About St. Luke · Stockton, California
St. Luke Catholic Church is a culturally diverse Roman Catholic parish in north Stockton, California, belonging to the Diocese of Stockton. Founded in 1951 by Father Oisin Moriarty on an 8-acre site, the parish has grown into a multilingual community offering Mass in English, Spanish, and (historically) Vietnamese and Laotian. The parish is anchored by its semicircular church (dedicated 1965), its parish school (founded 1961 and staffed in part by the Salesians of Don Bosco), an active faith-formation program, and a vibrant network of lay ministries. Its mission statement commits the community to seeking eternal life, nourished by the sacraments — especially the Eucharist — and to fulfilling its baptismal call to holiness under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Established
- 1951
- Patron
- St. Luke the Evangelist
- Diocese
- Diocese of Stockton
Why belong here
St. Luke is a vibrant, multilingual Catholic family on Stockton's north side that gathers around the Eucharist in English and Spanish every day of the week. The parish pairs a heritage Catholic elementary school (PK–8) staffed by the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Missionary Sisters of Sacro Costato with active adult faith formation, RCIA, religious education for public-school children, a Youth Ministry office, and a long list of lay ministries — altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, music, ushers, hospitality, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society for those in need. Daily Mass, evening Spanish Masses, weekday Adoration, and bilingual First Friday devotions give parishioners many ways to make this parish their spiritual home.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (or by appointment)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (or by appointment)
- By appointment through the parish office: (209) 948-3450
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Silent Adoration)
Our Mission & Parish Identity
St. Luke Catholic Church describes its mission in a single, formal statement placed on its homepage: 'Through the grace of God, led by the Holy Spirit, the People of God at St. Luke Catholic Church, seek above all else, eternal life. Nourished by the sacraments, in particular the Eucharist, we desire to fulfill our baptismal call to holiness. Faithful to Jesus Christ and the Church, we humbly place ourselves under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary in doing God's will.' This Marian framing — placing the parish under the Blessed Mother's protection — is a key element of the community's spiritual identity and is reflected in its bilingual (English/Spanish) outreach.
History of St. Luke Parish
St. Luke was established October 1, 1951, when Archbishop John J. Mitty of San Francisco assigned Father Oisin Moriarty to found a new parish in Stockton. The site was an 8-acre onion patch. By Easter 1952 parishioners were celebrating Mass in their own church, and the first baptism — that of Jeremy Cole Jr., great-great-grandson of Stockton's founder Captain Charles Weber — marked the new congregation's beginning. Growth soon required a larger church; the present semicircular sanctuary was dedicated by Bishop Hugh Donohoe in 1965 and remains the parish church today. In 1965 the parish also made international headlines when Fr. Moriarty, offended by an abstract statue of St. Luke, banned it from the vestibule and had it chained to a parking-lot telephone pole under a tarp. The founding pastor's decades of service also saw the construction of a parish elementary school in 1961 and the arrival, in 1981, of Italian missionary sisters — the Missionary Sisters of Sacro Costato — to serve the school and parish. The Salesians of St. John Bosco followed, and the Salesian charism continues to shape the school.
- Parish founded October 1, 1951, by Archbishop John J. Mitty's appointment of Fr. Oisin Moriarty
- First Mass in the new church: Easter 1952
- First baptism: Jeremy Cole Jr., great-great-grandson of Stockton founder Capt. Charles Weber
- Present semicircular sanctuary dedicated by Bishop Hugh Donohoe, 1965
- Parish school founded 1961; Missionary Sisters of Sacro Costato arrived 1981
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Faith & Sacraments page groups together Adult Faith Formation, Religious Education for children, and preparation for the sacraments. Religious education classes for public-school students are offered on Monday afternoons and Saturday mornings, and the parish runs the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults seeking to enter the Church, alongside a children's catechism program. The parish registration form explicitly lists RCIA-CRE — 'Catecismo para los Adultos — Catecismo para los Niños' — reflecting St. Luke's bilingual ministry. Information about Youth Ministry is available through the parish office at 209-841-9130.
