About St. Patrick · Placerville, California
St. Patrick Parish is the historic Catholic community of Placerville, California, in the Gold Country of El Dorado County. Established in 1855 during the height of the Gold Rush, it serves as the mother Catholic parish of the region, with a mission church (St. James in Georgetown) under its care. Today the parish offers Mass in English and Spanish, daily Eucharistic adoration, the sacraments, and a range of lay ministries including a Lay Carmelite community, religious education, OCIA/RCIA, and outreach to local families and the Hispanic community.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Hernando Gomez-Amaya
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Gold Country Deanery, El Dorado County)
Why belong here
St. Patrick is a small, historic parish with deep roots in the Gold Country, where the faithful have worshipped continuously since 1855. It offers the regular rhythm of a traditional Catholic life — daily Mass Monday through Thursday, a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), weekday Eucharistic adoration each morning, and Saturday confession — along with genuine community through catechesis for children, OCIA for adults, the Lay Carmelites, and bilingual outreach to local families.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following 8:30 AM Mass)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following 8:30 AM Mass)
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following 8:30 AM Mass)
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following 8:30 AM Mass)
Parish History — A Gold Country Foundation
Catholic life in El Dorado County traces back to the spring of 1850, when Father Ingoldsby walked in from San Francisco to minister to miners in their cabins and in the open air. After Mass was first offered in a log building near Union Street, a frame church went up on Sacramento Street in 1852, and the parish — established as St. Patrick's in 1855 — has stood on that same site ever since. The present brick church, a Norman-Gothic style edifice, was raised by Father Largan with the help of Catholic and Protestant neighbors alike and dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany, the last of California's Spanish-born bishops.
- First Mass: log building near Union Street (c.1850)
- Frame church on Sacramento Street (1852)
- Parish formally established 1855
- Current brick church dedicated by Archbishop Alemany
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by its pastor with the assistance of a permanent deacon and a pastor emeritus. The pastoral team welcomes parishioners and visitors to Mass, the sacraments, and parish life.
- Rev. Hernando Gomez-Amaya — Pastor
- Rev. John Cantwell — Pastor Emeritus
- Deacon Brian Smith — OCIA Director (530-306-5701)
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the Sacraments of Christian Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) through both its children's catechetical program and the OCIA process for adults. Youth are typically confirmed in eighth grade, while adults preparing for Confirmation meet each Lent. Couples should contact the parish office for Matrimony preparation, and the Anointing of the Sick is available by request.
- Baptism — infant and adult
- First Communion and First Reconciliation
- Confirmation (youth in 8th grade; adults via Lenten sessions)
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Patrick runs a parish catechetical program that brings children through the sacraments and the faith using resources from the Diocese of Sacramento, including the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies. Catechists are parish volunteers formed in the faith themselves; the parish points them toward Diocesan Catechist Certification and Safe Haven training. Parents and volunteers are encouraged to contact the Religious Education office for the current year.
- Children's catechetical program
- Confirmation preparation in 8th grade
- Catechist formation and Safe Haven training
- Diocesan Family & Faith Formation resources
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
Adults (18 and older) preparing for Confirmation gather each Lent under the direction of Deacon Brian Smith, the parish's OCIA Director. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults walks inquirers through catechesis, the liturgical rites, and a lived experience of the parish community as they prepare to receive the sacraments at Easter.
- Lenten sessions for adults 18+
- Directed by Deacon Brian Smith (530-306-5701)
- Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at Easter for catechumens
Lay Carmelites
St. Patrick is home to a community of Lay Carmelites of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, a vocation rooted in deep prayer, the Eucharist, Scripture, and the Liturgy of the Hours. Members meet monthly for instruction in Carmelite spirituality, prayer, and sharing. A general information session is held each September, with the instruction series beginning in October.
- Director: Diane Angella (775-690-0585)
- Candidates must be Catholic in good standing, at least 17 years old
- Nine monthly instructions prior to reception
- Information session each September
Spanish-Language and Hispanic Ministry
Reflecting the bilingual life of the parish and the surrounding foothills, St. Patrick celebrates a Sunday Mass in Spanish and a Wednesday evening Mass in Spanish, alongside the English schedule. The parish participates in the Diocese of Sacramento's Pastoral Hispana and offers Safe Haven formation in Spanish for its volunteer catechists and ministry leaders.
- Sunday 12:30 PM Misa en Español
- Wednesday 6:30 PM Misa en Español
- Ash Wednesday liturgy in Spanish (ceniza)
- Safe Haven formación en español
Volunteer and Stewardship Life
The parish invites parishioners to share their time and gifts through catechesis, liturgical ministry, and parish operations. Volunteer resources, including Safe Haven training, catechist certification, and stewardship guidelines, are coordinated through the parish office and the Diocese of Sacramento.
- Catechist opportunities (children and adult)
- Safe Haven training for all volunteers
- Liturgical and parish operations support
St. James Mission, Georgetown
Alongside St. Patrick in Placerville, the parish cares for St. James Mission in Georgetown — a smaller Catholic community in the surrounding El Dorado hills served from the parish's Sacramento Street campus.
- St. James Mission, Georgetown — under the pastoral care of St. Patrick Parish
Visiting, Contact and Parish Office
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person. The church is located at 3109 Sacramento Street in Placerville. The parish also communicates through its Facebook page and Flocknote email/text network.
- Address: 3109 Sacramento Street, Placerville, CA 95667
- Phone: (530) 622-0373
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook and Flocknote
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Ingoldsby1850–c.1852
First priest recorded in El Dorado County; arrived on foot from San Francisco to serve the gold camps.
- Father Woulfe, OFM1852–1857
Franciscan missionary from San Francisco; succeeded Father Ingoldsby.
- Father Riordanc.1857
Visiting missionary priest in the Placerville mining camps.
- Father Handy1857–1860
Traveling priest serving the mining settlements of El Dorado and Placer counties.
- Father Larganlate 1800s
Raised funds to build the present brick church after the earlier structure was lost.