About St. John Vianney · Rancho Cordova, California
St. John Vianney Parish is a culturally diverse Catholic community in Rancho Cordova, California, established in 1958 by Bishop Joseph T. McGucken and served today by the Vocationist Fathers (F.M.). Located on a 17-acre campus at 10499 Coloma Road, the parish is home to roughly 1,700 registered families drawn from white, Black, Central American, Indian, Indonesian, Mexican, Filipino, and Vietnamese communities. It is part of the Diocese of Sacramento (American River Deanery) and shares its campus with St. John Vianney School, which has educated about 300 students annually since 1960. The parish is also well known for the Rancho Cordova Food Locker, an outreach ministry through which it has served more than nine million meals to neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- St. John Vianney (Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, the Cure of Ars)
- Rector
- Rev. Antonio Gutierrez, F.M. (Vocationist Fathers)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (American River Deanery)
Why belong here
St. John Vianney is a parish where a strikingly diverse community gathers around a single altar — English, Spanish, Filipino, and Indonesian Masses share the same cruciform sanctuary each week. Families can put down roots through St. John Vianney School (serving about 300 students since 1960), the parish's bilingual Faith Formation and OCIA programs, ministries for youth and young adults, and the homebound Eucharistic ministry. Outreach is woven into the parish's identity: the on-campus Rancho Cordova Food Locker has served more than nine million meals, and groups like the Divine Mercy Apostolate, Caring Connections, and the St. Vincent de Paul-style Loaves and Fishes work make it a place where the call of Christ to 'reach out to one another' is lived out daily.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:45 – 9:30 AM (English & Spanish)
- Tuesday through Friday: 5:30 – 6:15 PM (English & Spanish)
- Saturday: 4:00 – 4:45 PM (English & Spanish)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Main Church)
- Benediction: 9:30 AM and 6:15 PM
- Divine Mercy Chaplet recited at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM during Thursday Adoration
Parish History
St. John Vianney was canonically established on January 15, 1958 by Bishop Joseph T. McGucken, with Father (later Monsignor) Richard Dwyer as founding pastor. The parish's first Mass was celebrated on Ash Wednesday of that year in such muddy conditions that a farm tractor was used to extract parishioners' cars. Msgr. Dwyer purchased two military barracks from Mather Air Force Base for $52 each as the parish's first buildings. The current cruciform church was completed in 1964, with a granite-boulder altar brought from Mount Aukum and a star-shaped roof over glass panels. The school opened in 1960, and the parish weathered Aerojet layoffs, Vatican II changes, and the closure of Mather Air Force Base in the 1990s while continuing to reach outward. Today about 1,700 families worship together in English, Spanish, Filipino, and Indonesian.
- Established January 15, 1958 by Bishop Joseph T. McGucken
- Founding pastor: Msgr. Richard Dwyer
- First Mass: Ash Wednesday 1958 (tractors pulled cars out of the mud)
- First buildings: two military barracks purchased for $52 each from Mather AFB
- Rectory completed October 1958
- School opened fall 1960
- Current church dedicated 1964 with granite-boulder altar from Mount Aukum
- Current enrollment: ~1,700 registered families
Clergy, Staff & Office
The parish is served by the Vocationist Fathers (F.M.), with Father Antonio Gutierrez as pastor and Father Brandon Meza as parochial vicar; Father Martin Moroney serves as Pastor Emeritus. Two deacons assist: Deacon Walter Little (retired, a parishioner since 1968) and Deacon Daniel Rangel. Lay staff include an Office Manager (Jazmin Ortiz), Office Assistant (Genoveva Castro), Faith Formation & Baptism Coordinator (Leomi Ebalobo), Youth Ministry Coordinator (Martin Wong), OCIA coordinator Dr. Philip Eulie, Maintenance (Paolo Reali), and School Principal Amy Hale. Parish office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 1:30–6:00 PM, Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM–12:30 PM, closed Monday, with a lunch closure 12:30–1:30 PM.
- Pastor: Rev. Antonio Gutierrez, F.M.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Brandon Meza, F.M.
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Martin Moroney
- Deacons: Walter Little (Retired) and Daniel Rangel
- Office phone: (916) 362-1385
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation is offered in both English and Spanish, coordinated by Leomi Ebalobo. Classes typically meet on weekday evenings on the parish campus. The English session runs 6:30 PM–8:00 PM, with Spanish sessions scheduled through the school year. The program prepares students for the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
- Faith Formation Coordinator (English & Spanish): Leomi Ebalobo, (916) 369-369-8669
- [email protected]
- English class: Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM
- Spanish class: select Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM
Confirmation Preparation
Confirmation preparation at St. John Vianney is a two-year program, usually begun in 7th grade and completed in 8th grade, using the One Eight curriculum from the publishers of Life Teen. It includes large- and small-group interaction, retreats, community service, Catholic saints study, and a range of prayer experiences drawn from the Church's tradition. For more information, call (916) 369-8669.
