About Our Lady, Queen of the World · Bay Point, California
Our Lady Queen of the World is a Roman Catholic parish in Bay Point, California, in the unincorporated area west of Pittsburg in Contra Costa County. Founded in 1962, it was the very first parish created by the newly established Diocese of Oakland under its first bishop, Floyd Begin, who named it after the Blessed Mother under her title as Patroness of the Diocese of Oakland. Today the parish is a multicultural community celebrating Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, with a strong tradition of lay involvement and devotion to Our Lady under many of her traditional titles.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- Our Lady Queen of the World (Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the Diocese of Oakland)
- Rector
- Fr. Thomas Khue (Parochial Administrator, since 2021)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
Our Lady Queen of the World is a trilingual, family-oriented parish that welcomes English, Spanish, and Vietnamese-speaking Catholics under one roof, with Mass and formation offered in each language. Its ministries range from CCD religious education and RCIA, to a Filipino Association, Hispanic Community, and Vietnamese Community, to Knights of Columbus, Columbiettes, Legion of Mary, and a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. With daily Mass, eucharistic adoration, Marian novenas, and a long calendar of devotional processions, it is the kind of parish where a new family can find a spiritual home, a ministry to join, and neighbors who have been worshipping here for three generations.
Mass times at Our Lady, Queen of the World
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Friday – Adoration & Benediction after the 7:30 AM morning Mass
- Friday 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM – Exposition & Benediction
- First Friday of the month – Adoration after the 7:30 AM Mass
Our History
Our Lady Queen of the World was established in 1962 as the first parish of the new Diocese of Oakland, created under its founding bishop, Floyd Begin, and named after the Blessed Mother in her title as Patroness of the diocese. Two predecessor mission churches — St. Frances of Rome in Port Chicago and St. Philomena in Bella Vista — had already served the area; the current church was built in 1965 and their original bells were installed in the new belfry. The church, rectory, and Palis Hall (1988) were built largely by volunteer crews, a tradition of lay involvement that continues today.
- Founded 1962 by Bishop Floyd Begin, first bishop of Oakland
- Predecessor missions: St. Frances of Rome (Port Chicago) and St. Philomena (Bella Vista)
- Current church built 1965; bells from the old missions preserved in the belfry
- Palis Hall added in 1988, named after longtime pastor Fr. Theo Palis
- All buildings largely built by parish volunteers and contractors
Mass & Service Times
Our Lady Queen of the World offers a full weekly schedule in three languages. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday morning, with three English Sunday Masses plus Spanish and Vietnamese weekend Masses to serve the parish's diverse community.
- Weekday Mass: Monday–Friday 7:30 AM; Saturday 8:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English), 7:00 PM (Spanish)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 Noon (English); 4:00 PM (Vietnamese)
- Confessions: Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM, or by appointment
- First Friday: 7:30 AM Mass with Adoration after Mass
Ministries & Liturgical Roles
Liturgical ministries are the hands-on backbone of the parish's worship life. Parishioners serve as lectors, eucharistic ministers, musicians, ushers, and ministers of the sick — bringing the Mass to those who cannot attend in person.
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Music Ministry
- Ushers
- Ministers of the Sick (home visits, anointing)
Parish Organizations
The parish is sustained by a wide range of fraternal, cultural, and service organizations that reflect the multicultural character of Bay Point. Many groups are organized by language or cultural community, and several have dedicated presidents or coordinators listed in the parish bulletin.
- Regina Mundi Guild
- Knights of Columbus (GK Tom Alden, 925-451-0543)
- Columbiettes (President Peaches Roberts)
- Filipino Association (President Nerissa Riray)
- Hispanic Community / Hispanic Association (Coordinator Martha Hernández; Spanish contact Paty Ruvalcaba, 925-395-1835)
- Vietnamese Association (President Hiep David Vu)
- Legion of Mary (Danila Loquiao, 925-864-1237)
- Hospitality Committee
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (President Danny Vu, [email protected])
Faith Formation & RCIA
Faith formation at OLQW is led by Director of Religious Education Rene Asuncion. The parish offers a traditional CCD program, a Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for non-Catholic adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, and full membership in the Catholic Church.
- CCD (Religious Education) – contact the Religious Education office
- RCIA for non-Catholic adults
- Youth and Young Adult Ministry
- Director of Religious Education: Rene Asuncion, (925) 458-4574, [email protected]
- Religious Education website: http://olqwre.olqw.org/
Sacraments
Information about each of the sacraments is published on the parish's 'Need Mass Times?' page and in the weekly bulletin. Pre-Baptism classes for parents and godparents are held every second Tuesday; weddings must be scheduled at least six months in advance; and the parish reaches out to the homebound through its Ministers of the Sick.
- Baptism: pre-Baptism classes every second Tuesday; Spanish: Paty Ruvalcaba 925-395-1835; Vietnamese: Fr. Thomas Khue
- Marriage: at least six months' notice to the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick and visits to the homebound/elderly: contact the parish office
- First Communion and Confirmation: through CCD / Religious Education
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The parish's St. Vincent de Paul Society runs a food pantry out of the parish hall, providing a tangible expression of the Gospel's call to feed the hungry. The pantry operates twice a week, with the help of parish volunteers.
- Food pantry open Wednesdays 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Food pantry open Saturdays 12:00 Noon – 1:30 PM
- Location: Parish Hall (Palis Hall)
- Contact: [email protected] (President Danny Vu)
Contact & Visit
The parish office and rectory are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Visitors and parishioners can also register online, request Mass intentions, follow the parish on Facebook, and read the latest bulletin on the parish website.
- Address: 3155 Winterbrook Drive, Bay Point, CA 94565-3264
- Office Phone: (925) 458-4718
- Fax: (925) 458-3161
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Religious Education Office: (925) 458-4574, [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/olqwbaypoint
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Khue2021 – Current
Parochial Administrator; Vietnamese priest, ordained June 7, 1991
- Fr. Peter Ngo Dung2014 – 2021
Administrator 2014–2018, then Pastor 2018–2021
- Fr. Richard J. Culver1996 – 2014
Administrator 1996–2003, then Pastor 2003–2014
- Fr. Theofilus (Theo) Palis1969 – 1996
Longest-serving pastor; the parish hall, Palis Hall, is named after him
- Fr. John J. Glaskey1963 – 1969
- Fr. James D. O'Shea1962 – 1963
Founding priest, served the first year of the parish