St. Joachim

Parish History

St. Joachim's Catholic Church traces its roots to 1905, when Bishop Patrick W. Riordan of the Diocese of San Francisco created a mission church in Newman to serve the growing Portuguese-American Catholic population of the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley. The first Mass was celebrated by Father M. J. Giles in the Masonic Hall, and a small wooden church built in 1904 at the corner of Main and Mariposa was dedicated on February 12, 1905—only to be destroyed by fire on July 4 of that same year. Elevated to a full parish in 1909, the church was shepherded for the next 15 years by Father John A. Leal, the first Portuguese priest at San José's St. Patrick's Church, who became legendary as the 'Junipero Serra' of the Portuguese community in California for building and expanding Portuguese churches across the West Side. By 1959, under Father Manuel Pereira Costa, the parish decided to replace the aging 220-seat church with the present 700-seat structure, dedicated November 27, 1960, and adorned with stained-glass windows donated by parish families. Father Costa also built the catechetical center (1969) before retiring in 1974, leaving a thriving parish with church, school, and formation building.

• 1904 – First wooden church built
• 1905 – Mission church created by Bishop Riordan; first Mass by Father Giles in Masonic Hall
• July 4 – Original church destroyed by fire
• 1909 – Elevated to parish; Father John A. Leal named first resident pastor
• 1910 – Rectory constructed
• 1911–1913 – Enlarged mission-style church built (architects L. F. Hyde and John J. Foley)
• April 28, 1914 – Enlarged church dedicated by Bishop Edward Hanna
• 1957 – Father Manuel Pereira Costa arrives as pastor
• November 27, 1960 – New 700-seat church dedicated
• 1969 – Catechetical center consecrated
• 1974 – Father Costa retires
• January 2001 – Bishop Stephen Blaire blesses renovated multipurpose building

Mission Statement

The parish of St. Joachim's states: 'With blessings from St. Joachim and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we the children of Christ at St. Joachim's Catholic Church, are dedicated to living the gospel of our Lord. In the strength of our worship, teaching and service, we strive to be loving and supporting people reaching out with compassion and understanding to those in and beyond our parish family so we come to be known as Christians by our faith and love.'

Parish Staff & Leadership

The parish is currently led by Parish Administrator Father Kishor Yerpula and assisted by Deacon Lance Velez. Office support is provided by Parish Secretary Cristal Delgado and Bookkeeper Susan Mattos. The Religious Education Office is staffed separately and can be reached at (209) 862-2878 or [email protected].

• Parish Administrator: Father Kishor Yerpula
• Deacon: Lance Velez
• Parish Secretary: Cristal Delgado
• Bookkeeper: Susan Mattos
• Religious Education Office: (209) 862-2878 / [email protected]

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Faith Formation at St. Joachim's assists parents—recognized as the primary educators of their children—in the religious, moral, and spiritual formation of their children. The parish offers Faith Formation classes for Grades 1–8, Sacrament Preparation for First Communion and First Penance, and Confirmation Preparation. The mission of the program is to provide quality religious education in a nurturing, faith-filled environment where children grow in their love for God, develop their God-given gifts, and live as contributing, respectful Catholic Christians engaged in service.

• Faith Formation Classes – Grades 1–8
• Sacrament Preparation – First Communion & First Penance
• Confirmation Preparation

Becoming Catholic – RCIA

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the formal process by which non-baptized adults—and baptized Christians seeking full communion—are initiated into the Roman Catholic Church. Modeled on the formation of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries, RCIA is a communal process of study, exploration, faith-sharing, and faith formation with specific liturgical rites. The parish's RCIA team of sponsors guides, supports, and instructs inquirers, helping them discern whether to celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Although the average process takes eight to twelve months, it can run up to two or more years at the inquirer's pace.

• For adults 18 and older interested in classes for First Communion and/or Confirmation
• Includes weekly sessions, Sunday Mass attendance, and growing involvement in parish life

Liturgical Ministries

St. Joachim's lay liturgical ministries support the celebration of the Mass and bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. Extraordinary Ministers of Communion serve the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and to those unable to attend; Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and other services; Altar Servers assist the priest and deacon at the altar; and the Altar Society maintains the ceremonial objects, vestments, altar vessels, and sacred spaces used in worship.

• Extraordinary Ministers of Communion
• Lectors
• Altar Servers
• Altar Society

Parish Organizations & Outreach

A rich fabric of lay organizations supports parish life and outreach in the Newman area. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers person-to-person service to those in need; the Guadalupanos Society fosters devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through monthly meetings, the Rosary, Posadas, matachines dance, and mariachi music; the Knights of Columbus Council #2517 is open to practicing Catholic men 18 and older; and the Young Ladies Institute #221 carries out the Christian principles of charity, unity, and sisterly love founded in San Francisco in 1887. The Pro-Life Rosary brings the community together each Tuesday following the 5:30 PM Mass to pray for the sanctity of life from conception until natural death.

• Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• Guadalupanos Society
• Knights of Columbus #2517
• Young Ladies Institute #221
• Pro-Life Rosary (Tuesdays after 5:30 PM Mass)

Parish Councils

Two councils share in the governance and mission of St. Joachim Parish. The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is involved in most activities and programs affecting the liturgical and spiritual life of the parish, while the Finance Council advises the pastor on financial matters of the parish and school, monitors all income and expenses, and approves the annual budgets.

• Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)
• Finance Council

Sacraments

In addition to weekday and Sunday Masses, St. Joachim's prepares the faithful for and celebrates the seven sacraments of the Church. Faith Formation for First Communion and First Penance begins in the catechetical program; Confirmation preparation is offered for teens; the RCIA process welcomes unbaptized adults and baptized Christians seeking full communion; and the parish responds to requests for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Communion for the homebound through the office and Extraordinary Ministers.

• Baptism
• First Communion & First Penance
• Confirmation
• Marriage – contact parish office
• Anointing of the Sick
• RCIA – adult initiation

Devotions & Cultural Traditions

Rooted in more than a century of Portuguese-American Catholic heritage and now embracing its growing Hispanic community, St. Joachim's maintains a calendar of beloved devotions. The Guadalupanos Society leads the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December, incorporating Posadas, the matachines dance, and mariachi music; the Knights of Columbus and parishioners gather each Tuesday following the 5:30 PM Mass for the Pro-Life Rosary; and St. Joachim's remains the center of the Holy Ghost festas in Newman, a tradition that has continued for more than 100 years.

• Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December)
• Posadas and matachines
• Pro-Life Rosary (Tuesdays)
• Holy Ghost festas (100+ year tradition)

Contact & Visiting

Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at (209) 862-3528 (fax 209-862-3512) or by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is 1121 Main Street, Newman, CA 95360. The parish welcomes all—whether visiting briefly or seeking a new parish home—and offers online registration along with information about Faith Formation, RCIA, and the many lay ministries through its website, stjoachimnewman.org.

• Phone: (209) 862-3528
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: 1121 Main Street, Newman, CA 95360
• Website: stjoachimnewman.org