About Our Lady of the Rosary · Union City, California
Our Lady of the Rosary (commonly known as OLR) is a culturally diverse Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Oakland, nestled in a residential neighborhood of Union City, California, midway between Oakland and San José on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. Founded in 1907 to serve the Portuguese immigrant community of old Decoto, the parish today reflects Union City's transformation and now worships primarily in English, Spanish, and Cantonese. Long noted for pioneering lay participation (it established the first parish council in the Diocese of Oakland in 1965), OLR runs the area's largest faith-formation program for children, a bilingual RCIA process for adults, a parish St. Vincent de Paul conference with a weekly food pantry, and a well-known Friday Fellowship Dinner that feeds anyone who walks through the door.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Rosary (the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Holy Rosary)
- Rector
- Rev. Luis López
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
OLR is a welcoming, multicultural neighborhood parish with Mass in English, Spanish, and Cantonese every weekend, an unusually strong social-outreach footprint (St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, free Friday Fellowship Dinner, CleanStart mobile hygiene unit, and the Union City CAREavan safe-parking program all operate from the parish campus), and a pioneering commitment to lay involvement — it was the first parish in the Diocese of Oakland to establish a parish council back in 1965. A registered family gains access to the weekly bulletin, parish mailings, sacramental preparation for children and adults (Faith Formation and a two-year RCIA), and a community that is small enough to know your name but diverse enough to reflect the changing face of Union City since 1907.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (during the hour of Exposition and Reconciliation)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (followed by Reconciliation)
- Friday 12:00 p.m. — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Parish History
OLR traces its origin to 1907, when the first Mass was celebrated in a private hall at 10th and I streets and then in a mission church at 13th and H streets built for the Portuguese community of old Decoto. The current site at 6th and C streets was purchased in 1951 from local farmer Teleforo Sanchez, and the parish hall (still standing) was built with volunteer labor and dedicated on October 7, 1952 — the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The mission church burned in October 1952; fireman Antone Alcosta entered the burning structure to rescue the Blessed Sacrament. The present church was built in 1959–60 and dedicated March 13, 1960 by Auxiliary Bishop Merlin Guilfoyle; the bell tower was added in 1964. The parish celebrated its centennial in 2007 with a '100 Years of Faith' program and a published history book, and installed its first stained-glass windows that year. Franciscan Friars served from 1961 to 1971, and the Franciscan Sisters of Malta staffed the parish school until June 1973.
- Founded 1907 — first Mass in Albert Silva's Hall, 10th & I streets
- Mission church at 13th & H streets, dedicated to the Holy Rosary, October 13, 1907
- Current site purchased 1951 from Teleforo Sanchez
- Parish Hall dedicated October 7, 1952
- Present church dedicated March 13, 1960; bell tower added May 1964
- Centennial celebrated 2007 with '100 Years of Faith' book
Mass & Worship Schedule
Weekend worship is trilingual, with a Saturday Vigil Mass in English and Cantonese, additional Saturday morning Masses in Spanish and English, and four Sunday Masses spanning Spanish and English. The 8:30 a.m. English and 10:00 a.m. Spanish Masses each weekend (Saturday and Sunday) are livestreamed on the parish Facebook page. Daily Mass is celebrated Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. at the parish. The parish also notes that daily Mass is offered at nearby Corpus Christi Parish in Fremont on the same mornings, and it publishes a bilingual Rosary and Mass schedule historically held Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. — English / Cantonese
- Saturday: 7:00 a.m. Spanish · 8:30 a.m. English* · 10:00 a.m. Spanish* · 12:00 p.m. English
- Sunday: 7:00 a.m. Spanish · 8:30 a.m. English* · 10:00 a.m. Spanish* · 12:00 p.m. English
- Tuesday–Friday: 8:00 a.m. Daily Mass at OLR
- *Livestreamed on the parish Facebook page
Faith Formation (CCD / Religious Education)
OLR's Faith Formation program — also called Catechism or CCD — forms children in Grades 1 through 6 in the Catholic faith and prepares them to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation). Parents are recognized as the primary catechists and are expected to attend formation sessions alongside their children's classes. Classes are taught by trained volunteer lay catechists, often assisted by a class aide, and are offered in both English and Spanish.
- English classes: Saturday and Sunday mornings, 11:00 a.m.
- Spanish classes: Wednesday afternoons, 4:30 p.m., and Saturday mornings, 11:00 a.m.
