About St. Philip the Apostle · San Francisco, California
St. Philip the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish in the Upper Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, California, in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1910 to serve the Catholic families of a fast-growing district after the 1906 earthquake, the parish today gathers roughly 700 households around a striking Gothic Revival church built in 1925. A green shamrock painted on the sidewalk in front of the church and a matching green street stripe remain daily reminders of the Irish families who first built the parish alongside their German neighbors. The parish shares a pastor with the other Noe Valley parishes and operates an affiliated parish school (St. Philip School, opened 1938) that serves grades K-8.
- Established
- 1910
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Thomas V. Martin (Pastor of all Noe Valley Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
St. Philip the Apostle is a welcoming, multi-generational parish of roughly 700 families that has anchored the Upper Noe Valley for more than a century. Parishioners gather around the Eucharist and a rich liturgical life — daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration with the Rosary on Monday evenings, and a Music Ministry that rehearses Sunday mornings — and put faith into action through ministries that visit the homebound, serve the poor, collect toiletries for the Gubbio Project, and support the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Add in the long-running parish school, the historic 1925 Gothic Revival sanctuary with its French-crafted stained glass, and the shamrock-stamped sidewalk out front, and St. Philip's offers a uniquely rooted community in which to worship, serve, and raise a Catholic family.
Mass times at St. Philip the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00 – 4:45 PM (at St. Philip's)
- Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 PM (at St. Philip's)
- Saturdays 3:40 – 4:15 PM (at St. Paul's on Church Street)
- Monday to Friday 9:30 – 10:00 AM (at St. James on Guerrero Street)
Adoration times
- Mondays 6:00 – 7:00 PM — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
History of St. Philip the Apostle Parish
Founded in 1910 in the Upper Noe Valley by Irish-born Father John J. Cullen at the request of Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan, St. Philip's grew out of a converted workshop on 24th Street into one of the neighborhood's most recognizable landmarks. The present Gothic Revival church, designed by architect John J. Foley and begun in 1925, replaced a temporary 1912 church on Elizabeth Street. The school followed in 1938, designed by architect Martin Rist in Mexican Spanish Colonial style. The parish marked its Centennial in 2010 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Niederauer and the blessing of a life-size wooden statue of St. Philip hand-carved in Italy. Today, ten pastors later, about 700 families still worship in the building, and the shamrock painted on the sidewalk out front still nods to the Irish founders.
- 1910 — Parish founded by Rev. John J. Cullen under Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan
- Sept 15, 1912 — First Mass in the temporary Elizabeth Street church
- 1913 — Parochial residence on Diamond Street completed (late Gothic style)
- 1925 — Construction begins on the present Gothic Revival sanctuary (architect John J. Foley); first Mass held that year
- 1938 — School (Spanish Colonial, architect Martin Rist) opens with 156 students
- 1964 — Altar turned to face the people following Vatican II; main and side altars of Carrara marble redesigned
- 2010 — Centennial Mass with Archbishop Niederauer; Italian hand-carved statue of St. Philip blessed and installed
Architecture & Sanctuary
The current church is a Gothic Revival sanctuary designed by architect John J. Foley and begun in 1925. Asymmetrical towers rise on each side, supported by pier buttresses, and the Gothic arched entry is recessed with deeply paneled and ornamented hardwood doors. Inside, a barrel-vaulted ceiling is carried by ten Corinthian-topped marbleized columns that divide the central nave from the sides; the Gothic arches between them hold original lanterns and are aligned with 24 stained-glass windows depicting saints, the Virgin Mary and Jesus, all milled by French artisans. Two choir lofts sit in the transept for antiphonal singing, and windows above and below them depict Christ in the garden, on the cross, ascending, and Mary his mother. After Vatican II the main and side altars of Carrara marble were redesigned in a simplified modern style, and the altar was turned to face the people in 1964.
- Architect: John J. Foley
- Style: Gothic Revival with asymmetrical towers and pier buttresses
- Nave: barrel-vaulted ceiling on ten Corinthian-topped marbleized columns
- Stained glass: 24 windows milled by French artisans
- Altars: Carrara marble, modern style, reconfigured 1964 after Vatican II
Mass & Service Schedule
St. Philip's celebrates the Eucharist every day of the week except Saturday morning, with the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass followed by fellowship and hospitality. The Wednesday 8:45 AM School Mass is open to all. Holy Day Mass times are announced by the parish office. Weekday Mass is followed by Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Monday evenings.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM (fellowship afterwards)
- Monday–Friday: 8:00 AM (no Saturday morning Mass)
- Wednesday: 8:45 AM School Mass — all welcome
- Holy Days of Obligation: TBD, call the parish office
Parish Staff
St. Philip's currently shares its pastor with the other Noe Valley parishes. The parish priest in residence serves through the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center. The parish office is staffed by an administrative assistant, and the parish school has its own principal and administrative assistant.
- Rev. Fr. Thomas V. Martin — Pastor of all Noe Valley Parishes (also Associate Vicar for Clergy, Archdiocese of San Francisco)
- Rev. Fr. Brendan McBride — Priest in Residence (Irish Immigration Pastoral Center, 415-752-6006)
- Ms. Mary Dante — Administrative Assistant, Parish Church Office (415-282-0141)
- Ms. Mary McKeever — Principal, St. Philip the Apostle School ([email protected])
- Ms. Janice Dias — Administrative Assistant, St. Philip the Apostle School
Parish Ministries
Parishioners at St. Philip's can put their faith into action through more than a dozen ministries spanning liturgical service, hospitality, music, social justice and parish governance. The Music Ministry rehearses Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM and sings at both Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses; the Belfry Society's bellringers mark noon on weekdays and toll for funerals; and Greeters and the Hospitality Committee welcome parishioners and visitors, with hospitality served after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass. Liturgical roles include Lectors, Usher Corps, Altar Servers (5th grade and above), Senior Altar Servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who also bring Communion to the homebound. Governance is shared through the Parish Council and Finance Council. Social-justice ministries include the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Gubbio Project (toiletries for the homeless), and visiting the homebound, and the parish also hosts the Harbor Catholic Men's Community.
