About St. Benedict · Hollister, California
St. Benedict's Catholic Church is the newer of the two worship sites that make up Sacred Heart / St. Benedict Parish in Hollister, California, the center of Catholic life in San Benito County. The parish runs Mass in English, Spanish, and the traditional Latin form across its two church campuses, alongside Sacred Heart Parish School (founded 1891), a robust Religious Education program, and ministries serving a diverse community of farmworkers and longtime local families. Located at 1200 Fairview Road on the north side of Hollister, St. Benedict's was built in 1999 to complement the historic 1877 Sacred Heart church at Fifth and College Street, and today is the primary weekend Mass venue for the parish.
- Established
- 1999
- Patron
- St. Benedict of Nursia
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen (Steve) Akers
- Diocese
- Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
Sacred Heart / St. Benedict Parish is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse parishes in the Diocese of Monterey, offering weekend Masses in English, Spanish, and the Traditional Latin Form, weekday Masses six days a week, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a full sacramental and Religious Education program for children and adults. Families with school-age children can send them to Sacred Heart Parish School (Preschool through 8th grade, founded 1891), and the parish welcomes couples preparing for marriage or quinceañeras through its bilingual Wedding & Quinceañera Coordinator. With two campuses — the historic Sacred Heart church downtown and the larger St. Benedict's on Fairview Road — parishioners can plug into faith formation, sacramental preparation, and a Hispanic ministry that anchors much of parish life.
Mass times at St. Benedict
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 7:00 PM (at St. Benedict's)
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM (English, at St. Benedict's)
- Saturday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM (Spanish, at St. Benedict's)
- Sunday 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM
- Sunday 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (at Sacred Heart)
Our History — From the San Benito River to Two Church Campuses
The story of Sacred Heart / St. Benedict Parish begins long before either church building existed. In 1772 the Spanish Franciscan Father Juan Crespi, traveling out of Monterey with soldiers and a lone Indian guide, reached what is now San Benito County on the first day of spring and named the local river 'San Benito' — Saint Benedict in Spanish. Crespi later died in 1782 and was buried beside his close friend Father Junipero Serra. The town of Hollister was platted in 1868, and Catholics there were first served by Father Cipriano Rubio of Mission San Juan Bautista, who celebrated Mass in private homes before acquiring land for a church in 1873. In December 1877 the Hollister mission became an independent parish under its first resident pastor, Father Hugh McNamee, with Sacred Heart as the parish church.
- 1772 — Father Juan Crespi names the San Benito River (St. Benedict)
- 1873 — Father Cipriano Rubio acquires land and begins building a church in Hollister
- December 1877 — Sacred Heart established as an independent parish under Father Hugh McNamee
- February 1939 — Parish purchases its present downtown site for $20,000; the church is cut into two pieces (250 tons + 300 tons) and moved in a three-month relocation
- 1999 — St. Benedict's Church built at 1200 Fairview Road as the parish's second worship site
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Stephen (Steve) Akers, who has served as Parochial Administrator since 2019. He is assisted by two Parochial Vicars and an in-residence priest, along with a full lay pastoral team.
- Rev. Stephen Akers — Pastor (since 2019)
- Rev. Fiacre Nduwayo Fahey — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Carlos Warfield — Parochial Vicar
- Very Rev. Heibar Castañeda, V.F. — Priest in Residence
- Nancy Lopez — Director of Religious Education (English)
- Maria S. Villegas — Director of Religious Education (Spanish)
- Elena Olsvold — Wedding & Quinceañera Coordinator
- Dr. Rachel McKenna, Ed.D. — Principal, Sacred Heart Parish School
- Mauricio Ayala — Office Manager; Laura Herbert — Bookkeeper; Silvia Sierra & Leonor Zepeda — Front Office; Macario Rodriguez — Maintenance; Veronica Sosa — SBC Building Attendant
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a full Religious Education / Family Formation program in both English and Spanish, with separate directors for each language. Preparation is offered for the sacraments of Confirmation, First Communion, and continuing adult faith formation.
