About Holy Spirit · San Jose, California
Holy Spirit Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of San Jose, located at 1200 Redmond Avenue in the Almaden Valley neighborhood of San Jose, California. Founded in 1963 by Father Thomas F. Murray, the present church building was completed in 1966, and in 2000 the parish expanded with the opening of Holy Spirit School, a pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic elementary school. Under the leadership of Pastor Father Ritche Bueza, the parish lives by the motto "Many Tongues, One Spirit," offering weekday and weekend Masses in English, regular First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, faith formation for children and youth, OCIA for adults, and a robust Survival Sack outreach to neighbors experiencing homelessness in downtown San Jose.
- Established
- 1963
- Patron
- Holy Spirit
- Rector
- Rev. Ritche Bueza (Pastor and Director of Liturgy)
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Jose
Why belong here
Holy Spirit is a warm, multi-generational parish that pairs a classic sacramental schedule with ministries for every age and stage — from Children's Liturgy of the Word and Faith Formation for 1st–5th graders, to a two-year Confirmation process for youth in 7th grade and up, to OCIA for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church. Families with school-age children can send their kids next door to Holy Spirit School, an accredited PK–8 Catholic school with over 550 students, a Coyote mascot, and modern facilities including science labs and an art studio. The parish also takes the Gospel call to serve seriously, running the long-standing Survival Sack Ministry for neighbors experiencing homelessness and supporting the wider Diocese through the Annual Diocesan Appeal. With weekday Mass Monday through Friday, a full Sunday schedule, First Friday Adoration, and Saturday confessions, Holy Spirit makes daily Catholic life easy to live.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM
- Or by appointment (contact the Parish Office)
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month after daily Mass, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Parish Identity & Motto
Holy Spirit Parish in San Jose, California, embraces the motto 'Many Tongues, One Spirit,' reflecting its commitment to welcoming families from diverse backgrounds into one Catholic community. The parish mission statement — 'We follow Christ by living our Faith, sharing Knowledge and serving the Community' — is published on the parish site and frames every ministry from the altar to the school to the streets.
- Motto: 'Many Tongues, One Spirit'
- Mission: 'We follow Christ by living our Faith, sharing Knowledge and serving the Community.'
- Located in the Almaden Valley neighborhood of San Jose
History
Holy Spirit Parish traces its roots to 1963, when it was founded by Father Thomas F. Murray to serve the growing Catholic community of Almaden Valley. The present church was completed three years later in 1966, and in September 2000 the parish took a major leap forward by opening Holy Spirit School on the same campus. Today the parish is pastored by Father Ritche Bueza, who reorganized the staff in 2024 to launch a renewed focus on faith formation, community-building, and evangelization.
- Founded in 1963 by Father Thomas F. Murray
- Present church completed in 1966
- Holy Spirit School opened September 2000
- Pastoral transition: Father John Hoang transferred to Holy Family July 1, 2024
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Father Ritche Bueza, who also serves as Director of Liturgy. He is assisted by Father Robert Lamorena as Associate Pastor (Parochial Vicar, effective July 1, 2024). The wider team includes school principal Sally Douthit, vice principal Brie LaCuesta, business manager Mary Sparacino, pastoral associates Merry Reardon (Faith & Spiritual Formation, Community Building) and Row David (Youth, Confirmation, Social Ministries), music director Tim Mascarinas, pastoral care coordinator Thompson, and administrative assistant Melissa Brush.
- Father Ritche Bueza — Pastor and Director of Liturgy
- Father Robert Lamorena — Associate Pastor (since July 2024)
- Sally Douthit — School Principal
- Brie LaCuesta — Vice Principal
- Mary Sparacino — Business Manager
- Merry Reardon — Pastoral Associate, Faith & Spiritual Formation / Community Building
- Row David — Pastoral Associate, Youth, Confirmation, Social Ministries
- Tim Mascarinas — Director of Music
- Thompson — Pastoral Care Coordinator
- Melissa Brush — Admin Assistant and Interim Bulletin/Communications Coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Spirit's faith formation programs are designed for every age. Children in grades 1 through 5 preparing for First Communion or simply wanting to grow in their faith gather for classes on Sundays (10:30–11:20 AM) and Mondays (5:00–5:50 PM). Youth in 7th grade and up enter a two-year Confirmation process (one-year for high schoolers). Adults seeking to become Catholic — or baptized Catholics seeking First Eucharist or Confirmation — are welcomed into OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) with inquiry sessions held throughout the year.
