communities — including the Italian Catholic Federation and Filipinos & Friends — as well as a Prayer Line, a Sick & Homebound ministry, the Dress a Child Around the World / Sewing Ministry, Faith in Action, and a Men's Fellowship.
- St. Vincent de Paul — food bags and grocery vouchers
- Italian Catholic Federation
- Filipinos & Friends
- Prayer Line; Sick & Homebound
- Dress a Child Around the World / Sewing Ministry
- Faith in Action; Men's Fellowship
Parish-Sponsored Youth & Family Activities
The parish sponsors a wide range of youth and family activities that bring children, teens, and parents together — from CYO basketball and Scouting to a Young Families ministry designed to help parents introduce their children to the Catholic faith and prepare them for First Reconciliation and First Communion.
- CYO Basketball
- Boy Scout Troop 221
- Cub Scout Pack 401
- Young Families ministry
- Adult Sports Ministry
Two Campuses, One Parish
Since the April 23, 2023 merger, the parish operates as Christ the King–St. Stephen Parish with two worship sites: the original Christ the King campus on Brandon Road in Pleasant Hill (the church, school, Parish Hall/gymnasium, and CTK Ministry Center) and the St. Stephen campus on Keaveny Court in Walnut Creek. The two campuses share clergy, staff, faith formation programs, and ministries, and parishioners are invited to worship and be involved at either site.
- Christ the King Campus — 199 Brandon Rd. (church) / 195A Brandon Rd. (parish office) / 195-B Brandon Rd. (school), Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
- St. Stephen Campus — 1101 Keaveny Ct., Walnut Creek, CA 94597
- Merged April 23, 2023 by Bishop Michael Barber, Diocese of Oakland
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Murray1951–
First pastor, named by Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco when the parish was formed.