Name of Church St. Mary’s
Address 350 Stinson Avenue, Vacaville, CA 95688
Phone number (707) 448-2390
Website www.stmarysvacaville.com
Mass Schedule Saturdays, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. (Spanish). Sundays, 6 a.m. (Spanish) 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon (Spanish), 2 p.m. (Latin Tridentine) & 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. (Spanish).
Confessions Tuesdays, 5:30 – 6:15 p.m., Saturday, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. and by appointment.
Names of priests Fr. Brian Soliven, pastor. Fr. Soliven is an energetic, orthodox young priest who puts a lot into his preaching. Listen to his homilies/talks here: https://frbriansoliven.org/. Fr. Reji Joseph, parochial vicar. Fr. Joseph is from India, and is a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. He has served at parishes both in India and the U.S., and was founder of the Christ Health & Wellness academy for children with mental health needs.
Special groups Respect Life Ministry, The Gabriel Project (assists women in crisis pregnancy situations), Bible study, Ministry to the Sick, Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Ministry to the Sick, Men’s group, Knights of Columbus.
Music Cantors and choirs, depends on Mass.
Fellow parishioners A mix of English and Spanish speakers.
School Yes. Notre Dame is the parish school, serving grades K-8.
Parking There is a large lot beside the church, and there is street parking.
Cry room Yes, in the front on the left.
Additional observations This is a parish in the Diocese of Sacramento; Vacaville is off the I-80 about halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco. St. Mary’s began as a mission church in the 19th century, and became a parish in 1947. There have been five St. Mary’s churches built, the first in 1867 and the 5th and current building in 1956. The church underwent an extensive renovation that transformed it into an attractive, mission-style building. Click here to view the interior of the church: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuU5Fc21hvI. The parish has a religious goods store located inside the church.
This looks like a good parish with Respect Life Ministry, The Gabriel Project (assists women in crisis pregnancy situations), Bible study, Ministry to the Sick, Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Men’s group, Knights of Columbus, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Our Lady of Guadalupe Fertility Care, Adoration, Theology of the Body and more. And, for those who prefer Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form, that is offered every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. This is a legitimate variety of offerings that might be available at a Catholic parish. May God bless them.
So sad that our Church has fallen to a point that we have to point out those few parishes that have an orthodox pastor. Of course, if he is too orthodox, he will just find himself cancelled by a bishop. Thank God for those devoted pastors out there who are willing to ignore the politics in their diocese for the sake of souls.
“…that our Church has fallen to a point that we have to point out those few parishes that have an orthodox pastor…”
You know what would be helpful? If CCD noted if the pastor was heterodox and gave homilies contrary to the magisterium. Sorry to say in the NO there plenty. At one time, at another parish I attended, the VP was often a Jesuit or Redemptorist. I would check the bulletin and if the VP was Fr J or Fr R, I’d find another Mass to attend.
Or, you can just start attending a SSPX chapel and you won’t have to worry about heterodoxy, etc.
Good news they have the TLM there!
St. Mary Church in Vacaville is a beautiful mission-style architecture with a large fountain in its front patio. that gives you the Old California feeling, but brighter and cleaner. The trees in the parking lot are now flowering and so do the rose bushes.
The tabernacle is at the center of the altar. :)
Wish the St. Joseph statue on the right side of the center reredo were a bit taller, to balance with Our Lady’s taller statue on the left side.
Latin Mass-goers are provided with movable communion rails for communion.
There is also a large, lovely art-deco statue of Our Blessed Mother in the vestibule, with a kneeler in front. It’s the perfect place for praying the Memorare.
I don’t know exactly when the schola cantorum sings at the Latin Mass, but when they do, they sound heavenly.
Fr. Brian Soliven always looks very happy to be a priest. I think he really is a happy priest. God bless him and his parishioners..