About Mission Dolores · San Francisco, California
Mission Dolores, formally Misión San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest intact building in San Francisco and the only intact mission chapel remaining of the 21 founded under the direction of Father Junípero Serra. Located in the Mission District at 3321 16th Street, it is operated as a Catholic parish by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and is composed of two adjoining churches — the 1791 adobe chapel (the Old Mission) and the 1918 Mission Dolores Basilica, which was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1952, becoming the first minor basilica west of the Mississippi. The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish) and is situated at the crossroads of the Mission, Castro, Lower Haight, Noe Valley, and Upper Market neighborhoods.
- Established
- 1776
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Mark P. Garbo
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
Mission Dolores offers a rare combination of living 18th-century California history and a vibrant, contemporary bilingual parish community. Worshippers gather in both the 1791 adobe Old Mission (the oldest intact building in San Francisco) and the 1918 Basilica, with Mass celebrated in English and Spanish and a full calendar of devotions including daily Mass, First Friday exposition, a livestreamed daily Rosary in both languages, the annual Candlelight Christmas Concert, and the popular Navidad en la Misión concert. The parish runs active faith formation for children and adults (CCD, Confirmation, RCIA in English and Spanish), liturgical ministries, a Hispanic ministry, the Legion of Mary, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society — all rooted in the cradle of San Francisco's Catholic and civic life.
Mass times at Mission Dolores
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM (Old Mission)
- By appointment — call (415) 621-8203
Adoration times
- Friday 3:00 PM — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Divine Mercy (Old Mission)
- First Friday of the month 4:00 PM
About Mission Dolores Parish
Mission Dolores has always held a central place in the religious, civic, and cultural life of San Francisco. Misión San Francisco de Asís was founded under the direction of Father Junípero Serra and is both the oldest original intact Mission in California and the oldest building in the city. Today the Mission Dolores Parish comprises both the 1918 Basilica and the 1791 Old Mission adobe chapel, with the parish community drawn from the Mission District, Castro, Lower Haight, Noe Valley, and Upper Market neighborhoods. Worship is offered in English and Spanish, reflecting the remarkable diversity of modern San Francisco.
- Misión San Francisco de Asís founded 1776
- Oldest intact building in San Francisco
- Operated by the Archdiocese of San Francisco
- Parish reflects the diversity of the Mission, Castro, Lower Haight, Noe Valley, and Upper Market neighborhoods
History of the Mission
Founded October 9, 1776, by Spanish Franciscan missionaries Fathers Francisco Palóu and Pedro Benito Cambón, the mission took its popular name from the nearby Arroyo de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores ('Our Lady of Sorrows Creek'). Construction of the present adobe church began in 1788 with Ohlone labor; the chapel was completed in 1791 with four-foot-thick adobe walls, redwood beams, and a vegetable-dye ceiling. After the 1906 earthquake destroyed the 1876 brick church, a new Mission Dolores Church was begun in 1913 and dedicated on Christmas Eve 1918. Architect Willis Polk restored the adobe chapel in 1917. In 1952 Archbishop John J. Mitty announced that Pope Pius XII had elevated Mission Dolores to the status of a minor basilica — the first west of the Mississippi and the fifth in the United States.
- Founded October 9, 1776 by Fathers Francisco Palóu and Pedro Benito Cambón
- Adobe chapel completed 1791
- Survived the 1906 earthquake; 1876 brick church destroyed
- New church cornerstone 1913; dedicated December 24, 1918
- Willis Polk restored the adobe chapel in 1917
- Designated a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1952
Old Mission (1791 Adobe Chapel)
The 1791 adobe chapel — the only intact mission chapel in the chain of 21 founded under Father Serra — is a textbook example of Spanish Mission style. Its four-foot-thick adobe walls, redwood roof beams, tile roof made by Mission Indians, and peg-and-rawhide joinery (no nails) have made it a steadfast witness to the entire span of San Francisco's history, including the California Gold Rush and the 1906 earthquake.
- Adobe walls four feet thick
- Redwood roof beams; tiles made by Mission Indians
- Peg-and-rawhide construction (no nails)
- Houses a 22×20 ft Ohlone mural from 1791 (rediscovered 1910)
- Houses a baroque reredos installed 1796
Mission Dolores Basilica (1918)
The basilica was constructed 1913–1918 to replace the brick church destroyed in 1906, delayed by the American entry into World War I, and dedicated on Christmas Eve 1918. It was remodeled in 1926 with churrigueresque ornamentation inspired by the 1915 Panama–California Exposition in San Diego. Its stained-glass windows were largely procured by Archbishop Patrick Riordan from the Munich firms of Franz Mayer and Franz Xaver Zettler. The church was consecrated in 1936 and designated a minor basilica in 1952.
