Founded: 1988
Location: 5205 Upland Road, Camarillo
Santa Barbara Region: Deanery 4

Although this parish is relatively new in the archdiocese (one of the last five established), the history behind the name of the church and city offer a unique and picturesque background. The combination of Blessed Junípero Serra, the founder of the California Missions, and Juan Camarillo, the famous landowner and developer, contribute historic aspects of unusual dimension.

Location adds a distinctive note, too, as the founding pastor, Msgr. Liam Kidney, pointed out in 1988 when he first walked the cleared and graded 10-acre site: "This is one that Serra himself would have chosen: an elevation that commands a view of the sea, of adjacent valleys and of the mountain ridges of Los Padres National Forest to the north." In fact the intrepid missionary probably trekked through the same hills in his quest to establish Christianity in California more than 230 years ago.

The Franciscan Friar was 56 years old when he founded the first mission in San Diego in 1769; when he died 15 years later, he had accumulated some 24,000 miles in his journey of conversion and evangelization. The trail he forged actually surpassed the journeys of Marco Polo and Lewis and Clark combined. And he did all that while suffering asthma and a chronic sore on his leg. The year he was beatified was the same year "Padre Serra" parish was established.

According to Msgr. Kidney, it was Cardinal Roger Mahony who asked him to name the new church in honor of Father Serra, who founded nine of the 21 missions that comprise El Camino Real from San Diego to Sonoma. "A new parish in the area was necessary," the founding pastor recalled. "The numbers at [neighboring] St. Mary Magdalen Church were growing enormously as population expanded from Los Angeles."

For 14 years prior to his pastoral assignment, the Irish-born priest served at four high schools and as principal at two --- Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, and St. Bernard, Playa del Rey.

In establishing a brand new parish, he utilized the same principles from his education background. "I used the gift of administration," he noted, "and set measurable goals with a master plan for church, school, hall and parish expansion." Through volunteer census takers, 800 families were enrolled and Mass was celebrated in the chapel of St. John's Seminary College. Planning, building and fundraising eventually resulted in the 1995 opening and dedication, by Cardinal Mahony, of the new church --- on Blessed Junipero Serra's feast day, July 1. By then the parish had 1,800 families.

But had it not been for the generosity of the city's founding family, the church and seminary sites may not have been possible. The original, 10,000-acre Rancho Calleguas was the last of the Mexican land grants, owned originally by Jose Pedro Ruiz, and obtained in 1875 by Juan Camarillo. After his death, his son Adolfo operated the ranch for 68 years. He was a leading innovator and progressed from a cattle operation to crops. The famous Camarillo House was built in 1892 and is today a community attraction. Adolfo's younger brother, Juan, Jr., donated all the land for St. Mary Magdalen Chapel and St. John's Seminary, where the new Serra parish is located.

The town was named for Adolfo in 1964 and became Camarillo City. The official city seal bears his resemblance atop one of his famous white horses. He was an exemplary civic leader, prominent in several organizations and in 1950 named a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Pius XII and his donation of land was for St. John's College.

Both the city and parish have flourished. Father Jarlath Dolan, also from Ireland, was named administrator in 1999 and Msgr. Kidney became pastor at Corpus Christi, Pacific Palisades. The new pastor is now organizing the "A Time for Faith…Building Our Dream" campaign that will expand the original site to include a parish center for all the ministries, religious education programs and conference space. Since the founding of Serra parish, more than 2,700 families have registered, a tribute to the missionary's motto of Siempre Adelante --- always forward.