In 1883, Father Lawrence Serda, under the direction of Archbishop Alemany of San Francisco, founded St Mary Mission in Walnut Creek (known at the time as The Crossroads). Father Serda was the pastor at Sacred Heart in Oakland and would journey on horseback to Walnut Creek on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, holding masses in Grange Hall. The congregation consisted of about ten families, covering the areas now known as Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek and Danville. The journey to Walnut Creek was challenging, involving over 20 miles of winding dirt roads and many hills. Father Serda would travel all day Saturday and spend the night at the home of Antonio Botelho. In August of 1884, Mr. Botelho donated land which he owned located on what today is S. Main Street near the intersection of S. Main and Botelho. After a funding campaign, Fr. Serda raised the $2500 cost to construct a 25’ x 50’ redwood framed church with a seating capacity of 100. Archbishop Alemany dedicated the church on October 12, 1884. The first homily was delivered in both English and Portuguese.
In 1892, St. Mary Mission was detached from Sacred Heart and transferred to St. Catherine Sienna in Martinez, until 1910 when Dominican Fathers took charge, and the mission was attached to St. Isidore in Danville. In 1930 the population of Walnut Creek was 1578. At the time, education at St. Mary was under the guidance of the Holy Family Sisters and consisted of six boys and ten girls. With the completion of the Oakland-Walnut Creek Highway and the Caldecott Tunnel in 1937, Walnut Creek began to grow rapidly. In 1939, two masses were celebrated at St. Mary mission on Sundays. The little redwood framed church was no longer sufficient for the congregation.
Father Louis Miller, Pastor of St. Isidore, was granted permission from the Archbishop to purchase property just outside of the city limits. Isabelle Brubaker sold the parcel for $1250, plus taxes, and in December 1939, construction began on a 68’ long by 50’ wide concrete church with a seating capacity of 220. The church architectural style was Romanesque and California Mission inspired. On May 12, 1940, Pentecost, Archbishop Mitty consecrated the new church, dedicating her under the title of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. On July 1, 1941, St. Mary was designated as a parish, and Father Miller was installed as the pastor, and Santa Maria mission in Orinda was placed in the jurisdiction of St. Mary. In 1941, the boundaries of St. Mary Parish encompassed the area which now contains Christ the King Parish in Pleasant Hill, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Concord, St. Perpetua Parish in Lafayette, and the parishes of St. Stephen, St. Anne, and St. John Vianney in Walnut Creek. In 1948, Father Joseph McLaughlin became pastor. Fr. McLaughlin immediately began to advocate for the addition of a school and oversaw the construction of an addition to the church, raising the seating capacity to 520. The Holy Family Sisters were educating 890 children in the parish, and in 1960, St. Mary Elementary School opened.
In 1969, Father Daniel Cosgrove was appointed pastor, and he oversaw the addition of the parish hall and gym, and the installation of the current stained-glass windows. In 1983, Fr. Cosgrove was succeeded by Father John Mallon during the 100th anniversary of St. Mary church. Father Mallon hailed from County Leitrin, Ireland and studied at All Hallows Seminary, where 100 years earlier, the founder of St, Mary, Fr. Serda, had been ordained. Father Mallon was instrumental in the addition of the tower and bells in 1998, and the renovation of the Sanctuary to the look it retains currently.
The tenure of Father Paulson Mundanmani between 2006-2014, included a major capital campaign which resulted in the acquisition of the current Parish Office and Faith Formation buildings, the demolition of the former rectory, and the foundation of the future Adoration Chapel. Father Paulson was succeeded by Father Fred Riccio, and under his guidance, the Adoration Chapel was designed and built, being commissioned on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2019. Today, St. Mary Parish stands at the entrance to the city of Walnut Creek and is among the longest continuous operating church communities in California. From her inception to this day, we continue to focus our energies on knowing and loving Christ and making him better known.