In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God.  God was present from the beginning.  Through God all things come into being and apart from God nothing came into being.

From the Gospel of John, 1:1-2

St. Simon Catholic Parish History

All that we have and all that we are is a gift from God. In 1955, God sent Fr. James Spooncer of Los Altos to build a new church. Appointed by Archbishop John J. Mitty, and with encouragement and a shared desire, pioneering families came to help our founding pastor turn an apricot orchard into a parish. Aided by the power of the Holy Spirit, they raised the money to form St. Simon Parish. Groundbreaking for the Church was held on April 22, 1956 and construction was completed in April, 1957. A convent, rectory, and Saint Simon School were added over the course of the next seven years.

 

From the very beginning, Fr. Spooncer was instrumental in ensuring that Catholic education was at the heart of parish life. He invited the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) to lead the new school. The first principal and teachers were all IHM Sisters, and for the next 50 years these devoted women guided the spiritual and academic life of generations of students. Beloved by the community, their presence shaped St. Simon School into a place of faith, learning, and service. Their farewell in 2003 was marked with deep gratitude for their decades of dedication. (View the IHM Sisters Farewell Mass booklet click here.) Read more about our Parish School History here.

 

Monsignor Ludwig Andre, Pastor from September 1989 to July 2002, recognized that St. Simon’s infrastructure had changed little in more than twenty years and set out to revitalize and expand the parish. In May 1996 a Parish Center was added. Remodeling of the Church followed and was completed on June 1, 1999. Monsignor Andre retired in July 2002 after fourteen years of dedicated service to our community. Our parish was then guided by Rev. Tony Mancuso, Pastor.

 

Fr. Tony brought to the parish a new set of dynamics, including the introduction of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose to add new life to our Adult Ministry as well as our children’s ministries. Father Tony was succeeded as Pastor by Rev. Warwick James, who came to St. Simon with a vision for the future. Following the lead of Bishop McGrath’s Pastoral Plan, Renewing the Church (2002), Fr. Warwick helped the people of St. Simon facilitate a planning effort including our mission and vision for the future. Fr. Warwick retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Rev. Brendan McGuire was appointed Pastor. Fr. Brendan McGuire is our current Pastor.

 

Today, we are blessed with over 1700 families in our parish. From the days of our early founding families to the faithful sisters, clergy, and lay members who built and sustained our parish, St. Simon continues to be a united, active faith community. Through diligent planning, joyful worship, and shared stewardship of time, talent, and treasure, we will assure a community of joyful disciples for Jesus for generations to come.

50th Anniversary History Book 2005
Farewell Mass Booklet for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters 2003
65th Anniversary Mass April 2021
65th Anniversary Tribute Video

Who was St. Simon?

St. Simon Catholic Church was named after Simon, the Apostle, also known as Simon the Zealot.

  • St. Simon was surnamed the “Zealot” for his rigid adherence to Jewish law and to Canaanite law.
  • He evangelized and preached in Egypt, Cyrene, Mauritania, Ethiopia, and Persia.
  • It is also believed that St. Jude (Patron Saint of those in Need) traveled throughout Mesopotamia, Libya, and Persia with St. Simon preaching and converting many people to Christianity.
  • He was originally a fisherman prior to becoming an apostle.
  • He was one of the original followers of Christ, not to be confused with Simon Peter.
  • His feast day is on October 28th.