About Church of the Visitacion · San Francisco, California
Church of the Visitacion is a Roman Catholic parish in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood of southeastern San Francisco, part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1907 by Archbishop Patrick William Riordan and named for the Marian feast of the Visitation, the parish today worships in its fourth church building, dedicated in 1952 on the former estate of California's first governor, Peter Burnett. The parish serves a richly multicultural community — originally Irish, Italian, and Maltese, now including African American, Hispanic, Filipino, and Vietnamese Catholics — and operates alongside its mission, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Brisbane, and the parish school, Our Lady of the Visitacion School (K–8). Masses are offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, with a traditional liturgical style that has drawn visitors from across the Bay Area.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thuan V. Hoang, JCL
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
Church of the Visitacion is a more-than-century-old parish in southeastern San Francisco that still operates its own K–8 Catholic school (Our Lady of the Visitacion School) and runs ministries for every age and language — from a long-established Mothers' Club (since 1945), Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, and Fil-Am Association to a thriving Vietnamese Catholic community (Our Lady of La Vang) with its own choir, Mothers' Club, and CCD program, plus a Spanish-language Mass and a Homebound Ministry bringing Communion to the sick and lonely. It is known as a traditional, pious community that celebrates ad orientem with an altar rail, and warmly welcomes new or returning Catholics through its RCIA/OCIA process. Families who want a parish where their children can be formed in faith, where multiple languages and cultures worship side by side, and where the parish plant has deep roots in the neighborhood will feel right at home here.
Mass times at Church of the Visitacion
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM (English only) in the Church
- Other days/times by appointment through the Parish Office (415) 494-5517
Adoration times
- First Friday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Eucharistic Adoration
- First Friday: 7:00 PM Traditional Latin Mass
Parish Identity & Mission
Church of the Visitacion describes itself as 'established to carry out the Mission of Jesus,' cooperating with God's grace 'in developing an inclusive Community of Disciples who will proclaim the Good News.' The parish sees itself as 'followers of The Way,' animated by the Holy Spirit and nourished by Word and Sacrament, hoping to be the kind of community worthy of the ancient comment, 'See how these Christians love one another.' Pastor Fr. Thuan V. Hoang welcomes Catholics new to the area and those not currently registered, inviting them to join both Church of the Visitacion Parish and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission as part of the parish family.
History of the Parish: 1907 to Present
The parish's story is told through four successive church buildings on the Cora Street / Sunnydale Avenue campus. In 1906, local Catholic women raised funds with a fair and built the first rough-board structure on Cora Street on land donated by Mrs. Joseph Roberts. Archbishop Patrick William Riordan formally established the parish in March 1907, with Rev. Thomas McNaboe as its first pastor. The second church (1907) and third church (1919, still standing) followed, as Visitacion Valley's population grew. In 1945 the Archdiocese purchased the old San Francisco Auto Camp — itself a 1920s tourist camp on the former estate of Governor Peter Burnett — to build a full parish plant. The present church, rectory, and hall were completed and dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty on April 20, 1952.
- The First Church (1907) — temporary rough-board building on Cora Street; used about 7 months.
- The Second Church (1907–1917) — shingled frame building, ~80 x 30 ft, at Visitacion Ave. and Loehr St.
- The Third Church (1919–1952) — built from materials of the second; opened with a High Mass on Christmas Day 1919; still standing today.
- The Fourth Church (1952–present) — dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty on April 20, 1952; property paid off in 1960.
Visitacion Valley: The Name and the Land
Visitacion Valley takes its name from Rancho Cañada de Guadalupe la Visitación y Rodeo Viejo, a vast Spanish/Mexican land grant that also included today's Bayshore district of Daly City, Brisbane, and San Bruno Mountain. The name 'Visitacion' is Spanish and refers to the Visitation in Luke 1:39, when Mary, bearing Jesus, visits her pregnant cousin Elizabeth and John the Baptist leaps in her womb. The valley was 'discovered' on July 2, 1777, when Franciscan friars and soldiers en route to the Presidio of San Francisco lost their way in fog and celebrated Mass on the feast of the Visitation on a large rock (later Indian Rock on Cora Street). California's first American governor, Peter Hardeman Burnett, built an estate here known as Burnett Grove; he entertained President McKinley and Admiral Dewey among many famous visitors beneath some 200 trees, several of which had to be removed in 1963 to make way for the parish school.
