RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - On Aug. 18, parishioners and visitors of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church gathered to celebrate its 25th anniversary as a missionary church affiliated with St. Joseph’s Church in Elk Grove. 

The church building, which was originally dedicated in 1999, has been a cornerstone of Rancho Murieta for a quarter of a century.

The Aug. 18 event began with a celebratory mass officiated by Bishop Jaime Soto, head of the Sacramento Diocese. Following the mass, attendees enjoyed a short program and a buffet breakfast in the church's meeting hall.

During the program, Pastor Julito Ompilla welcomed the large crowd, expressing gratitude for the community's support. He was followed by emcee Ed Alameida, who recognized the generous contributions of the Anderson family and acknowledged John Jackson, the church’s builder. Jerry Hathaway, one of the original parishioners, then shared a brief but entertaining history of the church, adding a personal touch to the celebration.

Soto concluded the program by explaining the religious significance of the celebration, highlighting the parish’s spiritual journey. His closing prayer included a blessing for the tables filled with mostly homemade food.

The celebration also featured a wealth of memories from the past 25 years, with a continuous slideshow projected on the back wall and numerous photo albums on display for attendees to reminisce.

Telling Quotes

Ompilla, who has served as pastor of the Rancho Murieta church since 2016, expressed his joy in being part of the “momentous” celebration. 

“I firmly believe that the greatest structure of our church, aside from the gift of faith, is you, the parishioners, the laity,” he said. “Since I've started my priestly ministry here, as your pastor, I have always been inspired by your dedication, your commitment, your support and your generosity to make our church what it is today.”

Alameida honored the contributions of the late Fred Anderson, who, along with other Anderson family members, donated the land for the church. 

“It’s obvious we would not have this beautiful mission church here at St. Vincent De Paul without the generosity of the Anderson family, who have been instrumental in building the church,” Alameida said.

Soto expressed his appreciation for the cherished memories shared with the congregation.

“I want to just again congratulate all of you and give my sincere thanks to all the many benefactors and everyone who continues to labor in this part of the Lord's vineyard,” Soto said. “And let us pray together that this good work will continue.”

Church History

When introducing Hathaway, the emcee referred to him as the “parishioner emeritus,” a fitting title for the 96-year-old, who was one of the original church members.

Hathaway began his talk by welcoming “the bishop, the pastor and everyone else to this 25th anniversary of the St. Vincent De Paul Church started by Monsignor Albert O’Connor.”

The first Catholic church in what later became Rancho Murieta was built in the mid-1800s when Irish priests were establishing churches in mining towns such as Jackson, Sutter Creek, Amador City and Ione. Irish settler John Driscoll donated land for the church and enlisted the help of other settlers to construct it between 1853 and 1860. The modest church featured 10 windows and 10 pews on each side of the main aisle.

A circuit-riding priest based in San Francisco said mass every other Sunday. Individuals from all denominations attended as it was the only service in the area.

However, according to legend, the first mass did not go as planned for the priest. Dressed in his robes, the priest knelt before the altar, only to suddenly leap up and begin a frantic dance. 

"He ran out of the church followed by a swarm of bees," Hathaway recounted. "He had knelt on a knot hole in the floor under which was a beehive." 

As was customary at the time, land next to the church was designated for a cemetery, which was open to all denominations. The church itself was closed in the early 1990s when St. Joseph’s Parish was established in Elk Grove. 

"The rickety building was later torn down, but the cemetery is seen daily by golfers on the 15th hole of Rancho Murieta South," Hathaway said.

Decades later, in 1986, the first mass in Rancho Murieta was held at the Rancho Murieta Country Club, with about 100 attendees. Later that same year, Pastor Appleby of the Rancho Murieta Community Church generously shared his facilities, initially at the FAA and then at a location in the parkway. According to Hathaway, mass was even held at the local firehouse during this period. 

Monsignor Albert O’Connor, then pastor of St. Joseph’s, approached Fred Anderson with the idea of building a church in Rancho Murieta. Fred and his wife, Pat Anderson, agreed to donate the land for the church, making the project possible.

“Monsignor O’Connor, Dick Valladao and Dave Zuercher rode around with Mr. Anderson to look for a site and chose the site here, Cantova Way, because the road and utilities were already there,” Hathaway recalled.

