About Our Lady of Grace · El Cajon, California
Our Lady of Grace Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Fletcher Hills neighborhood of El Cajon, California, in the Diocese of San Diego. Founded in 1954 on the site of the old Fletcher family airstrip, it has grown from a hangar-Mass congregation into a community of roughly 1,640 families. The parish runs an affiliated K-8 Catholic school (Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, 2766 Navajo Road), an active faith formation program for children and adults, a food pantry established in 1981, and a wide range of liturgical, youth, and fellowship ministries.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- Our Lady of Grace (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Lauro Minimo
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
Why belong here
Our Lady of Grace offers multiple Sunday Masses (Saturday Vigil 5:30 pm; Sundays 8:00, 11:00 am and 5:30 pm), three weekly confession times, a Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapel open daily from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm, and a 24-hour Adoration each month. Parishioners can get involved in more than 20 ministries — from the Food Pantry (serving the community since 1981), Knights of Columbus, Catholic Women's Club and ICF fellowship groups, to youth programs ESCAPE (junior high), NEW LIFE (high school) and W.O.W. Walking on Water, plus RCIA, Walking with Purpose women's Bible study, and Music Ministry ensembles for kids and adults. The parish also partners with OLG Catholic School (K–8) on the same campus.
Mass times at Our Lady of Grace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00 pm
- Wednesday 8:45 am
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Daily in the Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapel, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (church and chapel open for personal or family prayer; closed Fridays, all federal holidays, and Easter Monday)
- Monthly 24-hour Adoration (e.g., Friday, May 1) — sign up by emailing [email protected]
Parish History
Our Lady of Grace traces its origins to April 14, 1953, when Bishop Charles F. Buddy of San Diego authorized Rev. Lucian Lauerman to begin a new parish in Fletcher Hills. Fr. Lauerman chose the Fletcher family airstrip because its hangar could host worship; the first Mass was offered in the open hangar on May 30, 1954. The first permanent church (now Lauerman Hall) and the school were completed in 1957 with the Sisters of the Precious Blood staffing the school. The present church was dedicated November 22, 1971, the same year the Sisters of Mercy of Tuam took over the school.
- 1953: Founding authorized by Bishop Charles F. Buddy
- 1954: First Mass celebrated May 30 in the Fletcher family hangar
- 1957: Lauerman Hall (first permanent church) and parish school completed
- 1971: Current church dedicated November 22; Sisters of Mercy assume school operations
- 1981: Food Pantry established
- 1988: Holiday Angels Program launched
- 2006: Prayer Quilt Ministry begins
- 2024–2025: Re-imagining Parish Life and Leadership Listening Circles with 243 participants
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by Pastor Rev. Lauro Minimo and Deacon John Sawaya, with Fr. Marc Gandolfo assisting. Office staff includes Business Manager Cheri Shubert, Office Manager Brandi Torres, Bookkeeper Sioni Bautista, Publicity & Media Coordinator Alexa Alcantara, Special Projects Coordinator Ken Discenza, Religious Education (Henrieta Vyzinkar), and Wedding/Funeral Coordinator Cecilia Jones. Music is led by Director of Liturgical Music Terry Hendricks and Director of the Laudate Ensemble Robert Filley; Youth Ministry is coordinated by Doris Hertzig.
- Pastor: Rev. Lauro Minimo (Ext. 17)
- Deacon John Sawaya — (858) 869-5079
- Fr. Marc Gandolfo — assisting priest
- Business Manager: Cheri Shubert (Ext. 12)
- Office Manager: Brandi Torres (Ext. 10)
- Bookkeeper: Sioni Bautista (Ext. 28)
- Publicity & Media Coordinator: Alexa Alcantara (Ext. 33)
- Special Projects Coordinator: Ken Discenza (Ext. 14)
- Director of Liturgical Music: Terry Hendricks
- Director of Laudate Ensemble: Robert Filley
- Youth Ministry Coordinator: Doris Hertzig — (619) 466-5451
- Religious Education: Henrieta Vyzinkar
- Wedding & Funeral Coordinator: Cecilia Jones
Parish Life & Fellowship Ministries
Beyond liturgy, OLG runs a robust network of parish organizations that build community across generations, including senior fellowship, women's groups, men's faith groups, scouting, and nationally affiliated Catholic lay organizations.
- 55 Plus Club
- Catholic Women's Club (CWC) — general, Book Club, Annual November Craft Fair
- International Catholic Families (ICF)
- Knights of Columbus — Frances Cabrini Council 8879 (medical equipment donation program, Wheelchair Sunday)
- Men for Christ
- Cub Scouts Pack 951
- Cursillo
- Events Committee
Service & Outreach Ministries
Service to those in need is central to OLG's identity. The parish Food Pantry has operated since 1981 out of the Ministry Center behind Lauerman Hall, offering supplemental food and hygiene products Monday through Friday, 9:30–11:00 am. The Holiday Angels program has been providing Christmas assistance to neighbors since 1988, and the Prayer Quilt Ministry (begun 2006) makes and delivers prayer quilts to those in need.
- Food Pantry — since 1981, Mon–Fri 9:30–11:00 am in the Ministry Center
- Holiday Angels — since 1988
- Prayer Quilt Ministry — since 2006
- Ministry to the Sick and Homebound (Holy Communion visits)
- Blood Drive
- Pro-Life / 40 Days for Life
- Knights of Columbus medical equipment donation and Global Wheelchair Mission
Faith Formation & Religious Education
OLG offers faith formation for children age five through adulthood, coordinated by Deacon John Sawaya, Director of Catechetical Ministry K-12 & Adult. Programs run Sunday mornings during the school year, with separate junior high and high school tracks that feed into Confirmation preparation.
