About St. Elizabeth · Sacramento, California
St. Elizabeth of Portugal Catholic Church is a historic Portuguese National Church located at 1817 12th Street in downtown Sacramento, California, founded in 1909 by Sacramento's Portuguese-American community and entrusted to Father Joao V. Azevedo. It is the oldest Portuguese National Church west of New England and the only one north of San Jose, and has served for more than a century as the religious and cultural heart of the Portuguese community in north-central California. Today the parish is pastored by Rev. Jean Paul Khoury with a Portuguese chaplain, Rev. Eduino Silveira, and since October 2024 also shares its worship space with the Maronite community of Our Lady of the Rosary.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Portugal (Queen Saint Isabel of Portugal)
- Rector
- Rev. Jean Paul Khoury
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth's welcomes Portuguese-Americans and all comers to a downtown parish that has been a center of faith, family, and Portuguese culture for more than a century. The parish offers weekday and Sunday Mass in English, a Sunday Eucharist with bilingual Portuguese and English readings, the warm Portuguese chaplaincy of Rev. Eduino Silveira, full sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, baptism, matrimony), and — uniquely since October 2024 — a Maronite Divine Liturgy in English, Arabic, and Syriac celebrated in the same building. It is a small, traditional parish where generations of families have been baptized, married, and laid to rest, and where the historic 1913 church remains the heart of the community.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM
- Sunday 9:30 AM
- By appointment
Welcome to St. Elizabeth of Portugal Catholic Church
St. Elizabeth of Portugal Catholic Church in Sacramento welcomes visitors to a parish 'deeply rooted in faith' with 'a strong sense of tradition.' The parish describes itself as 'a home to welcome you' and invites all to 'a journey towards Jesus,' seeing its members as 'called by God to be witnesses of the Gospel.' The church has been the spiritual home of generations of families, especially within the Portuguese-American community of north-central California.
Our History
The parish was founded on October 24, 1909, when the Portuguese community in Sacramento petitioned Bishop Grace to appoint Father Joao V. Azevedo as their pastor; the Portuguese first worshipped at St. Stephen's Church before building their own. The land at 12th and S Streets was donated by Manuel S. Williams and his wife, and a committee of eight Portuguese-American men joined Williams in planning the new church. The completed church — one of the first reinforced-cement buildings in Sacramento, modeled after a church in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira — was dedicated on February 2, 1913, by Father Azevedo and Bishop Grace and named Igreja da Santa Isabel, after the Queen of Portugal.
- 1909 — Founding of the Portuguese National Church; first baptism: Joseph Veiga, October 24, 1909.
- 1913 — New church dedicated February 2, 1913, by Father Azevedo and Bishop Grace.
- 1916 — Basement enlarged to create the parish hall, still used for Portuguese organizations, language classes, and community meals.
- 1955 — Monsignor Azevedo retires; Father Valdemiro Machado Fagundes named Administrator.
- 1977 — Father Fagundes given the title of Monsignor.
- 1982 — Major $140,000 restoration completed under Monsignor Fagundes; church rededicated.
- 1983 — Church placed on the State Point of Historic Interest list (February).
- 1989 — Martin Brusato, baptized at St. Elizabeth's, ordained a priest in Woodland — the only priest to come from the parish.
Patron: St. Elizabeth of Portugal
The church is named after Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (Rainha Santa Isabel), born January 4, 1271, daughter of King Peter III of Aragon and wife of King Dinis of Portugal. Known as the 'Peacemaker,' she is famous for riding between the armies of her husband and her son to reconcile them, and for dying in 1336 after a similar mission of peace. She was canonized by Pope Urban VIII in 1625; her feast is celebrated on July 4 (in the United States observed July 5, as July 4 is Independence Day). She is patron of widows, peace, victims of difficult marriages, and the falsely accused.
- Born: January 4, 1271
- Died: July 4, 1336, at Estremoz
- Canonized: 1625 by Pope Urban VIII
- Feast Day: July 4
Clergy and Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. Jean Paul Khoury, with Rev. Eduino Silveira serving as Priest Chaplain to the Portuguese Catholic Community. Susan Battimarco is the parish secretary, and John Pires is the Coordinator of Religious Education (contact: 916-284-7293). Since October 2024, Rev. Mhanna Joseph Kallas, a bi-ritual Maronite priest, has also served the Maronite community of Our Lady of the Rosary at the same location under an agreement between Maronite Bishop Elias Zaidan and Latin Bishop Jaime Soto.