O’Connor began gathering and storing various amenities for the new church, including stained glass windows from the bishop’s former residence, pews from St. Pius Seminary in Galt and Stations of the Cross that were hand-carved in Italy.

More support came from the Anderson family. 

“Dave Luccetti, Mr. Anderson’s son-in-law and president of Pacific Coast Building Products, donated all the lumber,” Hathaway said. “And Mrs. Anderson donated a terracotta baptismal font.”

Operating Engineers Local 3 managed the site work and re-routed a drainage ditch that crossed the property. Parishioners contributed by sanding and staining the old pews. 

“Many, many more pledged money to pay for St. Vincent De Paul,” Hathaway said. “The benefactors of our church are acknowledged on the wall to your right as you enter the nave.”

Hathaway said Bishop William K. Weigand dedicated the site at a special mass in June 1998. “During his homily, the bishop defined the character of the man who brought this all together. Quote: ‘Some priests are known as great builders and Monsignor O’Connor is among that number. He builds, not only with mortar and stone, but more importantly, he is a great builder of the spiritual community.’ End quote,” Hathaway said.

O’Connor saw “the final creation of his elaborate dream when St. Vincent De Paul was dedicated on March 29, 1999,” Hathaway said.  

Dennis Gish was the architect and contractor. John Jackson was the builder.

Two years later, it was decided to expand the facility to include a large social hall, offices and classrooms. Auxiliary Bishop Richard Garcia blessed the completed complex in May 2004.

After O’Connor suggested a prayer garden next to the church, Hathaway said, “Dick Valadao took the bull by the horns and asked Matt Kalmanson to draw a couple of rough plans for his Eagle Scout Project. After the Monsignor gave his OK, Dick designed the grotto with six-foot cinder block walls as a border.”

“Dick and I did all the construction of the grotto, which included placing the 1,100-pound statue of the Blessed Mother on the pedestal,” Hathaway said. 

They also fabricated and installed the 14 pedestals for the Stations of the Cross and collaborated with the landscape contractor. Bishop Weigand dedicated the garden in December 2006.

Hathaway concluded his talk by noting that O’Connor served as pastor of St. Joseph’s and St. Vincent De Paul for 19 years. Then he became pastor of Holy Spirit Church, where he served five years until his retirement. H

The church building, which was originally dedicated in 1999, has been a cornerstone of Rancho Murieta for a quarter of a century.

The Aug. 18 event began with a celebratory mass officiated by Bishop Jaime Soto, head of the Sacramento Diocese. Following the mass, attendees enjoyed a short program and a buffet breakfast in the church's meeting hall.

During the program, Pastor Julito Ompilla welcomed the large crowd, expressing gratitude for the community's support. He was followed by emcee Ed Alameida, who recognized the generous contributions of the Anderson family and acknowledged John Jackson, the church’s builder. Jerry Hathaway, one of the original parishioners, then shared a brief but entertaining history of the church, adding a personal touch to the celebration.

Soto concluded the program by explaining the religious significance of the celebration, highlighting the parish’s spiritual journey. His closing prayer included a blessing for the tables filled with mostly homemade food.

The celebration also featured a wealth of memories from the past 25 years, with a continuous slideshow projected on the back wall and numerous photo albums on display for attendees to reminisce.

Telling Quotes

Ompilla, who has served as pastor of the Rancho Murieta church since 2016, expressed his joy in being part of the “momentous” celebration. 

“I firmly believe that the greatest structure of our church, aside from the gift of faith, is you, the parishioners, the laity,” he said. “Since I've started my priestly ministry here, as your pastor, I have always been inspired by your dedication, your commitment, your support and your generosity to make our church what it is today.”

Alameida honored the contributions of the late Fred Anderson, who, along with other Anderson family members, donated the land for the church. 

“It’s obvious we would not have this beautiful mission church here at St. Vincent De Paul without the generosity of the Anderson family, who have been instrumental in building the church,” Alameida said.

Soto expressed his appreciation for the cherished memories shared with the congregation.

“I want to just again congratulate all of you and give my sincere thanks to all the many benefactors and everyone who continues to labor in this part of the Lord's vineyard,” Soto said. “And let us pray together that this good work will continue.”

Church History

When introducing Hathaway, the emcee referred to him as the “parishioner emeritus,” a fitting title for the 96-year-old, who was one of the original church members.

