About Our Lady of Good Counsel Church · San Leandro, California
Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Oakland serving the Marina District of San Leandro, California. Founded in 1966, it grew out of the Star of the Sea Mission that had been established just a year earlier to serve the 350 Catholic families living near the bay. The parish is notable for its bilingual liturgical life, offering Mass in English and Polish, and for a vibrant mix of choirs, lay ministries, and sacramental preparation programs run by a long succession of pastors.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Rector
- Fr. Jan Rudzewicz
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a welcoming, multilingual Catholic parish in San Leandro's Marina District that has served its neighborhood since 1966. It offers daily and Sunday Mass in English plus a weekly Sunday Mass in Polish, Eucharistic adoration in the chapel six days a week, the sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday afternoon, and a full sacramental preparation program including RCIA, First Communion, Confirmation, baptisms, weddings, and Anointing of the Sick. Members can join one of several choirs — including a long-running Children's Choir founded in 2004 — serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, or altar servers, take Communion to the homebound, or share their skills on the Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, Liturgy Committee, or Building and Grounds committee.
Mass times at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- First Friday 8:00 PM
- By appointment (call 510-969-7013)
Adoration times
- Monday through Saturday: 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM (in the Chapel)
- First Friday: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM (in the Church), 9:00 PM – 12:00 midnight (in the Chapel)
Parish History
Our Lady of Good Counsel traces its origins to May 1965, when Star of the Sea Mission was opened to serve 350 Catholic families in San Leandro's Marina District. The need quickly outgrew mission status, and on July 1, 1966 Bishop Begin created Our Lady of Good Counsel as a parish, assigning Father James P. Keane as its founding pastor. The original Rheem-Dudley pre-fabricated church was opened in September 1969 and formally dedicated on March 14, 1970. Today the parish serves a bilingual English-and-Polish Catholic community in the Diocese of Oakland.
- 1965 — Star of the Sea Mission opened under Father Michael McGinty of St. Felicitas
- July 1, 1966 — Bishop Begin establishes Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish; Fr. James F. Keane appointed first pastor
- September 1969 — Church building opened
- March 14, 1970 — Formal dedication by Bishop Begin; he confirms a class of 40
- October 5, 1972 — Father Keane transferred to Our Lady of Grace, Castro Valley
- 2011 — Fr. Jan Rudzewicz begins tenure as pastor
Devotions & Special Masses
In addition to the regular Sunday and weekday schedule, the parish hosts devotional gatherings associated with Filipino Catholic traditions practiced by many parishioners.
- El Shaddai — Second Sunday of the month, 3:00 PM
- Virgin of Penafrancia — Third Sunday of the month, 2:00 PM
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms, weddings, and Anointing of the Sick are arranged by appointment; First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation follow an annual preparation schedule, with Confirmation typically conferred at the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland.
- Baptism — by appointment; call (510) 614-2765 or (510) 969-7013
- First Reconciliation — annual
- First Communion — annual, celebrated at the Saturday evening Mass
- Confirmation — annual, Saturday afternoon, at the Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland
- Marriage (Wedding) — by appointment via the Rectory
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- RCIA — weekly Sunday sessions between Masses, October through April
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD)
Religious education for parish children takes place Sunday mornings after the 8:30/9:00 AM Mass, covering all grades. Adult faith formation is offered through the RCIA program for those exploring baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, or reception into the Catholic Church.
- Family Religious Education / CCD: Sunday morning, all grades, after the morning Mass
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults): Sunday mornings, October–April
- Contact for RCIA registration: George Ybanez, (510) 449-4832
Music Ministry & Choirs
Music is a vibrant part of parish life at Our Lady of Good Counsel, with multiple choirs serving different Masses and age groups. The Children's Choir, in particular, has become a feature of the parish's liturgical and cultural calendar.
- 5:00 PM Saturday Choir
- Sunday Choir
- Children's Choir (founded September 2004 by Gloria Garcia and Esperanza E. De Castro; ages 6–14; sings at the 11:00 AM Mass on the third Sunday of each month and at the annual Christmas Pageant)
- Youth Choir
- Penafrancia Choir
Parish Committees & Councils
Lay leadership at the parish operates through several consultative and service bodies that assist the pastor in planning, finances, liturgy, and property care.
- Pastoral Council — advisory body to the pastor; meets monthly
- Finance Committee — advises on parish financial resources and budget; meets quarterly
- Liturgy Committee — plans parish liturgies with the pastor and Pastoral Council; meets quarterly and before major seasons
- Building and Grounds Committee — ongoing maintenance projects; meets quarterly
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the community directly during Mass and beyond through a variety of liturgical and pastoral roles.
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Altar Servers
- Homebound Ministry — bringing Communion to those unable to attend Mass
Staff & Parish Office
Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated by a small staff under the pastor and supported by the Rectory and Parish offices.
- Pastor: Fr. Jan Rudzewicz
- Deacon: Thomas Martin
- Secretary: Lino Poblete
- RCIA Coordinator: George Ybanez
- Rectory Office: (510) 969-7013
- Parish Office: (510) 614-2765
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
- Email: [email protected]
Visit, Contact & Location
The parish welcomes visitors at its Bermuda Avenue church in San Leandro's Marina District. Office inquiries are handled Monday through Friday during the morning and early afternoon; weekend visitors are encouraged to attend any of the scheduled Masses.
- Church Address: 2500 Bermuda Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577
- Mailing Address: 14112 Azores Place, San Leandro, CA 94577
- Rectory: (510) 969-7013
- Parish Office: (510) 614-2765
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.olgcsanleandro.com/
- Diocese: Diocese of Oakland
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James F. Keane1966-1972
Founding pastor; came from teaching at Bishop O'Dowd High School. Oversaw construction of the original church and its 1970 dedication by Bishop Begin.
- Fr. Joseph Ferreira1972-1983
Continued the building program; broke ground for a new rectory adjacent to the church.
- Fr. Joseph K. Autard1983-1992
- Fr. Alexander N. Snyder1992-1998
- Fr. Thomas Duong Binh-Minh1998-2001
- Fr. Dominic Thuong Hoai Nguyen2001-2011
- Fr. Jan Rudzewicz2011-present
Current pastor.