SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH
LINCOLN

Saint Joseph Church was one of the earliest churches to be established by settlers in Lincoln, under the leadership of Father John Leahey, Land for a church was acquired by 1864 from Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Crosby. The original church building was not constructed until 1877. Located on south of First and F Street, the original church was dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Dadoc Alemany of San Francisco.

In the earliest days, Saint Joseph Church was a mission of various parishes in the area, first Marysville, then Folsom. In 1907, the Southern Pacific railroad moved its shop to Roseville and Saint Rose Church became a parish with Lincoln as its mission. In 1925, Lincoln became a parish with Father Patrick Donnelly as pastor. Under his direction, a new church was built in 1926 on the corner of 6th and D Streets. The church was dedicated on Pentecost Sunday, 1926 by Bishop Patrick J. Keane of the Sacramento Diocese.

Before the rectory was built, Father Donnelly lived in the work sacristy of Saint Joseph Church for about a year and a half. Because his rheumatism and aggravated by dampness of his living quarters, he moved to the Burgess Hotel on the corner of Fifth and G Streets in Lincoln. When Father Myles was named pastor, he lived at the home of Manuel and Mary Costa on Sixth Street.

Father Daniel Twomey was appointed pastor in 1934. It was he who had the present rectory built next to Saint Joseph Church in 1936. He was the first priest to live in the new rectory.

Around 1948, Father Andy Tynan purchased two military barracks from Beale Air Force Base and had them moved to parish property across the street from the church in Lincoln to become the parish hall.

During the pastorate of Father Arnold Schaffer, Ethel Mulligan gave the parish six acres of land located at the corner of East 12th and Virginiatown Rd. Father Schaffer later purchased an additional eight acres of land next to the six acres given by Miss Mulligan.

In the fall of 1983, Saint Joseph Church underwent some renovation under the direction of Father John E. Boll. The church was painted, carpeted, a new reconciliation room constructed and new altar and ambo was installed.

Recognizing that the present parish facilities are inadequate to meet the growing demands of the parish, the parishioners of the parish decided to build a new parish complex in Lincoln. A Capital Stewardship Program was undertaken in the fall of 1987 by the parish to raise sufficient money to construct a new parish facility. Commitments from the entire membership of the parish were held.

During the pastorate of Father Manuel Soria, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Ferrari donated 16 acres of land for the construction of the new church in memory of their parents. Early in the year of 2002, under the direction of Pastor, Father Vincent Brady, another Capital Stewardship program was undertaken. With the donations and pledges acquired, from that campaign, the parish was able to begin the process of building a new church.

The fall of 2002, Father Pol Gumapo was appointed Administrator of Saint Joseph Parish and later appointed Pastor. The planning process continued for our New Saint Joseph Church and on March 18, 2007 the dream of our new church became a reality.

Saint Daniel Church
Wheatland, CA

The first Catholic Church in Wheatland was built in 1872 or 1873 on the corner of Main and B Street. We have no name for this first church. The Reverend Coleman of Saint Joseph Church, Marysville was in charge since Wheatland was designated a mission of Marysville. The first church was probably burned when the town burned in 1898.

A second church was built on the same lot by the pastor of Smartsville. The Wheatland church became a mission of Smartsville, and remained so until the early 1900’s when the mission came under the jurisdiction of the pastor of Saint Joseph Parish, Lincoln.

In 1937, this second church was blown down in a cyclone that hit the city of Wheatland. Under the direction of Father Daniel Twomey, pastor of Lincoln, a new church was constructed in 1939 on the same location as the previous churches. . Until the new church was completed in 1940, Mass was celebrated weekly in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Villa.

The present church was constructed in 1971 by Lamon Construction of Marysville. This structure with kitchen facilities, was completed while Father Arnold Schaffer was pastor and Father John J. Myles associate. Bishop Alden J. Bell dedicated the church for sacred worship on Feburary 27, 1972.

Under the direction of Father John E. Boll, Saint Daniel Church was renovated in 1989.

Saint Boniface Church
Nicolaus, CA

The first Mass was held in the Nicolaus school in 1867-69 by a priest identified in records as Father Calahan. In 1869 a church organization was formed The first church was erected in 1869. In 1878 this church was severely damaged by a wind storm.

For many years Saint Boniface was a mission church. In 1923, under the leadership of Monsignor Cornelius Murphy, the church became a mission of North Sacramento and Mass was celebrated every Sunday and Holy day.

In the early 1940’s Saint Boniface was transferred to Saint Joseph in Lincoln with Father Daniel Twomey as the Pastor. In 1944, funds were collected for the building of a new church. Construction began in 1952. The church was dedicated on May 11, 1952 with Bishop Robert Armstrong, Bishop of Sacramento, presiding. Father Eymard Gallagher, native of East Nicolaus, celebrated the Mass.

On December 23, 1955, the levee of the Feather River broke just west of Nicolaus, flooding the entire area. The newly constructed Saint Boniface Church was not spared. Four to Five feet of water filled the interior of the church and Father Arnold Schaffer entered the church by boat to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament.

In 1965, Father Schaffer purchased the old Nicolaus school house on Marcum road to serve as parish hall in Nicolaus. It is now used as a meeting place for parish activities and as a classroom for religious education.

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