Name of Church Shrine of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer
Address 544 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-6147
Phone number (831) 471-0442
Website https://osjusa.org/about-us/apostolates/shrine-of-st-joseph/
Mass times 11 a.m. every day
Confessions 30 minutes before Masses. The Oblates pride themselves on their availability to the public, however. Knock on the door and ask for a priest for confession or spiritual advice; they’ll drop what they’re doing and see you.
Names of priests The priests of the Oblates of St. Joseph live at the site and rotate celebrating Masses. Fr. Paul McDonnell, the community’s provincial, serves as director of the shrine; the site is also the location of their provincial house. The Oblates are a smaller community founded by St. Joseph Marello (1844-95) in Italy in the 19th century. Marello encouraged his community to imitate the virtues and qualities of St. Joseph as they began their work, which included serving the elderly, handicapped and orphaned.
Special events There are a variety of feasts and devotions celebrated at the shrine. See the website.
Music Varies, on weekends you might hear cantors, an organist or a smaller choir.
Fellow parishioners There are many tourists, as well as some locals. Take a walk down to the beach afterward, as you’ll be looking out onto beautiful Monterey Bay.
Parking No problem.
Cry room No
Additional observations In 1931, the Oblates came to California to serve its Italian immigrants. The community wanted to establish a California seminary, and, in 1949, was given a unique opportunity after praying a novena to St. Joseph. A wealthy family deeded the Oblates a prime seven-acre site along the beach in Santa Cruz, a resort area about an hour’s drive southwest from San Jose. The family’s only stipulation was that the site be used for religious purposes. Construction of a chapel and seminary began, and, in 1952, the first Mass was offered in the chapel. The Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, Joseph Willinger (1886-1973), granted permission for pilgrimages to the shrine. A lack of funding prevented completion of the shrine until 1993, when it was officially designated the “Shrine of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer.” The former Bishop of Monterey, Sylvester Ryan, used the occasion to encase a relic of St. Joseph Marello in the chapel’s altar. A prominent statue of Marello also greets visitors as they approach the chapel. Today, the Shrine Chapel is a place of devotion for the Oblate community and visitors. It features many fine pieces of religious art, the highlight of which is a six by eight foot carving of St. Joseph with Mary and the boy Jesus. There is also an art exhibit dedicated to St. Joseph, featuring scenes from his life, and a bookstore featuring a variety of religious literature. The bookstore is open 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.; the chapel is open 7 a.m. to sunset. The facilities can be rented by religious groups, so there might be retreat or conference going on when you’re there. The grounds are well maintained.
No information if they have the TLM there???
They don’t. I regret to say.
Bring back the “high altars”!!! That will solve everything.
Janek, there is no TLM at the present time at the St Joseph’s Shrine—the Monterey Bay Area TLM moved to the Queen of Heaven Mausoleum Chapel, near Salinas in Jun 2012 (see “A More Normal Parish Life, CCD 6/12/2012). The Oblate Fathers did everything to be hospitable to the attendees, but they were given permission—it appears ultimately by Bp. Richard Garcia— to be at the Shrine only for a temporary time.
From what I can tell, and I spend a fair amount of time in the Santa Cruz area, the TLM is a huge political issue in Monterey Diocese, and you have an entrenched Vatican II-era clergy that is not in favor of it. I have direct experience with that. The Oblates dont want any trouble.
From my experience, the Oblates are as traditional as possible within the Novus Ordo. I have occasionally attended at the Shrine, as the best option available within the Santa Cruz area, where the NO rite will at least follow GIRM with respect. And, it appears that the Oblate priests actually believe in the Trinity, Transubstantiation, the Rosary, the Apostles Creed, and the BV Mary (Don’t laugh: in large parts of the Arch. of SF and Monterey, I have heard the most amazingly functional- atheist sermons: Climate-change, you know).
The Shrine and location itself is beautiful, open during daylight hours, with a breathtaking view over the Monterey Bay, and a quiet place to pray, meditate and/or pray the Rosary.
But do they have a “high altar”, like the one the Last Supper was celebrated on???
I attended my first TLM at the shrine when the latin Mass community moved from San Juan Bautista to the Shrine (May God bless the previous provincial for allowing). For me and my wife, it was a great blessing to be able to finally attend a TLM on a regular basis. As you noted, they then moved to the Mausoleum. I suppose the good new is that it’s packed full house. But, attendance is problematic now for physical reasons.
Your assessment of the Monterrey diocese, I believe, is substantially correct. I would have to say that the Oblates are the best of a challenging lot of parishes when it comes to the NO. There are still incidents of changing words of the prayers, tho.
Yes, keithp, I cannot disagree with you (on the word-changing): it seems it is a creeping function of the N.O.
The TLM community was given permission to have the Latin Mass at the Shrine of St. Joseph thanks to the great charity of the Provincial at the time. The Pastor later asked the TLM to find another place to go after less than a year. Once again it was charity that provided a home for the TLM, thanks to the cemetery director at Queen of Heaven Mausoleum. The Bishop was not involved with the move other than to permit it. The Latin Mass is still there at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday, you can google their website at Monterey Latin Mass.