About St. Paul · Sacramento, California
St. Paul Catholic Church is a vibrant, multicultural Roman Catholic parish in the Florin area of South Sacramento, California, within the Diocese of Sacramento. Established in 1958 and currently pastored by Fr. Joyle Martinez (with Fr. Hernando Gomez-Amaya welcomed as incoming pastor), the parish serves roughly 3,000 families with liturgies in English and Spanish every weekend, an active Faith Formation program for Preschool through Grade 12, a Divine Mercy apostolate, a Sto. Niño Filipino family group, and ministries that include the Knights of Columbus. Its mission — 'To know Christ better and to make Him better known' — is lived out through worship, faith formation for all ages, and service to the surrounding South Sacramento community.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- St. Paul (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Joyle Martinez (transitioning; Fr. Hernando Gomez-Amaya welcomed as incoming pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento
Why belong here
St. Paul offers a richly multicultural worship life with four Sunday Masses (including a Spanish-language liturgy at 1:00 PM), Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM, and live-streamed Masses for those at home or abroad. Its Catholic Faith Formation program serves children from Preschool through Grade 12, with parallel English and Spanish tracks; the parish also runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process that recently prepared 76 confirmandi and numerous First Communicants. Devotional life is centered on the weekly Chaplet of Divine Mercy (Fridays at 3:00 PM), a Wednesday evening Perpetual Help Novena, a Sto. Niño Filipino family group, the Knights of Columbus, and a parish Religious Goods shop. For families looking for a warm, diverse parish rooted in traditional Catholic practice and sacramental life in South Sacramento, St. Paul is a long-established community home.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM (parish office and 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM per site)
- Or by appointment
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Paul Catholic Church describes itself as 'a vibrant and diverse community of believers, united by our faith in Jesus Christ and our commitment to the Gospel values.' The parish mission statement, published on its website, reads: 'We, God's people of St. Paul Catholic Parish in Sacramento, California, a multicultural, inclusive and welcoming community, inspired by the love of Jesus Christ are called: to bring all people of God together in worship, to declare our belief in God's love, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate and grow in our relationship with God.' A shorter pastoral motto — 'To know Christ better and to make Him better known' — appears on the home page and frames all parish activity.
History of St. Paul Parish
St. Paul was established in 1958 to serve the growing agricultural community around Florin in South Sacramento. Bishop Joseph T. McGucken appointed Fr. Richard Doheny as founding pastor in 1960. Fr. Doheny steered the parish away from the older Florin mission site (a creek limited its potential) and arranged a diocesan loan to acquire 15 acres at Florin Road and Gardner Avenue. Through bake sales and the enduring 'Annual Yard Sale' tradition, parishioners built the present sanctuary and, over time, a Parish Hall (today known as Fr. Duggan Hall), educational centers, and dedicated meeting spaces for ministries including the Knights of Columbus and the Divine Mercy Group. The parish grew from roughly 100 to about 3,000 families under Fr. Doheny's tenure.
- Established 1958 (Diocese of Sacramento).
- Fr. Richard Doheny appointed founding pastor in 1960.
- 15-acre site at Florin Rd & Gardner Ave purchased with a diocesan loan.
- Early fundraising through bake sales and the Annual Yard Sale.
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
St. Paul prepares parishioners of all ages for the seven sacraments of the Church. Baptism is celebrated in both English and Spanish. First Communion is prepared through the Catholic Faith Formation program (CFF) and recently produced large English and Spanish classes of First Communicants. Confirmation is offered through OCIA and CFF tracks; the 2026 Confirmation Mass, presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Rey Bersabal, saw 76 confirmandi receive the sacrament. The parish also celebrates Marriage and Anointing of the Sick, and pastoral care is available on request.
- Baptism (English & Spanish)
- First Communion / First Eucharist (CFF)
- Confirmation (OCIA & CFF) — most recent class May 5, 2026 with Bishop Bersabal
- Marriage preparation
- Reconciliation — Saturdays and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick
Devotions & Apostolates
Devotional life at St. Paul centers on the Eucharist and two major devotional groups. The parish Perpetual Help Novena gathers on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM (with morning Novena Prayers at 8:30 AM). The Divine Mercy Group prays the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every Friday at 3:00 PM — 'The Hour of Great Mercy' — in the parish chapel, holds a monthly meeting on the first Tuesday at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall, and organizes the annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration with a Novena beginning on Good Friday.
