About St. Elizabeth Seton · Pleasanton, California
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Oakland serving the city of Pleasanton in the Tri-Valley region of the East Bay. Operated as a mission of nearby St. Augustine Church under the unified Catholic Community of Pleasanton (CCOP), St. Elizabeth Seton shares its rector, associate pastors, and pastoral staff with its sister parish. The church is especially notable for hosting the Tri-Valley Korean Catholic Community, which celebrates Mass in Korean at the parish chapel throughout the week and on Sunday mornings. Guided by the parish mission — "To know Christ better, live as He calls us to live, and make Him better known" — St. Elizabeth Seton serves a growing suburban congregation in southeast Pleasanton with daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, faith formation for children and adults, and sacramental preparation.
- Established
- 1991
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Rector
- Rev. Mark Wiesner
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton offers a vibrant Catholic home in southeast Pleasanton with daily English and Korean Masses, livestreamed weekday liturgy, and weekly Eucharistic adoration. Families can enroll children in a full K–12 faith-formation program with sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation, while adults grow through RCIA, small faith-sharing groups, and ongoing formation. Parish life is shared across the Catholic Community of Pleasanton, giving members access to a wide range of liturgical ministries (lectors, altar servers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, music ministry), social-justice outreach through the Social Justice Committee, and community service — all under the unified mission to know Christ better and make Him better known.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth Seton
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM — St. Augustine Hall (community-wide Reconciliation offered every Saturday)
Adoration times
- Monday 12:45–5:00 PM — Eucharistic Adoration, St. Elizabeth Seton Chapel
- Wednesday 12:45–5:00 PM — Eucharistic Adoration, St. Elizabeth Seton Chapel
About St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Oakland located at 4001 Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton, California, serving the Tri-Valley region of the East Bay. Founded in 1991 and operating today as a mission of St. Augustine under the unified Catholic Community of Pleasanton, the parish shares its clergy, staff, and faith-formation programs with its sister parish on Bernal Avenue while retaining its own identity and a distinct role as the home of the Tri-Valley Korean Catholic Community. The parish mission statement — 'To know Christ better, live as He calls us to live, and make Him better known' — frames everything from daily Mass and adoration to sacramental preparation and outreach.
- Mission parish of St. Augustine within the Catholic Community of Pleasanton
- Diocese of Oakland, Deanery 11 (Southeast)
- Founded 1991; main church completed c. 2000
- Hosts the Tri-Valley Korean Catholic Community
History of the Parish
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was established in 1991 as Pleasanton's second Catholic worship site, supplementing the historic St. Augustine parish that traces its origins to 1882 and was formally constituted as a parish in 1901. The first liturgies at St. Elizabeth Seton were celebrated in early 2000, with the Pleasanton Weekly noting that the church 'opened last spring.' Diocesan planning records held in the California Dioceses Archives document the parish from 1990 to 2000. The main church, designed by Aaron G. Green Associates and completed around 2000, was the second element of a master plan for the Stoneridge campus, and over the years the parish has continued to grow, prompting a 2007 proposal for the Pope John Paul II Activity Center — a roughly 22,300-square-foot gymnasium and classroom addition.
- 1991: Parish founded under the Diocese of Oakland
- c. 2000: Main church building dedicated; designed by Aaron G. Green Associates
- 2007: Pastor Rev. Dan Danielson and parishioners pursue Pope John Paul II Activity Center expansion ($3.5M raised toward construction)
- Today: Mission of St. Augustine within the Catholic Community of Pleasanton
Architecture & Sacred Art
The St. Elizabeth Seton church building was designed by Aaron G. Green Associates — the firm of Aaron Green, a longtime associate of Frank Lloyd Wright — and reflects both the organic-architecture tradition and the post-Vatican II call for worshippers to gather around the altar. The 15,000-square-foot, primarily hexagonal structure seats 800 and is clad in integrally colored split-face concrete masonry beneath a deep cement-plaster overhang. Above the nave rises a hexagonal shallow copper-sheathed dome intersected by a tall, eight-sided copper-roofed pyramid, with a broad translucent skylight running down the center to bathe the altar in diffused natural light. The congregation seating surrounds the altar in a 'theatre-in-the-round' arrangement, with a strong linear axis running from the lobby through to the choir area.
- Architect: Aaron G. Green Associates
- Plan: hexagonal; 15,000 sq ft; 800 seats
- Materials: split-face concrete masonry, copper dome and pyramid, translucent skylight
- Full-immersion baptismal font in precast concrete lined with glass mosaic tile
- Bronze sculpture of St. Elizabeth Seton embracing children by Heloise Crista of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Clergy & Staff
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton shares its clergy and staff with the sister parish of St. Augustine under the unified Catholic Community of Pleasanton. Fr. Mark Wiesner serves as pastor, supported by two associate pastors, five deacons with assigned ministerial portfolios, and a parish staff that includes directors of music, faith formation, liturgy, and operations.