- Rev. Jean Paul Khoury — Pastor
- Rev. Eduino Silveira — Priest Chaplain to the Portuguese Catholic Community
- Susan Battimarco — Parish Secretary, (916) 442-2333
- John Pires — Coordinator of Religious Education, (916) 284-7293
- Rev. Mhanna Joseph Kallas — Maronite priest serving Our Lady of the Rosary (since June 2024)
Religious Education and Sacraments
Coordinator John Pires oversees the parish's religious-education programs, which prepare children for First Communion (ages 6 and up) and Confirmation (ages 12 and older), running from September through May with registration in August. Weddings require a minimum of six months advance notice through the Parish Office.
- First Communion preparation — children ages 6 and up
- Confirmation preparation — ages 12 and older; classes September–May
- Baptism, Matrimony, and Catechesis for Adults and Children — contact Parish Office
- Weddings require a minimum of six months advance notice
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
RCIA is the parish's process for adults seeking to become members of the Catholic Church, with members welcomed into the Church at the Holy Saturday Vigil. The parish notes that it is currently looking for a volunteer coordinator for this ministry.
- Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church
- Reception into the Church at the Holy Saturday Vigil
- Currently seeking a volunteer coordinator
Pastoral Council and Pastoral Ministries
The parish maintains a Pastoral Council and broader Pastoral Ministries to support the life of the community. John Pires serves as Chairman of the Pastoral Council. Specific ministries under the Pastoral Ministries umbrella are coordinated through the Parish Office.
- Pastoral Council — Chairman: John Pires
- Pastoral Ministries — Pastor and Parish Office: (916) 442-2333
The Portuguese National Church
St. Elizabeth's is a Portuguese 'National Church' — a rare status in the Catholic Church granted to areas with large ethnic populations. Unlike a territorial parish, a National Church draws its community by ethnicity rather than geography: Portuguese Catholics anywhere in the region may attend St. Elizabeth's for baptisms, weddings, funerals, and all parish life, and the liturgy reflects Portuguese language and culture. The parish still hosts Portuguese organizations, language classes, cultural events, and community meals in its parish hall, continuing its role as the religious and cultural center for the Portuguese of north-central California.
- Oldest Portuguese National Church west of New England and the only one north of San Jose.
- Liturgy conducted in English and Portuguese; Portuguese chaplaincy by Rev. Eduino Silveira.
- Parish hall used for Portuguese organizations, language classes, receptions, and cultural events.
Our Lady of the Rosary Maronite Mission (Sharing the Building)
Since October 2024, the Maronite Catholic community of Our Lady of the Rosary has celebrated its Divine Liturgy in the St. Elizabeth of Portugal Church building, under an agreement between Maronite Bishop Elias Zaidan and Latin Bishop Jaime Soto. The Maronite community — a Sacramento mission founded in 2009 — grew through the leadership of several pastors before moving to share St. Elizabeth's historic home. The Maronite Mass is celebrated in English, Arabic, and Syriac and is the only Maronite Catholic Liturgy in the Sacramento area.
- Maronite Divine Liturgy: Sunday 11:30 AM (English, Arabic, and Syriac)
- Mission relocated to St. Elizabeth's in October 2024, on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
- Bi-ritual faculties granted to a Maronite priest to serve both communities.
- Pastor: Rev. Mhanna Joseph Kallas (assigned June 2024)
Visit Us / Contact
Parishioners and visitors are invited to contact the parish office by phone or in person during published office hours, or to attend Mass at the published schedule. The church is located at the corner of 12th and S Streets in downtown Sacramento.
- Address: 1817 12th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
- Phone: (916) 442-2333
- Fax: (916) 498-0676
- Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Friday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Religious Education: John Pires, (916) 284-7293
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joao V. Azevedo (later Monsignor)1909–1955
Native of the Azorean Island of Pico; ordained 1904 at the Sacramento Cathedral — the first seminarian ordained there. Founded the Portuguese National Church on October 24, 1909; dedicated the new church on February 2, 1913. Retired 1955, died 1957.
- Monsignor Valdemiro Machado Fagundes1955–after 1983
Ordained 1951, assigned to St. Elizabeth's as associate pastor. Named Administrator in 1955, later pastor; given the title of Monsignor in 1977. Led the $140,000 restoration completed in 1982 and the church's rededication; in February 1983 the church was placed on the State Point of Historic Interest list.