About St. Patrick's Parish · Sonora, California
St. Patrick's Catholic Parish is a historic Roman Catholic community serving Sonora and the surrounding Sierra foothills of Tuolumne County, California. Founded in the Gold Rush era, the parish traces its roots to 1853 and worships in a landmark church built in 1862 and dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany on January 25, 1863. Today the parish encompasses four worship sites — St. Patrick's Church in Sonora, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Big Oak Flat, Historic St. Anne's in Columbia, and St. Francis Xavier in Chinese Camp — along with several historic Catholic cemeteries. It belongs to the Diocese of Stockton and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a full Faith Formation program, and more than a dozen lay ministries.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Suresh Ery (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Stockton
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers the rare combination of a 170-year-old Gold Country parish and a vibrant, multilingual faith community. Worshippers can attend Mass in English or Spanish, with weekday, Saturday vigil, and three Sunday Masses across the parish's four worship sites. The parish runs a full Faith Formation program for children, a youth group, RCIA for adults, a Music Ministry, Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Men's Fellowship, Hispanic Community Ministries, and outreach through Matthew 25 to the hungry and needy. The parish also cares for a network of historic mission churches and Catholic cemeteries throughout Tuolumne County — a tangible link to the Catholic heritage of the Mother Lode.
Mass times at St. Patrick's Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:50 pm at St. Patrick's Church, Sonora
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:50 pm at St. Patrick's Church, Sonora
Parish History & Heritage
St. Patrick's is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in California's Gold Country. The Catholic community of Sonora was organized in 1853, and the current brick-and-stone church was built in 1862 under Father Louis A. Auger and dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany on January 25, 1863. The parish complex includes the historic church at 127 W. Jackson Street, the Steinmetz Building housing the parish library, the parish hall and classrooms at 98 W. Jackson, and the parish office at 116 Bradford Street. The 1874 fire and its Christmas 1874 restoration — plus the post-1868 rebuilding of the spire and west side — are part of the parish's living story. In 1962 Tuolumne County was transferred from the Diocese of Sacramento to the newly created Diocese of Stockton.
- Parish organized: 1853
- Current church built: 1862
- Dedication: January 25, 1863 by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany
- 1874 fire; restored by Christmas 1874
- Transferred to Diocese of Stockton: 1962
- Named Jubilee Church for the 2016 Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Rev. Suresh Ery, Parochial Administrator, who joined St. Patrick's after nine years of priestly ministry in the Diocese of Stockton and was previously pastor of St. Anthony's in Hughson. He succeeds Fr. Yesobu Banka, who served first as Parochial Vicar under Frs. Ray and Sam and then as Parish Administrator before being assigned to St. Anthony's, Manteca. Fr. Sam West, a former pastor, is now assigned to St. Joseph, Modesto. The lay staff includes Sandra Betti (Director of Music & Liturgy), Kathy Casas (Coordinator of Religious Education), and Ron Ivey (Business Manager).
- Rev. Suresh Ery — Parochial Administrator (ordained 2005; Diocese of Kadapa, India; joined Stockton 2014)
- Fr. Sam West — former Pastor (now St. Joseph, Modesto)
- Fr. Yesobu Banka — former Parochial Vicar & Parish Administrator (now St. Anthony, Manteca)
- Sandra Betti — Director of Music & Liturgy ([email protected])
- Kathy Casas — Coordinator of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Ron Ivey — Business Manager ([email protected])
Mission Churches & Worship Sites
The parish family includes four worship sites that serve Catholic communities across Tuolumne County, each with its own historic church and often its own cemetery.
- St. Patrick's Church — 127 W. Jackson St., Sonora (main parish church, 1862)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel — 11700 Catholic Cemetery Rd., Big Oak Flat (Sunday 12:30 pm Mass)
- Historic St. Anne's Church — 22519 Church Ln., Columbia (founded 1856; preservation supported by Save Our St. Anne's committee)
- St. Francis Xavier Church — 10100 Main St., Chinese Camp
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Rectory & Hall — 17700 Hwy 120, Big Oak Flat
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Patrick's runs a full Faith Formation program for children in kindergarten through 8th grade, organized by Coordinator of Religious Education Kathy Casas. Family Nights are held on the first two Wednesdays of the month (6:30–7:30 pm), with grade-level sessions on the other Wednesdays. First Communion is a two-year process for grades 1–2; diocesan Confirmation preparation begins in 6th grade and runs three full years. An RCIA team walks adults through the process of becoming Catholic, supported by sponsors and parish community.