- Adult Faith Formation
- Religious Education (public-school students): Monday afternoons and Saturday mornings
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Spanish: Catecismo para Adultos
- Children's Catechism — Catecismo para los Niños
- Youth Ministry office: 209-841-9130
- Don Bosco Summer Camp for kids
Sacraments at St. Luke
The parish's Faith & Sacraments hub links to pages for Baptism, Marriage, and Reconciliation. Confessions are heard individually by appointment as well as at the scheduled Tuesday-evening and Saturday-afternoon times. The parish office can be reached at (209) 948-3450 to schedule baptisms, weddings, and confessions.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Anointing of the Sick / visits to the homebound
Lay Ministries & Parish Life
St. Luke's parish-registration form lists the ministries in which parishioners can become involved, listed in both English and Spanish: Altar Servers (Monaguillos), Lectors (Lectores), Eucharistic Ministers (Ministros de la Eucaristía), Music Ministry (Coro), Ushers (Ujieres), Festival, Youth Ministry (Pastoral Juvenil), Hospitality (Hospitalidad), and RCIA/Religious Education (Catecismo). The parish also hosts a St. Vincent de Paul Society that distributes food to those in need, and a ministry to the sick and shut-in that brings the Eucharist to homebound parishioners.
- Altar Servers / Monaguillos
- Lectors / Lectores
- Eucharistic Ministers / Ministros de la Eucaristía
- Music Ministry / Coro
- Ushers / Ujieres
- Festival committee
- Youth Ministry / Pastoral Juvenil
- Hospitality / Hospitalidad
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Ministry to the sick and shut-in
St. Luke Catholic Elementary School & Preschool
St. Luke Catholic Elementary School is a culturally diverse PK–8 community united in faith, founded in 1961 and housed on the parish campus at 4005 N. Sutter Street. The school is staffed by the Salesians of St. John Bosco, the Missionary Sisters of Sacro Costato, and credentialed lay teachers, and is accredited by the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Its mission emphasizes the Salesian charism of 'Home, School, Church, and Playground,' and the school serves roughly 230–280 students in its pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade program, with a published principal (Laura Rodriguez). All diocesan schools admit students regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin. The school can be reached at (209) 464-0801 and online at stlukestockton.com.
- Founded 1961
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Accredited by WCEA and WASC
- Staffed by Salesians of Don Bosco and Missionary Sisters of Sacro Costato
- Principal: Mrs. Laura Rodriguez
- Address: 4005 N. Sutter Street, Stockton, CA 95204
- Phone: (209) 464-0801
- Website: stlukestockton.com
Contact & Parish Information
St. Luke Catholic Church is located at 3847 N. Sutter Street, Stockton, CA 95204. The parish office can be reached by phone at (209) 948-3450. The parish publishes downloadable bulletins from its website and maintains a Faith Formation / Religious Education line through its parish registration form. Individual confessions and other appointments can be scheduled through the parish office.
- Address: 3847 N. Sutter Street, Stockton, CA 95204
- Phone: (209) 948-3450
- Website: www.stlukestockton.org
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) parish communication
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Oisin Moriarty1951–c. 1965
Founding pastor assigned by Archbishop John J. Mitty on October 1, 1951. Built the original church (Easter 1952) and the present semicircular sanctuary, dedicated 1965.
- Rev. Harmon Skillinc. 1997–c. 2001
Pastored St. Luke's for at least four years by 2001; previously served as canon lawyer for the Diocese of Stockton and as pastor of St. Anne's.
- Rev. Tuan Nguyenserving c. 2001
Vietnamese associate pastor serving at the parish around its 50th anniversary in 2001.
- Rev. Francisco Naranjoserving c. 2001
Associate pastor serving at the parish around its 50th anniversary in 2001.