About Holy Cross · Santa Barbara, California
Holy Cross Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving the Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara, California, perched on a flat-topped mesa above the city with views that stretch from Santa Barbara City College east to Hendry's Beach (roughly two and a half miles to the west). The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and is a bilingual (English/Spanish), multicultural community whose stated mission is to witness Christ's love and compassion through the Eucharist. Parishioners gather for weekend Masses (Saturday vigil plus Sunday morning in English and Spanish), daily Masses Monday through Friday, Friday confessions, and a slate of sacramental and faith-formation ministries for children and adults.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- Holy Cross (Santa Cruz)
- Rector
- Fr. Egren Gomez
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Santa Barbara Pastoral Region)
Why belong here
Holy Cross offers a warm, multicultural Catholic home on the Santa Barbara Mesa, with weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, daily Mass four days a week, regular Friday confessions, and a full sacramental life that includes baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings, funerals, and faith formation for children and adults. The parish makes it easy to get connected through Flocknote, online giving, and parish registration online or by text.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM
- 1st Friday of each month at 6:00 PM
Welcome and Parish Identity
Holy Cross Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving the Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara. According to the parish's own description on holycrosssantabarbara.org, the Mesa is in fact a mesa — the Spanish word for a flat-topped table — and stretches roughly two and a half miles from Santa Barbara City College on the east to Hendry's Beach on the west. The parish mission statement describes members as 'a welcoming, multicultural community of love and faith, guided by the Holy Spirit,' called to witness Christ's compassion through the Eucharist and to 'foster evangelization for tomorrow.'
- Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara
- Multicultural, bilingual (English/Spanish) community
- Eucharist-centered parish mission
History of Holy Cross Parish
Holy Cross Parish grew out of the older St. Joseph's Chapel that had served Mesa Catholics for decades. When St. Joseph's was dismantled in the 1950s to clear land for a new section of US Highway 101, Father Matthew Kelly of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church led the effort to build a new church in 1958. In 1959 the Chancery announced the parish would be named for the small island visible from the front of the property — Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) — and the current church was dedicated in 1960. Monsignor Thomas Hayes became the first pastor; the parish house built in 1979 was subsequently named for him.
- Predecessor: St. Joseph's Chapel on the Mesa
- St. Joseph's demolished in the 1950s for Highway 101
- Building effort led by Fr. Matthew Kelly (1958)
- Named in 1959 for nearby Santa Cruz Island
- Church dedicated in 1960
- Monsignor Thomas Hayes, first pastor
Sacraments
Holy Cross prepares parishioners for the full range of Catholic sacraments, with the parish website publishing dedicated pages for each. Baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings, and funerals are all coordinated through the parish office, and sacramental records can be requested online. Faith Formation (Religious Education) supports sacramental preparation for children and families.
- Baptisms
- Quinceañeras
- Weddings
- Funerals
- Faith Formation / Religious Education
- Mass Intentions
- Sacramental Records requests
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish's Faith Formation program supports ongoing religious education for children and adults, with the parish describing its mission as helping parishioners 'grow in their understanding of their Christian faith and Catholic religion and, ultimately, to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.' Parents can register children online, and Spanish-language registration support is available.
- Children's Faith Formation / Religious Education
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) registration
- Online registration forms
Parish Life, Giving, and Communication
Beyond the sacraments, Holy Cross invites parishioners to stay connected through Flocknote (email and text messaging), the parish's Facebook and Instagram pages, and online giving for one-time or recurring donations. Newcomers can become a parish member by filling out a short form on the parish website or by texting/emailing the parish office, an option prominently promoted from the home page.
- Online giving (one-time and recurring)
- Flocknote email and text alerts
- Facebook and Instagram pages
- Online parish registration ('Become A Member')
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
Holy Cross is led by a Pastor Administrator drawn from the clergy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Priests Change List (July 2023) records Rev. Egren Gomez assigned as Pastor Administrator of Holy Cross Church effective July 1, 2023. The parish contact page and community directories also identify Msgr. Rafael Marín León associated with Holy Cross at 1740 Cliff Drive. The first pastor of the parish, Monsignor Thomas Hayes, is memorialized in the name of the parish house built in 1979.
- Pastor Administrator (Archdiocese of Los Angeles assignment)
- Parish house named for Monsignor Hayes (built 1979)
Visit, Location, and Directions
Holy Cross sits on Cliff Drive, the scenic road that rings the Santa Barbara Mesa above the Pacific. From US Highway 101, take the Carrillo exit and follow it about 1.5 miles west toward the ocean; turn left onto Cliff Drive, and the church is on the first block to the left, next to the fire station. The parish office can also be reached by phone at (805) 962-0411.
- 1740 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
- Phone: (805) 962-0411
- From Hwy 101: Carrillo exit west, 1.5 miles, left on Cliff Drive
- Located next to the fire station on Cliff Drive
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Thomas Hayes1960 – (first pastor)
First pastor of Holy Cross; parish house built in 1979 was later named for him.