About St. Matthias · Redwood City, California
St. Matthias Parish is a small Roman Catholic community nestled in the Emerald Hills area of Redwood City, California, founded in 1961 by Fr. Thomas Lacey and associate pastor Fr. Donald (Don) Casella. Today the parish serves about 400 registered families and is staffed jointly with neighboring St. Charles Church in San Carlos under a single pastor, Fr. Roy Remo. The parish is known for its warm, welcoming size, its family-based 'GIFT' (Generations in Faith Together) faith formation program, an on-site Catholic Preschool, and a deep Justice & Charity ministry rooted in the local San Mateo County community.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- St. Matthias the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Roy Remo
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
St. Matthias offers the intimacy of a small parish — about 400 registered families — where newcomers are personally welcomed and ministries depend on real involvement rather than anonymity. The parish distinguishes itself through GIFT (Generations in Faith Together), a family-based faith formation model unique within the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and through a robust Justice & Charity Commission running the St. Vincent de Paul Conference, the annual Maple Street Shelter dinner, and a Giving Tree for St. Francis Center families. With its own Catholic Preschool serving 90 children, strong music ministry, weekend Welcome gatherings, and a pastor now shared with neighboring St. Charles, St. Matthias is well suited to anyone seeking a tight-knit Catholic community rooted in the love of Jesus Christ.
Mass times at St. Matthias
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM at St. Charles Church (880 Tamarack Avenue, San Carlos)
- By appointment during the week — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Adoration not listed as a regular weekly event on the published schedule (periodic Taizé Contemplative Prayer services are held during Lent).
Our Parish
St. Matthias describes itself as 'a Roman Catholic community striving to respond to the call of Jesus through worship and sacraments, faith formation, service, and social opportunities.' Nestled in the Emerald Hills area of Redwood City, the parish of about 400 registered families is committed to hospitality, generosity to those in need, and outreach to all who seek a faith community. The Mission Statement on the parish site affirms the community's trust in the Holy Spirit as it looks toward the future.
- Founded June 24, 1961 by Fr. Thomas Lacey and Fr. Donald Casella
- About 400 registered families
- Emerald Hills neighborhood of Redwood City
- Mission: worship and sacraments, faith formation, service, social opportunities
History of St. Matthias
The parish was created in 1961 out of territory carved from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Pius, and St. Charles. Fr. Lacey and Fr. Casella built the first church out of a rented hardware store before dedicating the permanent building in 1964. Highlights from later decades include the Franciscan Sisters-staffed parochial school (1965–1977), Msgr. James Flynn's successful fight against closure during the 1990s Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Process, the 1999 RENEW spiritual renewal and renovation, the 50th anniversary in 2011, and the 60th anniversary celebrated in September 2021.
- 1961: parish established; Fr. Thomas Lacey pastor, Fr. Don Casella associate
- 1963: first Mass in new church
- 1964: church dedicated by Archbishop McGucken
- 1965: parochial school opens, staffed by Franciscan Sisters of Mt. Alverno
- 1977: school closes as elementary school; building converted to Day Care/Preschool
- 1992: Msgr. James Flynn named pastor
- 1999: Fr. John Glogowski assigned; RENEW begins; first church renovation
- 2011: 50th anniversary year
- 2021: 60th anniversary
- 2024: Fr. Roy Remo appointed pastor (also pastor of St. Charles, San Carlos)
Staff Directory
The parish is led by a small, dedicated staff of clergy and lay ministers. Fr. Roy Remo serves as pastor of both St. Matthias and St. Charles, having been appointed July 1, 2024. The parish is supported by two deacons, a music minister, an adult faith formation coordinator, a pastoral associate, an administrative assistant, and a preschool director.
- Pastor: Fr. Roy Remo ([email protected])
- Deacon Rich Foley — Adult Faith Formation Coordinator (assigned to St. Matthias in 2011)
- Deacon David Rolandelli
- Pastoral Associate: Joey Gutierrez ([email protected])
- Music Minister / Music Director: Melanie Dresbach ([email protected])
- Administrative Assistant: Lisa Bamford ([email protected])
- Preschool Director: Rosemary Juarez ([email protected])
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at St. Matthias centers on the parish's signature GIFT (Generations in Faith Together) program, a family-based approach in its 13th year. The parish writes that this model is unique within the Archdiocese of San Francisco and 'best promotes the domestic church.' Sacramental preparation, youth ministry and Sunday Mass engagement are built around the GIFT gatherings.
