Vision Statement

We are called to be and to become a loving
family centered in Jesus (Acts 2:42 - 47).

We acknowledge and accept that each of us is
unique and has special gifts from the Holy Spirit.

We wish to nurture, develop and share these
gifts within and for the Body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12ff).

Having been called by Baptism into the Body,
we celebrate our relationship in Word,
Sacrament and Family Celebration. We are then
sent to call others to Christ through who we
are and what we do.

We recognize Christ's call to be one in Him
(John 14-17) and commit outselves to this way of life.

Rev. Charles Hofschulte CJ - Pastor
Fr. Charles was born in South Gate California, Feb. 20, 1942. He attended schools in Taft, CA, and graduated from Our Lady of the Rosary, Paramount; then Pius X High School, Downey, CA, in 1960. He received his BA in Public Speaking from California State University, Long Beach in 1965 with a goal to teach in high school, but also become a priest. Fr. Charles earned his M.A. degree in Counseling and Guidance from Cal Poly SLO in 1974.

Fr. Charles entered the Josephite Fathers of California, July, 1965 and took 1st vows in July, 1966 – becoming the first American born Josephite in the California region. He studied at St. John’s Seminary, Wonersh, England, September 1967-Dec.1970 and was ordained a priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Paramount, on May 15, 1971.

In 1972, came to St. Joseph High School as counselor; then Principal from 1975-1987; Dean of Students at Serra H.S., Gardena 1987-1988; then Principal at Bishop Garcia Diego H.S. 1988-1998; Alumni Director at Bishop from 1998-2001. In October 1998 he was appointed Regional Superior of the Josephite Fathers and assigned to St. Louis de Montfort Parish, July 2001 and installed as Pastor, October, 2001.

Rev. John Mayhew, CJ - Hispanic Ministry
Fr. John was born in May, 1938 in England. As a student at St. George’s College he excelled in studies and sports. Following school he immediately joined the Josephites in May 1956 and did his studies in Belgium and St. John’s Seminary, Wonersh. He was ordained a priest in June 1965 and taught at St. George’s, but a year later he was transferred to St. Joseph H.S. in Santa Maria where he also taught philosophy to the then only scholastic in the region – Fr. Charles. Following that year he became a full-time math, religion and music teacher at St. Joseph’s, also coaching cross country.

Fr. John was elected Superior General of the Josephite Fathers and served in that capacity for 6 years, living in Belgium. He returned to California and St. Joseph H.S. for a short period before being assigned as Associate Pastor at St. Louis de
Montfort.

Fr. John has also served as the Vocation Director, and Novice Master. He assumed responsibility for the Hispanic Ministry Program at St. Louis de Montfort, where he is also active in Adult Education, organizing the annual Pilgrimage Walk, and other activities.

Rev. L Mark Newman, CJ - Associate
Fr. Mark was born in England, May, 1931. He was educated at St. George’s College (a Josephite boarding school) and on “graduation” entered the Josephites in September 1949 takinghis first vows a year later. For his studies he was sent to our scholasticate in Belgium. He then pursued an M.A. degree in History at Cambridge University and following ordination in June of 1960 was on the teaching staff at St. George’s College.

In 1963 Fr. Mark was one of the initial “pioneers” to come to California where he spent his first year at Pius X High School, “learning the American ways in a co-educational school.” In the summer of 1964 he joined 4 other Josephites and the
Daughters of Mary and Joseph in the opening of St. Joseph H.S. in Santa Maria. In 1965 he was appointed principal and served in that capacity until 1975 when he then became the school’s Campus Minister.

In July, 1990 he was assigned as Associate Pastor of St. Louis de Montfort, but due to the election of Fr. Garcia as Superior General, Fr. Mark became Pastor of St. Louis in September, 1990 serving in that role until October, 2001. He is currently the Associate Pastor.

Fr. Alidor Mikobi, C J

Fr . Alidor was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at Mbamuana on Sept. 7, 1971. He joined the Josephites in 1992 and studied philosophy at St. Augustine Seminary of Kinshasa from 1994-1997; he studied theology at the Catholic faculties of Kinshasa from 1997-2000. He was ordained a priest in his hometown of Ilebo on March 17, 2002.

He worked as the Director of Studies at St. Joseph College, Bulongo from 2000-2003 and was associate at St. Joseph parish in Bulongo at the same time. He was principal of Disanka High School in Domiongo, a diocesan school under the direction of the Josephites, from 2003-2006. From 2006-2008 he served as the Bursar of the Josephite Fathers African province, in Kinshasa.

In November, 2008 he was re-assigned to the American Region of the Josephite Fathers and as of July 1, 2009 became associate pastor of St. Louis de Montfort, Santa Maria, CA.

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Parish History

The history of St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church officially began on March 22, 1963. The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Francis Cardinal McIntyre, seeing the ever-increasing growth in the Orcutt-Santa Maria area, divided St. Mary's parish into two parts. St. Louis de Montfort was the name given to the southern part, extending north to Betteravia Rd., and south to Los Alamos; from Black Rd., and Highway 1 on the west across the valley to the Cuyama Hills in the east. Fr Vincent McCabe, Associate Pastor at St. Mary's was named the first pastor of St. Louis.

Until the planned facilities on Clark and Harp could be built, Fr McCabe conducted services in an old airport mess hall at Goodwin and Industrial Roads. In January of 1964, an 8-classroom grammar school was constructed. Services were then move d over to the School, using the present 6th, 7th and 8th grade classrooms for a Church. In September of 1964, the school opened for grades 1-4 and gradually built up to an eight-grade curriculum. The school was staffed then and now by the Daughters of Mary and Joseph.

