St. Richard Catholic Church

Founding and the de Anza Mission

Father Francis Lobell of St. Elizabeth's in Julian was assigned to start the parish in the late 1940s. He chose a ridge where local residents had set a large cross at Easter 1949, and Burnand donated the tract; the project was first named the de Anza Catholic Mission after the Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza. While construction was being prepared, Father Lobell celebrated Mass at Hoberg's Desert Resort (now the Palms at Indian Head). He died in October 1953, weeks before the building was completed.

1954 Dedication and Original Furnishings

The Southern Cross of July 22, 1954 described the new building's original furnishings, including Italian-carved wooden statues of the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and St. Richard, Greek-cross wooden Stations of the Cross carved by Carl Abel of Desert Center, a cream-colored mahogany baptismal fount, pews of Philippine mahogany, a bell salvaged from an old California mission, and a marble Sacred Heart statue above the main entrance given in memory of Father Lobell.

The 1960 Fire and Recovery

On April 18, 1960 a fire of undetermined origin severely damaged the sanctuary, destroying the altar, crucifix, choir-loft organ, front pews and statues of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. Sunday Mass was held at the Desert Lodge (now La Casa del Zorro) until the building was repaired.

From Mission to Full Parish (1965)

In 1965 Father William Mooney proposed building a rectory to house a resident priest; Bishop Francis J. Furey's approval launched a fund drive so successful it was expanded to add a meeting hall that could also serve children's religious education classes. Building the rectory is what changed St. Richard's legal status from a mission of St. Elizabeth's Julian to an independent parish.

Growth Under Father Lawrence Gatt (1972–1989)

Father Gatt's seventeen years brought re-roofing of the church and rectory, the addition of a ramada (which now doubles as a carport) and the creation of a Mother's Chapel in the church. From 1976 to 1986 he welcomed the St. Barnabas Episcopal Congregation, whose members used the parish facilities while they built their own church down the road.

Shrines and Memorials on the Grounds

After A.A. Burnand Jr. died in 1981, parishioner Victor Lugo and nine other volunteers built a memorial fountain with a tile walkway and engraved plaques honoring Burnand and his sons; Father Gatt blessed it on December 19, 1982. Two more stands were added later for Burnand's other son 'Sonny' and stepson 'Bud' Kuhrts.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine and Parish Cemetery

In 1991 Father Robert Callahan approved parishioner Francisco Murillo's plan to build a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe, fulfilling a dream his mother Josefina had been told about in Mexico. The shrine was dedicated May 31, 1991 with a plaque reading 'In Memory of Josefina Murillo E.' A parish cemetery grew up around the shrine during Father Simon Lefebvre's pastorate after long-time parishioner Thomas McGuire asked to be buried on the grounds in 1995.

Renovations and Art (2001–2006)

Around 2000 a larger meeting hall (later named Guadalupe Hall) was added for classes, meetings and parish events. In 2001 an 8-by-8-foot stained glass window by Canadian artist Sarah Hall, using French glass, was installed behind the altar and unveiled on Easter Sunday, complementing existing side windows by well-known local stained glass artist James Hubbell. Father Brian Hayes oversaw further upgrades to the rectory and meeting halls, and in 2006 led a major interior renovation: repainted walls, stone tile replacing the carpet, and pews removed and refurbished.