St. Dominic Church in San Francisco

St. Dominic's Church in San Francisco, California, is a Roman Catholic parish situated in the Western Addition neighborhood, located at the corner of Bush and Steiner Streets. The parish was established by the Dominican order in 1873, and the current church, built in the Gothic style, was finished in 1928. In addition to a large parish membership, St. Dominic's Church has one of the most active Catholic Young Adults Groups in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The Church gave its name to Van Morrison's hit 1972 studio album, Saint Dominic's Preview.

Dominicans first came to San Francisco in 1850 when the Most Reverend Joseph Sadoc Alemany, Father Sadoc Francis Vilarrasa and Mary Goemere arrived from Spain via several other appointments in the United States. Bishop Alemany, who in 1840 completed his studies in sacred theology in Rome at the College of St. Thomas, the future Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum, had been appointed Bishop of Monterey and invited Fr. Vilarrasa to accompany him to California. The Archdiocese of San Francisco was created in 1853 and Archbishop Alemany was its first incumbent.

The first Dominican Priory in San Francisco was established in 1863 at Van Ness and Broadway to provide a center for the friars who were given charge of the new parish of Saint Brigid. The Dominicans served there until 1875 when it was transferred to diocesan clergy. During this time, Dominicans served the parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi and Notre Dame des Victoires as well.

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