The original St. Raymond Church, now located on Donlon Way off Dublin Boulevard in Dublin, is the oldest Catholic church building in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The four-acre plot for the church and Catholic cemetery was donated by Michael Murray and Jeremiah Fallon, brothers-in-law and natives of Ireland, who settled in Dublin in the early 1850's. The church was dedicated on April 22, 1860.  The church was originally a mission church served by a priest who rode out from Oakland on horseback.  The first wedding was performed in the pioneer church in 1865.  The original belfry was added to the building in 1880.  The original building was maintained and renovated through the years, including extensive repairs in 1922, and was in constant use until just prior to World War II.

1960 brought tremendous growth to the valley with the opening of San Ramon Village housing development. Catholics attended Mass at St. Augustine's or St. Isidore's until St. Raymond was established in 1961. The new pastor's first quest was to find a place to celebrate Sunday Mass. Old St. Raymond was in disrepair, not to mention too small, for a fast-growing young parish. He chose to use the chapel at Camp Parks until the all purpose church/hall was ready at the current site. On Thanksgiving Day 1966, the first Mass was offered in the parish hall building.

In 1975, the community began to outgrow its existing facilities and the need was felt for a permanent church building, with modifications to be done to the hall. After much discussion and planning, construction on our new church was begun in October 1976. The first Mass to be offered in the new church was on July 16, 1977, with formal dedication ceremonies on September 18, 1977, by the newly-appointed Bishop of Oakland, John S. Cummins.

In February 2001, the parish began an ambitious campaign to  renew the worship space.  By November of the same year, an interior renovation was completed through the hard work, perseverance, and prayers of many dedicated parishioners.

 

Succession of Pastors:

Fr. John C. Murphy 1961-70
Msgr. Bernard J. Moran 1970-81
Fr. Ronald J. Lagasse 1981-86
Fr. Richard Matgen 1986-94
Fr. Patrick Goodwin 1994-2003
Fr. Robert McCann 2003-