About St. Theodore · Gonzales, California
St. Theodore Catholic Church (Iglesia de San Teodoro) is a bilingual Catholic parish serving the small agricultural community of Gonzales in the Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Monterey in California and is the spiritual home of a predominantly Hispanic congregation, offering daily, Saturday and Sunday Masses in both Spanish and English. The parish's name honors Don Teodoro Gonzalez, the original grantee of Rancho Rincón de la Puente del Monte and patriarch of the founding family of Gonzales. Located on S. Belden Street near the heart of town, St. Theodore also ministers to the nearby community of Chualar with a weekly Sunday evening Mass.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- St. Theodore (named in honor of Don Teodoro Gonzalez, the original Rancho Rincon de la Puente del Monte grantee and father of the town's founders)
- Rector
- Reverend Rodolfo Contreras (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Monterey in California
Why belong here
St. Theodore offers a warm, bilingual Catholic community in the heart of Gonzales, with daily Mass available and a schedule that comfortably accommodates both English- and Spanish-speaking families. The parish is rooted in the agricultural and founding heritage of the Salinas Valley and reaches beyond Gonzales itself, also serving the nearby community of Chualar with a Sunday evening Mass. With weekly Eucharistic Adoration and regular Confession on Thursdays, plus a long history stretching back to 1883, St. Theodore is a small parish with deep local roots where parishioners can readily know one another and their priest.
Mass times at St. Theodore
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM (or by appointment)
- Jueves de 5:00 PM a 6:30 PM (o a través de una cita)
Adoration times
- Thursday 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM
- Jueves 3:00 PM a 6:30 PM
Parish History and Founding
St. Theodore Parish has served Gonzales since 1883. The town itself was laid out in 1874 by Dr. Mariano Gonzalez and his brother Alfredo on land their father Teodoro had been granted in 1836; the parish takes its name from this founding patriarch. The original wooden church was built in just over a month, with its cornerstone laid July 10, 1883, and blessed on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1883. The parish remains a cornerstone of religious life in this small Monterey County agricultural community more than 140 years later.
- Cornerstone laid July 10, 1883
- Church blessed August 15, 1883
- Named for Don Teodoro Gonzalez, founder of the town's land grant
- One of the oldest institutions in Gonzales
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is currently led by Reverend Rodolfo Contreras in the role of Parochial Administrator. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM to assist parishioners with sacramental needs, scheduling, and general inquiries.
- Reverend Rodolfo Contreras — Parochial Administrator
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Friday, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Parish Ministries and Faith Formation
St. Theodore maintains a Catechetical Ministry that provides religious education to parish families and reaches out to the wider Gonzales community through events such as an annual International Grandparents Day celebration. The parish also shares news and bulletins through a regular parish bulletin PDF that is updated and made available online.
- Catechetical Ministry (Religious Education)
- Parish bulletin (PDF) available on the parish website
Chualar Mission
Beyond its main church on S. Belden Street in Gonzales, St. Theodore extends its pastoral care to the nearby small community of Chualar, where it celebrates a Sunday evening Mass at 6:00 PM. This mission outreach reflects the parish's role as a regional Catholic presence serving the rural Salinas Valley.
- Chualar Sunday Mass — 6:00 PM
Visit and Contact
St. Theodore is located at 116 S. Belden Street, Gonzales, CA 93926, with the parish office open Monday through Friday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Visitors can reach the parish by phone at (831) 675-3648, by fax at (831) 675-8360, or by email at [email protected]. The official parish website at st-theodore-parish.org hosts the bulletin, Mass schedule, and contact information.
- 116 S. Belden Street, Gonzales, CA 93926
- Phone: (831) 675-3648
- Fax: (831) 675-8360
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.st-theodore-parish.org/