Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart, Olema
and
St. Magdalene, Bolinas
Sacred Heart, Olema
and
St. Magdalene, Bolinas
Sacred Heart Church • St. Mary Magdalene Mission Church
St. Mary Magdalene Church and Cemetery
\16 Horseshoe Hill
Bolinas, CA 94924
415-663-1139
Mass:
Sunday 10:45 a.m.
Confessions are heard between 4 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. each Saturday at Sacred Heart Church in Olema.
• Handicapped Accessible
• Parking
Cemetery Superintendent:
William "Bill" Tacherra
Bolinas, CA 94924
415-663-1139
Mass:
Sunday 10:45 a.m.
Confessions are heard between 4 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. each Saturday at Sacred Heart Church in Olema.
• Handicapped Accessible
• Parking
Cemetery Superintendent:
William "Bill" Tacherra
HISTORY OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE
CEMETERY AND CHURCH
In 1853, a smallpox epidemic in West Marin killed a number of Indian ranch hands, two children and two sons-in-law of Gregorio Briones, the owner or Rancho Baulines.
He donated a small plot in a pasture overlooking Bolinas Lagoon for a burial ground. Prior to this, those who died were usually buried on the property where they lived. Over the years, the burial ground became known as the Briones Graveyard.
From the beginning, it had two parts: Catholic and Protestant. When someone died, whichever clergyman was available, presided. A recent census documents 170 burials and several unidentified graves.
Don Gregorio died in 1863. In his will, he requested that his heirs make the burial ground a permanent cemetery. He also requested that a chapel be built to that people could pray for the repose of his soul. For unknown reasons, these requests were not carried out for more than 20 years, although people continued to be buried in the graveyard.
After the Civil War, there was a nationwide surge of temperance and religious fervor. Duxbury Grove 26 of the Ancient Order of Druids, a national temperance and social organization, was established in Bolinas in 1875.
From 1877 to 1879, there occurred, in rapid succession, construction of three churches - Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic - and the opening of four cemeteries - Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Druid - on Horseshoe Hill near Bolinas.
This prompted one correspondent to the Marin Journal to christen the area, "Gospel Flat". St. Mary Magdalene, or SMM cemetery, is probably the oldest active cemetery in Marin. Current restoration work aims to complete a plan laid out by the Sacred Heart Fathers in 1914.
Pablo Briones, the eldest son of Don Gregorio, organized the construction of the St. Mary Magdalene church with the aid of the tiny local Catholic population, together with generous donations from the Protestant community.
The arrival of Swiss-Italian and Portuguese immigrants during the next 30 years swelled the congregation. The redwood church was enlarged WHEN adding 10 feet to its length. It survived the earthquake with minor damage; a bell tower erected in 1908.
St. Mary Magdalene Church and the (former Briones) cemetery behind it were formally deeded to the Archdiocese of San Francisco in June 1878.
It has always been a mission church, serviced by priests from San Francisco, Sausalito, then Novato until 1909. At that time, Sacred Heart Fathers, a missionary group from Belgium active in the South Pacific, came to Olema to build a retreat house for their priests traveling to and from Europe.
In return, the Sacred Heart Fathers served the widespread parish, then called our Lady of Lourdes, during their tenure. St. Mary Magdalene was among its four mission churches that included St. Mary's in Nicasio, St. Cecilia's in Lagunitas and Our Lady of Lourdes in Olema.
When the Sacred Heart Fathers left Marin in 1935, at the request of the archdiocese, and the parish was physically divided. Sacred Heart Parish retained Sacred Heart Church and St. Mary Magdalene. The church is popular with the local inhabitants and with the many holiday renters and campers.
In 2005, parishioners celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Cemetery with a party and, in 2009, the church was given a new foundation to provide stabilization during an earthquake.
Today, the Church is popular with local inhabitants and the many holiday renters and campers and the graveyard behind it is maintained as a tree-shaded country cemetery. It is still in operation and welcomes visitors.
CEMETERY AND CHURCH
by Norm Staub, 2005
In 1853, a smallpox epidemic in West Marin killed a number of Indian ranch hands, two children and two sons-in-law of Gregorio Briones, the owner or Rancho Baulines.
He donated a small plot in a pasture overlooking Bolinas Lagoon for a burial ground. Prior to this, those who died were usually buried on the property where they lived. Over the years, the burial ground became known as the Briones Graveyard.
From the beginning, it had two parts: Catholic and Protestant. When someone died, whichever clergyman was available, presided. A recent census documents 170 burials and several unidentified graves.
Don Gregorio died in 1863. In his will, he requested that his heirs make the burial ground a permanent cemetery. He also requested that a chapel be built to that people could pray for the repose of his soul. For unknown reasons, these requests were not carried out for more than 20 years, although people continued to be buried in the graveyard.
After the Civil War, there was a nationwide surge of temperance and religious fervor. Duxbury Grove 26 of the Ancient Order of Druids, a national temperance and social organization, was established in Bolinas in 1875.
From 1877 to 1879, there occurred, in rapid succession, construction of three churches - Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic - and the opening of four cemeteries - Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Druid - on Horseshoe Hill near Bolinas.
This prompted one correspondent to the Marin Journal to christen the area, "Gospel Flat". St. Mary Magdalene, or SMM cemetery, is probably the oldest active cemetery in Marin. Current restoration work aims to complete a plan laid out by the Sacred Heart Fathers in 1914.
Pablo Briones, the eldest son of Don Gregorio, organized the construction of the St. Mary Magdalene church with the aid of the tiny local Catholic population, together with generous donations from the Protestant community.
The arrival of Swiss-Italian and Portuguese immigrants during the next 30 years swelled the congregation. The redwood church was enlarged WHEN adding 10 feet to its length. It survived the earthquake with minor damage; a bell tower erected in 1908.
St. Mary Magdalene Church and the (former Briones) cemetery behind it were formally deeded to the Archdiocese of San Francisco in June 1878.
It has always been a mission church, serviced by priests from San Francisco, Sausalito, then Novato until 1909. At that time, Sacred Heart Fathers, a missionary group from Belgium active in the South Pacific, came to Olema to build a retreat house for their priests traveling to and from Europe.
In return, the Sacred Heart Fathers served the widespread parish, then called our Lady of Lourdes, during their tenure. St. Mary Magdalene was among its four mission churches that included St. Mary's in Nicasio, St. Cecilia's in Lagunitas and Our Lady of Lourdes in Olema.
When the Sacred Heart Fathers left Marin in 1935, at the request of the archdiocese, and the parish was physically divided. Sacred Heart Parish retained Sacred Heart Church and St. Mary Magdalene. The church is popular with the local inhabitants and with the many holiday renters and campers.
In 2005, parishioners celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Cemetery with a party and, in 2009, the church was given a new foundation to provide stabilization during an earthquake.
Today, the Church is popular with local inhabitants and the many holiday renters and campers and the graveyard behind it is maintained as a tree-shaded country cemetery. It is still in operation and welcomes visitors.
