About St. Rose · Santa Rosa, California
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is a bilingual English/Spanish parish in downtown Santa Rosa, California, serving the faithful of Sonoma County since 1877. It is the historic mother parish of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, whose patroness is Saint Rose of Lima herself. The parish worships in a striking Gothic-style stone church built in 1900-1901 that famously survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake with almost no damage, and today offers seven weekend Masses across two languages plus daily Mass, perpetual-adjacent adoration, and a religious education program led by a lay staff alongside two priests.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Fr. Michaelraj Philominsamy
- Diocese
- Diocese of Santa Rosa
Why belong here
St. Rose is a bilingual Catholic home in the heart of Santa Rosa where English- and Spanish-speaking families worship side by side at seven weekend Masses and two daily Masses, with confession offered every day and Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday and Friday. It is the historic mother parish of the Diocese of Santa Rosa (whose own patroness is St. Rose of Lima) and worships in a 1901 Gothic stone church that survived the 1906 earthquake — a tangible sign of rootedness and continuity. A full program of Religious Education, baptism classes in both languages, quinceañera and marriage preparation, plus an active Knights of Columbus council and a parish school, make it a true community of faith for all ages.
Mass times at St. Rose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday-Friday after the 8:30 a.m. daily Mass
- Monday-Friday after the 12:10 p.m. daily Mass
- After the 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (Spanish) Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Every Wednesday after the 6:30 p.m. (Spanish) Mass
- Every Friday after the 8:30 a.m. Mass
Parish History
St. Rose of Lima is the historic mother parish of the Diocese of Santa Rosa and one of the oldest Catholic communities in Sonoma County. Rather than tracing its origins to the California Spanish missions, the parish descends from the Church of the Assumption in Tomales; Mass was first offered in Santa Rosa around 1859 by Father Louis Rossi in a hotel kept by Patrick Colgan. A small eight-pew wooden church was built on Fifth Street in 1860 on a lot donated by Julio Carrillo, and the mission was served by visiting Tomales pastors through the 1860s and 1870s. In 1877 Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany formally established St. Rose as a parish, with territory so vast it later became the parishes of Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Sebastopol and Guerneville. The parish has been shaped by steady growth, repeated divisions, a remarkable 1901 stone church that survived the 1906 earthquake, and the towering legacy of Msgr. Walter J. Tappe — Vatican II Pastor/Observer and Vicar General of the new Diocese of Santa Rosa.
- Daughter parish of the Church of the Assumption, Tomales
- Established 1877 by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany
- First resident pastor: Fr. Peter J. Kaiser (1877, died within a year)
- St. John's, Healdsburg carved out in 1884
- St. Sebastian's, Sebastopol carved out in 1897
- St. Eugene's, Santa Rosa carved out in 1950 — 932 founding families transferred
- 75th-anniversary Diamond Jubilee celebrated April 27, 1952
- Diocese of Santa Rosa created 1962; Msgr. Leo T. Maher first bishop
The 1901 Stone Church
Construction of the present Gothic-style stone church began in June 1900 on the B Street site where the old wooden church had stood for nearly half a century. Archbishop Patrick Riordan laid the cornerstone on October 28, 1900, and dedicated the completed church (capacity about 400) on July 21, 1901. It was designed by the San Francisco architectural firm Shea and Shea and built by contractor Peter Moroni, with stone from a local quarry. Rector Father J.M. Cassin insisted on oversized steel-reinforced foundations and walls — a decision that saved the building when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake devastated every other brick and stone structure in Santa Rosa. Repairs to St. Rose came to just $200. In the 1960s Msgr. Tappe added a new wing featuring the church's famous stained-glass windows, mosaic and sanctuary, joined to the original stone structure around a central altar — an unusual combination of old and new.
- Architects: Shea and Shea of San Francisco
- Contractor: Peter Moroni
- Cornerstone laid October 28, 1900 by Archbishop Riordan
- Dedicated July 21, 1901; capacity ~400
- First stone building in Santa Rosa
- Survived 1906 earthquake with only ~$200 in repairs
- New wing added in 1960s with famous windows, mosaic and sanctuary
Msgr. Walter J. Tappe and the Modern Parish
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Walter J. Tappe became pastor on June 24, 1961 and quickly became the most consequential figure in modern St. Rose history. Eight months after his arrival, Pope John XXIII established the Diocese of Santa Rosa and named Msgr. Leo T. Maher its first bishop; Bishop Maher in turn appointed Msgr. Tappe his Vicar General. Pope Paul VI later named Msgr. Tappe a Pastor/Observer at the Second Vatican Council — one of only 98 pastors worldwide so honored. He shepherded an extraordinary building campaign including the parish convent, the priests' residence, the new wing of the church with its famous windows, mosaic and sanctuary, the baptistry, the parking lot, full landscaping of the parish grounds, and a complete refurbishment of the parochial school. Average Sunday Mass attendance under his pastorate reached 8,600. A Healing Mass tradition is also part of parish life (e.g., for parishioners like Matt Conley, supported by the Dennis Matthew Conley Trust Fund).
