Destination: The Basilica of St. Joseph in Alameda is very much a living parish, despite being on the National Register of Historic Places.
Masses in person are limited to 100 persons. Check the website for Mass openings while you are in the area.
Photo: exterior of St. Joseph Basilica in Alameda
Why to go: St. Joseph’s Basilica was designed by San Francisco architect H. A. Minton. An example of the Spanish Colonial Revival or mission style, it includes most of the typical elements of this architectural movement among buildings of this style in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In the spring of 1972, St. Joseph Church was elevated to the rank of Basilica by Pope Paul VI. This made it one of four basilicas in the western United States, including Missions in San Francisco, Monterey, and San Diego.
The original Gothic church in Alameda dated back to the latter half of the 19th century, but it burned to the ground in 1919. It had served mainly Alameda’s Irish community. Rebuilding began shortly after the fire.
Among the church’s features are its stained glass windows. The parish website explains that the large stained glass windows are examples of “Christian iconography, as well as a kind of window into the art history of the early 20th century in America.” The windows, the site continues “reflected a mixture of traditional Catholic themes as well as a hint of the liturgical reform movement that had been launched by Pope Pius X a decade earlier.”
Accessibility: Much of the campus appears to be accessible to the handicapped.
(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome. There are both an elementary and a high school associated with the parish.
Info: Address — St. Joseph Basilica, 1109 Chestnut St., Alameda, CA 94501
Phone — 510-522-0181
Website — https://sjbalameda.org/
— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org