Hathaway began his talk by welcoming “the bishop, the pastor and everyone else to this 25th anniversary of the St. Vincent De Paul Church started by Monsignor Albert O’Connor.”

The first Catholic church in what later became Rancho Murieta was built in the mid-1800s when Irish priests were establishing churches in mining towns such as Jackson, Sutter Creek, Amador City and Ione. Irish settler John Driscoll donated land for the church and enlisted the help of other settlers to construct it between 1853 and 1860. The modest church featured 10 windows and 10 pews on each side of the main aisle.

A circuit-riding priest based in San Francisco said mass every other Sunday. Individuals from all denominations attended as it was the only service in the area.

However, according to legend, the first mass did not go as planned for the priest. Dressed in his robes, the priest knelt before the altar, only to suddenly leap up and begin a frantic dance. 

"He ran out of the church followed by a swarm of bees," Hathaway recounted. "He had knelt on a knot hole in the floor under which was a beehive." 

As was customary at the time, land next to the church was designated for a cemetery, which was open to all denominations. The church itself was closed in the early 1990s when St. Joseph’s Parish was established in Elk Grove. 

"The rickety building was later torn down, but the cemetery is seen daily by golfers on the 15th hole of Rancho Murieta South," Hathaway said.

Decades later, in 1986, the first mass in Rancho Murieta was held at the Rancho Murieta Country Club, with about 100 attendees. Later that same year, Pastor Appleby of the Rancho Murieta Community Church generously shared his facilities, initially at the FAA and then at a location in the parkway. According to Hathaway, mass was even held at the local firehouse during this period. 

Monsignor Albert O’Connor, then pastor of St. Joseph’s, approached Fred Anderson with the idea of building a church in Rancho Murieta. Fred and his wife, Pat Anderson, agreed to donate the land for the church, making the project possible.

“Monsignor O’Connor, Dick Valladao and Dave Zuercher rode around with Mr. Anderson to look for a site and chose the site here, Cantova Way, because the road and utilities were already there,” Hathaway recalled.

O’Connor began gathering and storing various amenities for the new church, including stained glass windows from the bishop’s former residence, pews from St. Pius Seminary in Galt and Stations of the Cross that were hand-carved in Italy.

More support came from the Anderson family. 

“Dave Luccetti, Mr. Anderson’s son-in-law and president of Pacific Coast Building Products, donated all the lumber,” Hathaway said. “And Mrs. Anderson donated a terracotta baptismal font.”

Operating Engineers Local 3 managed the site work and re-routed a drainage ditch that crossed the property. Parishioners contributed by sanding and staining the old pews. 

“Many, many more pledged money to pay for St. Vincent De Paul,” Hathaway said. “The benefactors of our church are acknowledged on the wall to your right as you enter the nave.”

Hathaway said Bishop William K. Weigand dedicated the site at a special mass in June 1998. “During his homily, the bishop defined the character of the man who brought this all together. Quote: ‘Some priests are known as great builders and Monsignor O’Connor is among that number. He builds, not only with mortar and stone, but more importantly, he is a great builder of the spiritual community.’ End quote,” Hathaway said.

O’Connor saw “the final creation of his elaborate dream when St. Vincent De Paul was dedicated on March 29, 1999,” Hathaway said.  

Dennis Gish was the architect and contractor. John Jackson was the builder.

Two years later, it was decided to expand the facility to include a large social hall, offices and classrooms. Auxiliary Bishop Richard Garcia blessed the completed complex in May 2004.

After O’Connor suggested a prayer garden next to the church, Hathaway said, “Dick Valadao took the bull by the horns and asked Matt Kalmanson to draw a couple of rough plans for his Eagle Scout Project. After the Monsignor gave his OK, Dick designed the grotto with six-foot cinder block walls as a border.”

“Dick and I did all the construction of the grotto, which included placing the 1,100-pound statue of the Blessed Mother on the pedestal,” Hathaway said. 

They also fabricated and installed the 14 pedestals for the Stations of the Cross and collaborated with the landscape contractor. Bishop Weigand dedicated the garden in December 2006.

Hathaway concluded his talk by noting that O’Connor served as pastor of St. Joseph’s and St. Vincent De Paul for 19 years. Then he became pastor of Holy Spirit Church, where he served five years until his retirement.