- Appointed pastor June 24, 1961
- Vicar General to first Bishop Leo T. Maher (1962)
- Vatican II Pastor/Observer (one of 98 worldwide)
- Built convent, priests' residence, new church wing, baptistry, parking lot, school refurbishment
- Average Sunday Mass attendance: 8,600
Calvary Cemetery
In 1888 Father John M. Conway purchased the grounds for Calvary Cemetery in Bennett Valley, expanding parish facilities to serve the spiritual needs of the faithful beyond the church walls. Calvary Cemetery remains a ministry of St. Rose of Lima Parish.
- Cemetery grounds purchased 1888 by Father Conway
- Located in Bennett Valley
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education at St. Rose is led by Marcela Morales, Director of Religious Education (who also serves as Property Manager for the parish's rental office space). The program supports parish families in passing on the Catholic faith to their children in both English and Spanish. The parish website regularly posts upcoming baptism-preparation class dates — currently an English class offered on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in the church and a Spanish class on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the church, both with no pre-registration required. The historic parochial school, completely refurbished under Msgr. Tappe, remains part of parish life. Parishioners are encouraged to share their time and talents as catechists, which the parish mission statement describes as a core part of becoming 'Disciples of Jesus.'
- Director of Religious Education: Marcela Morales
- English baptism class: Mondays 7:30 p.m. in the church
- Spanish baptism class: Thursdays 7:00 p.m. in the church
- No pre-registration required for baptism classes
- Parochial school (refurbished under Msgr. Tappe)
Sacraments
St. Rose prepares parishioners for the full range of Catholic sacraments. Baptism classes are offered regularly in both English and Spanish (see Faith Formation). Couples seeking marriage are invited to contact the parish office for preparation. Confession is heard after every daily Mass, after the Wednesday evening Spanish Mass, and by appointment. The Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the homebound are arranged through the parish office. Quinceañera celebrations are also accommodated for the Spanish-speaking community.
- Baptism (English and Spanish classes)
- First Communion (parish school and Religious Education)
- Confirmation (through Religious Education)
- Marriage (preparation through parish office)
- Anointing of the Sick (by appointment)
- Confession (daily after Mass, Wednesday evenings, and by appointment)
Parish Staff & Pastoral Team
St. Rose is currently served by two priests and a small lay staff. Fr. Michaelraj Philominsamy is pastor; Fr. Lawrence Mutiso is associate pastor. Patricia Franco serves as office secretary (ext. 101) and Marcela Morales as Director of Religious Education and Property Manager of the rental office space (ext. 103). The parish office is open Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed 12:00-1:00 p.m. for lunch, and can be reached at (707) 542-6448 or [email protected].
- Fr. Michaelraj Philominsamy — Pastor
- Fr. Lawrence Mutiso — Associate Pastor
- Patricia Franco — Office Secretary (ext. 101)
- Marcela Morales — Director of Religious Education; Property Manager (ext. 103)
- Office hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (closed for lunch 12-1 p.m.)
Restoration of the Historic Stone Wing
Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Diocese of Santa Rosa ordered structural reviews of older buildings. The original stone wing of St. Rose was deemed structurally unsound and was closed around 1992; its B Street entrance has been sealed with metal security gates ever since. A group of parishioners has organized to consider restoring the wing, commissioning engineers and architects to estimate the work. The structural solution involves replacing wooden roof-supporting columns with steel and strengthening and better attaching the walls to the roof — initial basic structural estimates have reached up to $1.4 million. The parish has set a goal of raising about $1.5 million as part of a joint five-year fundraising campaign combining diocesan programs and St. Rose's restoration.
- Stone wing closed ~1992 after 1989 Loma Prieta review
- B Street entrance sealed by metal security gates
- Steel columns and strengthened walls proposed
- Estimated basic structural cost: up to $1.4 million
- Initial parish fundraising goal: ~$1.5 million
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Rossic. 1859-1862
Pastor of Tomales who began celebrating Mass on a somewhat regular basis in Santa Rosa; offered Mass in a hotel owned by Patrick Colgan.
- Fr. Patrick Walshafter 1862
Succeeded Rossi as pastor of Tomales; came to Santa Rosa about once a month for Mass.
- Fr. Peter J. Kaiser1877
First resident pastor of St. Rose; previously pastor of St. Boniface, San Francisco. Died within a year of his appointment.
- Fr. John M. Conway1877-1890
Second pastor; from Brown County, Ohio. Purchased Christian College, invited the Ursuline Sisters to found a school, moved the church to B Street. Resigned in 1890 due to ill health; died Aug. 1, 1896.
- Fr. J.M. Cassinearly 1900s
Rector during construction of the 1900-1901 stone church; insisted on oversized steel-reinforced foundations that saved the building in 1906.
- Fr. Ratersuntil 1961
Predecessor of Msgr. Tappe as pastor.
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. Walter J. Tappe1961-
Appointed pastor June 24, 1961. Named Vicar General to Bishop Leo T. Maher when the Diocese of Santa Rosa was created in 1962. Appointed by Pope Paul VI as a Pastor/Observer at the Second Vatican Council (one of 98 worldwide). Oversaw the parish convent, priests' residence, the new wing with its famous windows/mosaic/sanctuary, baptistry, parking lot, landscaping, and refurbishment of the parochial school.