The Curator’s Corner:
Mission Dolores is a place of great significance to teach the public about local Native Peoples (The Ohlone Indians), about the history of San Francisco and California, and about the history of the Catholic Church in California.
It was there that Father Pedro Font and the Spanish colonists camped briefly until the Mission was established initially by Padre Francisco Palou and later by Padre Benito Cambon in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order. Its formal founding date, as the sixth of the 21 Alta California Missions, is October 9, 1776.
The establishment of a mission in Alta California in honor of St. Francis was the fulfillment of the greatest hope of the founder of the California Missions, Padre Saint Junipero Serra.
The most obvious indication of the historical significance of Mission Dolores is that it is the oldest intact building in the City and County of San Francisco. In fact, it is the oldest intact adobe brick mission in California. Beyond its age, it has great symbolic significance: Its Franciscan founders were motivated by the example of St. Francis to bring the message of God’s love and salvation to the peoples of the “so-called” New World. The spirit of generosity and tolerance that marks San Francisco today can be traced in no small part to the ideals of St. Francis imparted by the Mission founders.
To be continued…….
Mass Times
Saturday Vigil: 5:00pm -- Old Mission
Sunday:
8:00am & 10:00am (English)
12:00pm (Español)
​Daily Mass:
Monday-Saturday: 8:00am -- Old Mission
Confession:
By appointment/por cita
Eucharist Adoration:
Friday: 3:00pm -- Old Mission
First Friday of the month: 4pm
Livestream Rosary:
7:00pm (Español)
8:00pm (English)
Livestreamed Videos
For your convenience, live and recorded videos are available at our:
Mission Dolores has always had a central place in the religious, civic, and cultural life of San Francisco. Misión San Francisco de Asís was founded June 29, 1776, under the direction of Father Junipero Serra and is both the oldest original intact Mission in California and the oldest building in San Francisco. Today, the Mission Dolores Parish comprises both the Basilica and the Old Mission.
True to its origins, the Basilica Parish of Mission Dolores reflects the remarkable diversity and vibrancy of modern San Francisco. Located at the crossroads of the City's Mission District, Castro District, the Lower Haight, Noe Valley, and Upper Market Street neighborhoods, Mission Dolores parishioners come from an enormous array of cultures, places, and backgrounds to worship together.
The Old Mission's religious, historic, and architectural significance makes it a unique and memorable destination for visitors to San Francisco. We welcome all to come visit the birthplace of San Francisco. For Old Mission visitor information, please click here.
We invite you to explore this website to learn more about the people, community, and history of Mission Dolores.
We are a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.
Click on the photo below for the video of the 33rd Annual Basilica Choir Candlelight Christmas Concert from December 2024
