First MassMarch 27, 1772
| Location | Near Lake Merritt, Oakland |
|---|---|
| State/Territory | California |
| County | Alameda County |
| Modern Diocese | Diocese of Oakland |
| Historical Diocese | Unorganized |
| Date | March 27, 1772 |
| Priest | Fr. Juan Crespi |
| Religious Order | Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) |
| Rite | Roman (Latin) Rite |
| Confidence | confirmed |
| Submitted by | @_catholicwest |
Documentation
Notes
The Diocese of Oakland explicitly confirms that 'a Catholic presence in what is now the Diocese of Oakland can be traced to March 27, 1772, when Franciscan Father Juan Crespi, traveling with a party of Spanish explorers, celebrated Mass near a swamp that would one day become Lake Merritt in Oakland.'
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