- Children's Faith Formation (grades 1–5): Sundays 10:30–11:20 AM, Mondays 5:00–5:50 PM
- First Holy Communion preparation (Domestic Church program)
- Youth Confirmation — two-year process for middle school, one-year for high school
- Adult Confirmation track through Merry Reardon ([email protected])
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for ages 7+ — Inquiry Sessions offered
Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
Children in grades 1 through 5 are invited to step out of the sanctuary after the opening prayer at certain Sunday Masses to hear the Word of God at their own level. After a special blessing, they return to their families in the pews. CLOW is currently offered at the 9:30 AM Mass on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sundays.
- Ages: 1st–5th grade
- Offered at the 9:30 AM Mass on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sundays
Youth Ministry & Confirmation
The parish's youth ministry is led by Row David as Pastoral Associate for Youth, Confirmation and Social Ministries. Confirmation preparation is a two-year process for middle school youth (open from 7th grade) and a condensed one-year process for high school youth, with an annual orientation in early September.
- Director: Row David ([email protected])
- Two-year middle school process (starting 7th grade)
- One-year high school process
- Annual orientation in early September
Holy Spirit School
Opened in September 2000, Holy Spirit School is described by the Diocese of San Jose as the newest Catholic elementary school in the diocese. Located on the parish campus (1198 Redmond Avenue area), the school serves pre-kindergarten through 8th grade with an enrollment of more than 550 students. It is accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), and campus facilities include a large gymnasium, two science labs, an art studio, and a spacious library. School colors are red and blue, and the mascot is the Coyote.
- Established: September 2000
- Grades served: PK–8
- Enrollment: over 550 students
- Accreditation: WASC
- Mascot: Coyote; colors: red and blue
- Campus features: gymnasium, two science labs, art studio, library
- Principal: Mrs. Sally Douthit
- Vice Principal: Mrs. Brie LaCuesta
Social Ministries & Outreach
Holy Spirit lives its mission of 'serving the Community' through several parish-wide outreach efforts. The flagship is the long-running Survival Sack Ministry at Sacred Heart Community Center, which the parish both staffs and manages. Additional social ministries are coordinated by pastoral associate Row David, and the parish participates in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) supporting parishes across the Diocese of San Jose.
- Survival Sack Ministry — distributes backpacks to homeless clients at Sacred Heart Community Center on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays (8:30–10:30/10:45 AM)
- Survival Sack backpacks include: small blanket, socks, underwear, large hygiene kit, gloves, hat, toilet paper, water bottle, and tarps (donated via the 'Turkeys and Tarps Drive')
- Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) support
- Turkeys and Tarps Drive
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Parents can register children for Baptism and First Communion preparation, youth and adults can begin Confirmation preparation, and couples are invited to begin marriage preparation with the parish office. The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment — and around-the-clock in emergencies via the parish emergency line at 408-997-5101.
- Baptism — infant and children’s preparation available
- First Holy Communion / First Reconciliation — via Faith Formation (1st–5th grade)
- Confirmation — youth two-year or one-year; adult track through Merry Reardon
- Marriage — preparation through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment; emergency line 408-997-5101
Music & Liturgy
Father Ritche Bueza serves the parish as both Pastor and Director of Liturgy. Music Ministry is led by Director of Music Tim Mascarinas. The music ministry also hosts special evenings such as Advent Praise & Worship (the December 2024 event featured Father Robert Lamorena and Row David as keynote speakers on the themes of Hope and Trust).
- Director of Liturgy: Father Ritche Bueza
- Director of Music: Tim Mascarinas
- Advent Praise & Worship evenings hosted by the Music Ministry
Parish Office & Practical Information
The parish office at 1200 Redmond Avenue is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Phone: 408-997-5101. Fax: 408-997-5102. An emergency line (408-997-5101) is available for the urgent sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The parish publishes a weekly e-Bulletin, livestreams Mass, accepts online giving, and lists parish events in an online calendar.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Phone: 408-997-5101
- Fax: 408-997-5102
- Emergency line: 408-997-5101 (Anointing of the Sick)
- Online giving available
- Mass livestream available
- Weekly e-Bulletin published
Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can get involved by joining faith-formation classes, volunteering for the Survival Sack Ministry (volunteers aged 16+ welcome), lending a hand in the parish office, or supporting the Annual Diocesan Appeal. The parish also runs a name-badge ministry to help newcomers and guests put faces to names in the community.
- Volunteer for Survival Sack Ministry (contact Tom Burgei or Patty O'Neil: [email protected] / 408-504-0909)
- Front-office volunteers (contact Merry Reardon: [email protected] / 408-997-5112)
- Name-badge ministry for newcomers and guests
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas F. Murray1963 (founding)
Founded the parish in 1963; the present church was completed in 1966.
- Rev. Ritche BuezaCurrent pastor
Current Pastor and Director of Liturgy; in 2024, announced that Fr. John Hoang (two years of service) was transferred to Holy Family effective July 1, and reorganized parish staff.