Saint Clare Parish
Encyclopedia
Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San José; in California is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It comprises Santa Clara County, and is led by a bishop. Its patron saints are Saint Joseph and Saint Clare of...
. It is located in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
.
The parish community of St. Clare originated from the Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Santa Clara de Asis , the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, the settlement was never abandoned.-History:...
and can trace its history to Jan 12, 1777, when Fathers Thomas de la Pena and Joseph Anthony 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
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Santa Clara de Asis , the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, the settlement was never abandoned.-History:...
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 University of Santa Clara.
The parish also assumed control of the Saint Clare School
Saint Clare School
Saint Clare School is a Roman Catholic elementary school operated by Saint Clare Parish in Santa Clara, California, in the United States. It serves families of the Diocese of San Jose, from kindergarten to eighth grade....
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. Clares, 1977 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 buy the Historical and Landmarks Commission."
Jesuit Fr. James Chevedden served parishioners at Saint Clare Parish until his 2004 death. Jesuit Fr. Jerold Lindner was the last Jesuit to see Fr. Chevedden alive. This was 3-hours before Chevedden’s violent death and it was near the Chevedden death scene. This was close by the downtown San Jose Courthouse. Fr. Lindner was in the October 29, 2010 national news as the Jesuit priest beaten up by one of a number of people who he allegedly victimized when they were children. Fr. Thomas Smolich, now the top Jesuit official in the United States, said in his sworn deposition that Fr. Lindner may well be the sickest human being.
External links
- Saint Clare Parish
- Saint Clare School oldest elementary school in Silicon Valley.
- A history of the Catholic Church in America