St. Patrick's Catholic Church, San Francisco Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Patrick's Catholic Church

Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Archdiocese of San Francisco
Province	Archdiocese of San Francisco
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Church
Leadership	Archbishop of San Francisco
Location
Location	San Francisco, California, United States
San Francisco Designated Landmark
Designated	September 3, 1968
Reference no.	4
Website
stpatricksf.org

St. Patrick's Catholic Church is a Catholic church located in San Francisco, California. It was first started in 1851. You can find it at 756 Mission Street, right across from Yerba Buena Gardens. It's in the middle of the South of Market district.

A Look Back: The Church's Story
Church Design: Architecture and Art
- Gothic Revival Style
- Colors and Materials
Images for kids
See also

A Look Back: The Church's Story

How St. Patrick's Church Began

The very first church service happened on June 9, 1851. It was held in a hall on 4th and Jessie streets. A few months later, a temporary church was built. This church faced Market Street. It was named after Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. This was because many Irish people lived in the area.

Building a Bigger Church

After the American Civil War, many people moved to San Francisco. This meant a bigger church was needed. So, a new church was built facing Mission Street. It opened in April 1870. The archbishop at the time, Joseph Sadoc Alemany, dedicated it. Many people said it was the most beautiful church west of Chicago.

Surviving the 1906 Earthquake

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake completely destroyed the church. Only the foundation and some walls were left standing. Many church members were very sad and left the area. For a while, church services were held outdoors. They also built a permanent shelter called Tir-Na-Og. This shelter was later called St. Patrick's shelter.

Rebuilding and New Beginnings

Those who stayed decided to build a new church. It looked similar to the old one. They wanted it to be the main church for Irish people on the West Coast. Special materials were brought in for the rebuild. These included Caen stone from Ireland and green marble from Connemara. An Irish artist named Mia Cranwill designed the main altar's metal cross.

In 1923, an Irish designer named Kitty MacCormack created special clothes for the church. These clothes are called vestments.

A San Francisco Landmark

In 1968, St. Patrick's Church became a special San Francisco landmark. Even as the area around it changed and became more modern, the church stayed the same.

A Home for Many Cultures

Over the years, the church has welcomed many different groups of people. First, it was mainly for the Irish community. Then, it became home to the Spanish community. Today, most of the church members are from the Filipino community. The church also serves business people and tourists in the area.

St. Patrick's Church offers classes like CCD and RCIA. It also has many special prayers and devotions. These have been influenced by the Filipino community. Church services are held every day. The church is open until 6:15 PM on weekdays and 6:45 PM on weekends.

Church Design: Architecture and Art

Gothic Revival Style

The church is built in the Gothic Revival architecture style. This style includes special features like ribbed vaults (curved ceilings with stone ribs) and pointed arches. It has a central nave (the main part of the church) and two side aisles. The nave also has a triforium and a clerestory-like top section.

Colors and Materials

The design of the church uses colors inspired by Ireland. You can see green Connemara marble and white and gold Bontticino marble. The church is decorated with beautiful Tiffany-style stained glass windows. These windows show the patron saints of Ireland's 32 counties.