About St. Philip Neri · Alameda, California
St. Philip Neri is a historic Catholic parish in Alameda, California, founded in 1925 to serve the island city's East End (Fernside District). In 2011 it was combined with St. Albert the Great Parish to form the present St. Philip Neri–St. Albert the Great Parish, served by the Congregation of Missionaries of Faith (MF). The parish is part of the Diocese of Oakland and worships at two church campuses: St. Philip Neri Church at 3100 Van Buren Street and St. Albert the Great Church at 1022 Holly Street (Bayfarm Island). On October 7, 2025 the community celebrated its 100th anniversary with Bishop Michael C. Barber presiding at the centennial Mass.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- St. Philip Neri
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Pathiyil, MF
- Diocese
- Diocese of Oakland
Why belong here
St. Philip Neri–St. Albert the Great is a welcoming two-campus Catholic community in Alameda whose mission is to 'proclaim the Gospel of Christ to our local community in word, deed, and truth.' Parishioners can worship at either the historic St. Philip Neri Church on Van Buren Street or St. Albert the Great Church on Holly Street on Bay Farm Island, with daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, First Friday adoration, weekly Wednesday holy hours with themed prayer intentions, and a long-running Catholic elementary school. Active ministries include St. Vincent de Paul home visits, RCIA, Faith Formation for children and youth, Pro-Life work, Eucharistic Adoration, and a music program — making it a community where families, newcomers, and longtime Alamedans can put faith into concrete service.
Mass times at St. Philip Neri
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM (St. Philip Neri Church) or by appointment
- Saturday 3:30 PM (St. Albert the Great Church) or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month — Mass with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Benediction, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM (St. Philip Neri Church)
- Every Wednesday — 6:00 to 7:00 PM Holy Hour at St. Albert the Great Church (1st Wed: Families; 2nd Wed: Promotion of Life; 3rd Wed: Religious Vocations; 4th Wed: Youth; 5th Wed: Married Life)
About St. Philip Neri Parish
St. Philip Neri–St. Albert the Great is a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people. The parish mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the local community in word, deed, and truth. Worship is offered at two church campuses in Alameda, supported by a parochial school and a network of lay ministries.
- Patron: St. Philip Neri (feast day May 26)
- Founded: 1925 as St. Philip Neri Parish
- Combined with St. Albert the Great in 2011
- Served by the Congregation of Missionaries of Faith (MF)
- Diocese of Oakland
History of St. Philip Neri Parish
Established in 1925 to relieve St. Joseph's Parish on the island of Alameda, the parish originally served the affluent East End and Fernside District with Father Maurice O'Keefe as founding pastor. The 1928 sanctuary has been altered over the decades. Father Robert J. O'Connor succeeded O'Keefe in 1928 before becoming pastor of St. Joseph's in 1943. In 1976 Bishop Begin erected St. Albert the Great on former asparagus farmland near Harbor Bay Isle; in 2011 the two parishes were combined under the Missionaries of Faith.
- 1925 — Parish established by Archdiocese of San Francisco; Father Maurice O'Keefe, founding pastor
- 1928 — Father Robert J. O'Connor becomes pastor; sanctuary built
- 1959 — St. Philip Neri Catholic School founded
- 1976 — St. Albert the Great Parish erected on Bay Farm Island
- 2011 — St. Philip Neri and St. Albert combined into one parish served by the Missionaries of Faith
- October 7, 2025 — Centennial Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael C. Barber
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by two priests of the Missionaries of Faith and supported by a full lay staff handling liturgy, faith formation, music, sacraments, school administration, and parish operations.
- Rev. Joseph Pathiyil, MF — Pastor (510-373-5201)
- Rev. Chacko Muthoottil, MF — Associate Pastor (510-373-5202)
- Margaret Mariani — Office Support & Facilities Coordinator (510-373-5229)
- Lellia (Lee) Romero — Secretary (510-373-5215)
- Anh Truong — Parish Bookkeeper (510-373-5214)
- Catherine Morales — Children's Faith Formation & Youth Ministry (510-373-5216)
- Lydia Cho — Music Director (510-373-5219)
- Gina Foster — Baptism & Marriage Coordinator
- Sherry Eastwood-Falls — RCIA Coordinator (510-373-5217)
- Julie Thomas — SPN Elementary School Principal (510-521-0787)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Children's Faith Formation program helps children develop their faith in God and their understanding of the Catholic Church. Grounded in the Eucharist, the program seeks to open children to the goodness and beauty of God, nurture life-long faith formation, and support families in recognizing God's presence in daily life. Youth Ministry is coordinated alongside the program.
- Children's Faith Formation — Catherine Morales (510-373-5216)
- Youth Ministry
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation
- Field trips and service opportunities (e.g., Kids Against Hunger, Alameda Food Bank)
St. Philip Neri Catholic School
Saint Philip Neri Catholic School is a preschool through 8th-grade Catholic elementary and middle school that has been serving the East Bay since 1959. The school blends tradition with innovation and partners closely with parish families to form the whole child — academically, spiritually, and through service.
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Established 1959
- Principal: Julie Thomas (510-521-0787)
- Faith Families program connecting students across grade levels
- Service-learning trips to Kids Against Hunger and Alameda Food Bank
Parish Ministries
A range of lay-led ministries put the parish mission into practice — from serving those in need, to welcoming new Catholics, to defending the unborn, to forming children in the faith.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — home visits, food/rent/utility assistance, Christmas Giving Tree; meets 1st Tuesday 7:00–8:00 PM at St. Albert's Hall
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Sherry Eastwood-Falls)
- Children's Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
- Pro-Life Ministry (annual Pro-Life weekend)
- Eucharistic Adoration & Catechist ministry
- Music Ministry under Director Lydia Cho
- Baptism & Marriage preparation with Gina Foster
St. Vincent de Paul Conference
The parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference is a lay community following Christ through service to those in need within the parish boundaries of St. Philip–St. Albert. Members make home visits, pray with families, and provide direct assistance for food, clothing, rent, utilities, and shelter. The motto is 'no act of charity is foreign to the Society.'
- Parish helpline (voicemail): 510-373-5226 — calls returned within 24 hours
- Food certificates for families in need
- Volunteers in the Oakland SVdP dining room (Tues–Sat)
- Christmas Giving Tree and gift/clothing distribution
- Contact: Richard, [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the Church's central sacraments through age-appropriate formation, including a dedicated Infant Baptism program, RCIA for older children and adults, marriage preparation, and Anointing of the Sick offered on First Fridays.
- Infant Baptism (ages 0–6) — pre-baptismal classes required; contact Gina Foster
- Baptism for children 7+ and adults via RCIA
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick at First Friday Mass, St. Albert the Great
- RCIA for non-baptized, Christians from other traditions, and Catholics seeking Eucharist/Confirmation
Locations & Contact
The parish operates from two church campuses in Alameda, with a unified parish office. St. Philip Neri Church sits on Van Buren Street and St. Albert the Great Church is located on Holly Street on Bay Farm Island.
- St. Philip Neri Church — 3100 Van Buren St., Alameda, CA 94501
- St. Albert the Great Church — 1022 Holly St., Alameda, CA 94502
- Parish Office — 3101 Van Buren St., Alameda, CA 94501
- Phone — 510-373-5200
- Email — [email protected]
- St. Albert parish office phone — 510-373-5225
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Maurice O'Keefe1925
Founding pastor; served the East End/Fernside District
- Father Robert J. O'Connorfrom 1928
Succeeded as pastor of St. Philip Neri; later moved to St. Joseph's in 1943, died 1957