About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Santa Ana, California
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a Roman Catholic parish located at 1100 S Center Street in Santa Ana, California, in the Diocese of Orange. The parish describes itself as a Catholic church dedicated to welcoming everyone with open arms, striving to meet the spiritual and physical needs of a growing, multicultural parish family and surrounding community through prayer, faith formation, evangelization, stewardship, fellowship, and social justice. Worship is offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, reflecting the diverse community of central Santa Ana. Under the patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the parish invites all to be reconciled and transformed into living symbols of Christ's presence in the world.
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Greg Marquez
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary is one of Santa Ana's most linguistically welcoming parishes, celebrating Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese every week, with daily Masses, daily confessions, and overnight Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays. The parish is built around active liturgical, formation, service, and devotional groups — including Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Legion of Mary, Divine Mercy, St. Vincent de Paul, Pro-Life, Immigration Ministry, Marriage Encounter, Quinceañera preparation, and Faith Formation for all ages — making it easy for any newcomer to find a place to serve and belong.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Holy Days: Scheduled as announced
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month (excluding legal holidays): 8:00 PM – 4:45 AM, followed by 5:00 AM Spanish Mass
About Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a Catholic parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, located at 1100 S Center Street in central Santa Ana, California. The parish's mission statement, copied verbatim from the official site, declares it is 'dedicated to welcoming everyone with open arms' and strives 'to meet the spiritual and physical needs of our growing parish family and diverse community through prayer, faith formation, evangelization, stewardship, fellowship, and social justice.' Under the patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the parish calls people 'into the saving moment of faith, hope and charity, so that they may be reconciled and transformed into living symbols of Christ's presence in the world.'
- Parish identity: Catholic, Diocese of Orange, Deanery 4
- Location: 1100 S Center St, Santa Ana, CA 92704
- Welcomes a diverse, multicultural community
History & Heritage
The parish's recorded pastoral history begins in 1987 with the arrival of Fr. Enrique Sera, who served as pastor until 2004 — a tenure of nearly two decades. During those years he oversaw a $4 million construction project that built the present church, all while continuing his service as a U.S. Navy Reserves chaplain; he was even mobilized with his SeaBee Battalion for one year during Operation Desert Storm while still assigned to IHM. After Fr. Sera, the parish was led by other diocesan priests and today continues its ministry under Fr. Greg Marquez and his vicars. The parish's Marian patron, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, has been the spiritual anchor of this community for decades.
- 1987–2004: Pastor Fr. Enrique Sera (oversaw $4 million church construction project; also served as U.S. Navy Reserves chaplain mobilized during Operation Desert Storm)
- Today: Pastored by Fr. Greg Marquez with parochial vicars Fr. Armando Virrey, Fr. Joseph Truong, and Fr. Carlos Leon
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Greg Marquez and served by three Parochial Vicars — Fr. Armando Virrey, Fr. Joseph Truong, and Fr. Carlos Leon — along with supporting Deacons. The Faith Formation Office is directed by Coral Gomez (714-546-5186 Ext. 189), with a Youth & Young Adult Ministry & Evangelization Coordinator and an Office Intern. The Pastoral Office is staffed by Director of Administration and Pastoral Ministries Yaret Macedo (714-751-5335 Ext. 358), along with office managers and administrative assistants.
- Fr. Greg Marquez — Pastor (714-751-5335 ext. 344)
- Fr. Armando Virrey — Parochial Vicar (714-751-5335 ext. 345)
- Fr. Joseph Truong — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Carlos Leon — Parochial Vicar (714-751-5335 ext. 346)
- Deacons and Faith Formation staff: Coral Gomez, Jessica Marin, Juan Carlos Arrivillaga, Maria Prieto, Yaret Macedo
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
The Faith Formation Office, directed by Coral Gomez, coordinates the parish's catechetical and sacramental preparation programs for children, youth, and adults. Pre-Baptismal preparation is run by the San Juan Pablo II Ministry, and Pre-Marriage preparation is led by the parish's married couple coordinators. The Quinceañera program is administered through the Pastoral Office, reflecting the strong Latino Catholic identity of the parish. Marriage Encounter support is coordinated by Beatriz Ortiz.
- Faith Formation Director: Coral Gomez
- Pre-Baptismal Preparation — San Juan Pablo II Ministry
- Pre-Marriage Preparation — Enrique & Esmeralda Vega
- Marriage Encounter — Beatriz Ortiz
- Quinceañera Program — Pastoral Office
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry & Evangelization
Liturgical Ministries
The parish's liturgical life is supported by a robust team of lay ministers serving in both English and Spanish. Coordinated teams include Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers to the Altar and to the Sick, Altar Servers, Sacristans, Hospitality Ministers, Liturgical Decoration and Gardening, and the Adoración Nocturna (Night Adoration) group that keeps watch during the overnight First Friday adoration.
- Lectores – Español / Lectores – Inglés
- Ministros Eucarísticos – Altar (Ana Rosa Valencia)
- Ministros Eucarísticos – Enfermos (Javier Martínez)
- Servidores del Altar (Felipe Ibarra)
- Sacristanes (Pedro Velázquez)
- Hospitalidad (José Gómez)
- Adoración Nocturna
Service & Outreach Groups
Beyond the sanctuary, Immaculate Heart of Mary runs a wide network of service and outreach groups meeting real needs in the Santa Ana community — from accompanying the dying (Ministry of Consolation) and defending the unborn (Pro-Life), to food/grocery rescue work, the local St. Vincent de Paul conference, immigration support, and marriage and family ministry. These groups reflect the parish's stated commitment to social justice and fellowship.
- San Juan Pablo II Ministry — Hector Figueroa
- Ministry of Consolation — Blanca Guillon
- Pro-Life — Susana Villalobos
- Prevención y Rescate — Arsenia Marcelo
- St. Vincent de Paul — Silvia Figueroa
- Liturgical Decoration and Gardening — Rosa Gaona
- Immigration Ministry — Mary Velez
Devotional Groups
The parish hosts two vibrant devotional groups rooted in Marian and Eucharistic piety: the Legion of Mary and the Lord of Divine Mercy prayer group. Both are organized and coordinated by lay leaders and meet regularly for prayer, formation, and parish service.
- Legion of Mary — Rosalba Roldan
- Lord of Divine Mercy — Petra Pineda
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares the faithful for all seven sacraments. Baptism is described as 'the foundation of the whole Christian life, the gate to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.' The Presentation of children to God and to the Church expresses parents' thanksgiving for the gift of a new child and request for divine protection. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to anyone with a serious illness, not only those at the point of death. Marriage, Quinceañera, and Funeral/Memorial Masses round out the parish's sacramental life.
- Baptism (Spanish: El Santo Bautismo)
- Presentation of children
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage (Pre-Marriage Preparation required)
- Quinceañera
- Funeral & Memorial Masses (contact Pastoral Office at 714-751-5335)
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to worship, pray, and serve at Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Pastoral Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Faith Formation Office is open Monday through Friday from 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM. The parish is located at 1100 S Center St, Santa Ana, CA 92704, and can be reached at (714) 751-5335.
- Address: 1100 S Center St, Santa Ana, CA 92704
- Pastoral Office: (714) 751-5335 — Mon–Fri 10:00 AM–8:00 PM; Sat 1:00 PM–6:00 PM
- Faith Formation Office: (714) 546-5186 — Mon–Fri 3:30 PM–8:00 PM
- Website: http://www.ihmsantaana.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Enrique Sera1987–2004
Long-tenured pastor who oversaw a $4 million construction project for the current church building; also served as a U.S. Navy Reserves chaplain mobilized during Operation Desert Storm.