- Rev. Mark Wiesner — Pastor
- Rev. Brandon Macadaeg — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Gerald Pedrera — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Gary Wortham — Director of Liturgy
- Deacon Joe Gourley — Director of Christian Living (Baptism coordinator)
- Deacon Richard Denoix — Detention Ministry for the Diocese of Oakland
- Deacon Mario Butzner — Assistant Director of Liturgy / Altar Server Coordinator
- Deacon Michael Gallagher
- Ira Stein — Director of Music Ministries
- Michael Harmon — Director of Operations
- Hannah Newell — Pastoral Associate
- Olga Morineau — Office Manager
- Alejandrina Fonseca — Finance Manager
- Christine Cardullo — Secretary (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)
- Bronco Hinek — Facilities Manager
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Parish Faith Formation Ministry exists 'to help people grow in the image of Christ,' offering programs of evangelization, catechesis, and service for children, youth, and adults. The 2025–2026 registration is online, with fees of $170 per student (capped at $510 per family) and an additional $220 second-year sacrament tuition for those preparing for Reconciliation and Eucharist. Faith Formation for elementary, middle, and high school students is supplemented by small faith-sharing groups, service opportunities, and an emphasis on developing a deeper Catholic Christian identity.
- Elementary Faith Formation (K–5) — Alexia Fierro, 925-474-2773
- Middle School Faith Formation (6–8) — Justin Swinkels, 925-474-2774
- High School Confirmation & Youth Group — Ed Quindipan, 925-474-2775
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Matt Gray, 925-202-5425
- Christian Initiation of Children (ages 7–17)
- Year 1 and Year 2 Sacramental Preparation (First Reconciliation in February; First Eucharist in May)
Sacramental Preparation
Sacramental preparation is family-centered and recognizes parents as the primary catechists of their children. Children must be baptized before receiving First Reconciliation or First Eucharist, and participation in Faith Formation classes is required. The process typically includes parent meetings, parent-child mini-retreats, family sharing of materials, parent-only meetings, and culminates in the celebration of Reconciliation in February and First Eucharist during the Easter Season.
- Baptism (infants to age 6) — Deacon Joe Gourley
- Baptism (children 7–17) — Kathy Works
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (Year 1 and Year 2)
- High School Confirmation
- Adult Confirmation (18+)
- Marriage preparation — begin at the rectory
Liturgical & Music Ministries
A full range of liturgical ministries invites parishioners to participate in the celebration of Mass and the sacraments. Ira Stein serves as Director of Music Ministries, coordinating the parish choirs that sing for the Sunday 10:00 AM (Adult Choir) and 12:00 PM (Children's Choir) Masses, as well as special celebrations during Holy Week, Christmas, and Confirmation.
- Music Ministries (Director: Ira Stein, 925-474-2776)
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers (Coordinator: Deacon Mario Butzner)
- Altar Linen Ministry
- Liturgy Planning Committee (Deacon Gary Wortham, 925-474-2785)
- Funeral Ministry
- Wedding / Marriage coordinators
Outreach, Charity & Social Justice
The Catholic Community of Pleasanton reaches beyond its walls through parish charity and social-justice efforts, coordinated in part by Deacon Joe Gourley as Director of Christian Living. The parish's Charity page lists St. Vincent de Paul–style outreach alongside the Social Justice Committee and detention ministry led by Deacon Richard Denoix for the Diocese of Oakland. Family Life Ministries support parishioners through life's milestones, while the Safe Environment / VIRTUS training program ensures a protected environment for children and vulnerable adults.
- Social Justice Committee
- Charity / outreach (St. Vincent de Paul–style giving)
- Detention Ministry (Diocese of Oakland, Deacon Richard Denoix)
- Family Life Ministries
- Safe Environment / VIRTUS training
Tri-Valley Korean Catholic Community
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the home parish of the Tri-Valley Korean Catholic Community, which celebrates Mass in Korean at the parish chapel every Sunday at 9:30 AM and on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to attend. The community also gathers for fellowship and faith formation, and the English-language 11:00 AM Sunday Mass is celebrated in tandem with the Korean Mass.
- Sunday 9:30 AM — Korean Mass at St. Elizabeth Seton Church
- Sunday 11:00 AM — English Mass (celebrated in tandem with Korean community)
- Tuesday / Thursday / Friday 9:30 AM — Korean Mass at St. Elizabeth Seton Chapel
Parish Councils & Governance
Parish leadership is shared with St. Augustine through a combined Pastoral Council and Finance Council. The Pastoral Council includes voting members, advisory members, and non-voting clergy and staff, while the Finance Council is chaired by Terry Exner. The councils assist Fr. Mark Wiesner in discerning the pastoral and financial direction of the Catholic Community of Pleasanton.
- Pastoral Council Chair: Denise Kudale
- Vice Chair: John Sensiba
- Secretary: Jorge Padilla
- Finance Council Chair: Terry Exner
- Non-voting members: Deacon Gary Wortham, Deacon Joe Gourley, Deacon Mario Butzner, Deacon Michael Gallagher, Michael Harmon
Visiting & Contact Information
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church is located at 4001 Stoneridge Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588, in the southeast part of the city near the Stoneridge Shopping Center. The parish office telephone is 925-846-4489, the same number used across the Catholic Community of Pleasanton. The Faith Formation Office is housed at 3999 Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton, CA 94566 (the St. Augustine campus). For medical or after-hours emergencies involving a priest, callers may dial 925-846-4489 and press option 1. Daily 12:10 PM Mass from St. Elizabeth Seton Chapel is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, and the Sunday 10:00 AM Mass from St. Augustine is likewise livestreamed.
- Address: 4001 Stoneridge Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588
- Phone: 925-846-4489
- Faith Formation Office: 3999 Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton, CA 94566
- Emergency line: 925-846-4489, press 1
- Livestream: Facebook and YouTube (daily 12:10 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dan Danielson2007 (referenced)
Served as pastor around 2007; led the proposed Pope John Paul II Activity Center expansion and worked with parishioners to raise $3.5 million toward construction.