- Cornerstone 1913; dedicated December 24, 1918
- Remodeled 1926 with churrigueresque ornamentation
- Stained glass by Franz Mayer and Franz Xaver Zettler of Munich
- Conscrated 1936; minor basilica 1952
Becoming Catholic — RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the normal way adults prepare for baptism and full communion with the Catholic Church. The Mission Dolores RCIA team supports inquirers and candidates through the stages of Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy. Sessions are offered in both English and Spanish and meet on Wednesdays at 6:45 PM in the St. Francis Room; the process is ongoing throughout the year. The parish also offers Adult Confirmation for already-baptized Catholics seeking to complete their sacraments.
- RCIA in English and Spanish
- Wednesday 6:45 PM in the St. Francis Room
- Adult Confirmation available
- Contact: [email protected] or (415) 621-8203
Faith Formation — CCD and Confirmation
Mission Dolores supports parents and guardians in handing on the Catholic faith to their children through its Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program, a two-year preparation for First Communion and Confirmation beginning each September. Face-to-face sessions meet on the first and third Saturdays of the month at 3:00 PM, followed by the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass. Program fees are $50 per candidate or $75 per family, with payment arrangements available. A Faith Formation Distance Learning page on the parish website provides Sunday family reflections and links about the Mass, Rosary, and other faith topics.
- CCD: two-year program for First Communion and Confirmation
- Sessions 1st & 3rd Saturdays at 3:00 PM
- Fees: $50 per candidate / $75 per family
- Faith Formation Distance Learning page for home study
Music and Liturgy
Liturgy and music at Mission Dolores are coordinated by Jerome Lenk, Director of Liturgy & Music. The Basilica Choir sings at the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass and presents the parish's annual Candlelight Christmas Concert each December. A Hispanic Choir leads the music at the noon Spanish Mass. The parish also partners with the San Francisco Community Music Center to host 'Navidad en la Misión,' a Spanish-language Christmas concert featuring Coro de Cámara, Mariachi CMC, and Coros de la Misión.
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Jerome Lenk
- Basilica Choir at 10:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Hispanic Choir at noon Spanish Mass
- Annual Candlelight Christmas Concert
- Navidad en la Misión with SF Community Music Center
Parish Life and Ministries
Beyond the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments, Mission Dolores offers a wide range of parish ministries and groups, including liturgical ministries (choir, lectors, altar servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist), social-justice outreach (visiting the homebound, food-pantry volunteering, St. Vincent de Paul Society), Hispanic ministry, the Legion of Mary, youth ministry, men's and women's groups, and the annual parish bazaar. The parish notes that it welcomes ideas for new ministries from parishioners.
- Liturgical ministries: choir, lectors, altar servers, EMHC
- Social-justice outreach: homebound visits, food pantry, St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Legion of Mary
- Hispanic Ministry
- Youth Ministry
- Men's and women's groups
- Annual parish bazaar
Cemetery and Gardens
Adjacent to the Old Mission, the Mission Dolores Cemetery is the only cemetery remaining within San Francisco city limits. It is the final resting place of some 5,000 Ohlone, Miwok, and other First Californians, plus roughly 200 marked headstones dated 1830 to 1898, including Governor Luis Antonio Argüello, Lt. Moraga, and victims of the Committee of Vigilance. The gardens have been restored and planted with traditional native trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants from the 1791 period, including a rose garden gifted by the Golden Gate Rose Society and an Ohlone ethno-botanic garden.
- Only cemetery remaining within San Francisco city limits
- ~5,000 unmarked Native American graves
- ~200 marked headstones, 1830–1898
- Burials include Luis Antonio Argüello, Lt. Moraga, Cora, Casey, Sullivan
- Restored 1791-period garden
- Golden Gate Rose Society rose garden
- Ohlone ethno-botanic garden
Visiting Mission Dolores
The Old Mission, Gift Shop, Museum, Cemetery and Basilica are open to visitors year-round, with self-guided tours available without reservation. Guided tours for school and large groups can be arranged by submitting the Guided Tours form on the parish website. Free admission.
- Hours: Monday–Friday 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Self-guided tours do not require reservations
- Guided tours available for school and large groups
- Free admission
Parish Staff
Mission Dolores is led by Pastor Rev. Francis Mark P. Garbo, with Deacons Vicente Cervantes and Mario Zuniga. Fathers Manuel Curso, Stephen Meriwether, and Francis Htun are priests in residence. Lay pastoral directors and staff oversee Liturgy & Music (Jerome Lenk), Religious Education (Maria Uribe and Andres DeRosales), Development & Administration (Gustavo A. Torres), and the Old Mission (Curator Andrew A. Galvan). Gina Dubon serves as Administrative Assistant and Raju Kumar as Sacristan. Carolina Zuniga is the parish's Social Justice Ministry Director through the Excell Network.
- Pastor: Rev. Francis Mark P. Garbo
- Deacons: Vicente Cervantes, Mario Zuniga
- Priests in residence: Manuel Curso, Stephen Meriwether, Francis Htun
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Jerome Lenk
- Director of Religious Education: Maria Uribe
- Old Mission Curator: Andrew A. Galvan
- Development & Administration: Gustavo A. Torres
- Social Justice Ministry Director: Carolina Zuniga