- Family Nights — 1st & 2nd Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 pm
- Grade-level sessions — other Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 pm
- First Communion — 2-year program for grades 1–2
- Confirmation Prep — diocesan program beginning in 6th grade (3-year sequence)
- R.C.I.A. — adult initiation with parish sponsor team
- Registration fee: $60 / 1 child, $100 / 2, $120 / 3+ (K–8)
- Contact: Kathy Casas — [email protected] or 209-770-5987
Liturgical & Music Ministries
The parish draws on dozens of lay volunteers to make each Mass reverent and welcoming. Sandra Betti directs the Music Ministry, with Cantors, Choirs, and Instrumentalists leading the assembly's sung worship. Liturgical Ministries include Lectors who proclaim the Word, Altar Servers assisting the priests, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Ushers who greet parishioners, take up the collection, present the gifts, and distribute bulletins. The Art & Environment ministry shapes the sanctuary to follow the liturgical seasons.
- Lectors (Ministers of the Word)
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ushers
- Music Ministry — Cantors, Choirs, Instrumentalists ([email protected])
- Art & Environment ([email protected])
Parish Groups & Lay Organizations
A wide range of parish groups foster fellowship, spiritual growth, and service. Several focus on particular communities within the parish — youth, Hispanic Catholics, men, and women — while others carry out specific works of mercy or evangelization.
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic men's charitable organization
- Young Ladies Grand Institute (Y.L.G.I.) — Patricia 79 Chapter (women's organization supporting vocations and scholarships)
- Catholic Men's Fellowship (C.M.F.)
- Hispanic Community Ministries — promoting full participation of Hispanic Catholics in parish life
- Youth Group — Christian fellowship and spiritual growth for teens
- Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy — praying the Chaplet for the sick and dying
- At One with the Spirit — men's faith and Holy Spirit program
- Pastoral Council — advisory council working with the Pastor ([email protected])
Outreach & Pastoral Care
Caring for the spiritual and material needs of the wider community is central to parish life. The Matthew 25 ministry provides food and assistance to the hungry and needy in surrounding communities. The Ministry to the Sick & Homebound sends visiting Eucharistic Ministers to carry Holy Communion to the ill, the homebound, and Catholics in care facilities. The Caring for the Whole Person (C.W.P.) team offers spiritual support and resource referrals to parishioners and families facing illness or end-of-life issues. The Respect Life committee educates Catholics on the Church's teaching regarding abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, contraception, and natural family planning, and provides referrals for unplanned pregnancies, eldercare, and post-abortion healing.
- Matthew 25 — food and aid for the hungry and needy
- Ministry to the Sick & Homebound — Communion visits
- Caring for the Whole Person (C.W.P.) — spiritual support and referrals
- Respect Life — education and referrals (pregnancy, eldercare, post-abortion)
- Welcoming Team — greeters for parishioners and visitors
Parish Library — Fruits of the Holy Spirit Center
Housed in the Steinmetz Building next to the Parish Office on Bradford Street, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit Center is the parish library. Its goal is to encourage, support, and enrich parishioners' spiritual and intellectual growth by providing educational and inspirational materials consistent with Catholic teaching.
- Location: Steinmetz Building, 116 Bradford St., Sonora
- Contact: [email protected]
Catholic Cemeteries of Tuolumne County
The parish oversees a network of historic Catholic cemeteries throughout the Mother Lode, many of which are tied to the original mission churches founded during the Gold Rush.
- St. Patrick's Catholic Mountain View Cemetery — Greenley Rd. & Lyons Bald Mountain Rd., Sonora
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery — 10100 Main St., Chinese Camp
- St. Anne's Cemetery — 22518 Church Ln., Columbia
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery — 11700 Catholic Cemetery Rd., Big Oak Flat
- St. James Catholic Cemetery — Jamestown (access south of Donovan St. off Main St., north of Jamestown Public Cemetery)
Contact & Locations
Parish Office hours are Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. The Parish Office is located at 116 Bradford Street, Building A, with the Steinmetz Building (library) next door at Building B. Faith Formation registration packets may also be picked up from the 'Usher's' closet at the back of the church, behind the Divine Mercy painting.
- St. Patrick's Church — 127 W. Jackson St., Sonora, CA 95370
- Parish Office — 116 Bradford St. (Building A), Sonora, CA 95370
- Steinmetz Building (library) — 116 Bradford St. (Building B)
- Hall & Classrooms — 98 W. Jackson St., Sonora
- Phone: (209) 532-7139
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Louis A. Auger1859–1867
Built the current St. Patrick's Church (1862), dedicated Jan. 25, 1863 by Archbishop Alemany.
- Msgr. Patrick M. Nolan1953–1957
Served as assistant priest at St. Patrick Parish, Sonora, in the Sierra foothills east of Stockton.
- Fr. Ray (Abella)
Predecessor pastor under whom Fr. Banka served as parochial vicar.
- Fr. Sam West
Pastor before current administrator; reassigned to St. Joseph, Modesto.
- Fr. Yesobu Banka
Parochial Vicar under Frs. Ray and Sam, then Parish Administrator; reassigned to St. Anthony, Manteca.
- Rev. Suresh Ery2024–present
Current Parochial Administrator; ordained 2005 for the Diocese of Kadapa, India; joined Diocese of Stockton in 2014.