About St. Pius · Redwood City, California
St. Pius Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Redwood City, California, part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1951 and located at 1100 Woodside Road, the parish serves a bilingual (English and Spanish) community through four Sunday Masses, a daily Mass schedule, perpetual adoration, a parish school (St. Pius School), a preschool, and dozens of ministries ranging from OCIA and faith formation to St. Vincent de Paul, Grief Ministry, and the parish Festival. The church is especially known for three large stained-glass windows installed in 1968 that depict Pope St. Pius X, Pope St. John XXIII, and other figures significant to the modern Church.
- Established
- 1951
- Patron
- St. Pius X (Pope St. Pius X)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas V. Martin (Father Tom Martin) — 5th pastor; also serves as Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Redwood City, and as Associate Vicar for Clergy / chaplain to the San Francisco Fire Department. A 6th pastor is scheduled to be installed on August 29, 2026.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco (Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Francisco)
Why belong here
St. Pius offers a full Catholic life on a single campus: bilingual Sunday Masses (English and Spanish), a daily 8:00 AM Mass, Saturday confessions, and nearly round-the-clock Adoration (Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM in the Adoration Chapel). The parish runs St. Pius School and a preschool, a two-year sacramental preparation program starting in 1st grade, OCIA for adults, and a broad roster of ministries — St. Vincent de Paul, Grief Ministry, Sandwiches on Sunday, Altar Society, Sacred Music, Men's and Women's Clubs, Senior Friendship Group, Festival, and Youth Athletics — giving new parishioners many ways to belong, serve, and grow in faith.
Mass times at St. Pius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM in the Church
- By appointment: call the Parish Center at (650) 361-1411
Adoration times
- Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM in the Adoration Chapel
History & Heritage of St. Pius Parish
St. Pius Parish traces its origins to 1951, when it was established to serve Catholic families on the Woodside Road side of Redwood City. Over seven decades the parish has grown from a single church into a full campus: the church, the Msgr. Fitzsimon Center (named for Msgr. Michael Fitzsimon), St. Pius School, and a preschool. A defining chapter of parish history came in the 1960s, when Msgr. Fitzsimon commissioned three stained-glass windows that became the artistic heart of the sanctuary.
- Founded 1951 (per GCatholic)
- 75th Anniversary Mass of Thanksgiving scheduled for Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM
- Installation of the parish's 6th Pastor on the same date, with reception following in the Msgr. Fitzsimon Center
The Stained-Glass Windows of St. Pius
The three large stained-glass windows installed in 1968 are arguably the most distinctive feature of the parish. They were designed by G. Stephen Walsh Studios in Dublin, Ireland, with hand-blown glass sourced from France and Germany. George Walsh and Msgr. (then Father) Michael Fitzsimon collaborated by handwritten letter through years of design and approvals. The glass was shipped across the Pacific (the first boxes leaving on the Sumida Maru in March 1968, the final shipment arriving in October 1968) and installed by Hogan Studios of Los Gatos. The Pope St. Pius X window depicts the saint holding the Eucharist and commemorates his 1910 decree Quam Singulari, which set the age for First Communion and First Penance at the age of reason (about 7 years old), restoring an early Church practice. Positioned opposite the companion Pope St. John XXIII window, the pair represents two pivotal moments in modern Catholic history. The windows are sited so morning sunlight pours through them across the altar.
- Designer: G. Stephen Walsh Studios, Dublin, Ireland
- Glass origin: France and Germany (hand-blown)
- Installer: Hogan Studios, Los Gatos
- First shipment via the Sumida Maru, March 1968; final shipment October 1968
- Pope St. Pius X window memorializes the decree Quam Singulari on First Communion
Clergy & Parish Leadership
St. Pius is served by a pastor and parochial vicars. As of the early 2020s, Father Tom Martin (Rev. Thomas V. Martin) is pastor; he concurrently serves as pastor of nearby St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Redwood City, and in archdiocesan roles as Associate Vicar for Clergy and chaplain to the San Francisco Fire Department. Parochial Vicars assigned to the parish include Rev. Edgardo A. Rodriguez and Rev. Jerome A. Magat (part-time). The parish is preparing to install its 6th Pastor on August 29, 2026, as part of the 75th anniversary celebration.
