About St. Joseph · Selma, California
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish in Selma, California, part of the Diocese of Fresno. The community traces its Catholic roots to 1881 and was officially established as St. Joseph's Parish on November 28, 1913 by Bishop Thomas J. Conaty of Los Angeles. Today the parish serves a thriving, multi-generational faithful along the Southern Pacific Railroad corridor in eastern Fresno County, offering four Sunday Masses (two English, two Spanish), a Saturday Vigil, daily Masses, Eucharistic Adoration with Holy Hour on Thursdays, and a robust slate of ministries including Knights of Columbus, Guadalupana Society, Catholic Women's Club, RCIA/OCIA, Youth & Young Adult Ministry, Nocturnal Adoration, and Marriage Encounter.
- Established
- 1888 (first church built); 1913 (officially named St. Joseph's Parish); 1961 (current church building opened)
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Abel Loera (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a bilingual, mission-focused parish where longtime Selma families and newcomers worship side by side, in both English and Spanish, at four Sunday Masses and a daily Mass schedule. The community gathers for daily Eucharistic Adoration with a Thursday Holy Hour, joins 13+ parish organizations (Knights of Columbus, Guadalupana Society, Catholic Women's Club, Nocturnal Adoration, Marriage Encounter, RCIA/OCIA, Youth & Young Adult Ministry, and more), and walks sacramental milestones together — baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Quinceañera, and marriage — through a dedicated Religious Education office staffed by Director Carol Moreno.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 pm (English/Spanish)
Adoration times
- Thursday: Blessed Sacrament exposed after 8:00 am Mass all day until 6:30 pm Mass; Holy Hour 7:15 pm (parish bulletin) / 7:00 pm–8:00 pm (parish website)
A Brief History of Our Parish
Catholic life in Selma began in 1881 with a house Mass said by Father Valentin Aguilera of Visalia. After a Grove Street church was built in 1888 and served for 71 years, the original structure was destroyed by fire on May 29, 1959. Fathers McMullan and Carota led a spirited fundraising effort — spaghetti dinners and $100-a-couple dinner dances — and the current Dockery Avenue church opened on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1961. The parish is part of the Diocese of Fresno and reflects on more than 110 years of continuous Catholic ministry in the community.
- First Mass: 1881, in the Reardon home
- First church built: 1888 on Grove Street
- Fire destroyed original church: May 29, 1959
- New church groundbreaking: May 15, 1960
- First Mass in new church: Easter Sunday, April 2, 1961
- Officially named St. Joseph's Parish: November 28, 1913
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Abel Loera, Administrator, assisted by two deacons, a parish office manager, and a Religious Education director. The Msgr. Daniel Lopez Parish Hall hosts parish gatherings and is coordinated by Louise Gonzales and Molly Bustillos.
- Administrator: Rev. Abel Loera
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. David Alanis
- Deacon (Retired): Rev. Mr. Ed Harmon
- Office Manager: Gabriela 'Molly' Bustillos
- Religious Education Director: Carol Moreno ([email protected], 559-896-2620)
- Parish Hall Coordinators: Louise Gonzales & Molly Bustillos
Sacraments
St. Joseph's prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments with structured catechesis, sacramental formation classes, and clear registration requirements. Baptisms are celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, First Communion and Confirmation are two-year programs, and weddings must take place in the parish church.
- Baptism — 1st & 3rd Saturday at 10:00 am; parent/godparent class at least 2 weeks prior
- First Communion — grades 2–7; two-year formation; $60/year
- Confirmation — high school 10th–11th grade (12th by appointment); two-year formation; $60/year
- Marriage — celebrated in the parish church; couples should contact the office
- Quinceañera — register 6 months ahead
- Reconciliation — Thursdays 5:00 pm
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the Sick — on request
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a full sacramental-preparation program for children, teens, and adults. Director Carol Moreno oversees registration for First Communion (grades 2–7) and Confirmation (grades 10–11), and the parish offers both English RCIA/OCIA and Spanish RICA tracks for adults seeking Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation.
- First Communion — grades 2–7; September start
- Youth Confirmation — grades 10–11; August start
- RCIA / OCIA (English) — Jim Reis, 559-896-5779
- RICA (Español) — Luz & Raul Huerta, 348-8247
- Religious Education Office hours: Mon 8–12 & 1–5; Tues–Thurs 10–1 & 2–7; Fri 8–12
- Registration fee: $60 per child per year
Parish Organizations & Lay Ministries
More than a dozen lay organizations animate the parish's liturgical, devotional, and community life — from the Knights of Columbus and Guadalupana Society to Nocturnal Adoration, Marriage Encounter, Youth & Young Adult Ministry, and the Catholic Women's Club, which tends the altars and sanctuary of the church.
- Altar Servers — Jaime Sifuentes, 289-7698
- Lectors (English) — Donna Murry, 896-7044
- Lectors (Español) — Lupita Rodriguez, 230-9975
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Melecia Lopez, 681-9010
- Music Ministry — instrumentalists and singers always needed
- Knights of Columbus — Solomon Barela, 304-6854
- Sociedad Guadalupana — Clara Rodriguez, 305-3864
- Catholic Women's Club — Tammie Allison, 281-3026
- The Harvesters — Jose A. Martinez, 559-896-1052
- Adoración Nocturna — Homero & Anabel, 389-4644
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry — Jennifer Aguilera, 859-2404
- Evangelización de Parejas — Carlos & Lorena Navarro, 288-4698
- Encuentro Matrimonial — Carmen Perez, 907-7268
- Grupo de Oración (Kerygma) — Jose & Yaneth Garcia, 480-7629
- Talleres de Oración y Vida — Gerardo Reyes, 393-1808
- Bereavement Ministry (Eng/Span) — Robert Moreno, 274-8122
Music & Liturgical Ministries
St. Joseph's liturgical life is supported by trained lay ministers who serve at the altar, proclaim the Word, distribute Holy Communion, and provide music at every Mass. The Music Ministry welcomes singers and instrumentalists at all bilingual services.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors (English & Español)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry (choir & instrumentalists)
Contact, Office & Visiting
The parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm (closed for lunch 12:00–1:30 pm), and closed on weekends. Visitors are invited to attend any Mass or weekday devotion, register as parishioners, or contact the office about sacraments, hall rentals, and ministry involvement.
- Address: 2441 Dockery Ave., Selma, CA 93662
- Phone: 559-896-1052
- Fax: 559-896-3975
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8 am–5 pm (closed 12–1:30)
- Parish Hall: Msgr. Daniel Lopez Parish Hall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Valentin Aguilera1881
Pastor of Visalia; said the first Mass in Selma in a private residence (likely the Reardon home).
- Rev. Joseph Keosseyan1913–
First resident pastor, arriving May 21, 1913 to administer the Holy Redeemer Catholic Mission; parish officially named St. Joseph's on November 28, 1913.
- Father Carota1959–1960
Co-led the rebuilding fundraising drive with Father McMullan after the 1959 fire; co-officiated groundbreaking on May 15, 1960.
- Father McMullan1960–1961
Celebrated the first Mass in the new Dockery Avenue church on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1961.