Saint Joseph of Cupertino Parish

Parish Overview

Saint Joseph of Cupertino Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of San Jose, located in the heart of Cupertino, California. With about 1,600 registered families, the parish welcomes a culturally diverse community that has worshiped at this site in one form or another since 1871. The parish provides a place to practice the Catholic faith, educate children, and share blessings with others.

Parish History

The parish traces its origins to 1871, when the Jesuit fathers of Santa Clara University purchased 320 acres in Stevens Creek Canyon as the Villa Maria retreat and Brother Tom Cunningham built a small redwood chapel (18 by 25 feet) in the mission style. After a permanent church was built on land donated by Alexander Montgomery in 1907, Archbishop Patrick Riordan transferred the mission from the Jesuits to diocesan clergy in 1913, creating the parish of St. Joseph of Cupertino. The present church was completed in 1953, the parish school opened in 1956, and a series of renovations through 2019 — including a 2002 stained-glass window, 2004 Parish Community Center, 2007 meditation garden, 2013 centennial renovation, and 2019 bell-tower copper roof — have shaped today's campus.

• 1871 — Jesuit fathers purchase Villa Maria tract; first chapel built
• 1875 — Vineyard and winery erected for altar wines
• 1907 — Groundbreaking for first permanent church on Montgomery-donated land
• 1913 — Archbishop Riordan transfers parish to diocesan clergy
• 1915 — Father William J. Lande appointed pastor
• 1951 — Monsignor Philip Ryan appointed pastor
• 1953 — Current church completed at cost of $140,000
• 1956 — St. Joseph of Cupertino School built
• 1984 — First lay principal (Virginia Komar) takes over the school
• 1994 — Former convent renovated as residence for retired diocesan priests
• 2002 — Stained glass window added to front of church
• 2004 — Parish Community Center opens
• 2007 — Meditation garden with bronze statue of St. Joseph of Cupertino installed
• 2013 — Centennial interior renovation with new baptismal font
• 2019 — Bell tower re-roofed in copper; original cross preserved

Devotions

The parish maintains a rich devotional life centered on the Eucharist, Our Lady, and the saints. Weekly and monthly devotions include the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Novena, First Friday Evening Mass and Adoration, the First Saturday Devotion, and an annual Fatima Pilgrimage with Mass, Rosary Procession, Eucharistic Exposition, and Blessing of the Sick on the 13th of each month from May through October.

• Our Mother of Perpetual Help Novena — Wednesdays 6:30 PM
• First Friday Evening Mass & Adoration (hosted by Young Adults)
• First Saturday Devotion — after the 8:30 AM Mass
• Annual Fatima Pilgrimage — May 13 through October 13
• Divine Mercy Sunday observance — Rosary, Exposition, Chaplet

Faith Formation and Youth Ministry

Faith formation at St. Joseph of Cupertino is offered for children and high-school teens, drawing young parishioners nearer to Christ through small-group sessions, prayer, retreats, and service. High School Youth Ministry meets Sundays from 6:15 PM to 8:00 PM, October through May, in the Youth Ministry Room at St. Joseph of Cupertino School. Children's Faith Formation offers online registration ($100 per student), and Adult Faith Formation programming is hosted in the Parish Community Center.

• High School Youth Ministry — Sundays 6:15 PM – 8:00 PM
• Children's Faith Formation with online registration
• Adult Faith Formation in the Parish Community Center (opened 2004)

St. Joseph of Cupertino School

The parish school was built in 1956 and enlarged in 1966. It was originally directed by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, who lived in a convent on the parish property; in 1984 the RSHM sisters handed administration to Virginia Komar, the first lay principal. The school remains a centerpiece of parish life and benefits from parish fundraisers such as Saturday-night Bingo in the parish hall.

Parish Ministries and Fellowship

St. Joseph of Cupertino supports a wide variety of ministries and fellowship activities that invite parishioners of all ages to participate. Young Adults host First Friday Evening Mass and Adoration; the Holy Name Society runs the Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament; and the parish hall hosts Saturday-night Bingo as a fundraiser for the school. Other community-building offerings include Grief Support meetings in the Fr. Greg Kimm Community Center, Ballroom Dance Classes in the Parish Hall, and Coffee and Donuts after Sunday Masses.

• Young Adults ministry
• Holy Name Society
• Parish Bingo (school fundraiser)
• Grief Support Ministry
• Ballroom Dance Classes
• Coffee and Donuts fellowship after Sunday Masses

Facilities and Campus

The parish campus on North DeAnza Boulevard includes the 1953 church building with its distinctive bell tower (re-roofed in copper in 2019), the Fr. Greg Kimm Community Center/Parish Community Center (opened 2004), the parish school, the rectory/parish office behind the church, and a meditation garden with a large bronze statue of St. Joseph of Cupertino installed in 2007. The 2013 centennial renovation added a built-in baptismal font with a flowing fountain, ramps to the altar, and new carpeting throughout the sanctuary.

• Main church (1953) with 2002 stained-glass window and 2013 interior renovation
• Fr. Greg Kimm Community Center / Parish Community Center (2004)
• Meditation garden with bronze statue of St. Joseph of Cupertino (2007)
• Parish school (built 1956, enlarged 1966)
• Former convent (now retired priests' residence since 1994)
• Bell tower with original cross and 2019 copper roof

Visiting and Contact

Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass, devotions, and parish events. The parish office can be reached by phone, and the pastor's email is listed on the parish website. The Diocese of San Jose lists St. Joseph of Cupertino Parish at 10110 North DeAnza Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014, with phone 408-252-7653 and fax 408-252-5263.

• Address: 10110 North De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014
• Phone: 408-252-7653
• Fax: 408-252-5263
• Pastor email: [email protected]
• Website: https://stjosephcupertino.org/