About Saint Joseph · Santa Cruz, California
The Shrine of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer is a diocesan Catholic shrine located on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Operated by the Oblates of St. Joseph (a religious congregation founded in Italy in 1878 by St. Joseph Marello), it functions as both an active house of worship and the USA provincial headquarters of the Oblates. The site welcomes pilgrims and the public daily for Mass, confessions, Eucharistic adoration, and quiet prayer in the chapel, and since 2020 it has been home to Shrine Coffee, a nonprofit community coffeehouse on the same campus. Its full legal title — 'Guardian of the Redeemer' — was drawn from Pope John Paul II's 1989 apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- St. Joseph (Guardian of the Redeemer)
- Rector
- Fr. John Shearer, O.S.J.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
The Shrine of St. Joseph is one of the few places on the California coast where Catholics can walk into an open chapel every day of the year, pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament, attend a daily 11:00 a.m. Mass, and sit down for confession — all in a setting overlooking the Pacific. It is also the spiritual home of the Oblates of St. Joseph, a small religious family devoted to the hidden, faithful life of St. Joseph, with regular Marian and St. Joseph devotions, a weekly Legion of Mary meeting, a monthly Holy Hour for Vocations, and the Josephite-Marellian Laity Society for lay Catholics who share in the Oblate spirituality. The on-site Shrine Coffee (open daily with indoor and outdoor seating) makes the campus a true community hub, and the peaceful gardens, meditation walk through the Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph, and statue of St. Joseph, Patron of the Unborn, give pilgrims and parishioners a place to slow down, evangelize through encounter, and grow in devotion to the Holy Family.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Daily: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Adoration times
- Saturday: 9:45 AM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Welcome to the Shrine of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer
Perched on West Cliff Drive overlooking the Pacific, the Shrine is open every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Visitors are invited to come for daily Mass, daily confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration, and to spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The Shrine describes itself as a place where Catholics can experience the presence of the Lord 'in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and through quiet, contemplative prayer and expression of personal devotion.' Since 2020 the campus has also been home to Shrine Coffee, a community hub that draws both pilgrims and the wider Santa Cruz public onto the grounds.
- Open daily 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Daily Mass at 11:00 AM (Sunday also at 4:00 PM)
- Daily Confessions 10:00 – 10:45 AM
- Eucharistic Adoration Saturdays at 9:45 AM
- Located at 544 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
History of the Shrine
The Oblates of St. Joseph arrived in California in 1931 and by 1933 had purchased the 1893 Rutherglen Terrace Victorian mansion on West Cliff Drive to serve the local Italian immigrant community and as a retreat house for missionaries returning from the Philippines. After Bishop Aloysius J. Willinger of Monterey-Fresno approved a new minor seminary and novitiate in 1949, the Sullivan family donated adjoining land, and on August 31, 1952, Monsignor William McLaughlin of Holy Cross Parish solemnly dedicated the original Chapel of St. Joseph. Four decades later, on November 3, 1993, after extensive renovations led by Fr. Larry Toschi, O.S.J., Bishop Sylvester D. Ryan re-dedicated the chapel and proclaimed it a diocesan shrine under the title 'Guardian of the Redeemer,' taken from Pope John Paul II's 1989 apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos.
- February 15, 1929 — Four Oblates leave Asti for Pennsylvania's coal country
- 1931 — Oblates establish their first California parish in Dos Palos
- January 6, 1933 — Oblate Fathers Boccalatte and Masante purchase Rutherglen Terrace and 1.5 acres on West Cliff Drive for $9,000
- April 25, 1949 — Fr. Mario Buttini petitions Bishop Willinger for a seminary and novitiate
- December 8, 1949 — Sullivan family donates adjoining parcel
- October 14, 1951 — Groundbreaking for the chapel
- August 31, 1952 — Solemn dedication of the Chapel of St. Joseph by Msgr. William McLaughlin
- Mid-1960s — Novitiate relocated to Mount St. Joseph, Loomis (Diocese of Sacramento)
- 1992–1993 — Fr. Larry Toschi leads major expansion and renovation
- November 3, 1993 — Bishop Sylvester Ryan re-dedicates the church and proclaims it a diocesan shrine
- November 3, 2018 — 25th Anniversary Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving
- 2018–2019 — Capital campaign under Fr. Paul McDonnell renovates interior and builds Shrine Coffee
- Summer 2020 — Shrine Coffee opens to the public
The Oblates of St. Joseph
The Shrine is a ministry of the Oblates of St. Joseph, a religious congregation founded in Asti, Italy, in 1878 by St. Joseph Marello (later Bishop of Acqui, canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 2001). Oblate priests and brothers profess vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and live in community after the model of the Holy Family of Nazareth, striving to live 'humble, hidden lives' in imitation of St. Joseph. Their work has historically focused on serving the elderly, the handicapped, and orphans, supporting local bishops and parish priests, and developing youth ministry and religious education.
- Founded 1878 in Asti, Italy, by St. Joseph Marello
- First U.S. mission 1929 in the Diocese of Scranton, PA
- First California parish 1931 in Dos Palos
- Santa Cruz campus acquired 1933; USA Provincial House and Shrine since 1952
- Motto: 'Like our patron and model St. Joseph, we strive to live humble, hidden lives, and to do even our ordinary tasks in an extraordinary way'
Architecture and Historic Campus
The Shrine's 1.5-acre campus is itself a small architectural museum. The original chapel (1952) was designed by Padre Pedro Castellanos, a priest-architect of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, with revisions and construction oversight by Sacramento-based architect Clarence C. Cuff; only one story of the planned chapel-and-tower complex was built at first due to limited funds. The c.1893 Rutherglen Terrace (Queen Anne/colonial, by Santa Cruz architect Edward L. Van Cleeck) and its Carriage House are joined by the 1912 Prairie-Mediterranean Davis House (by Oakland architect Chester Miller). A statue of St. Joseph Guardian of the Redeemer holding the Infant Jesus stands at the peak of the chapel, with a statue of St. Joseph Marello at its entrance.
