About Church of the Nativity · Menlo Park, California
Church of the Nativity is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Menlo Park, California, in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1872 and nicknamed the "roamin' Catholic Church" because its original chapel was physically rolled on logs to two different sites before settling at 210 Oak Grove Avenue, the parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities on the San Francisco Peninsula. Its striking Gothic Revival wooden church, constructed of redwood and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is still in active liturgical use and is distinguished by its long-running practice of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, maintained continuously since 1996. The parish also operates Nativity Catholic School (Preschool through 8th grade) and serves a wide range of prayer groups, devotions and faith-formation programs.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- The Nativity of Our Lord (Jesus)
- Rector
- Very Reverend Mark Doherty (since July 2024)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
Church of the Nativity offers the rare combination of a historic, downtown Menlo Park parish — a white-painted Gothic Revival wooden church on the National Register of Historic Places — and a deeply devotional sacramental life, including Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament maintained 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 1996, a 12:30 p.m. Traditional Latin Mass on Sundays, a wide range of devotions (Legion of Mary, Cenacles of Life, Medjugorje and Lourdes prayer groups, Perpetual Help and St. Joseph novenas, Nativity Family Rosary, Holy Hour for Priests, Fatima Masses), a thriving parish school (Preschool–8) and active School of Religion (grades 1–8) with two-year Confirmation preparation. Confession is generously offered three times on Saturdays (with an Opus Dei priest in mid-morning), and the parish is supported by long-tenured permanent deacons, a music ministry led by Dr. Christopher Berry, and an unusually engaged parish community in the heart of the Peninsula.
Mass times at Church of the Nativity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. (Parish Priest)
- Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Opus Dei Priest)
- Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Parish Priest)
- By appointment — call the parish office 650-323-7914
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (since 1996)
- Sign-up / scheduling: Mary Ellen Peloso, 650-269-7794
About the Parish
Church of the Nativity is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, located at 210 Oak Grove Avenue in Menlo Park, California. Founded in 1872 and made a parish in 1877, it is one of the oldest Catholic communities on the San Francisco Peninsula. The parish is best known for its historic Gothic Revival wooden church — on the National Register of Historic Places — and for its Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, maintained 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 1996. The parish also operates Nativity Catholic School and a robust School of Religion, and serves a diverse devotional and prayer-group life in the heart of the Peninsula.
Parish History
The parish was founded in 1872 when Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany of San Francisco dedicated a chapel at Middlefield Road and Ringwood Avenue as a mission of St. Matthew's in San Mateo. The original 40×55-foot chapel was moved twice on log rollers — first to Santa Cruz Avenue in 1878 and then to its present Oak Grove Avenue site the following year — earning it the nickname "the roamin' Catholic Church." A 1,200-pound bell gifted by Peter Donohue ("Iron King" of Comstock Silver Mine lore) rang for the first time on Christmas Day 1881, the church was enlarged with a transept and dedicated by Archbishop Riordan in 1888, the rose window was added in 1900, and the building survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake virtually untouched. The original Nativity territory was split in 1950 with the creation of St. Raymond's parish.
Architecture & Historic Status
The church is a typical late-19th-century Gothic Revival parish church — built of redwood and painted white, with pointed arches, buttresses and pinnacles forming the basic cruciform plan of the early English Medieval parish church. It features brilliant handmade stained-glass windows, unique hand-carved side altars, a bell tower, the 1900 rose window and surrounding lawns with palm and oak trees. The Church of the Nativity was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #80000855) on October 31, 1980 and designated a California Historical Landmark (No. P197) on May 19, 1971.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by pastor Very Rev. Mark Doherty with the assistance of two permanent deacons — Rev. Mr. Dominick Peloso and Rev. Mr. Robert Andrews — and a full office and program staff including Carol Hoy (Director of Operations), Gina Connell (Accounting Manager), Carolyn Go (Administrative Assistant to the Pastor / Office Manager), Becky Ota (Worship Coordinator), Noreen Browning (Director of Religious Education) and Dr. Christopher Berry (Music Director), as well as a facilities team.
