About Our Lady of Refuge · San Diego, California
Our Lady of Refuge is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego, California, in the Diocese of San Diego. The parish community gathers as "Pilgrim People of God" around Word and Sacrament, offering Mass in both English and Spanish, with a weekly live-streamed English Mass and a Saturday evening Spanish broadcast. It serves the faithful at 4226 Jewell Street (with the church itself at 4212 Jewell Street) under the pastoral care of Fr. José Luis Muro and two deacons.
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- Our Lady of Refuge
- Rector
- Fr. José Luis Muro
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
Why belong here
Our Lady of Refuge welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics to a Pilgrim People of God community grounded in Word and Sacrament, with three Sunday Masses (two English, one Spanish) and a full weekday schedule. The parish offers weekly Reconciliation in both languages, faith formation for children and adults through its School of Religion, preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage, and a simple weekly parish-hall coffee after the 10:30 Mass to build friendships.
Mass times at Our Lady of Refuge
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (English and Spanish)
- Saturday 6:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. (English and Spanish)
- By appointment — call the parish office to schedule
Mass and Worship Schedule
Our Lady of Refuge offers Mass every day of the week, with three Sunday celebrations in English and Spanish. Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. in English, and Sunday Vigil Masses are celebrated Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in English and 7:00 p.m. in Spanish. The English Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass is live-streamed online, and the Saturday 7:00 p.m. Spanish Mass is also broadcast for those who cannot attend in person.
- Sunday 8:30 a.m. — English
- Sunday 10:30 a.m. — English (live-streamed)
- Sunday 1:00 p.m. — Español
- Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m. — English
- Saturday 5:00 p.m. — English (Vigil)
- Saturday 7:00 p.m. — Español (Vigil, broadcast)
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates each of the seven sacraments in both English and Spanish. Sacramental preparation is overseen by Fr. José Luis Muro, the deacons, and the School of Religion staff, and key sacraments follow the schedules and diocesan requirements described on the parish's Sacraments page.
- Baptism — third Sunday of the month; pre-baptism classes required; office contacted at least 6 weeks in advance
- First Communion — preparation in English and Spanish
- Confirmation — preparation in English and Spanish
- Marriage (Weddings) — scheduled at least 9 months in advance per diocesan regulations
- Anointing of the Sick — for the homebound by appointment; hospital emergencies routed through the nurse to the assigned Catholic priest
School of Religion (Faith Formation)
Virginia D. Jimenez serves as Director of the School of Religion, which provides classes for children, youth, and adults in both English and Spanish. The program covers the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation and welcomes inquiries from families new to the parish.
- Classes for children and adults in English
- Classes for children and adults in Spanish
- Director: Virginia D. Jimenez
Parish Staff and Clergy
Pastoral and administrative leadership at Our Lady of Refuge is provided by a small bilingual team. The pastor is supported by two deacons and three lay staff members who run the parish office, the bookkeeper function, and religious education.
- Fr. José Luis Muro — Pastor / Párroco
- Dcn. Salvador Huitrón — Deacon
- Dcn. David Hall — Deacon
- Gregoria Abelardo — Bookkeeper
- Marissa Dominguez — Parish Secretary
- Virginia D. Jimenez — School of Religion Director
Parish Identity and Mission
Our Lady of Refuge identifies itself as "the Pilgrim People of God," a Catholic community that gathers in faith around the table of the Lord and is nourished in Word and Sacrament. The parish's stated mission is to commit itself to praising God and serving one another, and that missionary posture shows up in its bilingual Masses, its live-streamed liturgies, and its emphasis on parish-hall fellowship.
- Official Mission Statement: 'We, Catholic community of Our Lady of Refuge, as the Pilgrim People of God, gather in faith around the table of the Lord, nourished in Word and Sacrament, to commit ourselves to praise God and serve one another.'
Visit, Contact, and Pastoral Emergencies
The parish welcomes visitors and offers staffed office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (with a separate notice listing 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the main page). The parish openly notes that it does not currently provide an after-hours answering service for emergencies, and is working to add one.
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Phone: (858) 274-9670
- Fax: (858) 274-7486
- Email: [email protected]
- Hospital emergency sacramental care: contact the patient's nurse to reach the Catholic priest assigned to that hospital
Online Giving and Stewardship
The parish provides an online giving portal through WeShare Online Giving for parishioners who wish to support the parish electronically. The parish also invites parishioners and visitors to drop in after the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass for coffee in the Parish Hall as a simple form of community stewardship.
- Online giving via our-lady-of-refuge-church.weshareonline.org
- Sunday coffee fellowship in the Parish Hall after the 10:30 a.m. Mass