Name of Church JSerra High School Chapel
Address 26351 Junipero Serra Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Phone number 949-493-9307
Website www.jserra.org
Mass times 7:15 a.m. daily, except Wednesdays, when Mass is celebrated at 10:25 a.m. across the street in the school’s basketball gym. The daily Mass in the chapel is attended by some school staff and students; all the JSerra community must attend the Wednesday Mass. Friends of the school are welcome to attend at both locations.
Confessions Students have an opportunity to go to confession once a month, but ordinarily visitors are referred to the local parish, Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Names of priests Norbertine Father Damien Giap is school chaplain. Typically he, or another Norbertine Father, celebrates the chapel Mass.
Special activities The chapel is open for adoration during the day beginning at 7:15 a.m.; other groups use the chapel for special events during the month, such as evenings of recollection.
Music No music in the chapel, but student choirs and musicians provide music for the Wednesday Masses.
Homilies The Norbertine Fathers are pious and well-educated, and typically give good homilies.
Fellow parishioners Staff, students, friends of the school.
Parking Ample.
Acoustics Fine
Cry room No
Additional observations JSerra is a private Catholic high school about a mile north of Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was founded by Catholic entrepreneur Tim Busch and other community leaders in 2003, and today serves more than 1,200 students. It is true to Catholic teaching, and tries to foster holiness among its students. The JSerra chapel is part of a school building, on the north end of the campus (the sports facilities are across the street to the south, don’t look for the chapel there). It’s an attractive chapel with stained glass windows and traditional artwork, but is part of a school building and is not a stand-alone church. The daily Masses in the chapel are quiet and draw a handful of participants; it provides an ideal time for prayer and meditation.
I’m sure this is a wonderful chapel. I’m always look forward to seeing the Church Worth Driving To each time it is posted. I don’t have data, so this may be an incorrect generalization, but it seems to me that it would be more helpful, and perhaps interesting, if those who look for interesting churches focused mainly on active, involved and vibrant parishes around the state. There are hundreds of them, I’m sure. To be clear, this is not a criticism but simply a thought that might springboard someone to list their home parish.