About St. Junipero Serra Parish · Lancaster, California
St. Junipero Serra Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Quartz Hill district of Lancaster, California, in the Antelope Valley region of northern Los Angeles County. It is part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (San Fernando Pastoral Region, Deanery 8) and was founded on August 15, 1987 — the Feast of the Assumption — named for the Franciscan missionary who founded California's first nine missions. The parish serves a diverse community of more than 3,000 registered families, including significant Spanish-speaking and Chamorro (Guamanian) populations, and operates St. Elizabeth Mission in Lake Hughes as a worship site. The parish is also closely associated with Paraclete High School and the Josephite Fathers of the Congregation of St. Joseph, who have staffed it since its founding.
- Established
- 1987
- Patron
- St. Junípero Serra (Blessed Junípero Serra, canonized September 23, 2015)
- Rector
- Rev. Leo Dechant (current pastor as of last available information)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles (San Fernando Pastoral Region, Deanery 8)
Why belong here
St. Junipero Serra is one of the largest parishes in the Antelope Valley with more than 3,000 registered families and a visibly multicultural community — substantial Spanish-speaking and Chamorro (Guamanian) populations worship alongside longtime Anglo families, and weekend liturgies are offered in both English and Spanish. The parish grounds include a dedicated church, an Adoration Chapel (open daily from early morning until evening with a code-less entry), Our Lady's Chapel for daily Mass, and the adjacent St. Elizabeth Mission in Lake Hughes for parishioners in the Angeles National Forest foothills. With its Josephite clergy, strong devotion to the patron saint of California, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, and deep ties to Paraclete High School, St. Junipero Serra offers both a grounded Catholic identity and an active community life for new residents of Quartz Hill, Lancaster and the surrounding high desert.
Mass times at St. Junipero Serra Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM in the church
- At the parish office by appointment (call 661-943-9314)
Adoration times
- Monday–Friday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Adoration Chapel, rear of Church, no code required)
- Saturday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Adoration Chapel, rear of Church, no code required)
- Sunday: 6:00 AM – 3:30 PM (Adoration Chapel, rear of Church, no code required)
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel open daily as listed above
Welcome to St. Junipero Serra Parish
St. Junipero Serra is a Catholic faith community in Quartz Hill / west Lancaster committed, in the words of its own mission statement, to "moving forward always in service to the Kingdom of God: attentive to the Word, to Sacrament, to Service, and to Faith Formation." Founded on August 15, 1987, the parish has grown into one of the largest faith communities in the Antelope Valley, with more than 3,000 registered families representing a rich mix of Anglo, Latino, and Chamorro (Guamanian) Catholics.
History & Founding
The parish was established by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on August 15, 1987 — the Feast of the Assumption — in the Quartz Hill area west of Lancaster, California. In its earliest months it had no building of its own, and Mass was celebrated in the gymnasium of what would become Paraclete High School, earning the new community the affectionate nickname "St. Basketball." Founding pastor Father Mariano Biasio, C.S.J., named the parish for Blessed Junípero Serra at Archbishop Roger Mahony's suggestion, honoring the Franciscan missionary who founded California's first nine missions in 1769. Within five years the parish had quadrupled to about 1,300 families, and in 1992 a multipurpose complex was built at the corner of 60th Street West and West Avenue L-12. In December 2002, Cardinal Mahony dedicated the present Spanish-style church, by which time the parish had grown to more than 2,700 families.
- Founded August 15, 1987 (Feast of the Assumption)
- First pastor: Father Mariano Biasio, C.S.J. (1987–1999)
- Original worship site: gymnasium of Paraclete High School
- Multipurpose complex built 1992; became parish hall after church built
- New Spanish-style church dedicated December 2002 by Cardinal Roger Mahony
- Patron canonized by Pope Francis, September 23, 2015
Our Patron: St. Junípero Serra
St. Junípero Serra, O.F.M., was a Spanish Franciscan missionary born in Petra, Mallorca, who in 1769 founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá — the first of the 21 California missions — and went on to found eight more along El Camino Real, baptizing more than 6,000 and confirming at least 5,000 before his death in 1784 at age 70. He is buried at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel. Pope John Paul II beatified him on September 25, 1988 (with feast day July 1), and Pope Francis canonized him on September 23, 2015 during his apostolic visit to the United States. His motto "Siempre Adelante" — "Always Forward" — inspired the founding generations of the Lancaster parish.