A 10-acre site on the corner of Clark and Harp was purchased and groundbreaking ceremonies for the actual church were held in March, 1964. The first Mass in the new Church was conducted January 30, 1966 by Rev McCabe. The Church and school were simultaneously dedicated by Cardinal J. M. McIntyre on- February 4, 1968. The first Associate Pastor, Rev Edmond Renehan came in 1966 and remained until 1969. Between 1965 and 1975 St. Louis de Montfort was built into a functioning, thriving parish. In 1975, Fr. McCabe was transferred to San Roque. Fr McGovern, an archdiocesan priest, was sent to replace Fr McCabe; however, he resigned due to :ill health in 1975.

Fr Anthony Runtz, a Josephite Father, was made-Pastor in 1975. The Josephite Order then petitioned the Archdiocese for permission to take over the parish duties. It was granted, and the Josephites have staffed St. Louis parish ever since.

Many changes and improvements took place at St. Louis under Fr Anthony's administration. In 1977, a parish hall was built and named after Mildred Jeffers, longtime parish housekeeper. In 1980, the Rectory was built and the school playground was finished. The Parish Council was reformed and the Eucharistic Ministry was established. Parish renewal and Pre-Cana programs were also formed.

In 1980 St. Louis was given the special privilege of celebrating the ordination of Fr. Michael Biewend, the-first ever to take place in the Santa Maria-Orcutt area. Since then, we have been honored with two more Josephite ordinations, Fr. Tom Elewaut in August 1986, and Fr. Ed Jalbert in August 1987.

In 1985, Fr. Guillermo Garcia was named pastor. With Archbishop (now Cardinal) Mahoney's arrival in the Archdiocese, the idea of convocation has grown. St. Louis held its lst Convocation Fair in 1987. This was the beginning of many on-going pastoral projects. Fr. Garcia left in 1990 to serve as Superior General of the Josephite Order. Fr. Mark Newman, former principal of St. Joseph High School, succeeded as pastor in the fall of 1990. In the fall of 2001, Fr. Charles Hofschulte, former Principal at St. Joseph High School succeeded Fr. Mark and is currently pastor at St. Louis de Montfort..

As the Orcutt area continues to grow, St. Louis will, as "One Family in Christ," grow with the area and strive to meet the many needs of our community.

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Dedication of St. Louis de Montfort
Sunday, February 4, 1968

Santa Maria Times - February 2, 1968

The new church and school of St. Louis de Montfort, one of the largest parishes territorially in the Archdiocese, will be dedicated at 11 a.m. this Sunday, February 4, by His Eminence James Francis Cardinal McIntyre.

Covering approximately 500 square miles, St. Louis parish extends from Santa Maria south beyond Los Alamos and from Vandenberg Air Force Base east into the San Rafael Mountains.

The church and school are at Clark Avenue and Hope Road in the unincorporated Orcutt area just south of Santa Maria.

Approximately 85 percent of the 625 St. Louis families derive their livelihood from the Vandenberg missile base, according to Father Vincent McCabe, pastor.

Fr. McCabe will be celebrant of the Solemn Mass of dedication this Sunday. Fr. Francis Reilly of Compton will deliver the sermon.

Fr. McCabe will be assisted at the Mass by Fr. Terence O'Brien, deacon; Fr. Thomas McGovern, subdeacon, and Fr. Bernard O'Reilly, master of ceremonies.

Neighboring pastors, Fr. Kieran Marum, St. Mary's Santa Maria, and Fr. Andrew McGrath, La Purisima, Lompoc, will be chaplains to the Cardinal. The parish choir will sing.

St. Louis Church seats 1000 persons. It is a simple, concrete masonry structure of contemporary design. The sanctuary extends into the nave, with transepts on either side.

The main altar of imported marble is located in the center of the sanctuary, allowing the celebrant of Mass to face the congregation.

The crucifix above the altar, stations of the cross and statues are Italian wood carvings.

The eight-classroom parish school also is of concrete block construction. In the present term 271 pupils are enrolled in the first six grades. The school, which opened in 1964, is conducted by Daughters of Mary and Joseph.

Both church and school were designed by Donley, Bundy & Associates, architects. The church was built by Mandella Construction Company and the school by Thielmann Construction Company.

St. Louis parish was established in March, 1963. During its first year, Masses were celebrated in a rented Army mess hall at Santa Maria Airport. Services were held in the parish school from September, 1964, until completion of the church two years ago.

Mass is also offered each Sunday at St. Anthony's Los Alamos, a mission of St. Louis parish. The new St. Anthony's Mission was dedicated last March.

Parish Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes, enrolling nearly 700 children, are held at St. Joseph High School, at the Los Alamos mission and in private homes at Sisquoc.

Near Sisquoc is northern Santa Barbara County's oldest church, the Foxen Memorial Chapel, recently dedicated as an historic landmark. The Catholic chapel was built in 1878-79 by pioneer ranchers - Foxens, Wickendens and Lawsons. It no longer is sued for services.

Contrasting with the nearly 100-year-old chapel is the space age Vandenberg base, a parish, or group of parishes, in itself. Nine Masses are celebrated in the base's four Catholic chapels each Sunday.

Serving Catholic servicemen and families on the bast base are three military chaplains, one full-time auxiliary chaplain and a fifth priest who assists o Sundays.

Most of the nearly 20,000 civilians employees at Vandeberg live off the base, many of them in St. Louis parish. Because of the nature of their work, few become permanent residents.

Fr. McCabe estimates that he has a complete turnover of parishioners every three years. Except for a nucleus of about 50 families - most of them farmers - a third of his parishioners move out every year and are replaced by others.

"In one year we lost three presidents of our women's council and two men's club presidents," he said.