About St. Nicholas & St. William (at St. William site) · Los Altos, California
Saint Nicholas and Saint William Parish is a unified Roman Catholic parish in Los Altos, California, formed on July 1, 2018 by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath when he merged two long-standing Los Altos parishes — St. Nicholas (founded 1947) and St. William (founded 1959) — on equal footing while preserving both church campuses. The parish serves the people of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills from two worship sites: St. Nicholas Church at 473 Lincoln Avenue and St. William Church at 611 S. El Monte Avenue, along with the parish school, St. Nicholas Catholic School. Worship is offered in English and French (the latter through the CathoSV French-speaking community at 5:00 PM Sunday Mass), and the parish is known for its faith formation programs, pastoral care to the sick, youth ministry, and outreach including support for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
- Established
- 2018 (unified parish); St. Nicholas 1947; St. William 1959; St. Nicholas Church built 1942
- Patron
- St. Nicholas and St. William
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew D. Stanley, V.F. (Pastor & Dean)
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Jose in California
Why belong here
St. Nicholas and Saint William offers the rare gift of a parish with two active worship sites — the historic St. Nicholas Church on Lincoln Avenue and St. William Church on El Monte — allowing families to choose the campus that best fits their week. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and French (a 5:00 PM French Mass at St. Nicholas serves the CathoSV French-speaking community), and supports a full sacramental life including daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays and Thursdays, regular Confession, and Anointing of the Sick. A robust formation program welcomes children through high school (Preschool, Grades 1–5 Faith Formation, EDGE middle school, theIntersection high school, plus First Communion, Confirmation, Vacation Bible Camp, and a summer mission trip), and the parish operates St. Nicholas Catholic School (TK–8) at 12816 El Monte Road.
Mass times at St. Nicholas & St. William (at St. William site)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00–7:00 PM — St. Nicholas Church (during Adoration Hour)
- Saturday 2:30–3:30 PM — St. William Church
- By appointment — call Parish Office (650) 948-2158
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:45 PM — St. Nicholas Church (followed by 7:00 PM Mass)
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM — St. Nicholas Church
Welcome & Identity
Saint Nicholas and Saint William Parish is a unified Roman Catholic parish in Los Altos, California, formed on July 1, 2018 by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath when he merged the historic St. Nicholas Parish (founded 1947) and St. William Parish (founded 1959) on equal footing while preserving both church campuses. The parish proclaims the Gospel, celebrates the Sacraments, and serves the people of Los Altos through liturgies at St. Nicholas Church (473 Lincoln Avenue) and St. William Church (611 S. El Monte Avenue).
- Pastor: Rev. Matthew D. Stanley, V.F. (also Dean of the Deanery)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Michael Gazzingan
- Three priests in residence: Rev. Gregory Kimm, Rev. Randy Valenton, Rev. Warwick James
- Office: 473 Lincoln Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022
- Join the parish: https://www.tinyurl.com/snswjoin
Parish History
The parish's roots reach back to the earliest Catholic presence in the South Bay, centered at Mission Santa Clara de Asís and the ranchos along El Camino Real. In the early twentieth century, Los Altos Catholics worshipped at rented halls (Boy Scouts' Hall 1937–41; American Legion Hall 1941–42) before building St. Nicholas Church in 1942. Erected as a parish in 1947 under founding pastor Fr. Stanley Reilly, it grew so quickly that St. William Parish was carved out in 1959 to serve the southern part of town. On July 1, 2018 the two parishes were reunited as one parish by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath.
- 1929: Fr. Galvan of St. Joseph (Mountain View) tries parish buses to bring Los Altos families to Mass
- 1937–1942: Worship held in rented halls; catechism classes led by the Holy Family Sisters with laywomen Celia Petar and Sarah Wright
- 1940: Catholic women's circle organizes fundraising; Marini family purchases the Lincoln Avenue site and donates it to the Archdiocese
- 1942: Construction begins March; Archbishop John J. Mitty blesses the cornerstone in October; church opens in December
- 1947: St. Nicholas erected as a parish; Fr. Stanley Reilly named first pastor
- 1948: Rectory built; parish grows from ~250 to 600+ families
- 1953: St. Nicholas School opens at Rosita & Campbell with Dominican Sisters
- 1957: First eighth-grade class graduates (44 students)
- 1959: St. William Parish established for the southern area
- 1961: New St. Nicholas School opens on El Monte Road under Sisters of Mercy from Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland
- 1967: First graduating class at the El Monte campus
- July 1, 2018: Bishop McGrath unites the parishes as Saint Nicholas and Saint William Parish
Worship Sites
The unified parish worships at two historic campuses, each with its own character and schedule.
- St. Nicholas Church — 473 Lincoln Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022 (houses the Parish Office)
- St. William Church & Hall — 611 S. El Monte Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022 (phone 650-559-2080)
- St. Nicholas Catholic School — 12816 El Monte Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
- Saturday Vigil Mass (4:00 PM, English) is celebrated outdoors in a tent at St. William
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish is committed to helping parents form their children in the faith, offering year-round programming from preschool through 12th grade, plus sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation.
- Preschool program for ages 3–5
- Faith Formation for Grades 1–5 (classes most Sundays Sept.–May in St. William Hall)
- EDGE Middle School Ministry (Grades 6–8)
- theIntersection High School Ministry (Grades 9–12)
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Vacation Bible Camp and summer mission trip
- Monthly Children's Mass (October–May) at 9:00 AM
- Youth Mass every Sunday evening at 5:00 PM (St. William)
- Mark 10 Mission weekly 15-minute family faith videos
- Director of Faith Formation & Mental Health Ministry: Catherine Campbell
- Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries: Elise Abrahamson
Adult Programs & Sacramental Preparation
Beyond children's faith formation, the parish supports adults and young adults through ministries including RCIA / Becoming Catholic, the Institute for Leadership in Ministry (ILM), Mental Health Ministry, and the CathoSV French-speaking Catholic community.
