Parish History

Over forty-five years have passed since St. Callistus was first established. The parish has grown from a small community of 700 families to a thriving parish of over 4,500 families. St. Callistus’ mirrors the diversity of Orange County with its rich cultural heritage of Anglo, Hispanic and Vietnamese Catholics sharing and worshiping together.

In the Beginning

St. Callistus Parish was founded in November of 1961 under the direction of His Eminence James Francis Cardinal McIntyre. The parish was placed under the patronage of St. Callistus I, a pope and martyr of the early Church who died in 222 AD.

St. Callistus was established in the 1960’s to meet the growing needs of Orange County’s rapidly growing population in the four major cities: Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Orange and Anaheim. It was established to assist the needs of the community from the parishes of St. Joseph in Santa Ana, St. Columban in Garden Grove, Holy Family in Orange and St. Boniface in Anaheim. In the early years, Mass was celebrated at a roller rink on Garden Grove Boulevard. As the parish grew it purchased a house in Garden Grove to be used as a temporary rectory.

Bishop Alden J. Bell broke ground for a new church and school on April 29, 1962. The first Mass was celebrated at the new Church in February of 1963. Growth and expansion moved quickly within the community. In September of 1963, the school opened and was staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. Bishop Timothy Manning formally dedicated and blessed both the church and school on April 21, 1964.

Although there have been many changes to the physical structure to the church over time; the love for God and sense of community have stayed the same since its conception.

Recent Years

• June 27, 1999 – Bishop Tod Brown presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church
• October 15, 2000 – Bishop Tod Brown dedicates the new church
• October 16, 2008 – Bishop Tod Brown blessed the new offsite Rectory

Commitment to Community

Many unnamed saints have passed through the doors of St. Callistus Parish over the years. To choose any one person or persons who have most influenced this community of faith would be an injustice. A long line of kind-hearted and dedicated priests, parishioners and staff stand as examples of the parish’s rich tradition with its continuing response to heed God’s call to worship Him through lives of holiness.