Saint Clare Parish

St. Clare's Parish and St. Clare Hall
St. Clare's Parish Historical Marker
St. Clare's Rectory, 725 Washington Street Santa Clara, CA 95050

Saint Clare Parish is a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California. It is located in Santa Clara, California.

The parish community of St. Clare originated from the Mission Santa Clara de Asís and can trace its history to January 12, 1777, when Fathers Tomas de la Pena and Jose Antonio de Murguia celebrated Mass on the west bank of Santa Clara's Guadalupe River.

St. Clare Parish was built to take over the parochial functions of the Mission Santa Clara de Asís after it burned in 1925. The parish was built later that same year one block west of the mission on Lexington Street.

Archbishiop Edward Hanna constituted the mission for non-parochial services for college students and the parochial powers of the church pass to St. Clare's Church built by Father George Bulter.

Father Bulter ordered a statue of the Blessed Mother from Rome. It was dedicated along with the church in a ceremony where parishioners gathered in front of the mission and carried the statue in a procession across the street to the new St Clare church on August 15, 1926 (four days after the feast day of St. Clare).

The mission was rebuilt in 1928 and is now used as the chapel for the Santa Clara University.

The parish also assumed control of the Saint Clare School located next door and founded in 1856.

St. Clare's church celebrated its 200th anniversary on Sunday, April 17, 1977, with a 12:15 pm mass officiated by Archbishop Joseph McGucken and a reception dinner and dancing at Santa Clara's Benson Center.

Santa Clara City Historical and Landmarks Commission plaque outside the steps of St. Clare Parish contains the following text:

"Point of historical interest. St. Clare's Parish. St. Clare's Catholic Parish founded by the Franciscans under Father Tomas De La Pena, in 1777. Parish came under the guidance of the Jesuit Fathers in 1851. Plaque marks the sixth site of parish church. 1777-1977. Placed by the order of the Santa Clara City Council by the Historical and Landmarks Commission."

See also

References

External links

  • Saint Clare Parish
  • Saint Clare School oldest elementary school in Silicon Valley.
  • A history of the Catholic Church in America
  • v
  • t
  • e
Parishes, regions, and notable persons
Ordinaries
Bishops
Pierre DuMaine
Patrick Joseph McGrath
Oscar Cantú (current bishop)
Auxiliary bishops
Thomas Anthony Daly
Cities
Campbell
Cupertino
Gilroy
Los Altos
Los Gatos
Milpitas
Morgan Hill
Mountain View
Palo Alto
San Jose
Santa Clara
Saratoga
Sunnyvale
Parishes
Saint Athanasius Parish
Saint Clare Parish
Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish
Saint Frances Cabrini Parish
Holy Cross Church
Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
Saint Joseph Parish
Saint Joseph of Cupertino Parish
Saint Julie Billiart Parish
Our Lady of La Vang Parish
Saint Leo the Great Parish
Saint Lucy Parish
Saint Martin of Tours Parish
Our Lady of Peace Shrine
Sacred Heart Church
Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish
Church of the Transfiguration
Saint Victor Parish
Oratories, chapels,
and missionsEducation
Primary schools
Sacred Heart School
Saint Joseph of Cupertino School
Saint Leo the Great School
Saint Patrick School
Saint Victor School
Saint Clare School
Catholic Academy of Sunnyvale
High schools
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School
Notre Dame High School
Archbishop Mitty High School
Saint Francis High School
Presentation High School
Closed
Saint Lawrence Academy
Universities
Media
  • icon Catholicism portal

37°20′54″N 121°56′35″W / 37.34833°N 121.94306°W / 37.34833; -121.94306