About St. Isidore · Yuba City, California
St. Isidore Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Yuba City, California, in the Diocese of Sacramento, serving a diverse bilingual community in Sutter County. Established on January 15, 1952, the parish worships in English and Spanish and is named after St. Isidore the Farmer, the patron saint of farmers — a fitting patron for a parish rooted in Sutter County's agricultural heritage. The parish operates St. Isidore Catholic School (founded 1955, preschool–8th grade), runs Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration 24/7, and offers ministries spanning liturgy, formation, service to the sick and homeless, Respect Life, and several ethnic communities including Filipino, Chamoru, Guadalupanas, and Defensores de la Fe. Its mission statement says the parish exists so that 'people can discover Jesus who heals all wounds and fulfills all desires,' centered in the Eucharist and serving through worship, formation, and service.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- St. Isidore the Farmer (Patron Saint of Farmers)
- Rector
- Rev. Avram Brown
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Sutter County, Sutter Buttes Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Isidore offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life — bilingual daily Mass in English and Spanish, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and a generous weekly confession schedule. A Catholic school (preschool through 8th grade) sits right next to the church, and an unusually broad ministry catalog gives every parishioner a way to serve: St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Young Ladies Institute, Lay Third Order Dominicans, Filipino Ministry, Chamoru Ministry, Guadalupanas, Defensores de la Fe, Respect Life, Prayer Blanket Ministry, Music Ministry, and the REST homeless shelter team. Add to that family faith formation, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–12), and youth ministry, and you have a parish built to welcome, form, and send out disciples.
Mass times at St. Isidore
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Our Story & Parish History
St. Isidore Parish was born in 1952 out of one priest's practical creativity: Father Bernard McElwee, appointed founding pastor by Bishop Armstrong on January 15, 1952, acquired a former WWII Italian prisoners' chapel from Camp Beale and moved it to Cooper Avenue to serve as the first temporary church. On March 9, 1953, that chapel was relocated to a 17-acre Gray property on Clark Avenue — the parish's permanent home. The 1955 Christmas Eve flood submerged the church and school in 12 feet of water, but the community rebuilt, opened a convent in 1958, and dedicated a permanent church on June 12, 1960 — its architecture intentionally echoing the fruit packing sheds of Sutter County in tribute to St. Isidore, patron of farmers. Father McElwee served 21 years before retiring and being succeeded by his assistant, Father Joseph Bishop.
- Founded: January 15, 1952 (Bishop Armstrong, founding pastor Fr. Bernard McElwee)
- First worship space: former Italian POW chapel from Camp Beale, moved to Cooper Ave then to Clark Ave on March 9, 1953
- Holy Angels School opened September 1955 (now St. Isidore School)
- Great Flood of December 24, 1955 — church and school flooded in 12 feet of water
- Permanent church dedicated June 12, 1960 by Bishop Joseph McGucken
- Permanent rectory built 1963
- Fr. McElwee retired after 21 years; succeeded by Fr. Joseph Bishop
Clergy, Deacons & Staff
The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Avram Brown with Parochial Vicar Fr. Saju Mathews and four deacons: Brad Bell, Ruben Rojo, John Thoo, and Eldon Vignery. The parish staff includes a Parish Manager/Bookkeeper (Patty Gonzalez), Marriage Coordinator (Carmen Reyes), Administrative Assistant (Elsa Ramos), Facilities Manager (Daniel Quiroz), Family Faith Formation Coordinator (Laura Contreras), and Guadalupe (Lili) Alcalá.
- Pastor: Rev. Avram Brown
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Saju Mathews
- Deacons: Brad Bell, Ruben Rojo, John Thoo, Eldon Vignery
- Parish Manager/Bookkeeper: Patty Gonzalez
- Marriage Coordinator: Carmen Reyes
- Administrative Assistant: Elsa Ramos
- Facilities Manager: Daniel Quiroz
- Family Faith Formation Coordinator: Laura Contreras
- Guadalupe (Lili) Alcalá
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Isidore's Family Faith Formation program supports parents — recognized as the primary educators of their children — in evangelizing and forming their children in the Catholic faith. Programs include Religious Education for school-age children, RCIA for adults, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium for ages 3–12 (a Montessori-based, hands-on faith formation environment), and Junior High Youth Ministry for grades 6–8 (retreats, social events, ministry projects, and a monthly fellowship group).
