About Most Holy Trinity · San Jose, California
Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church (MHT) is a Jesuit parish of the Diocese of San Jose located in East San Jose at 2040 Nassau Drive, just west of Reid-Hillview Airport. Founded in 1961, it is one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in the region, with parishioners primarily from Filipino, Hispanic, Samoan, and Vietnamese backgrounds. The parish is staffed by the Jesuits West Province of the Society of Jesus, who took over pastoral care of MHT in 1992 after administering the former Cathedral of Saint Joseph for 141 years. Today MHT bills itself as 'The Jesuit Parish of Silicon Valley' and serves its multicultural community through worship in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, alongside a parish school, a Center for Ignatian Spirituality, and a wide range of faith-formation and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- Most Holy Trinity (the Holy Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Fr. Elias Puentes, SJ
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Jose in California
Why belong here
Most Holy Trinity welcomes anyone seeking a lively, multicultural Catholic community grounded in Jesuit spirituality. Parishioners can worship in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Tagalog across daily, vigil, and seven Sunday Masses, with a special 5:30 PM Sunday Mass geared to youth and young adults. The parish runs a parish school (TK–8) founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a Center for Ignatian Spirituality, a Vietnamese Faith Formation program, OCIA/RCIA, Marriage Encounter, and active outreach including a Wednesday Church Pantry food bank — making MHT a place where newcomers, young families, and long-time faithful can find worship, formation, and service side by side.
Mass times at Most Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- First Fridays of each month – 8:45 AM and 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- St. Ignatius Chapel – Eucharistic Adoration 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM daily
- Multilingual Rosary and Adoration – 6:30 PM every First Wednesday of each month
- Adoration / Contemplation of the Blessed Sacrament – Fridays 8:05 PM – 8:30 PM (starting May 1, 2026)
History of Most Holy Trinity
MHT was founded in 1961 under the Archdiocese of San Francisco with Father Thomas Bowe as its first pastor. When the Vatican created the Diocese of San Jose in 1981, MHT became part of the new diocese. The defining moment came in 1992, when Saint Joseph Church was named the diocesan Cathedral and the Jesuits — who had administered Saint Joseph for 141 years (1851–1992) — were transferred to take pastoral care of MHT, an arrangement that continues today.
- Founded 1961 under the Archdiocese of San Francisco
- First pastor: Fr. Thomas Bowe
- Transferred to the Diocese of San Jose in 1981
- Jesuits (Society of Jesus) arrived at MHT in 1992
Parish Identity & Mission
MHT identifies itself as 'The Jesuit Parish of Silicon Valley,' rooted in the Ignatian tradition of finding God in all things. Its mission is: 'We discover and proclaim God's Love through Worship, Prayer, Study and Good Works.' The parish embraces its ethnic and cultural diversity — primarily Filipino, Hispanic, Samoan, and Vietnamese communities — as a reflection of God's love and creation.
- Self-description: 'The Jesuit Parish of Silicon Valley'
- Mission: Worship, Prayer, Study and Good Works
- Diverse Filipino, Hispanic, Samoan, and Vietnamese communities
Faith Formation
The parish's Faith Formation office serves children, youth, adults, couples, and seekers through programs in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, including the OCIA process (the restored name for the RCIA) and parallel programs for children.
- Order of the Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — Mondays in Spanish, Tuesdays in English; weekly sessions September through Easter Vigil
- Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC)
- English/Spanish Faith Formation program
- Vietnamese Faith Formation Program (directed by Sr. Bernadette Nguyen)
Youth, Young Adult & Family Ministries
MHT invests heavily in next-generation and family ministries, with a special Sunday evening Mass geared to youth and young adults, a Young Adult Ministry for ages 18–39, and Vietnamese youth leadership formation rooted in three pillars: Belonging, Believing, and Becoming.
- Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–39), Sunday 5:30 PM Mass, socials like YAMping, Topgolf, Friendsmas, and service days such as the YAM Homeless Service Day
- Vietnamese Youth Leaders Program — Annual Socks Drive, Vacuum for Christ Lent fundraiser, Mid-Autumn and Lunar New Year events, retreats in Advent and Lent
- Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement
- Couples for Christ (English/Spanish)
- Movimiento Familiar Cristiano
- Cursillo de Cristiandad
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Center for Ignatian Spirituality
As a Jesuit parish, MHT hosts a Center for Ignatian Spirituality that carries forward the spiritual tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola — including the Spiritual Exercises, discernment, and prayer rooted in finding God in all things. This center underpins much of the parish's evangelization and adult formation work.
- Center for Ignatian Spirituality
- Evangelization Group (Spanish)
Most Holy Trinity School
Most Holy Trinity School is a TK–8 Catholic elementary school serving about 200 students, founded in 1965 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to provide Catholic education to parish families. The Jesuit priests actively participate in and support the school, which reports a 100% acceptance rate into Catholic high schools and grounds its formation in the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The school's address is 1940 Cunningham Ave., San Jose, CA 95122 (phone 408-729-3431).
- Founded 1965 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
- Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 8, coed
- Approximately 200 students
- Principal: Darlene Sanchez; Vice-Principal: Jeanine Begley
- 100% Catholic high school acceptance rate
- Website: https://www.mht.school/
Outreach & Charity
Service is a central expression of MHT's Jesuit identity, embodied most visibly in the parish's Church Pantry (Food Bank) and the YAM Homeless Service Day, along with annual collections such as the Vietnamese Youth Leaders' Socks Drive.
- Church Pantry (Food Bank) – Wednesdays 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Annual Socks Drive (Vietnamese Youth Leaders Program)
- Vacuum for Christ Lent fundraiser
- YAM Homeless Service Day
Clergy & Staff
MHT is served by four Jesuit priests and one deacon, alongside a parish office team that includes religious-education leadership in Vietnamese and a Young Adult Minister. The school has its own principal and vice-principal.
- Fr. Elias Puentes, SJ – Pastor
- Fr. Martin Silva, SJ – Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Manh Tran, SJ – Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Vincent Duong, SJ – Parochial Vicar & Head of Liturgy and Music
- Deacon Dung Tran
- Parish staff: Thuy Bui (Admin Assistant), Mario Lucas (Accountant & Development Coordinator), Porty Nevarez (Business Manager), Sr. Bernadette Nguyen (Director of Religious Education, Vietnamese), Natalie To (Young Adult Minister), Sabina Ruiz (Admin Assistant & Communications Coordinator)
- School leadership: Darlene Sanchez (Principal), Jeanine Begley (Vice-Principal)
Contact & Visiting
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (closed Saturday, Sunday, and on legal and church holidays). The parish can be reached by phone at (408) 729-0101, and the parish offices and school are located in the same East San Jose neighborhood near Reid-Hillview Airport.
- Parish phone: (408) 729-0101 (fax 408-258-4131)
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Parish address: 2040 Nassau Drive, San Jose, CA 95122
- School address: 1940 Cunningham Ave., San Jose, CA 95122
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Bowe1961 (founding pastor)
First pastor when MHT was established as a parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.