“Not a place where, but a people who…”

Our Motto

“Not a place where, but a people who...”

In the mid-sixteenth century, Charles Borromeo, nephew of Pope Pius IV, aided the Pope in convening and completing the Council of Trent, calling for reforms in the Church. As Archbishop of Milan (800,000 residents and 3,000 clergy), Charles Borromeo pressed reforms on the Church as well as discipline on members of his diocese who had grown lax and unprincipled. He encountered strong resistance, including an attempt on his life. Undaunted, he pressed on. During a famine, he used his family inheritance, even borrowing money to help feed residents of Milan. During the plague which arrived soon after, those who could flee fled while he remained tending to his people. A genuine holy man: Saint Charles Borromeo. 

Four hundred years later, in the Livermore Valley, a new congregation came into being. They needed a church. The people of the congregation gathered. They stood on a rise in the valley overlooking rugged mountains to the south, seemingly impassable, yet off to the right a road ribboned up the mountain beside a small winding stream, eventually disappearing over Pigeon Pass.  In front of the mountains lay an old riverbed, long since robbed of water by Del Valle, along with sycamore and oak trees.  Ravenswood and the gleaming white Veterans' Hospital were tucked into the hillside.  To the rear, northward, stood the city of Livermore, a small distance away and, beyond the city, the dark mountains: Brushy Peak, Morgan Territory and the massive, brooding Mount Diablo lurking off in the distance. The people smiled. They agreed, "On this knoll we will build our church--and it shall be known as St. Charles Borromeo."

St. Charles Borromeo Parish was a “people who…” long before it settled into its home on Lomitas Avenue. The founding members came together to create a unique Catholic Community, its beginnings not unlike the early Christians who broke bread in homes and cared for the needs of the poor. That compassion continues to be the heart of St. Charles today. The community is often described by new members and visitors as the most welcoming Catholic church they have ever experienced.

Our world is a very different place today than it was in 1964 when the parish was founded. Young adults may find themselves isolated because of their professional responsibilities. Some families can barely keep up with the pace of activities. Many of us care not only for our children, but for aging parents as well. And the amount of information available to our children through technology can be overwhelming. In the midst of these modern stresses stand the people of St. Charles Borromeo who are deeply committed to finding solace and support in their faith. Through a strong commitment to Christ, we are a people who know that we are stronger and happier together than we are alone. Our mission is to bring the gospel of peace to Livermore and beyond.

Our History

A victory story of how spreading the message of Christ’s love triumphed over lack of a permanent church home.