- Religious Education for children
- Family Faith Formation
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–12) — contact Michelle Knox, [email protected]
- Youth Ministry – Junior High (grades 6–8)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Parish Bible Study
St. Isidore Catholic School
St. Isidore Catholic School was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1955 (originally as Holy Angels School) and serves preschool through 8th grade on the parish campus at 200 Clark Avenue, Yuba City. The school is dedicated to educating the whole child — spiritual, academic, and physical growth — in partnership with families as the primary educators. It is staffed and accredited through the Diocese of Sacramento, with Susan Burky listed as principal on the diocesan directory.
- Founded 1955 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
- Originally named Holy Angels School
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Located at 200 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991
- School office: 530-673-2217
- Principal: Susan Burky
- Website: stisidoreschool.org
Liturgical Ministries
The parish depends on a robust team of lay liturgical ministers to support its bilingual Mass schedule. The Music Ministry includes the St. Isidore Choir (rehearses Wednesday 6:30–7:30 PM in Church) and the Youth Choir, plus instrumentalists for piano, organ, brass, woodwinds and strings.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry (choirs, cantors, instrumentalists)
- Altar Care
Service & Outreach
St. Isidore's outreach reflects the many faces of its community. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates a food locker Tuesday through Thursday 9:15–11:15 AM providing food, clothing, household goods, and follow-up home visits. The parish participates in the REST (Regional Emergency Shelter Team) network that provides cold-weather shelter and warm meals to homeless families, single women and couples in the Yuba-Sutter region. The Prayer Blanket Ministry produces handmade lap blankets blessed by the priests and given to those in need of prayer, comfort, and healing.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — food, clothing, rent/utility assistance, home visits
- Ministry to the Sick and Elderly / Homebound (Eucharist brought to the housebound)
- Ministry to the Homeless (REST – Regional Emergency Shelter Team)
- Prayer Blanket Ministry
- St. Paul Street Evangelization
- Hospitality
- Grounds Care
Respect Life & Evangelization
The parish's Respect Life Ministry runs 40 Days for Life campaigns, educates parishioners about right-to-life issues, and promotes events that celebrate the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. St. Paul Street Evangelization takes the parish's Catholic faith into the public square.
- Respect Life Ministry / 40 Days for Life
- St. Paul Street Evangelization
- Legion of Mary
Cultural & Community Ministries
Reflecting its diverse bilingual character, St. Isidore supports several cultural and community ministries that serve distinct populations within the parish — from Filipino families to Chamoru parishioners to Guadalupanas (women devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe) and Defensores de la Fe (Defenders of the Faith, a Spanish-language apostolate).
- Filipino Ministry
- Chamoru Ministry
- Guadalupanas
- Defensores de la Fe
- Knights of Columbus
- Young Ladies Institute
- Lay Third Order Dominicans
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (530) 673-1573 or visit in person at 222 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991 during office hours, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The parish website (stisidore-yubacity.org) carries the latest bulletin, schedules, and ministry contact information, and the parish maintains a Facebook presence.
- Parish Office: 222 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991
- Phone: (530) 673-1573 | Fax: (530) 673-2512
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- School: 200 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991 | (530) 673-2217
- Website: stisidore-yubacity.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bernard McElwee1952 – retirement
Founding pastor; appointed January 15, 1952 by Bishop Armstrong. Secured a former WWII Italian POW chapel from Camp Beale as the first church, purchased the 17-acre Gray property on Clark Avenue as the permanent site, opened Holy Angels School (now St. Isidore School) in 1955, guided the parish through the Great Flood of 1955, built the convent in 1958, and saw the permanent church dedicated by Bishop McGucken on June 12, 1960. Served 21 years as pastor.
- Father Joseph Bishop
Father McElwee's assistant; succeeded him as pastor upon McElwee's retirement.