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Succession
The parish is led by Fr. Thuan V. Hoang, JCL (Pastor), with Fr. Stephen U. Nwankwo as Associate Vicar and Deacon James E. DeWan as Permanent Deacon and OCIA Coordinator. Office staff include Secretary/Office Manager Betty Campos and Bookkeeper Carmelle Reiser. The parish website lists an unbroken succession of pastors dating back to Rev. Thomas McNaboe in 1907 — 17 entries in total — including administrator periods for Fr. Eric E. Arauz (2006–07), Fr. Rafael de Avila y Romero (2007–10), and Fr. Thuan V. Hoang himself (2010–11) before becoming pastor in 2011.
- Rev. Thomas McNaboe (1907–1917) — founding pastor
- Rev. Michael Clifford (1917–1919) and Rev. James J. Gannon (1919–1922) — built the third church
- Rev. Carl A. Dransfeld (1935–1959) — longest single tenure
- Rev. Laurence J. Krause (1949–1969) — administrator then pastor; oversaw the move into the current church
- Rev. Joseph J. Marini (1979–1995) — 16-year pastorate
- Rev. Thuan V. Hoang, JCL (2011–present) — current pastor; also serves on the Archdiocesan marriage tribunal and founded the Blind Vietnamese Children Foundation
Sacraments
The parish offers the full range of Catholic sacraments with formation programs tailored to each age. Parents seeking infant baptism must be practicing, registered parishioners who regularly attend Mass and should contact the parish at least two months in advance; a baptism preparation class is required. Children over six prepare for Baptism through the CCD program and are typically baptized at the Easter Vigil. The parish welcomes non-baptized adults, Christians from other denominations, and uncatechized Catholic adults through its OCIA/RCIA process running September through May. Couples must contact the parish at least six months before a planned wedding. Anointing of the Sick is available on request.
- Baptism — infants to age 5 (2-month notice, prep class)
- Baptism — school-age children (over 6) via CCD, at Easter Vigil
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — CCD, grades 1–6
- Confirmation — two-year program starting in 7th grade; teens in 10th grade also prepared
- RCIA / OCIA — for adults and older teens seeking full initiation
- Matrimony — 6-month marriage preparation process
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the Rectory Office
- Catholic Funeral Rites — see parish website
Faith Formation: CCD & Religious Education
Religious Education at Church of the Visitacion prepares children for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, with sessions in both English and Vietnamese. The program runs mid-September through mid-May, with English CCD on Saturday mornings and Vietnamese CCD on Sunday afternoons. A separate Religious Education program also operates out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Brisbane.
- English CCD (Visitacion) — Saturday mornings, 9:30–11:00 AM
- Vietnamese CCD (Visitacion) — Sunday afternoons, 1:45–4:45 PM, led by Sister My Hanh Cao, DC
- OLG Mission CCD — weekdays; date and time depend on grade level
- First Communion track: grades 1–6, two-year preparation
- Confirmation track: starts in 7th grade, two-year preparation
Parish Ministries & Organizations
The parish supports a wide range of lay ministries and cultural communities. The Mothers' Club, founded in 1945, is among the oldest parish organizations. The Legion of Mary, established worldwide in Dublin in 1921, meets Saturday mornings and extends the works of the parish priest through home visitations, care of the sick and elderly, rosary at wakes, and parish recruitment. The Knights of Columbus and Fil-Am Association serve the Filipino-American community, while the Our Lady of La Vang community serves the Vietnamese Catholic faithful with its own choir, Mothers' Club, CCD, altar servers, and liturgical group. A Homebound Ministry brings Holy Communion to those who cannot attend Mass.
