About St. Joseph · Capitola, California
St. Joseph's Catholic Community is a parish of the Diocese of Monterey in California, located in the seaside city of Capitola in Santa Cruz County, just minutes from Highway 1. The parish traces its roots back to 1904 when the first St. Joseph's was built at the corner of Bay and Capitola Avenues; the present-day church on Monterey Avenue was dedicated on February 24, 1974 by Bishop H.A. Clinch. The community worships in English and Spanish, offers religious education from preschool through high school, runs an active RCIA process, and serves as a hub of Catholic life for the broader Santa Cruz area.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Wayne Dawson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a bilingual (English and Spanish) parish rooted in more than 120 years of Catholic tradition in Capitola — from the original 1904 church at Bay and Capitola Avenues to the present-day worship space blessed in 1974. The community welcomes newcomers through a structured RCIA process, walks children and teens through Religious Education from preschool through high school, and offers lifelong formation for adults. Daily Eucharist, weekly Confession, and expansive Eucharistic Adoration (with weekend Holy Hours available for sign-up) round out a parish designed for active participation. Add in ministries for Hispanic outreach, the elderly and homebound, liturgy, and facilities, and St. Joseph's offers something for nearly every season of life.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 AM through Thursday 3:00 PM (24-hour)
- Friday 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Our Parish & Identity
St. Joseph's Catholic Community describes itself as 'a loving and nurturing family of faith, a place where the power of God's love transforms individuals, families and communities.' The community welcomes all and is devoted to living and spreading the Word of God through the celebration of the Eucharist, prayer, and service. Nestled in the heart of Santa Cruz County in the city of Capitola by the Sea, the parish is just minutes from Highway 1 and serves Catholics from across the Santa Cruz area.
- Tagline: 'The Catholic community of choice for many in the Santa Cruz area.'
- Mission: worship, prayer, and service
- Bilingual community: English and Spanish
Parish History (1904–Present)
Saint Joseph's is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in Santa Cruz County, founded in 1904 when Frederick Augustus (F.A.) Hihn finally agreed to provide a lot at Bay and Capitola Avenues. By the early 1970s the parish had outgrown the original landmark church and built the present-day worship site on Monterey Avenue, formally dedicating it in 1974. The new church preserved stained glass, statuary, and a bell from the 1904 building, giving the modern parish a tangible link to its earliest community.
- 1904 — Parish of Saint Joseph's established, first pastor Fr. Patrick J. Hennessy
- 1904 — Two missions: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Aptos) and Sacred Heart Chapel (Del Mar Hotel)
- 1970 — Architect Thomas R. Richmond hired to design the new site
- May 1972 — Ground broken on Mother's Day
- March 19, 1973 — Last Mass at the old Saint Joseph's, on the feast of Saint Joseph
- June 23, 1973 — Opening day of the new Monterey Avenue site
- February 24, 1974 — Formal dedication by Most Reverend H.A. Clinch, Bishop of Monterey
Sacramental Life
Preparation for each sacrament is handled in-house by named parish staff members. Marriage preparation requires at least six months of lead time and walks couples through registration, a Wedding Application, a Marriage Preparation Class, and a meeting with Fr. Wayne. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) follows the Church's five canonical stages and begins each Fall; First Eucharist preparation is its own track.
- Marriage — Coordinator: Socorro Wallace, ext. 40
- RCIA — Coordinator: Marilee French, ext. 32
- First Eucharist — separate preparation process
- Reconciliation — Thursdays 9:30–10:30 AM
- Anointing of the Sick & Holy Communion for the Homebound coordinated through Carolyn Hooper
Religious Education & Lifelong Formation
Faith formation at St. Joseph's spans every age. The Religious Education program offers interactive preschool through high school classes led by volunteer catechists and meets Thursdays 4:15–5:30 PM in the Parish Center for Grades 1–5. Adult Formation, coordinated by Sherry Cassedy, is framed as 'Life-Long Formation' and includes faith-sharing, large and small group experiences, prayer, and the popular Facebook Live series 'Reflections from the Inside' on Fridays at 10:00 AM.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Pascuala Rios, ext. 36
- Grades 1–5 classes: Thursdays, 4:15–5:30 PM, Parish Center
- Curriculum activities: Living Rosary, Giving Thanks to the Lord, Works of Mercy service projects, Christmas Carols, Stations of the Cross
- Adult Formation Coordinator: Sherry Cassedy
- 'Reflections from the Inside' — Fridays 10:00 AM on Facebook Live
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The RCIA program at St. Joseph's welcomes inquirers throughout the year and formal classes begin each Fall. The parish describes RCIA not as a class to be passed but as a period of discernment, walking through five stages — Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification or Illumination, the Paschal Triduum (when the Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated), and Mystagogy — supported by Coordinator Marilee French.
- Five canonical stages
- Inquiry begins year-round; formal sessions start each Fall
- Coordinator: Marilee French, ext. 32
Ministries & Parish Groups
Beyond sacraments and formation, the parish runs active outreach and parish-life ministries covering the Hispanic community, the elderly and homebound, liturgy, facilities, technology, and a newly posted part-time Parish Ministry Coordinator role (up to 25 hours/week) that will recruit, train, and connect ministry leaders and volunteers across the parish.
- Hispanic Outreach — Nery Romero
- Elderly & Homebound — Carolyn Hooper
- Liturgy — Tammy Garcia
- Facilities — Freddy Markham
- Custodial Services — Humberto Cisneros
- Technology & Communications — Aaron Fernandes
- Parish Ministry Coordinator (part-time, bilingual English/Spanish a plus)
Parish Staff & Leadership
Fr. Wayne Dawson has served as pastor of St. Joseph's since 2012. He is supported by an Executive Assistant, a Pastoral Associate, and coordinators for RCIA, Religious Education, Adult Formation, Liturgy, Hispanic Outreach, the Elderly & Homebound, Human Resources, Bookkeeping, Technology & Communications, Facilities, and Custodial Services.
- Fr. Wayne Dawson — Pastor (since 2012)
- Socorro Wallace — Executive Assistant to the Pastor
- Jolene Smith — Pastoral Associate
- Marilee French — RCIA
- Pascuala Rios — Religious Education
- Sherry Cassedy — Adult Formation
- Tammy Garcia — Liturgy
- Carolyn Hooper — Elderly & Homebound
- Nery Romero — Hispanic Outreach
- Aaron Fernandes — Technology & Communications
- Ken Mower — Human Resources
- Crystal DeLappe — Bookkeeper
- Freddy Markham — Facilities
- Humberto Cisneros — Custodial Services
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick J. Hennessy1904–1907
First pastor; oversaw construction of the original church and rectory at Bay and Capitola Avenues.
- Rev. J.J. Fortier1907–1909
- Rev. Henry S. O'Reilly1909–1914
- Rev. Michael F. Slattery1914–1919
- Rev. James L. MacMahon1919–1924
- Rev. Philip G. Scher1924–1930
- Rev. Msgr. Joseph M. Phelan1930–1960
Longest-tenured pastor on record (30 years).
- Rev. Francis L. Markey1960–1968
- Rev. Msgr. John J. Kennedy1968–1979
- Rev. Michael L. Cross1979–1983
- Rev. Joe Watt1983–1985
- Rev. Larry Betrozoff1985–1994
- Rev. Patrick Dooling1994–2006
- Very Rev. Matthew Pennington, V.F.2006–2012
- Rev. Wayne Dawson2012–present
Current pastor; dedication in 2012 per Diocese of Monterey directory succession list.