About Our Lady of Sorrows · Santa Barbara, California
Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores) is the oldest Catholic parish in Santa Barbara, California, with roots stretching back to 1782 and the original Presidio Chapel founded by Father Junípero Serra, O.F.M. The current Spanish Colonial Revival / Spanish Romanesque church building was completed in 1929 after the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake destroyed the prior structure, and was designated a City of Santa Barbara landmark on May 17, 2016. Located at 21 East Sola Street across from Alameda Park, the parish was administered by the Jesuit Fathers of the California Province from 1908 until 2014, when it was returned to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Today it serves a bilingual English-Spanish community with daily Mass, weekly Adoration and Confession, sacramental preparation, and a parish school (Notre Dame, originally The Dolores School) founded alongside the parish.
- Established
- 1782 (parish origins at Presidio Chapel); July 29, 1855 (first church consecrated under the name Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Nuestra Señora de los Dolores)
- Rector
- Rev. John O'Brien (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Santa Barbara Pastoral Region)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows is one of the oldest Catholic communities in California, with roots to Father Junípero Serra's 1782 Presidio Chapel and a parish identity that goes back to 1855 — a rare chance to worship in a 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival landmark on Alameda Park in the heart of Santa Barbara. The parish is genuinely bilingual, with daily Mass in English, weekly Spanish Masses, a Saturday bilingual Mass, and ministries for both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking families (Primera Comunión, RICA, Confirmation). It also offers a structured sacramental life — Tuesday evening Confession with Adoration, First Friday Adoration with Benediction, the chalice of Father Serra brought out for special Presidio services — plus the parish school Notre Dame (originally The Dolores School). For anyone who values continuity, devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows (feast day September 15), and a downtown Santa Barbara location, it is both a historic landmark and a living parish.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (with Eucharistic Adoration)
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (with Confession)
- First Friday of the month: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (6:30–7:00 PM Silent Adoration / Adoración en Silencio; 7:00–7:30 PM Prayers of Adoration; 7:30–8:00 PM Singing followed by Benediction / Cantos y la Bendición final)
History of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
Our Lady of Sorrows is rooted in the 1782 founding of the Presidio of Santa Barbara, where Father Junípero Serra celebrated the first Mass at the Presidio Chapel that grew into the parish. The parish takes its current name from the Apostolic College chapel consecrated on July 29, 1855; that first church burned in 1865, a 1867 replacement was destroyed by the 1925 earthquake, and the present Spanish Colonial Revival church was completed in 1929. The Jesuit Fathers administered the parish for 108 years (1908–2014), when leadership was returned to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
- 1782 — Presidio Chapel founded; Father Serra celebrates Santa Barbara's first Mass and supplies the chapel's books, furnishings, altar pieces, and library.
- July 29, 1855 — First church bearing the name 'Our Lady of Sorrows' consecrated at State and Figueroa; built primarily by students of the Apostolic College.
- August 1865 — First 'modern' church destroyed by fire.
- May 1867 — Replacement church completed at the same intersection, facing south toward the ocean.
- July 17, 1904 — Two bell towers added; three bells (2,200 lb, 1,250 lb, 650 lb) blessed.
- 1908 — Parish administration passes to the California Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
- June 29, 1925 — Santa Barbara earthquake destroys the church (façade, one full side, one bell tower).
- 1929 — Present Spanish Colonial Revival church completed; architect Edward Eames; Dolores School (now Notre Dame School) opens at the new East Sola Street site.
- June 30, 2014 — Jesuit administration ends after 108 years; Mass of Thanksgiving; parish returns to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
- May 17, 2016 — Church designated a City of Santa Barbara landmark.
The 1929 Church Building
The present church is a Spanish Colonial Revival / Spanish Romanesque building designed by architect Edward Eames and completed in 1929, built on a new downtown site across from Alameda Park after the 1925 earthquake destroyed the prior church. The City of Santa Barbara designated it a local landmark on May 17, 2016. Among the parish's treasured artifacts is the tall gold chalice attributed to Father Junípero Serra, used at Santa Barbara's first Mass in 1782 and still brought out for special services at the historic Presidio Chapel.