Devotions & Prayer Groups
A vibrant devotional life surrounds daily Mass and Adoration, including a monthly Holy Hour for Priests & Parish, the Novena to Saint Joseph, the Perpetual Help Novena, monthly Fatima Mass / Rosary / Procession, the Lourdes Shrine and Medjugorje prayer groups (English and Spanish), Cenacles of Life Rosary, the Nativity Family Rosary, the Legion of Mary, the Infant Jesus of Prague Prayer Society, the First Fridays Our Lady Queen of Peace devotion, Opus Dei women's and men's recollections, and a Men's Prayer Group.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's School of Religion provides faith formation for children in grades 1 through 8, with sacramental preparation for First Penance, First Communion and Confirmation (a two-year program beginning in seventh grade, with Confirmation conferred in eighth grade under the Archdiocesan framework). The director of religious education is Noreen Browning, reachable at 650-325-7304 ext. 118. The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA / RCIA) is coordinated through the parish for adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church.
Nativity Catholic School
Nativity Catholic School, located on Laurel Street adjacent to the church, is a co-educational parish school serving Preschool through 8th grade. It is fully accredited by both the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC) and partners with parents as the primary educators of their children. The Sobrato Pavilion on the school campus was built under Monsignor Otellini's pastorate.
Music Ministry & Schola Seraphica
Music at the parish is led by Music Director Dr. Christopher Berry. The parish is also home to Schola Seraphica, the annual Advent community choir launched in 2006 by Margaret Durando (choral director at St. Francis High School) and longtime Nativity music director Jill Mueller. Each December Schola Seraphica — about 20 adults and 40 high-school singers — performs a single benefit concert at St. Patrick's Seminary & University Chapel, with Monsignor Otellini suggesting the name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments. Baptism is prepared through a Saturday-morning class at 9:30 a.m.; First Reconciliation and First Communion are prepared through the School of Religion; Confirmation follows a two-year program (grades 7–8), with adults referred to the Archdiocesan program; Anointing of the Sick is available by request; and weddings are coordinated by the parish's Wedding Coordinators after contacting the parish office.
Visiting & Contact
Church of the Nativity is located at 210 Oak Grove Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (telephone 650-323-7914; email [email protected]). The parish office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., closed for lunch 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The parish keeps an email list for community updates and a YouTube channel with recorded Masses and homilies (livestreaming is currently suspended).
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William G.A. Speckels1877–1881 (first resident pastor; parish established 1877)
Installed as first resident pastor when Nativity was raised from mission to parish status.
- Father Michael O'Riordan1881–1899
- Father John Brennan1899–1901
- Father Bernard McKinnon1901–1902
- Father William Lyons1902–1911
- Father Jerome B. Hannigan1911–1917
- Father William Sullivan1917–1920
- Father Michael Walsh1920–1921
- Father Daniel O'Kelley1921–1924
- Father Thomas J. Kennedy1924–1934
- Father Thomas J. McKeon1934–1963
Wrote a short history of the parish (c. 1935).
- Father Edmund J. Ford1963–1976
Former Navy chaplain (last assignment USS Enterprise CVN-65); in 1972 oversaw the church renovation and hired Thomas Church to redo the grounds (design still followed today).
- Father Clement A. Davenport1976–1999
Oversaw major structural upgrades; insisted the church remain open daily during the work.
- Father Stephen A. Meriwether1999–2003
- Monsignor Steven D. Otellini2003–2024
Longest-tenured recent pastor (21 years); refurbished altars, pews, carpet and painting; built the Sobrato Pavilion at the school. Brother of former Intel CEO Paul Otellini (per Wikipedia).
- Very Reverend Mark Doherty2024–present
Took over as pastor in July 2024.