About St. Monica · San Francisco, California
St. Monica-Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish is a single parish with two church locations in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond District, serving a diverse Catholic community. Founded in 1911, it has deep historical roots and continues to offer Mass in English and Vietnamese, along with educational ministries including St. Monica School (K-8) and St. Thomas the Apostle Preschool. The parish is known for its rich traditions, active ministries, and strong sense of community, welcoming newcomers and encouraging involvement through outreach, faith formation, and sacramental preparation.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- St. Monica
- Rector
- Fr. Javier O. Ravasi
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
Join a parish rich in history and community spirit, offering ministries like outreach to the poor and homebound, faith formation for children and adults, and sacramental preparation. You can serve in many ways, from volunteering to attending Mass at either St. Monica or St. Thomas the Apostle campuses, and be part of a diverse, welcoming Catholic family.
History
St. Monica Parish was established in 1911 to serve the growing Catholic population in the Richmond District, originally holding Mass in a vacant store before moving to its current site on 24th Avenue in 1918. The parish expanded significantly in the mid-20th century, with church and school buildings doubled in size, and features like stained glass windows and a Kilgen organ added. The parish merged canonically with St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in 2016. It has a long history of community involvement, including serving as a spiritual anchor for generations, with notable parishioners like Olivia Fisher, who has attended Mass daily since childhood.
Ministries
The parish offers ministries of outreach such as serving the poor and visiting the homebound. Every person brings his or her own gifts and talents so the possibilities of serving are endless. The parish also offers faith formation for children and adults, and sacramental preparation for Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, and Matrimony.
- Outreach to the poor
- Visiting the homebound
- Faith formation
- Sacramental preparation
- Parish school and preschool
Sacraments
The parish offers the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, and Matrimony. Adults interested in becoming Christian or learning more about the Catholic faith can participate in a program to prepare them for these sacraments. Couples, including those civilly married, can prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony.
- Baptism
- Reconciliation
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Matrimony