About Our Lady of Angels · Burlingame, California
Our Lady of Angels is a vibrant Catholic parish in Burlingame, California, served by the Capuchin Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin). Founded in 1926 by Irish Capuchin friars invited by Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna to serve the growing Catholic population on the San Francisco Peninsula, the parish today numbers over 2,400 families. Nestled on peaceful Hillside Drive, OLA offers daily and Sunday Masses, a K-8 school, preschool, faith formation programs, and a wide range of liturgical, youth, and cultural ministries. The parish marked nearly a century of Capuchin Franciscan witness in 2026, with the present church dedicated in 1950.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- Our Lady of Angels (patroness of the Franciscan Order)
- Rector
- Fr. Michael Mahoney, OFM Cap.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
Our Lady of Angels offers a deeply rooted Catholic home on the Peninsula, where daily and Sunday Mass — including a livestreamed Saturday Vigil — form the heart of parish life. Families benefit from an on-site K-8 school (founded 1927, still guided by the Capuchins), a preschool, and a School of Religion, while adults and youth can join a remarkable range of ministries: liturgical service, youth S.W.A.T., the Filipino Charismatics, the First Friday Sacred Heart Mass, the Our Lady of Manaoag Anniversary Mass, the OLA Multicultural Group, and outreach to the homebound and hospitalized. With over 2,400 families and nearly a century of Capuchin Franciscan witness, OLA welcomes newcomers, returning Catholics, and long-time parishioners alike into a community built on simplicity, fraternity, and joyful service.
Mass times at Our Lady of Angels
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (in the church)
- By appointment with one of the priests (call the Rectory Office at (650) 347-7768)
Welcome & Parish Identity
Nestled on peaceful Hillside Drive in Burlingame, Our Lady of Angels is a vibrant Catholic community rooted in faith, tradition, and service. The parish is lovingly guided by the Capuchin Franciscans, who bring their charism of simplicity, fraternity, and joyful service to all they do. The parish welcomes long-time parishioners, newcomers to the area, and those returning to the Church after time away, offering daily Mass, the Saturday Vigil livestream, and active ministries for every age and stage of life.
Sacraments
OLA accompanies parishioners through the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, and Funeral Liturgy. The First Eucharist program is a two-year family preparation (Year 1 in 1st grade, Year 2 in 2nd grade) with classroom instruction, parent meetings, and prayer celebrations. The parish welcomes inquiries through the Rectory Office.
- Baptism, Marriage, and Funeral preparation
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation (2-year program)
- Confirmation (Youth Ministry)
- Reconciliation: Saturdays 3:30–4:30 PM and by appointment
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical service is central to OLA's life. Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist (commissioned each June), Lectors (annual training in November), Altar Servers (grades 5 through high school), and the Music Ministry all help the parish gather in worship. Homebound and Hospital Eucharistic Ministers bring Communion to those who cannot attend Mass, and families are invited to take part in the Sunday Mass Offertory Procession.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Music Ministry (Matt Mattei, Director)
- Homebound and Hospital Eucharistic Ministers
- Sunday Mass Offertory Procession (families)
Devotions & Special Masses
Beyond the regular Mass schedule, OLA gathers for beloved devotions rooted in both Catholic tradition and the parish's multicultural character. The First Friday Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated in the Lower Hall, and the Filipino community sustains a Marian celebration of Our Lady of Manaoag each year.
- First Friday Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — First Friday, 8:30 PM, Lower Hall (novena, praise & worship, birthday/anniversary blessing, potluck)
- Our Lady of Manaoag Anniversary Mass — First Sunday of March, 6:00 PM (rosary, procession, Marian and Filipino music)
- Livestream of the Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass
Parish History
The Capuchins met with local Catholics in 1924 to plan the parish, and the first Mass was offered on December 19, 1926, in the former Easton School, with Fr. Thomas Dowling, OFM Cap., as first pastor. The present church, designed by San Francisco architect Martin Rist and built by Williams and Burroughs of Burlingame, was dedicated November 5, 1950; its stained-glass windows were created between 1951 and 1953 by Carl Huneke. In 1979 the parish was the foundation for the new Capuchin Province of Our Lady of Angels, and the community today numbers over 2,400 families.
- 1924 — Capuchins plan the parish; 1926 first Mass on Dec 19
- 1927 — First parochial school opens, staffed by Sisters of Mercy
- 1950 — Present church dedicated (Martin Rist, architect)
- 1951–53 — Stained glass by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio
- 1976 — Golden Jubilee celebration
- 1979 — New Capuchin Province of Our Lady of Angels formed
- 2,400+ families today
Capuchin Franciscan Sponsorship
OLA has been served continuously by the Capuchin Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin) since 1926. The friars at the parish embody the Capuchin charism of brotherhood, simplicity, prayer, and service to the poor. The Capuchins also field prayer requests through their wider ministries.
- Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap.)
- Three Capuchin priests currently resident at the parish
- Founding priests came from Ireland in 1926
- Foundation parish for the 1979 Province of Our Lady of Angels
Our Lady of Angels K-8 School
Founded in 1927 — the first parochial school in the Burlingame area — and originally staffed by the Sisters of Mercy, OLA School today serves over 300 students (about 196 families) in kindergarten through eighth grade across nine classes. The school partners with the Capuchin Franciscan priests and a generous parent community to uphold academic excellence and Catholic formation. Since 1996 the faculty has been predominantly lay, with one Dominican sister among the staff.
- Opened August 22, 1927 with five grades
- Originally staffed by the Sisters of Mercy
- Currently K-8, 9 classes, 300+ students
- Mission-style main building (rebuilt 1930), expanded 1959 and 1961
OLA Preschool
Our Lady of Angels Preschool offers a caring, faith-based environment for young children. Through engaging, age-appropriate activities and nurturing guidance, students develop early academic skills and a strong foundation in Christian values.
School of Religion & Faith Formation
The School of Religion (formerly CCD, begun in 1962) provides Catholic faith formation for parish children not enrolled in OLA School, in a nurturing environment that deepens understanding of Catholic traditions and builds spiritual foundations. The program includes a two-year First Eucharist and First Reconciliation track and involves parents as primary witnesses of the faith.
- Faith formation for parish children
- Two-year First Eucharist / First Reconciliation program
- Begun as CCD in 1962 by parishioners under Fr. Lawless
- Director of Religious Education: Johna Maychrowitz
- Co-Director: Jennie Lyn T. Malibiran
Youth Ministry & Confirmation
OLA's Youth Ministry brings young people into a deeper relationship with Christ through Confirmation preparation, the S.W.A.T. (Spirituality, Worship, Adoration Team) that organizes Youth Masses and Praise & Worship nights, and training for youth liturgical ministries including Eucharistic Minister and Lector roles.
- Confirmation program (Chris Mariano)
- S.W.A.T. — Spirituality, Worship, Adoration Team
- Youth Masses and Praise & Worship nights
- Youth Liturgical Ministry Training (Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors)
Filipino Catholic Community
OLA's Filipino community sustains a rich liturgical and devotional life through the Filipino Charismatics, a Filipino Choir that sings at the 6:00 PM Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, and the annual Our Lady of Manaoag Anniversary Mass on the first Sunday of March, with rosary, procession, and Marian music.
- Filipino Charismatics
- Filipino Choir (1st & 3rd Sundays at 6 PM Mass)
- Our Lady of Manaoag Anniversary Mass (First Sunday of March)
- Contact: Aivy Castillo, (650) 796-3794
Parish Staff
The parish is served by three Capuchin friars alongside a dedicated lay staff.
- Pastor: Fr. Michael Mahoney, OFM Cap.
- Fr. Joyson Thomas, OFM Cap.
- Fr. Peter Eugenio, OFM Cap.
- Parish Administrator: Theresa Webb
- Office Manager: Sue Hamilton
- Director of Religious Education: Johna Maychrowitz
- Co-Director of Religious Education: Jennie Lyn T. Malibiran
- Youth Ministry & Confirmation: Chris Mariano
- Music Director: Matt Mattei
- Plant Manager: Carlos Szarata-Zuniga
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Rectory Office by phone or visit the parish on Hillside Drive in Burlingame. The Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass is livestreamed online for those unable to attend in person.
- Address: 1721 Hillside Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010
- Phone: (650) 347-7768
- Website: https://www.ola.community/
- Livestream: Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Dowling, OFM Cap.1926–c.1937
First pastor; Irish Capuchin friar invited by Archbishop Hanna to found the parish. Celebrated the first Mass on December 19, 1926, in the former Easton School. Later transferred to St. Lawrence of Brindisi Church in Watts, Los Angeles, in 1937.
- Fr. Cornelius Hyland, OFM Cap.
Pastor who initiated and oversaw construction of the present church, designed by Martin Rist and dedicated November 5, 1950.
- Rev. Fergus Lawless, OFM Cap.1961–1962
Returned as pastor in 1961; elected Provincial of the Capuchins in 1962, after which the rectory became the Provincial House. During his pastorate CCD classes were organized (precursor to the School of Religion).