- Liturgical: Music Ministry, Lectors, Usher Corps, Altar Servers, Senior Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Welcome & Hospitality: Greeters, Hospitality Committee
- Grounds & Building: Belfry Society (Bellringers), Flower Guild, Offertory Counters
- Governance: Parish Council, Finance Council
- Social Justice: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Gubbio Project, visiting the homebound
- Community: Harbor Catholic Men's Community
Faith Formation & Confirmation
Faith formation is described by the parish as 'a vital element of the Catholic life' and is offered to children and adults alike. The Confirmation program is a two-year preparation for students in 7th and 8th grades, with the Sacrament celebrated toward the end of the second year (in February). Public-school students have a separate one-year program for 8th graders, with registration in the spring and sessions in the fall. There is a $50 registration fee to cover books and materials, and a copy of the student's baptismal certificate is required. Parents and adult parishioners seeking more information should call the parish office at 415-282-0141.
- Two-year Confirmation Program — 7th and 8th grades (Catholic schools)
- Confirmation Program for public-school 8th graders (one-year, registration in spring)
- $50 registration fee; baptismal certificate required
- Confirmation celebrated in February
- More information: 415-282-0141
St. Philip the Apostle School
The parish's affiliated school, St. Philip the Apostle School, sits next door to the church at 665 Elizabeth Street. It opened in 1938 with 156 boys and girls, growing to 300 students in the 1980s. Enrollment was around 180 when Father LaTorre arrived in 2004 and had rebounded to about 225 by 2010. The K-8 school also offers a pre-kindergarten program with a waiting list. The school was designed in 1938 in the Spanish Colonial architecture of Mexico by architect Martin Rist — the same architect who designed nearby St. Cecilia's at 17th Avenue and Vicente.
- Location: 665 Elizabeth Street, San Francisco
- Opened: 1938 (architect Martin Rist, Mexican Spanish Colonial style)
- Grades: K-8 plus pre-kindergarten
- Phone: 415-824-8467
- Website: www.saintphilipschool.org
- Principal: Ms. Mary McKeever
- Administrative Assistant: Ms. Janice Dias
Music Ministry
Music is a distinctive part of St. Philip's liturgical life, a heritage that goes back to Father Jerome Hannigan in the 1920s when two choir lofts were designed into the transept to support antiphonal singing. The parish choir still rehearses Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM and sings at the Saturday Vigil (5:00 PM) and Sunday Masses. The choir welcomes new singers and instrumentalists; interested parishioners should contact the parish office at 415-282-0141.
- Rehearsal: Sundays at 10:00 AM
- Sings: Saturday Vigil (5:00 PM) and Sunday Masses
- Welcomes new singers and instrumentalists
- Contact: Parish office 415-282-0141
Social Justice & Outreach
St. Philip's frames its outreach in the language of Catholic social teaching and the corporal and spiritual Works of Mercy. Parishioners visit the homebound to bring Communion, serve the poor, collect toiletries for the Gubbio Project (a San Francisco ministry that serves the homeless), and support the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The parish's 'Being Catholic Today' page describes the Catholic call to a 'countercultural' life of service, care for the dignity of every human person, and stewardship of creation.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Gubbio Project (toiletries for the homeless)
- Visiting the homebound (Communion calls)
- Serving the poor
- Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy as a guide to parish life
Sacraments
St. Philip's celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments at the parish or arranges for them. The website describes in detail the theology and preparation for Confirmation, including its roots in the Second Vatican Council's Lumen Gentium. Parents wishing to enroll a child in Confirmation preparation or arrange another sacrament should call the parish office.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion (prerequisite for altar-server ministry)
- Confirmation (two-year program for 7th-8th graders)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (see confession times)
Parish Office & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Staff can be reached by phone or email, and visitors are welcome to use the online contact form on the parish website.
- Address: 725 Diamond St, San Francisco, CA 94114
- Phone: (415) 282-0141
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Website: www.saintphilipparish.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend John J. Cullen1910–1922
Founding pastor; Irish-born priest from County Cavan, appointed by Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan. Walked the parish boundaries, drew up the first map, and rented an old workshop on 24th Street as a temporary chapel.
- Reverend Jerome B. Hannigan1922–1925
Musically inclined; oversaw the design of the two choir lofts in the transept to facilitate antiphonal singing in the new church.
- Reverend John R. Cantillon1925–1951
Irish native who raised funds for the school by hosting hugely popular whist-card games in Noe Valley. Oversaw construction of the 1938 school and convent.
- Reverend William Flanagan1951–1957
- Reverend Joseph I. Manning1957–1969
- Reverend Thomas F. Regan1969–1991
- Reverend Michael J. Healy1991–2004
- Reverend Tony P. LaTorre2004–2016
First non-Irish pastor of the parish; of Italian ancestry. Previously served at St. Charles Church in San Carlos. Led the 2010 Centennial celebration with Archbishop Niederauer and the installation of a hand-carved Italian wooden statue of St. Philip.
- Reverend Mario P. Farana2016–2019
- Reverend Stephen H. Howell, V.G.2020–
Vicar General of the Archdiocese of San Francisco; ordained 1974. Listed as pastor on the parish's Succession of Pastors page.
- Reverend Fr. Thomas V. Martincurrent
Listed as Pastor of all Noe Valley Parishes on the parish staff page; ordained 2013; also serves as Associate Vicar for Clergy and chaplain to the San Francisco Fire Department.