- Rutherglen Terrace (1893) — Victorian, Edward L. Van Cleeck, architect
- Carriage House (c.1893) — original dormitory for novices
- Davis House (1912) — Prairie-Mediterranean, Chester Miller, architect
- Shrine Chapel (1952; remodeled 1993) — Castellanos/Cuff, architects
- Statue of St. Joseph Marello at entrance; statue of St. Joseph Guardian of the Redeemer at chapel peak
- Relic of St. Joseph Marello beneath the altar
Devotions and Spiritual Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the Shrine maintains a rich devotional life rooted in Oblate spirituality and the example of St. Joseph. The faithful gather weekly for devotions to St. Joseph and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, monthly for a Holy Hour for Vocations, and daily for the Family Rosary (live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube).
- Devotions to St. Joseph — Wednesdays after the 11:00 AM Mass
- Devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Help — Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
- Legion of Mary — Tuesdays at 6:30 PM
- Monthly Holy Hour for Vocations — first Thursday, 7:00–8:00 PM
- Family Rosary — daily (live-streamed)
- Josephite-Marellian Laity Society — third Saturday of the month, 9:00 AM with Mass
Shrine Coffee and Community Hub
Shrine Coffee is a nonprofit coffeehouse built and operated by the Oblates of St. Joseph and their lay associates on the Shrine campus. Conceived as part of a capital campaign launched in 2018–2019 under Fr. Paul McDonnell, O.S.J., it was originally set to open in late fall 2019 but finally launched in the summer of 2020 after pandemic delays. Open daily with indoor and outdoor seating, it is described by the Oblates as a space for 'fellowship and evangelization to the general public' through the 'culture of encounter.'
- Opened summer 2020
- Daily indoor and outdoor seating (typical hours 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
- Adjacent Guardian of the Redeemer Gift Shop & Bookstore
- Renovated administrative offices on the same floor
Pilgrimage at the Shrine
The Shrine's pilgrimage ministry encourages visitors to 'Spend 2 Hours with Us' following a simple path: tour the chapel, walk the Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph Meditation Walk, pray at the statue of St. Joseph, Patron of the Unborn, visit the gardens, browse the gift shop and bookstore, and finish at Shrine Coffee. The Shrine also promotes a broader Central California pilgrimage connecting it with the Spanish Missions of Santa Cruz, San Juan Bautista, San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, and others.
- Tour the Chapel
- Pray the Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph Meditation Walk
- Visit the beautiful gardens
- Pray at the statue of St. Joseph, Patron of the Unborn
- Visit the Guardian of the Redeemer Bookstore
- Grab a cup of coffee at Shrine Coffee
- Recommended as a stop on a Central California Mission pilgrimage
Parish Staff and Clergy
The Oblate priests live on site at the Provincial House and rotate in celebrating Mass and hearing confessions. The current shrine director/pastor is Fr. John Shearer, O.S.J., and the community is led provincially by Fr. Matthew Spencer, O.S.J. Bro. Mathew Chipp, O.S.J., supports formation and lay-society ministry; Fr. John Warburton, O.S.J., is also assigned to the house. Susan Vega serves as office secretary; Anne Marie Spencer manages Shrine Coffee; and Ken Lazier oversees maintenance.
- Fr. John Shearer, O.S.J. — Pastor/Rector
- Fr. Matthew Spencer, O.S.J. — Provincial
- Fr. John Warburton, O.S.J.
- Bro. Mathew Chipp, O.S.J.
- Fr. Paul A. McDonnell, O.S.J. — former provincial/shrine director 2013–2019/2020
- Fr. Steve Peterson, O.S.J. — in residence (2020)
- Susan Vega — Office Secretary
- Anne Marie Spencer — Shrine Coffee Manager
- Ken Lazier — Maintenance
Visiting, Hours, and Contact
The Shrine chapel is open every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM for prayer and visits. The office phone is (831) 471-0442 and the Provincial House line is (831) 457-1868; the mailing address is 544 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-6147. Live-streamed Mass and the daily Family Rosary are available on the Shrine's Facebook page and YouTube channel.
- Address: 544 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-6147
- Office: (831) 471-0442
- Provincial House: (831) 457-1868
- Fax: (831) 457-1317
- Daily hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Website: https://shrinestjoseph.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShrineStJoseph
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Larry Toschi, O.S.J.through 1990s (as Oblate Provincial/shrine rector at re-dedication)
Led 1992–1993 construction and renovation that prepared the chapel for re-dedication; returned as homilist for the 25th anniversary Mass in 2018.
- Fr. Paul A. McDonnell, O.S.J.2013–2019/2020
Served as provincial superior of the newly formed Oblate U.S. Province and rector/director of the Shrine; oversaw 2014–2015 Villa renovation and 2018–2019 capital campaign that built Shrine Coffee, the gift shop, and administrative offices; relocated to Pennsylvania in 2020.
- Fr. John Shearer, O.S.J.present
Listed as the current pastor/rector on the official shrine website (shrinestjoseph.com).