About Saint Francis of Assisi · Oceano, California
Saint Francis of Assisi is a Catholic mission chapel (mission station) serving the small coastal community of Oceano in San Luis Obispo County, California. Operated as an outreach of St. Patrick's Parish in nearby Arroyo Grande, it lies within the Diocese of Monterey in California and stands at1711 Beach Street, near the corner of 17th Street, in the unincorporated Five Cities/Dunes area on California's Central Coast. The chapel serves a richly multicultural congregation, with the Roman Rite Mass celebrated in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, reflecting the demographic makeup of the South County region. Its primary ministry language, as catalogued by GCatholic, is Spanish, indicating its central role as a spiritual home for the local Latino Catholic community.
- Patron
- Saint Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. José Alberto Vásquez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
Saint Francis of Assisi is a welcoming mission chapel that brings the Mass to the small coastal community of Oceano, where no other Catholic church exists within walking distance — making it the natural spiritual home for local Catholics, especially Spanish-speaking families for whom it is the designated Spanish-language Mass site of the parish cluster. Visitors will find an authentically multicultural liturgical life, with weekend Masses offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese to reflect the diversity of the Five Cities/Dunes region. Because it is operated by St. Patrick's Parish in Arroyo Grande, parishioners have full access to a wider Catholic school (St. Patrick School, PS–8, coed), marriage preparation, RCIA, religious education, and sacramental records through the parish office, while still gathering for Sunday worship close to home.
Mass times at Saint Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (per parish bulletin; available at St. Patrick's Arroyo Grande or by appointment)
- By appointment through the parish office
History & Status as a Mission Station
Saint Francis of Assisi in Oceano is officially classified by the Diocese of Monterey as a 'mission station' of St. Patrick's Parish in Arroyo Grande. This means it is not an independent parish but a dependent worship site whose sacramental, educational, and administrative life is overseen by the mother parish. St. Patrick's itself was founded in 1886, and the line of pastors recorded by the diocese goes back to that era; the more recent pastors who have overseen the mission chapel include Very Rev. Kenneth Brown, V.F. (2008–2015), Rev. James Henry as administrator (2015–2016), and the current pastor Rev. José Alberto Vásquez (2016–present). The chapel's identity as a Spanish-language worship site (denoted by the asterisk in the diocesan directory) reflects the demographics of the Five Cities/Dunes area of San Luis Obispo County.
- Classified as a 'Mission Station' of St. Patrick's Parish, Arroyo Grande
- Listed in the Diocese of Monterey directory as '*Spanish' — its primary liturgical language
- Administered by St. Patrick's, 501 Fair Oaks Avenue, Arroyo Grande, CA 93421
Parish Governance & Clergy
Because St. Francis of Assisi is a mission of St. Patrick's, the clergy who celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments at the chapel are assigned by the parent parish. The Diocese of Monterey's 2019 and 2020 directories list Rev. José Alberto Vásquez as pastor and Rev. Phil Vincent Dumanacal as parochial vicar of St. Patrick's Parish, with Deacon Greg Dutra assisting. Spanish-language pastoral coordination is provided by Andrea Torrejón (St. Patrick's Parish, extension 14). Parish office staff handle the sacramental records, faith formation registration, and school enrollment for the mission chapel's families.
- Pastor: Rev. José Alberto Vásquez (2016–present)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Phil Vincent Dumanacal
- Deacon: Dcn. Greg Dutra
- Spanish Ministries Coordinator: Andrea Torrejón, ext. 14
Sacraments
Because the chapel is a mission station, all sacramental preparation and record-keeping is coordinated through St. Patrick's Parish office in Arroyo Grande. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is normally available on Saturdays at 3:00 PM at the parish (or by appointment), and baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage, and anointing of the sick are all arranged through the parish staff. Marriage preparation and family counseling are offered through St. Patrick's, including services from Terri Bledsoe, L.C.S.W.
- Baptism — through St. Patrick's Parish
- First Communion and Confirmation — parish-based preparation
- Marriage — preparation and counseling via St. Patrick's
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the parish office
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00 PM and by appointment
Faith Formation & Parish School
Religious education for children, RCIA for adults, and youth ministry are all coordinated through St. Patrick's Parish at 501 Fair Oaks Avenue, Arroyo Grande, since the mission chapel itself does not maintain separate faith formation offices. Families of the mission chapel also have access to St. Patrick School (preschool through 8th grade, coed), the parish's own elementary school, which is one of the few parish-operated Catholic schools in the South County area. The school office can be reached through the parish's main number.
- St. Patrick School — PS–8, coed
- Religious Education / RCIA — through St. Patrick's Parish
- Marriage Preparation and Family Counseling — through St. Patrick's
Visiting Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel
The chapel sits at 1711 Beach Street at the corner of 17th Street in the small coastal community of Oceano, near the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area on California's Central Coast. Because it is a mission chapel rather than a parish church or tourist site, there are no formal tours; visitors are warmly welcomed to attend any scheduled Mass, particularly the multilingual Sunday schedule. For sacraments, appointments, or sacramental records, visitors should contact the parent parish office (St. Patrick's, Arroyo Grande) at (805) 489-2680 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Limited street parking is available around the Beach Street / 17th Street intersection.
- Address: 1711 Beach Street, Oceano, CA 93445
- Phone (parish office): (805) 489-2680
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Near the Oceano Dunes on California's Central Coast
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Kenneth Brown, V.F.2008–2015
Pastor of St. Patrick's Parish, Arroyo Grande, which governs the St. Francis of Assisi mission chapel in Oceano.
- Rev. James Henry2015–2016
Administrator of St. Patrick's Parish during the interim between pastors; also listed as 'Rev. James Henry, V.F. (1996–2001)' in an earlier tenure at the parish.
- Rev. José Alberto Vásquez2016–present
Current pastor of St. Patrick's Parish and its mission chapel of St. Francis of Assisi in Oceano, per the 2019 and 2020 Diocese of Monterey directories.