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA / RCIA) inquiry
- Institute for Leadership in Ministry (ILM) — diocesan lay leadership formation
- Mental Health Ministry
- Young Adult Ministries
- French Community (CathoSV): catechism, youth ministry, sacramental preparation, scouting, prayer groups, retreats
French-Speaking Catholic Community (CathoSV)
The parish is home to CathoSV, the French-speaking Catholic community of Silicon Valley, which celebrates a weekly French-language Mass and offers a full program of faith formation and fellowship for francophone families.
- Sunday Mass in French — 5:00 PM at St. Nicholas Church, 473 Lincoln Avenue
- Catechism, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation in French
- Scouting, prayer groups, and retreats
- Epiphany King's Cake celebration each January (shared with both parishes after the 11:00 AM Mass at St. William)
- Online giving: select 'French Community' / 'French Mass Collection' fund
Pastoral Care & Outreach
The Pastoral Care Ministry and Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick bring the comfort of Christ in the Eucharist to parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized, or unable to attend Mass. The parish also supports the wider community through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Diocesan Mission Co-Op appeals.
- Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick — visit the homebound; training and mentoring provided
- Pastoral Care Ministry — listening visits grounded in respect, love, and confidentiality
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — second collections benefit the St. Athanasius food pantry and parish outreach
- Mission Co-Op Program — most recently hosted the Crosier Fathers & Brothers (Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross) in 2024; raised $19,430.33
- Safe Environment — all volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults must be fingerprinted and compliant with Diocese of San Jose policy
St. Nicholas Catholic School
St. Nicholas Catholic School is the parish school, serving TK through 8th grade at 12816 El Monte Road, Los Altos. Founded in 1953 by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose (with one lay teacher and 180 students in grades 1–4), the school moved to its current El Monte Road campus in 1961 under the Sisters of Mercy from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland.
- Founded 1953 at Rosita & Campbell Avenues by Fr. Stanley Reilly and the Dominican Sisters
- Relocated to 12816 El Monte Road in 1961 under the Sisters of Mercy (Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland)
- First El Monte campus graduating class: 1967
- Current Principal: Jan Popolizio
- Vice Principal: Stacy French
- School website: stnicholaslah.com
Parish Staff & Clergy
The unified parish is staffed by a team of five priests and a dozen lay pastoral, administrative, and maintenance staff, plus the principal and vice principal of the parish school.
- Rev. Matthew D. Stanley, V.F. — Pastor & Dean
- Rev. Michael Gazzingan — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Gregory Kimm — In Residence
- Rev. Randy Valenton — In Residence
- Rev. Warwick James — In Residence
- Lidia Fiandeiro — Director of Business and Operations
- Catherine Campbell — Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation & Mental Health Ministry
- Amy Blalock Castillo — Pastoral Associate for Outreach & Family Ministries; Interim Director of Liturgy
- JJ Carlson — Pastoral Associate for Youth & Young Adult Ministries
- Michael Sternhagen — Pastoral Associate for Worship (on paternity leave)
- Clare Lee — Coordinator of Liturgical Music
- Kathy Maksim — Bookkeeper
- Nora Haley — Administrative Assistant
- Miguel Polvos — Maintenance
- Tim Butterbrodt — Maintenance
- Jan Popolizio — Principal, St. Nicholas Catholic School
- Stacy French — Vice Principal, St. Nicholas Catholic School
Giving & Stewardship
The parish sustains its ministries, staff compensation, insurance, utilities, and outreach through the weekly Sunday Offertory and special appeals.
- Weekly Sunday Offertory goal: $24,385
- Online giving via ParishSoft Giving: https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stnicholasandstwilliam
- Annual Stewardship of Treasure Report published each fiscal year
- Campaign for Spiritual Renewal — upcoming parish-wide effort
Lenten & Special Devotions
Beyond the weekly schedule, the parish gathers for seasonal Lenten observances and other special liturgies throughout the year.
- Lenten Fridays: Adoration at 5:30 PM, Stations of the Cross at 6:00 PM, vegetarian soup supper at 6:30 PM — all at St. William Church & Hall
- Epiphany King's Cake — shared with the French Community after the 11:00 AM Mass at St. William (early January)
- Anointing of the Sick available on request
- Holy Days of Obligation — separate Mass schedule posted on the parish calendar
Contact & Visiting
The Parish Office is open at St. Nicholas Church, 473 Lincoln Avenue. Sacramental emergencies are handled day or night through a recorded line that connects callers to the priest on duty.
- Parish Office: 473 Lincoln Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022
- Phone: (650) 948-2158 | Fax: (650) 948-2056
- Email: [email protected]
- St. William Church & Hall: 611 S. El Monte Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022 — (650) 559-2080
- St. Nicholas School: 12816 El Monte Road — stnicholaslah.com
- Office for the Protection of Children & Adults: (408) 983-0113
- Emergency sacramental care: call Parish Office and dial 9 to reach the on-duty priest
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stanley J. Reilly (later Monsignor)1947–c.1959
Founding pastor of St. Nicholas Parish; San Francisco native, ordained 1930, U.S. Army chaplain for 15 years who survived captivity after the fall of Bataan; oversaw 1948 rectory and 1953 opening of St. Nicholas School.
- Rev. Richard Meadefrom 1959
First pastor era of St. William Parish; former military chaplain and paratrooper; oversaw school gym and convent at the El Monte campus.