- Founded nine of California's 21 missions
- Feast day: July 1
- Beatified by Pope John Paul II, September 25, 1988
- Canonized by Pope Francis, September 23, 2015
Pastoral Leadership
St. Junipero Serra has been led by three Josephite pastors of the Congregation of St. Joseph. Father Mariano Biasio founded the parish in 1987 and pastored it for 12 years before remaining as associate until his death in 2002. Father Ernest Candelaria, an Albuquerque native and former Paraclete High teacher, succeeded him and warmly credited Father Biasio at the December 2002 church dedication; since 2008 he has served as parochial vicar. Father Leo Dechant, born in Elyria, Ohio, ordained 1980 from St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland, and also a former Paraclete teacher, became the third pastor in 2008. He also speaks German and Italian.
- Father Mariano Biasio, C.S.J. — founding pastor, 1987–1999
- Father Ernest Candelaria, C.S.J. — second pastor; parochial vicar since 2008
- Father Leo Dechant, C.S.J. — third pastor, since 2008
St. Elizabeth Mission, Lake Hughes
St. Elizabeth Mission is a worship site of St. Junipero Serra Parish located in the community of Lake Hughes in the Angeles National Forest west of Lancaster. It hosts a Sunday Mass in English at 10:00 AM and serves Catholics living in the remote mountain and foothill communities of the northern Antelope Valley. The mission has historically been supported by Josephite clergy assigned to the parish.
- Sunday 10:00 AM English Mass
- Located in Lake Hughes, Angeles National Forest
- Served by St. Junipero Serra Parish clergy
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is one of the four pillars of parish life called out in the parish mission statement. The Faith Formation Office (661-943-5912) coordinates religious education for children, sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation), and adult formation. The parish also has a strong relationship with Paraclete High School in Quartz Hill, which is adjacent to the parish grounds and from which several of its pastors came as teachers and chaplains.
- Faith Formation Office: (661) 943-5912
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
- Adult faith formation
- Close ties to Paraclete High School
Parish Community & Demographics
St. Junipero Serra's more than 3,000 registered families reflect the demographic diversity of the Antelope Valley. The parish is roughly 15–20% Latino, with Spanish-language Mass offered Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, and approximately one-third of its families are Chamorro (Guamanian) — one of the largest Chamorro Catholic communities on the U.S. mainland. This mix is reflected both liturgically and socially, with English and Spanish as the two principal liturgical languages and a notable Chamorro presence in parish life.
- More than 3,000 registered families
- 15–20% Latino (Spanish Mass Saturday 6 PM, Sunday 2 PM)
- Approximately one-third Chamorro (Guamanian) families
- English is the primary liturgical language, with Spanish second
Visiting & Contact
The parish campus is located at 42121 60th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93536, at the corner of 60th Street West and West Avenue L-12. The Parish Office is open Monday–Friday (with Wednesday and Friday extended until 7:45 PM) and closed on weekends; the Faith Formation Office can be reached at (661) 943-5912. Mass visitors and newcomers are welcome at any liturgy; the Adoration Chapel is open without a code during posted hours for personal prayer.
- Address: 42121 60th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93536
- Parish Office: (661) 943-9314
- Faith Formation Office: (661) 943-5912
- Office hours Monday–Friday; closed Saturday & Sunday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mariano Biasio, C.S.J.1987–1999 (pastor); 1999–2002 (associate pastor)
Josephite founding pastor from Italy. Taught/coached at Paraclete High School; served 24 years in Antelope Valley. Named the parish for Blessed Junípero Serra at Archbishop Mahony's suggestion. Died 2002 at age 77.
- Rev. Ernest Candelaria, C.S.J.1999–2008 (pastor); 2008–present (parochial vicar)
Native of Albuquerque; taught at Paraclete High School; assigned to the parish 1999; succeeded Father Biasio as second pastor; warmly credited Father Biasio at the 2002 church dedication; has remained as parochial vicar since 2008.
- Rev. Leo Dechant, C.S.J.2008–present
Third Josephite pastor. Born in Elyria, Ohio; ordained 1980 from St. Mary's Seminary, Cleveland. Former Paraclete High School teacher. Also speaks German and Italian.