- Two-year program, typically grades 7–8
- Curriculum: One Eight (Life Teen publishers)
- Includes small-group community, retreats, and service
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) is offered in English for adults seeking to learn about the Catholic faith, prepare for the Easter Vigil, or return to the Church. The program is coordinated by Dr. Philip Eulie.
- OCIA, English — Dr. Philip Eulie, 415-813-9500
- [email protected]
Baptism & Pre-Baptism Classes
Baptism preparation is offered in both English and Spanish. Parents and godparents are required to attend a formation class (Pláticas Pre-Bautismales) before a baptism is scheduled. Spanish-language Pláticas information is available from Rafael Villeda at 916-595-4583; English and Spanish baptism coordination is handled by Leomi Ebalobo at [email protected].
- Baptism Coordinator (English & Spanish): Leomi Ebalobo
- [email protected]
- Spanish Pláticas Pre-Bautismales: Rafael Villeda, 916-595-4583
Youth, Young Adults & Family Life
Sanctus Youth Ministry serves middle and high school students and is led by Martin Wong ([email protected]). A separate Young Adults Ministry gathers parishioners ages 18–39. Children's Liturgy of the Word brings age-appropriate Scripture proclamation to younger children during Mass.
- Sanctus Youth Ministry (Middle & High School) — Martin Wong
- Young Adults Ministry (ages 18–39)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the Mass as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and through the Children's Liturgy of the Word. Eucharistic Ministers also extend Communion to homebound parishioners through the parish's Eucharistic / Homebound Ministry.
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Eucharistic / Homebound Ministry — (916) 362-1385
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the regular Mass schedule, the parish supports a deep devotional life: all-day Thursday Adoration with two Benedictions, the Divine Mercy Chaplet recited at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Bible Study, and the Liturgy of the Hours. The parish also hosts a Divine Mercy Apostolate.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursdays 8:30 AM–6:00 PM
- Benediction — Thursdays 9:30 AM and 6:15 PM
- Divine Mercy Chaplet — Thursdays 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM
- Bible Study
- Liturgy of the Hours
- Divine Mercy Apostolate
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is part of the parish's DNA. The Rancho Cordova Food Locker, housed on the parish campus, has served more than nine million meals to neighbors facing food insecurity. The parish also partners with Loaves and Fishes, hosts a Caring Connections ministry, and supports a St. Vincent de Paul-style ministry. Deacon-led and lay-led efforts reach into the local Rancho Cordova community year-round.
- Rancho Cordova Food Locker — Executive Director Carrie Johnson, (916) 837-5431, [email protected]
- Loaves and Fishes
- Caring Connections
- St. Vincent de Paul-style outreach
- 9+ million meals served through the Food Locker
St. John Vianney School
St. John Vianney School opened in the fall of 1960 and has maintained an annual student body of about 300 ever since. The parish school is led by Principal Amy Hale and shares the parish campus, giving parish families a natural PreK–8 Catholic education option alongside the parish's sacramental and faith-formation programs. School contact: (916) 363-4610, [email protected].
- Opened: Fall 1960
- Enrollment: ~300 students
- Principal: Amy Hale
- Phone: (916) 363-4610 ext. 100
- Email: [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments in both English and Spanish, with preparation programs tailored to each. Reconciliation is offered six days a week. Confirmation is a two-year program for 7th–8th graders. Marriage and Quinceañera inquiries are taken by phone before an office visit; information about baptisms and quinceañeras can be obtained by calling (916) 362-1385.
- Baptism — English & Spanish; pre-baptismal class required
- Confirmation — 2-year One Eight program (grades 7–8)
- Eucharist / First Communion — through Faith Formation
- Confession — English & Spanish, see schedule
- Marriage / Quinceañera — call parish office first
- Anointing of the Sick — through parish office
- Funerals / Sacramental Records — through parish office
Parish Life & Governance
Parishioners can get involved through the Pastoral Council and Finance Council, register online or in person, request annual contribution statements, reserve parish rooms for events, and submit suggestions through a parish Suggestion Box. Photo albums of parish events are published on the parish website.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Online Parish Registration
- Annual Contribution Statement
- Room Reservation
- Suggestion Box
- Photo Albums
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish welcomes visitors to its weekly Masses and devotions. New parishioners can register online via the parish website or in person at the parish office. Office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 1:30–6:00 PM and Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM–12:30 PM (closed Monday, with a 12:30–1:30 PM lunch closure). Main contact is (916) 362-1385 / [email protected].
- Address: 10499 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
- Phone: (916) 362-1385
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sjvparish.com/
- Office Hours: Tue/Thu 1:30–6:00 PM; Wed/Fri 9:00 AM–12:30 PM; closed Mon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Richard Dwyer1958–(founding, served into later decades)
Founding pastor; appointed by Bishop Joseph T. McGucken, built the first church buildings and the granite-boulder altar.
- Father Martin Moroney
Pastor Emeritus; one of four pastors mentioned as living out the spirituality of the patron saint.
- Rev. Antonio Gutierrez, F.M.current
Current pastor, a Vocationist Father.