St. Charles Borromeo, like St. Philip Neri church, is named after an Italian saint. Charles Borromeo was a 16th century bishop of Milan - a reformer with a heart for the poor.
The present church structure at St. Charles was built in 1954 "in the style of California mission churches" according to the parish website. The exterior is brick and although adorned with multiple brick crosses, I could not see a cross on a steeple. The interior walls are made of cinder blocks and yet it is a handsome interior. The stainglass windows are made with large divisions of glass, which cause the images to appear abstract.
The church was remodelled in 1995 "in a style to draw the people together as a family around the Table of the Lord's Word and Sacrament." What this means is that the pews no longer face the crucifix at the end of the church. Instead, the pews face across the the short side of the church and the alter has been moved to where the pews face. The area where the alter is almost the entire length of the church and fit a piano, three song leaders and the altar with plenty of spare room.
The most striking thing about St. Charles Borromeo is the diversity of the parishioners. Like a mini-UN, there are Latinos, Whites, Blacks, Asians and Pacific Islanders. As the parish bulletin puts it: "Saint Charles Borromeo is a Catholic parish for people who enjoy the celebration of the Eucharist in a culturally rich and diverse community."
The people were friendly and seemed actively involved. Looked like a fine place to go to church.
So how was the mass?
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