By Mary Powers
On June 6, St. Patrick Catholic Church celebrated 175 years in San Francisco with a vibrant parish celebration, which included Mass and a gala dinner.
The church predates the establishment of the archdiocese and is the No. 4 landmark in the city. St. Patrick’s was established on June 9, 1851, and the parish grew rapidly. In 1872, the parish had close to 30,000 parishioners.
In the 1906 earthquake, the church was destroyed. The parish delayed reconstruction and turned its efforts to serving those displaced by the earthquake. “(Serving) human beings was now the more urgent need,” wrote Mill Hill Missionary Father John Daly in a 1976 history of the parish. This effort also launched the many social works and outreach at the parish including the St. Patrick’s Men’s Shelter.
When the church was rebuilt, it was a testament to the history of Catholicism in Ireland. Above the altar, St. Patrick is portrayed in Tiffany glass with the symbol of Ireland, the harp, above him. Four stained-glass windows depicting scenes from his life, including the founding of the diocese in Armagh and the fire on the Hill of Slane, are found in the front and rear of the church. Saints of Ireland are displayed around the perimeter with each of the counties of Ireland represented.
St. Patrick’s has been home to many in San Francisco. According to the parish, the shifts in parishioners reflect the population changes of the South-of-Market neighborhood over the years. The Irish faithful transitioned to the Spanish community, which then, in turn, gave way to the Filipino community.
In his homily for the Mass, Father Edward Dura spoke on the importance of the life of the parish centered on the Eucharist noting that a church doesn’t survive because of mortar and bricks but because of the faith of the people.
“For 175 years, generations of believers have entered this Church carrying their joys and sorrows through baptisms and funerals, weddings and reconciliations, hopes and tears,” said Fr. Dura. “Children were taught the faith here. Families learned to pray here. The poor found comfort here. And the center of it all was the Eucharist.”
Father Dura also spoke on the diversity within the parish history.
“As we celebrate this Eucharist, we also make present the sacrifices, faith, and missionary spirit of those who came before us: the Irish community who built this parish, the Filipino and Hispanic communities who helped sustain and strengthen it, and the countless faithful men and women who continued the work of previous generations through their stewardship, service, and devotion,” he said. “Their legacy lives on in this parish community.”
Looking forward to the next 175 years, pastor Father Andrew Spyrow said, “You haven’t seen anything yet!”
Following Mass, the parish gathered in the hall for a gala dinner celebrating the many years of faith and community at St. Patrick parish.
Read Father Dura’s full homily here.