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas V. Martin (Father Tom Martin)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Edgardo A. Rodriguez
- Parochial Vicar (part-time): Rev. Jerome A. Magat
- Grief Ministry contact: Cathy Yee (Extraordinary Ministers coordinator), ext. 116
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
The parish runs a children's Faith Formation program (referenced as pius.org/cff) preparing students for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist. The program is a two-year process beginning no sooner than First Grade, with Year One covering the foundations of Catholic faith, the Church, and prayer, and Year Two building on that toward reception of the sacraments. Children must be registered and participating in the parish for at least six months; St. Pius School students receive preparation in the classroom. Adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion enter the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) process, which meets weekly and culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil.
- Two-year First Reconciliation / First Eucharist preparation, starting in 1st grade
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (weekly sessions, Easter Vigil reception)
- Sacraments available: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders
St. Pius School & Preschool
St. Pius operates its own Catholic elementary school, with an active Parent-Teacher Group (PTG) and a parish advisory board model that, under Father Tom Martin, broadened membership beyond just school parents to include respected parishioners with business and professional expertise. The campus also hosts a preschool. Students of St. Pius School receive their First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation in the classroom as part of the school day.
- St. Pius School (parish elementary school)
- St. Pius Preschool
- St. Pius School PTG (Parent-Teacher Group)
- School advisory board reorganized by Father Martin to draw on wider parish talent
Parish Ministries & Service
St. Pius offers a deep bench of ministries grouped by the parish under Liturgical Ministries, Peer Groups, Community Outreach, and Prayer Ministries. Liturgical service happens through Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (coordinated by Cathy Yee, ext. 116), the Environment Committee, the Altar Society, and the Sacred Music Program. Peer groups include the Men's Club, Women's Club, Senior Friendship Group, and Grief Ministry. Community outreach includes St. Vincent de Paul, Sandwiches on Sunday, and Faith in Action. Prayer and formation ministries include OCIA, Vocations Ministry, and ongoing formation for children and adults.
- Liturgical: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Environment Committee, Altar Society, Sacred Music Program
- Peer groups: Men's Club, Women's Club, Senior Friendship Group, Grief Ministry
- Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul, Sandwiches on Sunday, Faith in Action
- Prayer/Formation: OCIA, Vocations Ministry, Faith Formation
- Cultural/Community: St. Pius Festival, Young Peoples Theatre, Youth Athletics
Grief Ministry & Pastoral Care
The parish's Grief Ministry offers grief support to parishioners (and welcomes members of neighboring parishes) through two support-group series each year in the Spring and Fall, plus a holiday support workshop around Thanksgiving. Training for new ministers is led by Sister Toni Lynn Gallagher, Bereavement Coordinator for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and a Sister of Mercy. The ministry also hosts an annual Mass of Remembrance; the most recent was held Sunday, November 10, 2024.
- Spring and Fall grief support series
- Annual holiday support workshop
- Annual Mass of Remembrance
- Contact: [email protected] or (650) 361-0655
- Archdiocesan training provided by Sister Toni Lynn Gallagher (Sisters of Mercy)
Connect, Register & Stay Informed
New parishioners are invited to register online through the St. Pius Registration form (pius.org/register), which also lets newcomers sign up for the parish's FlockNote text and email communications. The parish publishes a weekly online Sunday Bulletin and maintains a Parish Calendar with events and facilities reservations. Mass livestreams and bulletins are available from pius.org and pius.org/stream.
- Online registration at pius.org/register
- FlockNote text/email updates at pius.flocknote.com
- Weekly Sunday Bulletin (online)
- Parish Calendar and facilities reservations
- Mass livestream at pius.org/stream
Visit & Contact St. Pius
St. Pius Catholic Parish is located at 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061. The Parish Center can be reached at (650) 361-1411, with the office staffed during posted hours. The parish can also be followed on Facebook (facebook.com/piusrwc) and Instagram (@stpiusym), and the church maintains a YouTube channel linked from the homepage.
- Address: 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061
- Phone: (650) 361-1411
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/piusrwc
- Instagram: @stpiusym
- Website: pius.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Michael Fitzsimon
Long-serving pastor during whose tenure (then as Father Fitzsimon) the three large stained-glass windows were commissioned in the 1960s; the parish's Msgr. Fitzsimon Center is named after him.
- Rev. Paul Rossi
Listed as pastor in older parish directories (mid-2010s).
- Rev. Thomas V. Martin
Pastor in early 2020s (referenced 2022–2024); also pastor of St. Anthony of Padua and Associate Vicar for Clergy; 5th pastor.
- 6th Pastor (unnamed)
Scheduled to be installed Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the 75th Anniversary Mass of Thanksgiving.