- English Religious Education & Family Formation — Nancy Lopez ([email protected], 831-637-9213)
- Spanish Formación Familiar — Maria S. Villegas (831-637-8291)
- Confirmation preparation — Nancy Lopez, 831-637-9219
- Youth Group (active ministry, with its own Instagram presence)
- Adult Faith Formation
Sacred Heart Parish School
Sacred Heart Parish School, founded in 1891, is the parish's Catholic preschool-through-8th-grade elementary school and one of the oldest continuously operating Catholic schools in the Diocese of Monterey. Located at 670 College Street on the same campus as the parish office, it offers a half-day and full-day preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, and grades K–8 with capped class sizes of 25.
- Founded 1891 — more than 130 years of Catholic education in Hollister
- Preschool (half-day or full-day, ages 3–5) with 12:1 student ratio
- Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 8
- Classroom cap of 25 students per grade; doors open 7:30 AM, instruction begins 8:00 AM
- Principal: Dr. Rachel McKenna, Ed.D. ([email protected], 831-637-4157)
- Priority in admissions given to Catholic parishioners
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Sacraments are central to parish life at Sacred Heart / St. Benedict's. Baptisms, marriages, quinceañeras, anointing of the sick, and First Communion are all prepared and celebrated through the parish office, with bilingual staff available to assist Spanish-speaking families.
- Baptism — contact the parish office at 680 College Street
- Confirmation — Nancy Lopez (831-637-9219)
- First Eucharist — through Religious Education / Family Formation
- Marriage and Quinceañera — Elena Olsvold, Wedding & Quinceañera Coordinator
- Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the homebound — by appointment
- Confession — see weekly schedule (Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning)
Two Church Campuses — One Parish
Sacred Heart / St. Benedict's Parish operates out of two church campuses in Hollister. The parish office and Pastoral Center are at 680 College Street in downtown Hollister, the same block as Sacred Heart Church at Fifth & College Street (also referenced as 520 College Street). The newer St. Benedict's Church at 1200 Fairview Road is the principal weekend Mass venue.
- Sacred Heart Church — 520 / Fifth & College Street, Hollister (built 1877; moved to present site 1939)
- St. Benedict's Church — 1200 Fairview Road, Hollister (built 1999; 343 parking spaces)
- Parish Office / Pastoral Center — 680 College Street, Hollister, CA 95023
- Office hours: Tues/Wed/Fri 9:00 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30–5:00 PM; Thu 9:00 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30–4:30 PM; Closed Sun/Mon
Visiting & Getting Involved
Newcomers and visitors are welcomed at every weekend Mass. To register as a parishioner, request a baptism, marriage, quinceañera, or anointing, or to enroll a child in Religious Education or Sacred Heart Parish School, the easiest first step is to stop by the parish office at 680 College Street or call (831) 637-9212.
- Phone: (831) 637-9212
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.catholichollister.org/
- Office: 680 College Street, Hollister, CA 95023
- Youth ministry Instagram: @catholichollister.youth
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Hugh McNamee1877–1880
First resident pastor when Hollister mission became an independent parish (Sacred Heart).
- Rev. Michael W. Mahoney1880–1889
- Rev. Barnard Smythe1889–1907
- Rev. Patrick Brady1907–1918
- Rev. Patrick D. Hassett1918–1924
- Rev. Patrick O'Connor1924–1929
- Rev. D.J. Keenan1929–1936
- Rev. Msgr. Patrick O'Reilly1936–1968
Longest-tenured pastor; served during the period the parish moved to its present site in 1939.
- Rev. James Kelly1968–1973
- Rev. William Peters1973–1977
- Rev. Larry Kambitsch1977–1980
- Rev. Joseph Leonard1980–1983
- Rev. Michael Miller1983–1989
- Rev. Paul R. Valdez1989–1990
- Rev. Ken Laverone1990–1992
- Rev. Gary Byrne1992–2000
Served during the building of St. Benedict's in 1999.
- Rev. Msgr. Charles G. Fatooh2000–2001
Parish administrator.
- Rev. Ronald Shirley2001
- Rev. Richard Clark2001–2003
- Rev. Rudy Ruiz2003–2016
- Rev. Claudio Cabrera2016–2019
- Rev. Stephen (Steve) Akers2019–present
Began as Parochial Administrator in 2019; current Pastor.