The Immaculate Heart of Mary Oratory wants to share with you some background about how Divine Providence has been guiding us ever since March 2020, when COVID obliged us to move out of our usual location for worshipping God and gathering as a community.
We have been through many challenging changes since then. You can read more detailed accounts of our wanderings after March 2020 at the links further below.The oratory is one of the two California apostolates of the Institute of Christ the King and is located in Santa Clara Valley in the south San Francisco Bay Area. The valley is popularly known as Silicon Valley because of the high concentration of computer companies here and because the chips that run computers are made from silicon. However the valley is rich in Catholic history, steeped in the Faith from the time it was colonized by the Spanish, which has been largely forgotten by most who now live here. The mission that gave its name to the valley and to the county that includes the diocese of San José was named for Clare of Assisi by the Spanish missionaries, and the saints’ names they gave to other missions were inherited by the cities and towns that later sprang up all throughout California.
At first the contrast between the beauty of Five Wounds Church and the poverty of the Knights of Columbus parking lot where we first went after outdoor Masses were allowed and the mundane nature of our later locations was quite disconcerting. But, then, with the passage of time, this ongoing situation has made us feel closer to the people of Israel in the desert—who had to pack up their tents every day.
This past April we moved into our current location, where we have a year lease. Now we are grateful to have a more stable and fitting place for all our Liturgies and our other activities. However, our final goal is still to find a church of our own in the area and, with the Bishop’s permission, to purchase it. Thank you for your prayers and support. May God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph continue to guide us!!!
