About The Church of St. Luke · El Cajon, California
The Church of St. Luke is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of San Diego serving the Rancho San Diego community in East County San Diego. Founded in 1985 by Bishop Leo T. Maher, the parish has grown to approximately 1,100 registered families and is known for its warm, multigenerational community life. It is currently led as a deacon-led parish, with Deacon Jerry Stenovec serving as Parish Life Director alongside Father Don Coleman as Parish Priest, supported by Deacons Michael Maria and an extensive lay staff. The parish is distinguished by its use of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (a Montessori-based faith formation method) and the whole-community Emmaus program begun in 2009.
- Established
- 1985
- Patron
- St. Luke the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father Don Coleman (Parish Priest); Deacon Jerry Stenovec (Parish Life Director)
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Diego
Why belong here
St. Luke is a welcoming, intergenerational community of about 1,100 families serving the Rancho San Diego area of East County San Diego. It offers daily and Sunday Masses, monthly Adoration with Vespers, and a robust Sacramental and faith-formation life — including the Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children, dedicated Middle School and High School Youth Ministries, a two-year Confirmation process, and a Young Adult group for ages 18–39. Its outreach reaches well beyond the parish through St. Vincent de Paul, the Holy Trinity Food Pantry, Operation Stand Down for veterans, East County Christmas for Kids, Noah Homes, and many other service opportunities.
Mass times at The Church of St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with Closing Vespers at 5:00 PM
- Remaining Fridays of the month: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Our Foundation — Parish History
St. Luke was established as a parish of the Diocese of San Diego on July 12, 1985 by Bishop Leo T. Maher, one of seven new parishes he created that day. Rev. Raymond G. (Jerry) O'Donnell was appointed founding pastor and given the task of building the community. The first weekend Masses were celebrated at St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church on November 2–3, 1985, while daily Masses were first offered in Fr. Jerry's home. For roughly eight years, Sunday Masses alternated between St. Peter's and the wrestling gym of Valhalla High School, and Faith Formation classes met in the homes of founding families until the first permanent facilities were constructed in 1994.
- Established July 12, 1985 by Bishop Leo T. Maher
- Founding pastor: Rev. Raymond G. (Jerry) O'Donnell
- First Masses at St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church, Nov. 2–3, 1985
- First permanent facilities completed 1994
- First Mass in new facilities: Palm Sunday, March 7, 1994
- Officially dedicated by Bishop Brom on July 26, 1994
- Approximately 1,100 registered families today
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Luke operates as a deacon-led parish, with Deacon Jerry Stenovec serving as Parish Life Director and Father Don Coleman as Parish Priest. The parish is supported by a second deacon, a full lay staff, and a network of ministry leaders and volunteers.
- Father Don Coleman — Parish Priest
- Deacon Jerry Stenovec — Parish Life Director
- Deacon Michael Maria — Deacon
- Joanie Maitilasso — Administrative Assistant & Bulletin Editor
- Gilbert Marquez — Financial Assistant
- Robert Stevenson — Facilities Manager
- Michelle Hayford — Coordinator of Faith Formation for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Jonathan Mansir — Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
- Jonathan Gonzales — Music Director
- Madeline Flores — Website Administrator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish faith formation process is built around three ideas: Learning the Way, Living the Way, and Sharing the Way. Programs are rooted in Scripture, tradition, and community, and emphasize forming the family as a 'domestic church.' In 2009 the parish launched Emmaus, a Whole Community Inter-generational Faith Formation program that gathers the entire parish once a month. In 2013, the parish began replacing lower-level programs with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a Montessori-based approach used in parishes worldwide.
- Emmaus — whole-parish intergenerational gatherings, monthly
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — Levels I, II, III
- Middle School Faith Formation (6th–8th grade)
- High School Youth Ministry (9th–12th grade)
- Confirmation Ministry (two-year process)
- First Communion & First Reconciliation preparation (two years)
- Young Adult Group (ages 18–39) — 1st, 3rd, 5th Mondays, 7:00–9:00 PM
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares the faithful for all the Sacraments of initiation, marriage, and anointing. Sacramental preparation typically requires formation classes, retreats, and ongoing participation in Sunday Mass.
