History
When Stanislaus County became part of the Diocese of Stockton, it was number one in the United States in peach production and milk exports.
A small frame church seating 200 became a mission of St. Mary’s, Stockton, in 1872. On June 23, 1878 St. Stanislaus was dedicated by Archbishop Alemany, assisted by Fr. O’Connor. At this time, there was no resident pastor, and a priest was only available twice a month. Responding to a petition, Archbishop Alemany assigned Father Patrick Walsh as pastor, to the San Joaquin Valley’s second-oldest parish, St. Stanislaus, in 1881.
Father Michael Giles directed the building of a magnificent Spanish colonial church with two towers in 1913. Groundbreaking occasioned a celebration attended by thousands, with a parade, baseball game, chicken dinner, automobile rides, the drum corps of Stockton’s Young Men’s Institute and the Modesto City band.
In 192
0, the Sisters of Mercy opened St. Mary’s hospital in Modesto, which operated until 1949. They taught religion until the Holy Family Sisters established a school of religion for the whole county in 1936. A parish school opened at St. Stanislaus in 1948.
Over the last few years Papal recognition was given to Mathew Fiscalini, Robert and Marie Gallo and Nick and Els Blom. The addition of a parish hall, extensive remodeling and a community center – multipurpose facility indicated health and progress.
Monsignor Richard Ryan remembers fondly that his first assignment after arriving from Ireland was St. Stanislaus. “Italians, Portuguese, Swiss-Italians, Swiss-Germans, and Mexicans… they all welcomed me.” Hispanics, Dutch, Filipino and African Americans now bring further diversity in a strong faith gathered around Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Today, St. Stanislaus’ Strategic Plan calls for Stewardship of God’s gifts to be the parishioner’s way of life. There is remarkable and dynamic evidence in the parish community of faith guided by the Holy Spirit.
The parish has embarked on building new church facilities adjacent to the parish school to accommodate growing spiritual and space needs. Ministering to youth and the poor are primary parish priorities.
Parishioners are blessed by the presence of and spiritual support by the contemplative Sisters of the Cross of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Text taken from One In Christ: A Short History of the Diocese of Stockton, by Jim Shebl and Mary-Cabrini Durkin, © 2002 The Diocese of Stockton
Parish Registration
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We welcome new parishioners to the parish and ask them to register as soon as possible at the parish office.
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