About St. Joseph Catholic Church (San Jose) · Los Angeles, California
St. Joseph Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica San José) is a historic Franciscan-rooted parish in the Downtown Fashion District of Los Angeles, California, at 218 E. 12th Street. Founded in 1889 to serve German Catholic immigrants, the parish today ministers to a predominantly Hispanic (Latino) community, with all Sunday Masses celebrated in Spanish alongside popular mariachi Masses. Although the original neo-gothic landmark church was destroyed by fire on Labor Day 1983, the present-day structure was restored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and redesigned by Franciscan friars between 1987 and 1992, preserving fragments of the original woodwork and bells as living memory of the parish's 19th-century origins.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a living link between late-19th-century Los Angeles and today's predominantly Hispanic downtown community — a parish where you can worship in Spanish at three Sunday Masses (8:30, 10:30 and 1:00 PM), gather for monthly nocturnal Adoration and First-Friday adoration, and have your children baptized, married, or presented at Quinceañera rites in a sanctuary built from the salvaged woodwork of the original 1903 church. With Religious Education (Educación Religiosa), Together in Mission, Protecting God's Children, and a vibrant mariachi-Mass tradition, it offers a small, family-sized Catholic home in the heart of Los Angeles's Fashion District.
Mass times at St. Joseph Catholic Church (San Jose)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (by appointment / con cita solamente)
Adoration times
- Sunday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM (every third Sunday of the month)
- First Friday 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM (every first Friday of the month)
About St. Joseph Catholic Church (Iglesia de San José)
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Franciscan-rooted parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles located at 218 E. 12th Street in the Downtown Fashion District of Los Angeles. The parish's website introduces itself bilingually as 'St. Joseph Catholic Church / Iglesia Católica San José' and welcomes visitors in both English and Spanish. Masses are primarily in Spanish, with three Sunday celebrations plus Thursday and Friday weekday Masses.
- Address: 218 E. 12th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015
- Phone: (213) 748-5394
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjosephschurchla.com
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Our History / Nuestra Historia
The parish's official 'Our History' page tells its story in a single paragraph: St. Joseph's was founded by the Franciscan friars in 1889 to serve German immigrants; the historic landmark church was destroyed by fire in 1983; the present structure was restored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and redesigned by friars aided by lay co-workers between 1987 and 1992; the baptismal font and altar screen are made from remnants salvaged from the original neo-gothic woodwork; the oil paintings by Franciscan Gino Piccoli are contemporary images in the style of El Greco; and the parish now serves a largely Hispanic community.
- Founded: 1889
- Original landmark church destroyed by fire: 1983
- Current church rebuilt: 1987–1992
- Salient art: oil paintings and stained glass by Fr. Gino Piccoli, OFM
From a German Immigrant Parish to a Hispanic Community
Between 1860 and 1900, German immigrants settled in and around Los Angeles — establishing farms, businesses, and trades — until they made up roughly four percent of the city's population. The Franciscans established St. Joseph's in 1889 to serve these German-speaking Catholic families. After decades of demographic change, the parish transitioned in the twentieth century into a predominantly Latino congregation, and Sunday mariachi Masses became its signature worship style under pastor Franciscan Father Felipe Baldonado.
- 1889: parish founded for German Catholic immigrants
- 1903: large neo-gothic church dedicated on May 3 (Feast of St. Joseph)
- Late 20th century: predominantly Hispanic/Latino congregation
- Mariachi Mass tradition continues today
The 1903 Church, the 1983 Fire, and the Rebuilding
The original church at 218 E. 12th Street was built 1901–1903 to designs by Franciscan architects Brothers Adrian Wewer and Leonard Darscheidt, with frescoes and furnishings by German Catholic craftsmen; it was dedicated May 3, 1903, and designated a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument in 1963. On Labor Day, September 5, 1983, defective sub-floor wiring ignited a fire that gutted the building; the shell was later demolished. Groundbreaking for a $1.8-million replacement took place in July 1985, and the new church — redesigned by friars with lay co-workers — was completed between 1987 and 1992, incorporating fragments of the original woodwork and the original bells.
- Architects: Br. Adrian Wewer, OFM, and Br. Leonard Darscheidt, OFM
- Fire: September 5, 1983 (Labor Day)
- Groundbreaking for new church: July 1985
- Completion of current structure: 1987–1992
Sacraments and Sacramental Programs
The parish website links to dedicated pages for Baptisms, Weddings, Quinceañeras, Religious Education, and Certificate Requests — the core sacramental and formation ministries of a Hispanic Catholic parish. Each page invites visitors to click for more information (Para obtener más información, haga clic aquí).
- Baptisms / Bautismos
- Weddings / Bodas
- Quinceañeras
- Religious Education / Educación Religiosa
- Certificate Request / Pedido de Certificados
Faith Formation / Educación Religiosa
Religious Education is featured on the parish homepage as one of its core ministries. The page is bilingual (English/Spanish) and supports the sacramental preparation of children and youth in the parish's predominantly Hispanic community.
- Religious Education / Educación Religiosa (linked from homepage)
Parish Life and Outreach
Beyond the sacraments, the parish homepage promotes several parish-life and outreach links: parish registration, Together in Mission (the Archdiocese of Los Angeles annual appeal), Protecting God's Children (the safe-environment / VIRTUS program), and directions to the parish.
- Register to our Parish / Regístrate en nuestra parroquia
- Together in Mission / Unidos en Misión
- Protecting God's Children / Protegiendo los Niños
- Directions to our Parish / Direcciones a nuestra parroquia
Daily Readings and Liturgical Calendar
The parish homepage embeds the day's Mass readings in both English and Spanish. On the day these pages were captured, the parish was observing the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist (Mark 6:17–29), with readings listed bilingually.
- Today's Readings / Lecturas del Día — embedded on homepage
- Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Franciscan Father Felipe Baldonadoat least through 1983–1985
Pastor at the time of the Labor Day 1983 fire and of the July 1985 groundbreaking for the new church; led the parish during the popular mariachi-Mass era.