- Baptism — group baptisms on the 3rd Sunday of the month after the 11:30 AM Mass
- First Communion & Reconciliation — two-year preparation; child must be 7 by day of First Eucharist
- Confirmation — two-year process; includes Chosen curriculum, retreats, parish engagement
- Marriage — preparation required; arranged through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Care and Support
Liturgical & Music Ministries
The parish's liturgical ministries serve the community and enhance worship by fostering reverence, prayer, and communal participation in the liturgy, especially the Holy Mass. The Music Ministry welcomes cantors, choir members, and instrumentalists who wish to encourage and enhance community singing, with weekly practice and involvement in all parish Masses based on availability.
- Music Ministry (choir, cantors, instrumentalists) — directed by Jonathan Gonzales
- Weekly choir practice
- Open to new musicians at all levels
Parish Life & Community Organizations
St. Luke has a deep tradition of lay-led community life. Las Madrinas, the Ladies Guild, was formed in 1986 and has been the parish's principal volunteer fundraising body ever since. Over the years Las Madrinas has funded the baptismal font, vestments, altar linens, the baptistery nativity scene, the crucifix for the Procession Cross, and the chairs in O'Donnell Hall, and has hosted fashion shows, spaghetti dinners, ice cream socials, and Christmas home tours. The parish also offers Bible Study, Marriage Enrichment Support, and a variety of fellowship events.
- Las Madrinas (Ladies Guild) — founded 1986
- Bible Study
- Marriage Enrichment Support
- Dinners for Catechist Training Sessions
- Church anniversary parties
- Bingo nights and STL Fall Festival
Outreach & Service Opportunities
St. Luke's Outreach Ministry is inspired by the Gospel of Matthew 25: 'What you do to the least of my brethren you do to me.' The committee provides material, financial, and spiritual aid to neighbors in need within the parish, East County, and San Diego County, and meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 3:30 PM in the church office conference room. The parish supports an extensive network of service partners through its Opportunities to Serve program.
- Outreach Committee — meets 4th Tuesdays, 3:30 PM
- St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP Walk/Run for the Poor)
- Holy Trinity Food Pantry (El Cajon)
- Thanksgiving Food Drive (supporting Mama's Kitchen)
- Back to School Drive
- Giving Tree (Christmas giving program)
- East County Christmas for Kids
- Operation Stand Down (serving homeless and hospitalized veterans)
- Noah Homes (residential services for adults with developmental disabilities)
- Rachel House (transitional housing for domestic-violence victims)
- San Diego Coalition for the Homeless
- San Diego Blood Bank (quarterly blood drives)
- Grossmont Hospital Volunteers
- Camp Oliver
- Friends of the Poor
- Outreach to the Sick and Dying
I'm New — Welcome
St. Luke welcomes new parishioners and visitors, whether they are looking to register, have a child baptized, prepare for marriage, or enroll their children in faith formation. The 'I'm New' page on the parish website walks visitors through the major steps of parish life and connects them with the appropriate staff member.
- How to register as a parishioner
- How to arrange a baptism
- How to prepare for marriage
- How to sign children up for Faith Formation
Contact & Office Information
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For after-hours emergencies, the answering service can be reached at any time through the main parish number. Staff extensions are available for direct contact with individual ministry coordinators.
- Address: 1980 Hillsdale Road, El Cajon, CA 92019
- Phone: (619) 442-1697
- Fax: (619) 442-2293
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- General email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation (CGS): [email protected] / [email protected]
- Youth/Young Adult Ministry: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Raymond G. (Jerry) O'Donnell1985 – c. 2006
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop Leo T. Maher on July 12, 1985. Built the community from the ground up; Sunday Masses began at St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church and later at Valhalla High School's wrestling gym. Oversaw construction of the church, O'Donnell Hall, and offices in 1994. The Hall bears his name.
- Rev. Ronald E. Cochran (Fr. Ron)2006 – present (as referenced on parish site)
Assigned as pastor in 2006. Known for his pastoral practice of dining with each member of the parish. During his tenure the parish began the Emmaus whole-community faith formation program in 2009 and introduced Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2013.