- Architect: Edward Eames
- Style: Spanish Colonial Revival / Spanish Romanesque
- Completed: 1929 (dedicated May 26, 1929 per GCatholic)
- Address: 21 East Sola Street (corner of East Sola and Anacapa Streets)
- Landmark status: Designated City of Santa Barbara landmark, May 17, 2016
- Historic artifact: Father Serra's gold chalice, preserved in the parish and used at the Presidio Chapel
The Meaning Behind the Name
The parish is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows (Nuestra Señora de los Dolores), whose traditional image shows her heart exposed and pierced by seven swords — one for each of the sorrows she experienced in her life. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is September 15. The parish itself takes its name from the chapel of the Apostolic College of Our Lady of Sorrows, the seminary college that stood near Figueroa and State Streets.
- Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows (seven sorrows)
- Feast Day: September 15
- Spanish name: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores
Clergy and Staff
Our Lady of Sorrows is led by Parish Administrator Rev. John O'Brien, the first priest appointed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after the 2014 departure of the Jesuits. He is assisted by six permanent deacons and a parish Business Manager.
- Rev. John O'Brien — Parish Administrator
- Deacon Art Gonzalez
- Deacon Jose A. Trujillo
- Deacon Roberto Gonzalez
- Deacon Jose Ramirez
- Deacon Paul Rayas
- Deacon David Munoz
- Cara Crosetti — Business Manager
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
The parish runs a two-year religious education program (English and Spanish) for children in grades 1–7, preparing them for First Reconciliation and First Communion, with a separate Spanish-language Primera Comunión track. Older unbaptized children (over age 7) are prepared through RICA adapted for children, in addition to regular religious education. Adults 18+ seeking Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation enter through the parish RCIA program.
- Religious Education (English & Spanish), two-year program, grades 1–7
- Primera Comunión — Spanish-language First Communion preparation
- RICA for children (unbaptized children over 7)
- RCIA for adults 18+ preparing for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation
- Youth Confirmation (Grades 9–12) — coordinated by Deacon David & Angie Munoz
- Volunteer catechist opportunities (continual recruitment)
Notre Dame School
Our Lady of Sorrows established its parish school — originally called The Dolores School — alongside the new 1929 church on East Sola Street. It is today known as Notre Dame School and remains part of the parish's educational mission to Santa Barbara families.
- Founded as The Dolores School with the 1929 church complex on East Sola Street
- Now known as Notre Dame School
- Part of the parish community's faith and education mission
Archdiocese and Pastoral Region
Since 2014, Our Lady of Sorrows has been administered by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as part of its Santa Barbara Pastoral Region. The parish was entrusted to the California Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1908; on June 30, 2014, a Mass of Thanksgiving marked the end of 108 years of Jesuit leadership and the formal transfer to the Archdiocese.
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Santa Barbara Pastoral Region)
- Diocese website: https://lacatholics.org/
- Jesuit administration: 1908–2014 (California Province, Society of Jesus)
- Transfer to Archdiocese of Los Angeles: June 30, 2014
Visit, Location, and Contact
The parish is in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, on the southwestern corner of East Sola Street and Anacapa Street, directly across from Alameda Park — a convenient walk from the State Street corridor and surrounding downtown landmarks. Visitors are welcomed at all weekend Masses; the parish office is the point of contact for baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, and Faith Formation registration.
- Address: 21 East Sola Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: (805) 963-1734
- Parish Administrator: Rev. John O'Brien
- Business Manager: Cara Crosetti
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olssb/
- Website: https://our-lady-of-sorrows-santa-barbara.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Junípero Serra, O.F.M.1782
Celebrated Santa Barbara's first Mass at the original Presidio Chapel site and supplied its books, furnishings, altar pieces, and library. The chalice attributed to him is preserved at the parish.
- Franciscan clergy (El Presidio)1782–mid-19th century
Ran the original Presidio Chapel that grew into the parish.
- Clergy of the Apostolic College of Our Lady of Sorrows1855–1865
Students of the seminary college primarily built the first church bearing the parish's current name, consecrated July 29, 1855; destroyed by fire August 1865.
- Jesuit Fathers of the California Province, Society of Jesus1908–2014
Administered the parish for 108 years, including the post-1929 church built after the 1925 earthquake. Departure marked by a Mass of Thanksgiving on June 30, 2014.
- Rev. John O'Brien2014–present
First Parish Administrator after the parish was transferred to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2014.