- GIFT — Generations in Faith Together (family-based faith formation)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Middle School Youth Ministry (combined with St. Charles)
- High School Youth Ministry (periodic gatherings and service projects)
- Bible Study for adults
- Faith Formation Handbook published for families
St. Matthias Preschool
Founded in 1977 in the original parish school building, St. Matthias Preschool is a licensed Catholic preschool for children ages 2–5 (license capacity 90). It is licensed by the California Department of Social Services (Facility #410502005) and offers a play-based, emergent curriculum with Spanish sessions, music and dance, motor skills, science, math, cooking, and faith formation. The Preschool is housed at 533 Canyon Road, Redwood City, CA 94062, and operates Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM.
- License capacity: 90 children ages 2–5
- License: Dept. of Social Services Facility #410502005
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Address (Preschool): 533 Canyon Road, Redwood City, CA 94062
- Phone: (650) 367-1320
- Director: Rosemary Juarez
Justice and Charity (Outreach)
The Justice and Charity Commission (JCC) carries out the parish's Catholic Social Teaching mission. Parishes surveys in 2016 and 2018 identified homelessness, hunger, poverty and affordable housing as the top community concerns. The JCC meets the third Thursday of each month in the Rectory and coordinates several ongoing initiatives including the St. Vincent de Paul Conference and the annual Maple Street Shelter dinner.
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference (food drives, fifth-Sunday collections, diapers & supplies for St. Francis Center)
- Maple Street Shelter Dinner — annual parish-wide service event led by youth groups
- Giving Tree for St. Francis Center (annual gift drive)
- Winter Hat & Scarf Drive for the homeless
- Justice & Charity Commission — monthly meetings, third Thursday
Worship & Sacraments
Public Mass at St. Matthias is offered twice on the weekend (Saturday 5 PM, Sunday 9:45 AM, with the Sunday Mass livestreamed). Daily Masses, the additional weekend Masses, and the regular Saturday confession schedule are celebrated at neighboring St. Charles Church in San Carlos, which now shares a pastor with St. Matthias. Reconciliation is heard Saturday afternoons at St. Charles, by appointment during the week, in a communal Leave the Light On service during Advent/Lent, and at a special Lenten Reconciliation Service.
- St. Matthias Mass: Saturday 5 PM, Sunday 9:45 AM (livestreamed)
- St. Charles Mass: Monday–Saturday 5 PM, Sunday 8:30 AM (livestreamed) and 11:00 AM
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30–4:30 PM at St. Charles (880 Tamarack Ave, San Carlos)
- Advent Leave the Light On — Wednesday evenings 6:30–7:30 PM at St. Charles
- Lenten Reconciliation Communal Service — Wednesday evening in Lent at St. Charles
- Healing Mass with Anointing of the Sick (periodic, announced in bulletin)
Devotions and Holy Days
The parish practices a Catholic devotional life rooted in the liturgical year, including weekly Friday Rosary for Peace, Lenten Stations of the Cross, Healing Masses with the Anointing of the Sick, and Taizé-style Contemplative Prayer Services during Lent. Welcome Weekend gatherings after both weekend Masses (with hospitality in Fr. Lacey Hall) are a distinguishing custom of the parish.
- Rosary for Peace — Fridays 9:15 AM
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays 6:00 PM (Lent)
- Healing Mass (Anointing of the Sick)
- Taizé Contemplative Prayer Services (Lent)
- Welcome Weekend — second full weekend of the month
Bulletin and Communications
St. Matthias publishes a weekly bulletin with the parish Mass schedule, staff contacts, ministry announcements, and a Lenten/Advent calendar of events. Full PDFs of recent bulletins (e.g., late 2025 through mid-2026) are available on the parish website, along with weekly bulletin announcement pages.
- Weekly Sunday bulletin (PDF available on stmatthiasparish.org)
- Staff contact list with email addresses (e.g., [email protected], [email protected])
- Lenten Events Calendar published each spring
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Lacey1961–
Founding pastor; established the parish and built the church (dedicated 1964). The parish hall is named Fr. Lacey Memorial Hall in his honor.
- Fr. Donald (Don) Casella1961–
Associate pastor at founding; partnered with Fr. Lacey to launch ministries and build up the parish.
- Msgr. James Flynn1992–
Led the parish through the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Process; fought and won the effort to keep St. Matthias open when closure was proposed; laid groundwork for the eventual renovation.
- Fr. John Glogowski1999–2011
Assigned as pastor in 1999 following listening sessions; oversaw the church's first renovation and Fr. Lacey Hall; retired after 12 years of service in 2011.