About St. Joseph · Auburn, California
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a diverse, family-oriented parish in Auburn, California — the county seat of Placer County in the Gold Country foothills east of Sacramento. Established in 1911 when the name 'St. Joseph' was transferred to the Lincoln Way church from a mission in Foresthill, the parish belongs to the Diocese of Sacramento (Placer County, Mother Lode Deanery) and serves roughly 175+ families across Auburn and the surrounding Sierra foothills. The community gathers for prayerful liturgies in both English and Spanish, supports a parish school (TK–8), runs a long-standing thrift store, and partners with its sister parish St. Teresa of Avila on faith formation, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, and Knights of Columbus works.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Arbel S. Cabasagan
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Placer County, Mother Lode Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a complete Catholic home in the Auburn foothills: weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, a daily morning Mass Monday through Friday, weekday Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and Saturday confession. Families can enroll their children in the parish school (TK–8) on Atwood Road, or in a robust Faith Formation program that includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for ages 3–6, sacramental preparation, an RCIA process, and the Totus Tuus summer mission. The parish's thrift store, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, and Knights of Columbus partnership with St. Teresa of Avila keep the community visibly serving Auburn's poor.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
About St. Joseph Parish
Saint Joseph Catholic Church of Auburn describes itself as 'an open and loving diverse parish community united by our faith in Jesus Christ, continuing His mission through our prayerful liturgies, faith formation, evangelization, and outreach to the community.' The parish belongs to the Diocese of Sacramento, sits in the Placer County Mother Lode Deanery, and has served the Auburn area since 1911.
Our History
Catholic life in Auburn dates to the 1850s, when the first local church (dedicated to St. Teresa of Avila in 1859) was a mission of St. John the Baptist in Folsom. In March 1911 the larger Lincoln Way church was completed; the parish of Foresthill was reduced to mission status and the name 'St. Joseph' was transferred to Auburn. Five generations of Catholic families have worshipped here since.
- 1859: First Catholic church in Auburn dedicated as St. Teresa of Avila (mission of Folsom)
- 1861: Foresthill mission elevated to parish status under the name St. Joseph (Fr. Logan)
- 1895: Father Feeney appointed pastor of St. Joseph; served ~35 years
- 1905: Earlier Auburn church struck by lightning and destroyed by fire
- 1906: Cornerstone for the new brick Lincoln Way church laid (May 15)
- 1907: New brick church dedicated June 9 (cost $17,672.24; gifts included a triple-faced tower clock from Bernard Ottens, French-imported stained glass windows, and the Stations of the Cross)
- 1911: Name 'St. Joseph' transferred to the Lincoln Way parish; Foresthill becomes a mission
- 1932: Current rectory completed
- 1943: St. Joseph School opens (TK–8); originally staffed by the Sisters of Loretto
- 1984: Religious Education Center added under Father Halligan
- 1987 (November): Parish Thrift Store opens
- 1994: Religious Education Center dedicated to Father Halligan
- 2007: Rectory completely remodeled
- Today: 175+ registered families across Auburn and the Sierra foothills
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Joseph offers a daily morning Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday vigil, and three Sunday Masses including a fully Spanish-language liturgy. The full schedule is posted on the parish website and on its Mass-Times listing.
- Daily Mass: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM (English)
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM (English)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM (English)
- Sunday: 9:30 AM (English)
- Sunday: 11:30 AM (Spanish / Español)
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CFF)
The parish runs a multi-track faith formation program in coordination with its sister parish, St. Teresa of Avila. Registration is handled through the Director of Religious Education, Jen Alcorn.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Level One Atrium, ages 3–6, Thursdays 9:30–11:30
- Catechism Classes (CFF) — grade-level bookwork, crafts, and small-group discussion, presented jointly with St. Teresa of Avila
- Sacramental Preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation (two-year program as required by the Diocese of Sacramento) — Sundays 10:30–11:30
- Registration contact: Jen Alcorn, [email protected], (530) 885-2956
RCIA & Adult Faith Formation
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) at St. Joseph prepares adults and older teens for full participation in the Catholic Faith and welcomes inquirers, candidates for full communion, and Catholics who have not yet been confirmed. Sessions meet in person and virtually.
- 35-class series covering Scripture, early Church history, prayer, the Mass and sacraments, and living the Catholic faith
- Meets jointly with St. Teresa of Avila in the Beatitudes Room of St. Teresa's hall
- Classes begin September 14 at 6:30 PM (per the most recent published schedule)
Youth Ministry & Totus Tuus
St. Joseph invests heavily in its young people, both through a weekly high-school study group and through hosting the Diocese of Sacramento's Totus Tuus summer mission.
- Dead Theologians Society — Deanery youth group, study of the faith and the saints; meets Mondays 6:00–8:00 PM in the Large Conference Room; open to all Confirmed high school students
- Totus Tuus — Pope St. John Paul II's motto meaning 'totally yours'; a summer parish mission program run by teams of young adults to inspire holiness and a daily prayer life in youth (refer site to totustuusmission.org)
- Faith Formation volunteer call: parents and parishioners are explicitly invited to assist as catechists and small-group leaders
St. Joseph School
St. Joseph School is the parish's TK–8 Catholic school on Atwood Road, founded in 1943 to follow 'the example of our patron, St. Joseph.' The school fosters academic excellence and strong character in an environment abundant in enduring Gospel values.
- Established 1943
- 11610 Atwood Road, Auburn, CA 95603
- Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade
- Principal: Kristen Mendonsa
- Mission: 'academic excellence and character development in a faith based environment'
- A ministry of St. Joseph Parish within the Diocese of Sacramento
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a defining mark of St. Joseph. The parish runs its own thrift store, partners with the Diocese in the Annual Catholic Appeal (Social Mission), and joins with St. Teresa of Avila in St. Vincent de Paul and Knights of Columbus works that reach across Placer County.
- St. Joseph Thrift Store — opened November 1987, open Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–3:00 PM, (530) 885-7404
- Proceeds and goods support St. Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Peace for Families, Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home, the Auburn Food Closet, Placer County Protective Services, Loaves & Fishes, Wellspring, the Placer County Jail Ministry, Stand Up Placer, orphanages in the Philippines and Mexico, and Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity
- Annual Catholic Appeal supports Catholic social service agencies in Northern California
- Knights of Columbus Auburn Council 6149 (chartered May 20, 1969) serves both St. Joseph and St. Teresa parishes with Faith-in-Action programs, parish breakfasts and dinners, blood drives, and youth/school support
Our Staff & Clergy
St. Joseph's pastoral team and parish staff are listed on the parish website and in the Diocese of Sacramento parish directory.
- Rev. Arbel S. Cabasagan — Pastor
- Rev. Michael J. Estaris — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Glenn Dare — Pastor Emeritus
- Dcn. Mark Ruiz — Deacon
- Jen Alcorn — Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministry
- Maria Pena — Parish Secretary
- Floyd Royce — Music Coordinator
- Rhonda Bricker — Bookkeeper
- School Principal: Kristen Mendonsa (St. Joseph School)
Visit & Contact
St. Joseph welcomes visitors and parishioners through its parish office at the Lincoln Way church and through its school office on Atwood Road.
- Parish address: 1162 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603
- Phone: (530) 885-2956
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation email: [email protected]
- School address: 11610 Atwood Road, Auburn, CA 95603
- Thrift Store: (530) 885-7404, Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Website: https://sjauburncatholic.com/