- Mothers' Club — founded 1945; monthly meeting 3rd Wednesday at 12:30 PM; Communion Mass 4th Saturday at 4:00 PM Vigil
- Legion of Mary — meets Saturdays 8:00–9:15 AM in St. Leo's Hall
- Knights of Columbus — to be updated on parish site
- Fil-Am Association — Filipino-American community
- Our Lady of La Vang Vietnamese Community — Choir, Mothers' Club, CCD, Altar Servers, Liturgical Group
- Altar Servers — Catholic children in 3rd grade or older who have received First Holy Communion
- Homebound Ministry — Extraordinary Ministers trained by the Archdiocese
- Charismatic Prayer Group and Divine Mercy Choir
- Parents and Teachers Guild (PTG) and Over 55 Club
Our Lady of the Visitacion School
Our Lady of the Visitacion School (OLV) is a private Catholic K–8 school on the parish campus at 785 Sunnydale Avenue. Founded in 1964 and dedicated by Archbishop Joseph McGucken on April 1, 1965, it is staffed and subsidized by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, which helps keep tuition well below the actual cost of education. The school serves a diverse, predominantly Filipino-American student body (close to 50%) and offers extended morning and after-school care. All students, including non-Catholics, participate in Religion Class.
- Grades: Kindergarten through 8 (currently accepting applications for K–6)
- Principal: Ryan Galaszewski
- Operations Director: Holly Lewis; Receptionist: Melissa Long
- Phone: (415) 239-7840; Website: olvsf.org
- Tuition: sliding scale $5,250 / $9,500 / $13,250 / $16,700 with TADS financial aid; $10,500 without
- Morning Care from 7:00 AM; After School Care until 5:30 PM
Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission (Brisbane)
The parish also shepherds Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission at 285 Alvarado Street, Brisbane, CA 94005 (Phone: 415-467-9727). The mission holds its own Sunday Eucharist and a Tuesday evening Rosary, and has its own Religious Education coordinator, Nancy Lacsamana, who can be reached at (415) 385-0387. The mission is part of the same family as Church of the Visitacion.
- Sunday 10:30 AM — The Eucharist
- Tuesday 5:30 PM — Rosary
- Religious Education Coordinator: Nancy Lacsamana
Visiting & Contact
Parish Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; closed Saturday and Sunday. The office can be reached at (415) 494-5517, ext. 3. The parish livestreams some Masses for those unable to attend in person. Sacramental forms, bulletins, a parish calendar, and event listings are all available on the parish website.
- Address: 655 Sunnydale Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134
- Phone: (415) 494-5517
- Fax: (415) 494-5513
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: visitacionchurch.org
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas McNaboe1907–1917
First pastor; appointed by Archbishop Riordan; celebrated first Mass in March 1907.
- Rev. Michael Clifford1917–1919
Designed the third church from a pencil sketch with contractor P.F. McCarthy.
- Rev. James J. Gannon1919–1922
Took possession November 1919; opened third church with High Mass on Christmas Day 1919.
- Rev. Patrick J. O'Connor1922–1923
- Rev. William Hughes1923–1926
- Irish Capuchin Fathers (OFM Cap.)1926
- Rev. James Sorasio1926–1927
- Rev. Michael J. Doyle1927–1935
- Rev. Carl A. Dransfeld1935–1959
- Rev. Laurence J. Krause1949–1969 (administrator 1949–1959; pastor 1959–1969)
- Rev. Thomas E. Lacey1969–1979
- Rev. Joseph J. Marini1979–1995
- Rev. Thomas L. Seagrave1995–2002
- Rev. Zachary Shore2002–2006
- Rev. Eric E. Arauz2006–2007 (administrator)
- Rev. Rafael de Avila y Romero2007–2010 (administrator)
- Rev. Thuan V. Hoang, JCL2010–2011 (administrator); 2011–present (pastor)
Born in Saigon in 1956; escaped Vietnam by fishing boat; ordained 1997; also works in the marriage tribunal and founded the Blind Vietnamese Children Foundation.