- One-hour weekly classes on parish grounds
- Parents expected to attend formation sessions as 'first catechists'
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
Adults who wish to learn more about the Catholic Church or to enter into full communion are invited into the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The parish describes RCIA as a two-year process of reflection, prayer, instruction, discernment and formation, culminating in the reception of Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. The program begins in September, but inquiries are welcome year-round through the RICA Inquiry Form on the parish website.
- Two-year formation process
- Easter Vigil reception of Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation
- Year-round inquiries accepted; program begins in September
Parish Outreach & Social Services
OLR is unusual among parishes of its size for the breadth of its direct-service outreach to people in need. Its St. Vincent de Paul conference runs a weekly food pantry on B Street and provides emergency assistance for things like car repair, medications, short-term motel stays, clothing, furniture and rent/utility help. The parish also hosts the Friday Fellowship Dinner — a free hot meal served in the Eddie Dobrec Room of the Parish Hall — and partners with the City of Union City on the CAREavan safe-parking program, hosting overnight guests in its lot on Friday and Sunday evenings. The CleanStart Mobile Hygiene Unit (a 50-foot trailer with restrooms, showers and laundry, a joint project of Fremont, Newark and Alameda County) is stationed at OLR on Friday afternoons and early evenings.
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — Friday 6:15 – 7:45 p.m.
- St. Vincent de Paul emergency assistance hotline: (510) 706-5852
- Friday Fellowship Dinner — Friday 6:00 p.m., Eddie Dobrec Room, Parish Hall
- Union City CAREavan safe parking — Friday & Sunday 7:00 p.m.
- CleanStart Mobile Hygiene Unit — Friday 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
- Information on other local food-distribution sites also published on the parish site
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by a Pastor supported by deacons, a Business Manager, a Director of Faith Formation, a Parish Webmaster, and other staff. Current pastor Fr. Luis López was appointed by Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, effective September 1, 2024, while retaining his role as Parochial Administrator of Corpus Christi Parish in Fremont. He succeeded Fr. Jesús Nieto-Ruiz, who served from November 1, 2014 through August 2024 and now pastors St. Peter Martyr Parish in Pittsburg.
- Pastor: Rev. Luis López
- Deacons: Donald Marquez, Gus Roemers (also Director of Faith Formation), Robert Clark (Parish Webmaster, retired)
- Parish Office phone: (510) 471-2609
- Pastor e-mail: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Dominic Governo1907
Pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Centerville; celebrated the first Mass at the new 13th & H streets mission church on October 13, 1907, dedicating it to the Holy Rosary.
- Fr. Ralph Duggan1950–
Became the mission's first Administrator in August 1950; oversaw the 1951 purchase of the current site from Teleforo Sanchez and the 1951–52 construction of the Parish Hall.
- Fr. Thomas Riellyc. 1959 –
Parish's first Pastor; launched the May 1959 $200,000 building drive for the present church and rectory, dedicated March 13, 1960.
- Fr. Leonard Herzberg, OFM1961 – c. 1967
Franciscan Friar; first of the Franciscan Fathers assigned to OLR beginning June 1961.
- Fr. Bruce Pardella, OFMc. 1967 – 1971
Franciscan; succeeded Fr. Herzberg until diocesan clergy resumed pastoral leadership.
- Fr. George Crespin1971 – 1979
First diocesan priest assigned as Pastor after the Franciscan era.
- Fr. Ricardo Chávez1979 – 1982
Succeeded Fr. Crespin after his 1979 reassignment.
- Fr. Thomas McCullough1982
Brief tenure immediately following Fr. Chávez.
- Fr. Robert Freitas1982 – 1984
Succeeded Fr. McCullough.
- Fr. José M. León1985 – 2014
Long-tenured pastor; during his tenure the parish celebrated its centennial in 2007.
- Fr. Jesús Nieto-RuizNovember 1, 2014 – August 31, 2024
Assigned as Pastor on his birthday, November 1, 2014. In June 2015 he traveled to the Vatican with a PICO National Network delegation to meet Pope Francis's advisors. Reassigned September 1, 2024 to St. Peter Martyr Parish, Pittsburg.
- Fr. Luis LópezSeptember 1, 2024 – present
Appointed Pastor by Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, while retaining role as Parochial Administrator of Corpus Christi Parish, Fremont.