- Perpetual Help Novena — Wednesday 6:30 PM
- Divine Mercy Chaplet — Friday 3:00 PM (Hour of Great Mercy), Chapel
- Divine Mercy monthly meeting — 1st Tuesday, 6:00 PM, Parish Hall
- Annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration with Good Friday Novena
Faith Formation & Youth
The parish runs Catholic Faith Formation (CFF) for children from Preschool through Grade 12, with parallel English- and Spanish-language tracks. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) prepares unbaptized adults and older children for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and recent combined OCIA/CFF Confirmation classes brought 76 confirmandi to the sacrament in May 2026. Youth Ministry extends the parish's reach to teens, while the Sto. Niño Family Group provides a Filipino cultural and devotional home for many parish families.
- Catholic Faith Formation (CFF), Preschool – Grade 12
- Spanish-language First Communion and Confirmation tracks
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Youth Ministry
- Sto. Niño Family Group (Filipino)
Parish Organizations & Outreach
Beyond the liturgical and devotional life of the parish, St. Paul maintains a number of parish organizations and outreach arms. The Knights of Columbus council is active on-site. The parish operates a Religious Goods shop supplying Bibles, rosaries, and sacramental gifts. The Divine Mercy Group explicitly frames its mission around three pillars — Prayer, Word, and Deed — encouraging members to be 'instruments of mercy' through outreach to those in spiritual or material need.
- Knights of Columbus
- Religious Goods shop
- Divine Mercy Group — Prayer, Word, and Deed
- Annual Ministry Appreciation Dinner (held June 19, 2026)
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
St. Paul has been served by a succession of pastors in the Diocese of Sacramento. Founding pastor Fr. Richard Doheny (appointed 1960) led the parish through its first decades and is remembered for growing the community from roughly 100 to 3,000 families. Fr. Joyle Martinez has served as pastor for approximately twelve years; in 2025–2026 the parish published his Letter of Gratitude to parishioners and welcomed Fr. Hernando Gomez-Amaya — formerly pastor of St. Patrick Church in Placerville, originally from Colombia — as incoming pastor. Fr. Luis Urrego also serves the parish community and celebrated his 25th Jubilee of Priestly Ordination at a 4:00 PM Mass in June 2026, followed by a reception in Fr. Duggan Hall.
- Founding pastor: Fr. Richard Doheny (1960–)
- Fr. Joyle Martinez — recent pastor (~12 years)
- Fr. Hernando Gomez-Amaya — incoming pastor, ex-St. Patrick Placerville, from Colombia
- Fr. Luis Urrego — Silver Jubilee of Ordination (June 27, 2026)
Livestream Mass
The parish live-streams two of its Sunday Masses each week so that homebound parishioners and those living away from the parish can remain connected to the worshipping community. A Facebook backup stream is available if the main player is not working.
- Sundays 9:00 AM — English livestream
- Sundays 1:00 PM — Spanish (Español) livestream
- Facebook page listed as secondary backup
Visiting St. Paul — Contact & Location
St. Paul Catholic Church is located at 8720 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA 95828, in the Florin neighborhood of South Sacramento. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM). The mailing address for correspondence is P.O. Box 292280, Sacramento, CA 95829. Phone: (916) 381-5200.
- Street address: 8720 Florin Rd, Sacramento, CA 95828
- Mailing: P.O. Box 292280, Sacramento, CA 95829
- Phone: (916) 381-5200
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM)
- Part of the Sacramento County Southern Suburbs Deanery
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Richard Doheny1960– (founding pastor)
Appointed founding pastor by Bishop Joseph T. McGucken in 1960; oversaw acquisition of 15 acres at Florin Rd & Gardner Ave; grew parish from ~100 to ~3,000 families; later Pastor Emeritus of St. Mel Parish, Fair Oaks.
- Rev. Fr. Joyle Martinezapproximately 12 years (concluded 2025–2026)
Released a public Letter of Gratitude reflecting on twelve years as pastor.
- Rev. Fr. Hernando Gomez-Amaya2026– (incoming)
Originally from Colombia; previously Pastor of St. Patrick Church, Placerville.