About St. Joseph · Cayucos, California
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a small, welcoming parish serving the seaside community of Cayucos on California's Central Coast. Part of the Diocese of Monterey in California, it is currently led by Rev. Msgr. Charles G. Fatooh and supported by a staff including a Sisters of St. Joseph pastoral associate, liturgy and faith formation coordinators, and lay ministry leaders. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses, First Friday Adoration, weekly Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a Rosary after daily Mass, and a full sacramental and faith formation program for children and adults. Its mission statement describes a community 'nourished by the Word and Eucharist, celebrating the presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacraments, and inspired by the Holy Spirit to share the Word of God.'
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Charles G. Fatooh
- Diocese
- Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a small, close-knit parish where parishioners genuinely know one another — the kind of community where the altar society, Bible study group, finance and pastoral councils, faith formation team, and Respect Life and New Evangelization ministries are all run by named neighbors you will see at daily Mass. The church offers the full rhythm of Catholic life: daily Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil, Sunday Mass, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, First Friday Adoration, a daily Rosary, monthly Reconciliation, and RCIA for adults discerning the faith. Tucked into the heart of small-town Cayucos on California's Central Coast, it is the kind of parish where a visitor is warmly welcomed and quickly made part of the family.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Saturday of the month: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- First Friday Adoration: time announced in the weekly bulletin
About St. Joseph's Parish
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a small, welcoming parish in the heart of Cayucos, California, on the Central Coast. Part of the Diocese of Monterey in California, it gathers Catholics from the seaside village and surrounding area for daily and weekend Mass, the sacraments, faith formation, and a vibrant set of lay ministries. The parish's self-description is 'a welcoming, caring, and accepting faith community, nourished by the Word and Eucharist, celebrating the presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacraments, and inspired by the Holy Spirit to share the Word of God, reaching out through prayer, love, and service.'
- Mission Statement: 'We, the Catholic community of St. Joseph Church in Cayucos, joyfully welcome all to encounter the love of God the Father, follow Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament, and live as Spirit-filled disciples through prayer, service, and compassion.'
- Diocese: Diocese of Monterey in California
- Year founded (in diocesan records): 1905
- Patron: St. Joseph (feast day March 19)
Parish History
Catholic worship in Cayucos dates back to the 1890s. The first St. Joseph's was built in 1894–1895 on land donated by Captain James Cass, a non-Catholic sea captain who funded and helped build the church to serve the Catholic families of the village. The modest frame building served the community until a new church was built in 1950; the original was eventually sold and burned on September 30, 1970. The current parish traces its foundation to 1905 in the records of the Diocese of Monterey and has been served by more than two dozen priests since, including a long-running pastorate of Father Colm O'Connor from 1978 to 1994.
- 1894–1895: Original church built by Manuel Dughi for $600, on land donated by Captain James Cass
- July 6, 1900: Original church dedicated
- July 15, 1900: First Mass celebrated by Fr. Valentin Aguilera of Mission San Luis Obispo
- 1940: Oil heater installed (first heating)
- 1945: Electricity installed (replacing kerosene lamps)
- 1950: New (current) church built; old structure vacated
- September 30, 1970: Original 1894 church burns down
- 1935–1960: Long-serving pastor Father Martin Cooney, the last priest of the original church
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
The parish is led by a pastor, a religious sister in pastoral associate role, and a team of lay staff and ministry coordinators. According to the Diocese of Monterey's 2020 directory and the parish's own contact page, the current leadership includes liturgy, faith formation, finance, respect life, and new evangelization coordinators as well as the parish secretary.
- Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Charles G. Fatooh (since 2011)
- Pastoral Associate / Support Staff: Sr. Milda Avila, CSJ
- Associate for Ministries: Sylvia Moriarty
- Pastoral Associate for Finance: Kay Ash
- Finance Officer: Mike Cannon
- Liturgy Coordinator: Anne Bennett
- Faith Formation: Kristi Jenkins
- Respect Life: Monika Gottlieb
- New Evangelization: Gary Nelson & Bonnie Nelson
- Parish Secretary: Judy Ann Cross
- Pastoral Council (Round Table) and Finance Council: lay-led, with their own email contacts
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Specific preparation is offered for First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and the RCIA process for adults seeking initiation. Reconciliation is regularly scheduled and the parish notes that those interested in being married at St. Joseph's should contact the office — particularly now that COVID-era virtual marriage-prep courses are an option.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Communion / Eucharist
- Reconciliation / Penance (First Saturday of the month, 4:00–4:30 PM, or by appointment)
- Marriage (contact the parish office for preparation)
- Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation & Christian Initiation
Faith formation at St. Joseph's serves children and adults. The parish offers preparation for First Communion, ongoing religious education for school-age children, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those discerning entry into the Catholic Church or seeking to complete their initiation. Faith Formation is staffed by coordinator Kristi Jenkins and is one of the parish's main outreach efforts.
- Faith Formation for children and youth
- First Communion preparation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Contact: [email protected]
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Like many small-town parishes, St. Joseph's is sustained by an active roster of lay-led ministries and groups. In addition to the formal faith formation and sacramental-preparation teams, the parish hosts ongoing Bible study, an Altar Society, a Faith Sharing group, a Bereavement Ministry, a Respect Life ministry, and a New Evangelization outreach. Two councils — the Pastoral Council (called the 'Round Table') and the Finance Council — share in the governance and stewardship of the parish. Each group has its own email contact, reflecting the parish's small, personal feel.
- Faith Sharing
- Bible Study Group ([email protected])
- Altar Society ([email protected])
- Bereavement Ministry
- Respect Life (Monika Gottlieb)
- New Evangelization (Gary & Bonnie Nelson)
- Liturgy Coordination (Anne Bennett)
- Pastoral Council / Round Table ([email protected])
- Finance Council ([email protected])
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Warner1905–1907
- Rev. Patrick O'Flynn1907–1909
- Rev. Lawrence Ryan1909–1910
- Rev. J. O'Hara1911–1912
- Rev. Emil E. Fiore1912–1918
- Very Rev. F.C. Neisen1920
- Rev. Gabriel Ryan1920–1921
- Rev. Patrick Daly1921–1922
- Rev. George De Stoop1922–1923
- Rev. Bernard Lee1923–1924
- Rev. Thomas J. O'Brien1924–1925
- Rev. Barnard Habraken1925–1930
- Rev. John A. Schritz1930
- Rev. William Stuhlmann1930–1933
- Rev. E.H. Huebbers1933–1935
- Rev. Martin Cooney1935–1960
Last priest of the original 1894 church; long tenure spanning the transition to the new 1950 church.
- Rev. Thomas Morgan1960
- Rev. Laurence O'Sullivan1960–1967
- Rev. Cornelius Sweeney1967–1974
Also served as Administrator 1994–1996; source for later parish histories.
- Rev. James Maguire1974–1977
- Rev. Denis O'Hara1977–1978
- Rev. Colm O'Connor1978–1994
Long-serving pastor in the modern era.
- Rev. John Murphy1994–1995
- Rev. Cornelius Sweeney (Administrator)1994–1996
Returned as administrator.
- Rev. Anthony Gurnell (Administrator)1995–2003
- Rev. Edward J. Holterhoff (Administrator)2004–2011
- Rev. Msgr. Charles G. Fatooh2011–present
Current pastor.