About St. Peter Martyr of Verona · Pittsburg, California
St. Peter Martyr of Verona is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Oakland, located at 740 Black Diamond Street in Pittsburg, California. The parish serves a largely Spanish-speaking community, with most of its weekend Masses celebrated in Spanish and only one Sunday Mass in English. Under its current pastor, Rev. Jesús Nieto-Ruiz, and parochial vicar Rev. Salvador Quiroz, the parish offers daily and weekend Masses, Thursday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, weekly confessions, RCIA, and a CCD religious education program for children. Tracing its roots to a Sicilian-Italian mission founded in 1884 and established as an official parish in 1914, St. Peter Martyr is the oldest Catholic congregation in Pittsburg.
- Established
- 1884 (as a mission); 1914 (designated a parish)
- Patron
- St. Peter Martyr of Verona
- Rector
- Rev. Jesús Nieto-Ruiz
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
St. Peter Martyr of Verona is a bilingual, family-centered Catholic parish with a 140-year history in Pittsburg and an active sacramental and devotional life. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday, six Sunday Masses are celebrated (one in English and five in Spanish), the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration every Thursday, confessions are heard Thursday afternoons, and the parish runs both a children's CCD program (Centro San Juan Diego) and RCIA for adults preparing for initiation. Couples can be married here on Saturdays, families can arrange baptisms and quinceañeras, and the sick can receive the Anointing of the Sick by contacting the parish office.
Mass times at St. Peter Martyr of Verona
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday / Jueves: 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday / Jueves: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Church / Iglesia (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
About St. Peter Martyr Parish
St. Peter Martyr of Verona is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Oakland located at 740 Black Diamond Street in Pittsburg, California. Rooted in a Sicilian-Italian mission founded in 1884 and established as a parish in 1914, it is the oldest Catholic congregation in the city. The parish is bilingual, with daily Mass, an extensive schedule of weekend Masses, weekly confessions, Thursday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, religious education for children, and an RCIA program for adults.
- Name: St. Peter Martyr of Verona
- Founded: mission in 1884, parish in 1914
- Diocese of Oakland
- Patron: St. Peter Martyr of Verona (feast day April 29)
- Address: 740 Black Diamond St., Pittsburg, CA 94565
- Phone: (925) 432-4771
- Email: [email protected]
History
The community began in 1884 when Sicilian-Italian families built a small lath-and-plaster church at Cutter and West 2nd Streets, served by visiting Dominican and other priests from Benicia, Martinez, and Antioch. That building burned in 1906 and was replaced in 1910. The community was formally elevated to parish status on November 1, 1914. In 1922 the church was relocated to West 8th Street near Black Diamond Street, and in 1931 the present permanent church was constructed at 740 Black Diamond Street. Through the mid-1960s the parish served the entire area until the Diocese of Oakland divided it into St. Peter Martyr, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and Our Lady Queen of the World.
- 1884 — Mission founded at Cutter and West 2nd Streets (50 × 30 ft, lath and plaster)
- 1906 — First church destroyed by fire
- 1910 — Replacement church built
- November 1, 1914 — Officially designated a parish
- 1922 — Church relocated to West 8th near Black Diamond St.
- 1931 — Present permanent church built at 740 Black Diamond St.
- Mid-1960s — Parish split into three by the Diocese of Oakland
- June 7, 2015 — Centennial historical marker dedicated
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by two priests of the Diocese of Oakland. The pastor and parochial vicar are identified in the parish bulletin, along with parish staff and faith-formation coordinators.
- Rev. Jesús Nieto-Ruiz — Pastor
- Rev. Salvador Quiroz — Parochial Vicar
- Emma Ojeda — Coordinator of CCD (Centro San Juan Diego) and RCIA, (925) 595-6930
- Parish Office: Monday–Friday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish runs programs for both children and adults in keeping with the Diocese of Oakland's catechetical mission. CCD classes meet at the parish's Centro San Juan Diego location a few blocks from the church.
- CCD (Catecismo) at Centro San Juan Diego, 425 West 4th St., Pittsburg, CA 94565 — Friday 6:00 PM and Saturday 9:30 AM; Coordinator Emma Ojeda, (925) 595-6930
- RCIA / RICA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Wednesday 7:00 PM; Coordinator Emma Ojeda, (925) 595-6930
- Catechetical Sunday observed annually on the third Sunday of September
- Virtus Online safe-environment training through the Diocese of Oakland
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates each of the major sacraments, with a particular emphasis on sacramental catechesis and family-centered preparation.
- Baptism — pick up an information sheet at the parish office, register, attend baptism classes, and a date will be assigned
- First Communion and Confirmation — through the CCD program
- Marriage / Bodas — Saturdays at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, or 4:00 PM; pick up an information sheet and make an appointment with a priest
- Quinceañera — pick up information sheet and meet with one of the priests
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Reconciliation — Thursdays 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Parish Communications and Bulletin
Weekly bulletins are published on the parish website and distributed at Mass, containing the Mass schedule, Mass intentions, weekly Scripture readings, Gospel meditations, Catholic trivia, stewardship reflections, and announcements of parish events. The bulletin is printed in both English and Spanish.
- Pastor Jesús Nieto-Ruiz and Parochial Vicar Salvador Quiroz welcome message
- Mass intentions and availability for requested Masses
- Gospel meditations (e.g., Father John Muir reflections)
- Catholic trivia, stewardship reflections, and liturgical observances
- Latest bulletins posted as PDFs at saintpetermartyr.org