About Holy Rosary · Woodland, California
Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church is a historic bilingual (English/Spanish) parish in Woodland, California, founded in 1870 as the first Catholic church in Yolo County. It belongs to the Diocese of Sacramento (Yolo Deanery) and is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, and three deacons. The parish runs Holy Rosary Catholic School (PK–8), the oldest Catholic school in Yolo County, and in March 2026 celebrated the solemn dedication of a brand-new, 1,000+ seat church on California and West Cross Streets — the fifth church building in the parish's 150+ year history. Holy Rosary is known for its strong outreach tradition: feeding and clothing the needy, tutoring at Juvenile Hall, and selling tacos at the Yolo County Fair since 2007.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
- Rector
- Rev. Jonathan B. Molina
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Yolo County, Yolo Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Rosary is one of Yolo County's oldest and most rooted Catholic communities, with a tradition of worship going back to 1870 and a thriving bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical life today. Families can send their children to Holy Rosary Catholic School — the oldest Catholic school in Yolo County — on the same block as the church, Community Center, and parish offices. Parishioners are known for tangible outreach: feeding and clothing the needy, tutoring youth at Juvenile Hall, baking for students in Woodland schools, and the famous parish taco booth at the Yolo County Fair (running since 2007). With weekday and Perpetual-Adoration-style silent adoration, daily Mass in English and Spanish, a year-round confession schedule, and a brand-new 1,000-seat sanctuary dedicated in 2026, there is room for everyone to belong and serve.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday, 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM, English or Spanish (Community Center, 575 California St.)
- Or by appointment — call 530-662-2805
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday, 9:15 AM – 6:00 PM, Silent Adoration (Adoration Chapel entrance in front of the Community Center, 575 California Street)
About Holy Rosary Parish
Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic parish in Woodland, California, in the Diocese of Sacramento's Yolo Deanery. Founded in 1870, it is the first Catholic church in Yolo County and today serves a thriving community that worships in English and Spanish across multiple Sunday Masses. The parish runs Holy Rosary Catholic School and, in March 2026, dedicated a brand-new 1,000-seat church on the same block as its school, Community Center, and offices.
- First Catholic church in Yolo County (founded 1870)
- Diocese of Sacramento, Yolo Deanery
- Bilingual parish — English and Spanish Masses every Sunday
- On-campus Catholic school, Community Center, and Adoration Chapel
Our History
Catholic worship in Yolo County goes back to 1821, when a Franciscan friar baptized an Indian near Knights Landing. The first Woodland Mass was offered in 1869 in Peter Fitzgerald's home, and the first Holy Rosary Church was dedicated in October 1870 on Main Street. After structural failure from heavy rains, a second church was built in 1874 on Main and Walnut; that in turn was replaced by a 1913 Italian-style church, and finally by the 1949 modern Romanesque church that served the parish until 2026. Bishop Jaime Soto dedicated the new, fifth church — a cruciform Spanish Mission-style building — on March 11, 2026.
- 1870 — first Holy Rosary Church dedicated by Very Rev. Jacob Croke
- 1883 — St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery dedicated
- 1886 — Holy Rosary Academy founded by Holy Cross Sisters
- 1913 — Italian-style church dedicated by Bishop Thomas Grace
- 1949 — Modern Romanesque church dedicated by Bishop Robert J. Armstrong
- March 11, 2026 — Fifth church (Spanish Mission style, 1,000+ seats) dedicated by Bishop Soto
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastor and supported by a parochial vicar and three deacons who serve the bilingual congregation. Hannah Giovannetti serves as principal of Holy Rosary Catholic School. Contact the parish office at 530-662-2805 or [email protected] for sacramental and pastoral needs.
- Rev. Jonathan B. Molina — Pastor
- Rev. Carlos Gonzales — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Gonzalo Chavez
- Deacon Jose Luis Collazo
- Deacon Peter Cuong Dac Ta
- Hannah Giovannetti — Principal, Holy Rosary Catholic School
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Holy Rosary celebrates Mass every day of the week, in English and Spanish, and offers weekday and Perpetual-style Eucharistic Adoration. Confessions are heard Thursday afternoons in the Community Center (English or Spanish) and by appointment. Live-streamed Sunday Mass is available through the parish website, and the weekly bulletin is posted online.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM English, 6:00 PM Spanish
- Sunday: 7:00 AM English, 9:00 AM Spanish, 11:00 AM English, 1:00 PM Spanish, 5:00 PM Spanish
- Weekday Mass Mon–Fri: 8:30 AM English; Thursday also 6:00 PM Spanish
- Confession: Thursday 4:00–5:45 PM in the Community Center, or by appointment
- Silent Adoration: Mon–Fri 9:15 AM – 6:00 PM in the Adoration Chapel
Holy Rosary Catholic School
Founded in 1886 by the Holy Cross Sisters (later served by the Religious of the Blessed Virgin Mary and now a lay-staffed school), Holy Rosary Catholic School is the oldest Catholic school in Yolo County and the third-oldest in the Sacramento region. It serves transitional kindergarten through 8th grade on the parish campus at 505 California Street, with about 121 students across PK–8, a student-teacher ratio near 19:1, and a curriculum centered on faith, academics, and service. The school's mission: 'To live, love, and learn with Jesus Christ as our model.'
