My family always attended Sunday Mass during summer vacations in whatever city we happened to be visiting. It added to our experience of each new place.
Even if you’re on a staycation this summer you can travel throughout the Diocese of Orange and visit 60 different chapels, churches and centers, all of which have different sizes, parishioners, and personalities. You will find a complete list of parishes at rcbo.org/directories/parishes.
Consider letting your children plan your diocesan tour. They can research the parishes on the diocesan website, see photos of the churches and even map out your summer tour. In doing so, they’ll better understand the size of the Catholic Church in Orange County and how each parish is part of a bigger faith community.
Christ Cathedral, 13280 Chapman Avenue, Garden Grove christcathedralcalifornia.org
A world-famous landmark for people of many faiths, the former Crystal Cathedral was synonymous with Rev. Robert Schuller and his “Hour of Power” television evangelization. When the Diocese of Orange purchased the church and its 34-acre complex in 2012, Catholic leaders committed to respect the famous site’s legacy while transforming the unique building and grounds into the vibrant new heart of worship for the 1.2-million Catholics living in Orange County.
The newly transformed Christ Cathedral will be dedicated in July 2019.
Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, 31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano • missionparish.org
Construction of the new parish church of Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, was completed in 1986. The church is designed after the Great Stone Church that was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1812. The ruins of the Great Stone Church are located on the Historic Mission grounds, which is open to tourists daily. Visit missionsjc.com.
The motifs on the interior walls were designed and painted by the artist, Dr. Norman Neuerberg. Dr. Neuerberg studied the Great Stone Church and visited the island of Mallorca, Spain, the homeland of Fr. Junipero Serra, founder of the mission. It took Dr. Neuerberg 18 months to complete all the interior wall paintings.
St. Edward the Confessor, 33926 Calle La Primavera, Dana Point • stedward.com
St. Edward offers Mass online and on-demand through their media ministry, Stedcast. They also offer a wide assortment of music concerts throughout the year featuring their own Cherub Choir (grades 2-4), Chorister Choir (grades 5-8) and their Evensong Choir (adults). They feature their music on their YouTube channel.
Holy Family Cathedral, 566 South Glassell Street, Orange • hfcathedral.org
Holy Family Parish was established in October 1921, when Orange was part of what was then known as the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles. Its current site was purchased in 1949 and the current church building was completed in April 1958 and dedicated in January 1961. The church was selected to be the diocesan cathedral when Orange County was split from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to form the Diocese of Orange in June 1976.
St. Anne Church, 1344 South Main Street, Santa Ana • saparish.org
Shades of yellow, blue and orange burst across what was once a red brick wall. The colors come together to depict one of Catholicism’s most revered images. The mural is painted on the side of a building lining the K-8 school’s parking lot entrance off Sycamore Street.
The mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Anne Catholic School in Santa Ana is the work of Fabian Debora, a former gang member who began his spiritual journey after his second suicide attempt.
“Our Lady will greet us every morning when we arrive to school, and bless us as we leave,” said St. Anne School Principal Sr. Teresa Lynch.