About Holy Spirit · Fairfield, California
Holy Spirit Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairfield, California, part of the Diocese of Sacramento's Solano Deanery in Solano County. The parish serves a large and culturally diverse community with 13 Masses celebrated each week — including five in Spanish — reflecting its longstanding Latino presence in northern Solano County. It also operates Holy Spirit School, a Kindergarten through 8th grade Catholic elementary school, and runs ministries such as religious education and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Worship is offered at the current church on North Texas Street, which has grown from a remodeled Portuguese hall in 1943 into a major regional parish.
- Established
- 1943
- Patron
- Holy Spirit
- Rector
- Rev. Joel S. Genabia
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Solano Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Spirit is one of the largest and most active parishes in Solano County, offering 13 Masses a week (five in Spanish) plus weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, and Friday adoration, so most Catholics can find a convenient time to worship. It is home to a thriving K–8 Catholic school (Holy Spirit School), an active religious education program, and a St. Vincent de Paul Society that serves the homeless and needy of Fairfield. With English and Spanish Masses side by side, a Sunday Mass interpreted for the deaf, and a school that welcomes families, Holy Spirit offers a place to belong for a wide cross-section of the community.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (English)
- Tuesday: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Spanish)
- Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Spanish)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
Parish Overview
Holy Spirit Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 1050 N. Texas Street in Fairfield, California, in the Solano Deanery of the Diocese of Sacramento. It is one of the larger parishes in the region, celebrating 13 Masses each week, five of them in Spanish. The parish complex also houses Holy Spirit School (K–8), a convent, and a parish center on the same North Texas Street campus.
- 1050 N. Texas Street (church) / 1070 N. Texas Street (mailing), Fairfield, CA 94533
- Phone: (707) 425-3138
- Website: holyspiritfairfield.org
- Diocese of Sacramento, Solano Deanery, Solano County
History of Holy Spirit Parish
Catholic life in the Fairfield–Suisun area goes back to 1861, when Suisun was established as a mission and two Catholic churches were built in Suisun City. Holy Spirit Parish itself was formally founded in 1943, when the Portuguese Queen St. Elizabeth Society donated its hall to the diocese. Father John F. O'Brien, the first pastor, remodeled the hall with the help of parishioners, and it was dedicated as a church on October 10, 1943. In 1950, St. Alphonsus Parish in Suisun was merged into Holy Spirit after that church was destroyed by fire. Land on North Texas Street was purchased in September 1951, and the parish hall and Holy Spirit School were built in 1956. San Francisco architect John G. Minton designed the present church, begun in 1959 and dedicated on April 13, 1961. The rectory, originally at 912 Broadway, was moved through Fairfield's streets to the new campus in 1962. The parish was remodeled in 1982 by architect Wesley J. Barnum to reflect Vatican II, placing the altar in the center of the nave surrounded by a semicircle of seating. A bell tower was added in 1999. The parish marked the 50th anniversary of the current church in April 2011.
- 1861: Suisun established as a Catholic mission
- 1943: Portuguese Hall donated; church dedicated October 10, 1943
- 1950: St. Alphonsus, Suisun, merged into Holy Spirit after fire
- 1951: North Texas Street land purchased
- 1956: Holy Spirit School and parish hall built
- 1961: New church designed by John G. Minton dedicated April 13, 1961
- 1962: Rectory moved from 912 Broadway to North Texas campus
- 1982: Sanctuary remodeled for Vatican II by Wesley J. Barnum
- 1999: Bell tower added
- April 2011: 50th anniversary of the present church building
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, and three deacons, with Holy Spirit School led by Principal Tricia Fey. The Diocese of Sacramento's parish directory lists Rev. Joel S. Genabia as pastor and Rev. Dante Lumabas of the Society of St. Paul (SSP) as parochial vicar.
- Pastor: Rev. Joel S. Genabia
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Dante Lumabas, SSP
- Deacon Mike Bennett
- Deacon Rodolfo Que
- Deacon Jack Davault
- Holy Spirit School Principal: Tricia Fey
Holy Spirit School
Holy Spirit School is a Kindergarten through 8th grade Catholic elementary school sharing the North Texas Street campus with the parish. It is fully accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and offers a full-day Kindergarten program, a Catholic faith-centered curriculum, and a range of extracurricular activities. The current principal is Tricia Fey.
- Grades: K–8
- Principal: Tricia Fey
- Accreditation: WCEA and WASC
- Phone: 707-422-5016
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: hsschool.org
- Located on the parish campus at 1050 N. Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533
Parish Ministries & Outreach
The parish runs a religious education program for children and youth, and its St. Vincent de Paul Society reaches out to the homeless and needy of the Fairfield community. Local press coverage of the parish's 50th anniversary in 2011 noted both as among the most visible parish ministries.
- Religious Education (faith formation for children and youth)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (outreach to the homeless and needy)
Languages & Deaf Community
Because Holy Spirit's Mass schedule includes five Spanish Masses each week and a Sunday Mass interpreted for the deaf, the parish serves a notably diverse Catholic community in Solano County.
- English and Spanish Masses celebrated throughout the week
- Sunday 12:00 PM Mass interpreted for the deaf
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, or stop in at the mailing address on North Texas Street. The parish website at holyspiritfairfield.org is the official online home of the community.
- Church address: 1050 N. Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533
- Mailing address: 1070 N. Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533
- Phone: (707) 425-3138
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: holyspiritfairfield.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John F. O'Brien1943–
First pastor; remodeled the donated Portuguese Hall into the original Holy Spirit church, dedicated October 10, 1943.
- Rev. Michael O. DowneyPastoral leader at 50th anniversary (April 2011)
Pastor who oversaw the parish's 50th anniversary of the present church building.
- Rev. Joel S. GenabiaCurrent (per Diocese of Sacramento parish page)
Current pastor as listed on the Diocese of Sacramento parish page.