San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place: St. Francis Xavier Church

Address: 1801 Octavia Street, San Francisco

Description:

St. Francis Xavier Church with its unique Japanese-style exterior is part of Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Japanese American Religious Federation (JARF). St. Francis Xavier Mission began in a Victorian house at 1715 Octavia and relocated to its present address in 1939. In 1929, Morning Star School was erected. The former church and school is now an all-boys Catholic high school run by the Convent of the Sacred Heart. Japanese Catholics in San Francisco and the Bay Area attend Japanese Mass on the third Sunday of each month with Father Eric Freed who studied in Japan for more than 20 years. St. Benedicts. Parishioners volunteer to work with senior residents at Kimochi Home and Kimochi Lunch Program and other community service projects.

History:

The Japanese Catholic community began near the Nihonmachi community in 1913. A Maryknoll priest, Father Albert Breton, MM, established a church at 2158 Pine Street and with increased membership moved to 2011 Buchanan Street. In 1918 the Japanese school was founded and the 1715 Octavia Street Victorian house was purchased. The Society of Jesus ministered from 1914 to 1925. Among the outstanding pioneers in the building of the mission were Mothers Angel and Mary of the Helpers of the Holy Souls, who taught kindergarten, sewing and missionary work from the beginning of the mission until 1931. In 1925, Father William Stoecke and Father John Zimmerman of the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries, both former Japanese missionaries, were appointed. In 1929 Father Stoecke established Morning Star School, the elementary school that was staffed by the Daughters of Mary and Joseph, and Japanese faculty taught the Japanese language classes. Archbishop John J. Mitty dedicated the new mission church at 1801 Octavia Street on December 24, 1939. World War II changed the history of St. Francis Xavier Mission. Father Stoecke went to Topaz Relocation Center in Utah to minister to the Japanese parishioners until 1945, and Father Zimmerman looked after the mission and the school. In 1944 the following parishioners entered religious order: Sister Reiko Aoki, Sister Kiyo Tanaka, Sister June Tanaka and Sister Yasuko Teshima to the Society of Sacred Heart. In 1952 Sister Xavier (Teruko Takatsuno) entered the Carmelite Order. In 1945 Japanese parishioners returned to San Francisco and Morning Star school received Japanese students again. As more Catholics from Japan settled in San Francisco, church attendance gradually increased. Father Joseph Guetzloe, SVD, came from Japan in 1951 to replace Father Stoecke and Father Zimmerman. The Archdiocese of San Francisco designated St. Francis Church – the Japanese National Parish and in 1993 merged it with St. Benedict Parish for the Deaf as St. Benedict Parish at St. Francis Church.

Significance:

Cultural, Educational, Historical, Social

Recognition of Significance:

Historical as a Japanese religious institution in the USA

Sources:

Sister Theresa Teshima, RSCJ, President, St. Francis Xavier Japanese Catholic Society

Sumi Honnami, Board Member, St. Francis Xavier Japanese Catholic Society

Other Comments:

Prepared By: Darryl Abantao Date Prepared: 12/19/04