- Faith Formation, Kindergarten–5th grade — Sunday mornings 9:30–10:45 am
- Penance and Eucharist preparation — Grade 2 and higher
- Junior High (grades 6–8): Weekly catechesis Sundays 9:30–10:45 am, plus ESCAPE youth group first two Fridays of month
- High School (grades 9–12): NEW LIFE youth group
- Confirmation: two years of preparation, Level 8 prerequisite; integration with New Life
- Walking on Water (W.O.W.) — post-Confirmation
- Study nights last two Tuesdays of the month
- East County Jr. High Youth Day in Spring
Youth Ministry
Parish youth ministry at OLG is structured to build disciples for Christ, equipping young people to share their faith. Two flagship groups run year-round: ESCAPE for middle schoolers and NEW LIFE for high schoolers, with additional programs for post-Confirmation teens.
- ESCAPE — Middle School/Junior High (grades 6–8)
- NEW LIFE — High School (grades 9–12)
- Walking on Water (W.O.W.) — post-Confirmation program
- Altar Servers — open to parishioners in First Communion and age 10+
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The Music Ministry offers multiple ensembles so that singers and instrumentalists of all ages can serve the liturgy at OLG. Cantate Kids forms children in grades 3–10 for the 11:00 am Sunday Mass, while the Gaudete Choir serves adults and older teens for the same Mass the rest of the month; the Laudate Ensemble leads a contemporary sound at the 5:30 pm Sunday Mass.
- Cantate Kids — grades 3–10, rehearses Thu 4:00–5:30 pm, sings at 11:00 am Mass once a month Sept–Pentecost (Director: Terry Hendricks)
- Gaudete Choir — adults and older teens, rehearses Thu 7:00–9:00 pm, sings at 11:00 am Mass Sept–Pentecost (Director: Terry Hendricks)
- Laudate Ensemble — contemporary choir and band, rehearses Thu 7:00–9:00 pm, sings at 5:30 pm Sunday Mass year-round (Director: Robert Filley)
- Director of Liturgical Music: Terry Hendricks
- Altar Servers — training sessions held regularly (contact Fr. Lauro)
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God at Sunday liturgies
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ushers/Ambassadors — hospitality ministry
- Convalescent Home Volunteers
Sacraments
Parish sacramental preparation supports Baptism, First Penance and Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, RCIA, and Anointing of the Sick. Couples are asked to begin marriage preparation nine months in advance, and parents preparing for a child's Baptism are invited to pick up a preparation packet from the parish office.
- Infant Baptism — Sundays at 12:30 pm
- First Penance & First Eucharist — Grade 2+
- Confirmation — two-year process; youth track through Faith Formation and New Life
- Holy Matrimony — 9-month preparation; contact Fr. Lauro or Deacon John
- RCIA — contact Deacon John Sawaya (858-869-5079)
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the priest emergency line
- Sacramental certificates — requested through the parish office
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (K–8)
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (2766 Navajo Road) opened the year after the parish was founded, beginning a lasting tradition of forming students in faith, service, and academic excellence. Inspired by the charisms of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood and the Sisters of Mercy, the school's motto is 'Called to be Disciples. Prepared to Lead.' It serves grades K–8 and is led by Principal Erin Mares with Vice-Principal Tori Franklin and an established faculty and staff.
- Founded 1957 as part of the parish community
- Grades K–8; Elementary (Private); on the parish campus at 2766 Navajo Road
- School phone: (619) 466-0055 · Fax: (619) 466-8994 · Web: olg.org
- Hours during school year: Weekdays 7:15 am – 3:30 pm
- Principal: Mrs. Erin Mares ([email protected])
- Vice-Principal: Mrs. Tornette 'Tori' Franklin
- Athletic Director: Mrs. Susan Lemus
- School Counselor: Mr. Ben Fishburne
Visit, Register & Get Involved
Newcomers are warmly welcomed. The parish office on Navajo Road is open Monday–Friday 8:30 am–4:30 pm. Registration forms are available in the main entry of the church or online through the parish office; registration is required for baptism, marriage, and godparent/sponsor certification. The church and Adoration Chapel are open daily (7:00 am – 4:30 pm) for personal prayer.
- Parish Office: Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm · (619) 469-0133
- Registration available on the table in the main entry of the church or through the parish office
- Returning to the Church? Contact Fr. Lauro Minimo, Fr. Marc Gandolfo, or Deacon John Sawaya
- Reporting sexual abuse by clergy or staff: Mary Acosta, (858) 490-8353 · [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Lucian Lauerman1953–1957 (founding pastor; first church/hall named Lauerman Hall in his honor)
Authorized by Bishop Charles F. Buddy on April 14, 1953 to found the parish; celebrated first Mass on May 30, 1954 in the Fletcher family hangar.
- Rev. Peter McGuineThrough ~2022
Listed as pastor in parish bulletins dated 2020 and into the early 2020s.
- Rev. Lauro MinimoEffective ~2022–present
Announced by the Diocese of San Diego as the new pastor; previously assigned as effective Aug. 1 along with other diocesan reassignments. Confirmed as pastor in current parish bulletins and staff directory.