About St. Leo (Parish of St. James and St. Leo) · Solana Beach, California
St. Leo Mission is the Spanish-speaking mission church of the St. James – St. Leo Catholic Community in Solana Beach, California, part of the Diocese of San Diego. Located at 936 Genevieve Street in the Eden Gardens neighborhood, it shares pastoral staff and a bilingual ministry with nearby St. James Church at 625 South Nardo Avenue, less than a mile away. The community is staffed by the Eudists (Congregation of Jesus and Mary, CJM), whose founder, St. John Eudes, is honored alongside patrons St. James and St. Leo. Sunday Masses in Spanish continue to draw generations of local families rooted in the Mexican-American heritage of La Colonia de Eden Gardens.
- Established
- 1941 (land donated); first Mass December 1947
- Patron
- St. Leo the Great; also honored: St. James and St. John Eudes (founder of the Eudists)
- Rector
- Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Diego
Why belong here
St. Leo Mission offers Sunday Mass entirely in Spanish (8:30 am and 10:30 am), a Hispanic Ministry directed by Jannet Diaz, and Spanish-language faith formation with Blanca Rodriguez — making it a spiritual home for families tied to La Colonia de Eden Gardens. Because it shares clergy with St. James Church (English/Spanish bilingual), parishioners receive the full sacramental life of a larger parish — weekday Masses, weddings with Deacon Bill Kazmierowicz, reconciliation by appointment, livestreamed Sunday Mass, and active ministries for adults, young adults, and families — while keeping the warmth of a smaller neighborhood mission.
Mass times at St. Leo (Parish of St. James and St. Leo)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment — call 858-755-2545 or speak with the pastor or associate pastor. The time before Saturday Vigil Mass is reserved for the presider to prepare for Mass.
About St. Leo Mission
St. Leo Mission is the Spanish-language Catholic church serving the Eden Gardens neighborhood of Solana Beach, California, and a member — together with nearby St. James Church — of the St. James – St. Leo Catholic Community, a single combined parish under the Diocese of San Diego. The mission's community life centers on Sunday Mass in Spanish, Hispanic Ministry, and Spanish-language religious education, while sharing clergy and many ministries with the English-speaking St. James congregation. The community's mission is to love God, proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, and serve all of God's people.
History & Heritage of La Colonia de Eden Gardens
St. Leo Mission grew from the Mexican-American settlement known as La Colonia de Eden Gardens. Land for the church at 936 Genevieve Street was donated in 1941; construction was delayed by World War II, and the first Mass was celebrated in December 1947 in a building made from an old military barracks. In 1959, Interstate 5 expansion claimed the eastern portion of the property and the original structure was demolished; parishioners built a new church on the site with their own hands. The Diocese of San Diego formally chose in 1966 to keep St. Leo as a mission because of its deep importance to the Spanish-speaking faithful.
- 1941: Land at 936 Genevieve Street donated for a church
- December 1947: First Mass celebrated
- 1959: Original barracks church removed for I-5 expansion; new church built by parishioners
- 1966: Diocese of San Diego designates St. Leo a cultural and religious mission
- 2004: Termites destroy the historic bell tower
- January 29, 2012: Restored bell tower rededicated after years of fundraising
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is staffed by the Eudists (Congregation of Jesus and Mary, CJM), whose founder St. John Eudes is honored alongside patrons St. James and St. Leo. Pastoral assignments are made through the Eudist Vicar of North America, Bishop Michael Pham.
- Fr. Ricardo Chinchilla, CJM — Pastor (español, français)
- Fr. Gerard Lecomte, CJM — Priest in Residence (español)
- Fr. Azam Mansha, CJM — Associate Pastor (effective September 1, 2025)
- Deacon Peter Hodsdon
- Deacon Bill Kazmierowicz — Marriage Ministry Coordinator
- Deacon Michael Cihak
- Jannet Diaz — Director of Hispanic Ministry, St. Leo Mission (858-481-6788, [email protected])
- Pamela Smith — Director of Religious Education, English (858-755-2545 ext. 106)
- Blanca Rodriguez — Director of Religious Education, Spanish (858-755-2545 ext. 114)
Ministries & Parish Groups
The community offers the full life of a combined parish to its members — Hispanic and English-language faith formation, marriage preparation, and opportunities for young adults, adults, and families to grow together in faith. St. Leo Mission is served by a dedicated Director of Hispanic Ministry.
- Hispanic Ministry — Jannet Diaz
- Religious Education (English) — Pamela Smith
- Educación Religiosa (Español) — Blanca Rodriguez
- Marriage Ministry — Deacon Bill Kazmierowicz
- Adult Faith Formation
- Young Adult Ministry
- RCIA
- Faith Formation (children and youth)
Sacraments
Pastoral care for the seven sacraments is shared across the combined parish. Reconciliation is by appointment; baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation are prepared through the Religious Education offices; and marriage preparation is coordinated through the Marriage Ministry.
- Reconciliation — by appointment, 858-755-2545
- Marriage preparation — Deacon Bill Kazmierowicz
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation — through Religious Education
- RCIA — for adults preparing to enter the Church
The Bell Tower of St. Leo
For generations, a bronze bell topped with a white cross rang out over Eden Gardens from the tower of St. Leo Mission, marking births, weddings, and Masses. After termite damage forced the tower's demolition in 2004, parishioners launched a fundraising campaign. The fully restored bell tower was resurrected and rededicated at a community ceremony on January 29, 2012.
- Bronze bell with white cross — longtime community landmark
- Demolished 2004 after termite infestation
- Restored bell tower rededicated January 29, 2012
Visit, Watch, and Connect
The St. James – St. Leo Catholic Community invites visitors to attend Mass, take a virtual tour of St. James Church, watch the livestreamed Sunday Mass, and follow along on social media. The St. Leo page on stjamesandleo.org links to the parish's Facebook and YouTube channels.
- Sunday 9:00 am Mass at St. James is livestreamed and recorded
- Virtual tour of St. James Church available on the parish website
- Facebook and YouTube pages linked from stjamesandleo.org
Contact & Locations
The mission and the main parish church sit less than a mile from each other in Solana Beach. Visitors can call either office for information about Masses, sacraments, and ministries.
- St. Leo Mission — 936 Genevieve St., Solana Beach, CA 92075 — (858) 481-6788
- St. James Church — 625 S. Nardo Ave., Solana Beach, CA 92075 — (858) 755-2545
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Hispanic Ministry: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. George Perez, CJM
Re-assigned by Bishop Michael Pham, Eudist Vicar of North America, to Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Carlsbad effective September 1, 2025