- Established 1886 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross
- Oldest Catholic school in Yolo County; third-oldest in Sacramento region
- Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 8
- Approximately 121 students; coed, day school, traditional schedule
- Principal: Hannah Giovannetti
- Phone 530-662-3494 • [email protected] • hrsaints.com
Parish Outreach & Community Life
Holy Rosary has a long tradition of service to the wider Woodland community. Parishioners feed and clothe the needy, tutor and provide baked goods for youth at Juvenile Hall, teach and tutor in local public schools, and give medical care to patients in Woodland. Since 2007, the parish has operated a popular taco booth at the Yolo County Fair as an annual fundraiser and a 'tasty' ministry of fellowship. The parish also maintains an active Newman Connection relationship with Woodland Community College.
- Feeding and clothing the needy
- Tutoring and baking for youth in Juvenile Hall
- Volunteer teaching in Woodland schools
- Yolo County Fair taco booth (since 2007)
- Newman Connection outreach to Woodland Community College
The New Church — Building Project
Conversations about replacing the 1949 church — long outgrown by the parish — began in the 1990s under Fr. John Boll. Ground was broken at the northeast corner of California and West Cross Streets in early May 2024; construction officially began July 15, 2024; and on March 11, 2026 Bishop Jaime Soto dedicated the new, fifth church in the parish's history. The new campus unites the church, Community Center, school, and parish offices on one block and preserves the 1949 church's stained-glass windows, rose windows, statuary, and Stations of the Cross.
- Cruciform Spanish Mission-style architecture
- Seats over 1,000 (plus 98 in the Adoration/Daily Mass Chapel)
- 74-foot bell tower with a real bell ringing on the hour
- Preserves stained glass, rose windows, statuary, and Stations of the Cross from the 1949 church
- Relics of St. José Sánchez del Río sealed in the new altar at dedication
Visit, Register, and Stay Connected
New parishioners are warmly invited to register and become part of the Holy Rosary family. Weekly bulletins, daily Mass readings (English and Spanish), live-streamed Mass, and ongoing Capital Campaign updates are available on the parish website and Facebook page. For sacraments, appointments, or pastoral care, contact the parish office at 530-662-2805 or [email protected].
- Online parish registration via holyrosary.com
- Weekly bulletin posted online
- Live-streamed Mass via the parish website
- Office phone: 530-662-2805
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/HolyRosaryWoodland
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick Scanlon1870–1871
First resident priest of Holy Rosary.
- Rev. Dominic Spellman1871–1872
- Rev. Patrick J. Gallagher1872–1874
Acquired the Main/Walnut site.
- Rev. Peter Kaiser1874–1877
Built second church; founded mission churches in Davis and Knights Landing.
- Rev. John Largan1877–1878
- Rev. Patrick Ward1878
- Rev. John F. Nugent1878–1879
- Rev. Cornelius O'Connor1879–1883
- Rev. John McGinty1883–1886
Founded Holy Rosary Academy with Holy Cross Sisters.
- Rev. Matthew Coleman1886–1888
- Rev. James J. Hynes1888–1899
- Rev. James Hunt1899
- Rev. William Laffan1899–1900
- Rev. Patrick Grealy1900–1911
Left a $7,000 bequest and a corner lot for the next church.
- Rev. Michael Wallrath1911–1917
Built the 1913 Italian-style church on Main Street.
- Rev. Thomas W. Horgan1917–1926
Built the parish hall and a church in Knights Landing.
- Rev. Michael Gaffney1931–1938
Served through the Depression.
- Msgr. John E. Tumulty1938–1961
Oversaw construction and dedication of the 1949 modern Romanesque church.
- Msgr. Thomas H. Markham1961–1970
- Rev. Anthony V. Maio1970–1982
- Rev. Cornelius O'Donnell1982–1994
12-year pastorate.
- Rev. John E. Boll1994–2005
First pastor to begin conversations about building a new, larger church.
- Rev. Terry A. Fulton2006–2010
- Rev. Frank Velasquez2010–2015
- Rev. Jonathan B. Molina2015–present
25th pastor; previously pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, Redding; led the parish to dedication of the new church in 2026.