Old St. Mary's Cathedral is one of the oldest Cathedrals in California. Built in 1854, located right in Chinatown on Grant Ave and California next to a cable car line. Not to be confused with the newer The Cathedral Saint Mary of the Assumption on Gough street. This church was "built by Chinese laborers, with brick brought around Cape Horn, and granite cut in China. With its dedication by (Bishop of Monterrey, Joseph S.) Alemany, then became the new Archbishop of San Francisco, at Christmas Midnight Mass, 1854, it became the first cathedral of the Archdiocese of San Francisco." -Wikipedia. Although it survived the 1906 earthquake, it was gutted by the fire next day, so like a phoenix, it arose out of the ashes and completed in 1909. In April 1968, it was designated as a San Francisco landmark. I attended this church for many years and still occasionally come in to pray, light candles, etc. Now that I don't live in Nob/Russian Hill anymore, I stop by less often. I will always remember my Godmom who loved this church. May she rest in peace. Located on California and Grant. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Since 1894. Old St. Mary's Cathedral + Holy Family Chinese Mission. - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

A beautiful church between the Union Square and Chinatown area that also happens to be the first Catholic cathedral built in California. They have masses throughout the day and also have a bilingual Cantonese mass on Sundays at 11am. The pastor that does the Cantonese mass is very kind and welcoming. As I was getting situated in my seat, Fr. came by to say hello and greeted me as well as other visitors. As an old cathedral, everything inside is also architecturally beautiful. The pews are solid wood and the kneelers are very heavy with medal accents. They seem to have great parishioners and staff here. Only thing about my recent visit was a grandma, who I presume is a regular there, that was situated at the front selling some prayer candles. I was asking about their nearest restroom and she looked at me and responded coldly that they didn't have restrooms there (they have one, found it after a little while). Maybe the grandma was having a bad day, but the attitude was a little surprising. Other that that, it was a nice visit. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Inside the church. - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

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When we're in SF for conferences or work meetings, we're usually staying near the Embarcadero Center and we always stop by Old St Mary's to attend service. This is the first cathedral in California, dedicated in 1854, and while the cathedral itself is full of history and worth visiting even if not attending a service, what stands out for us is how extremely welcoming the church and its staff are for visitors. Worth a visit! Saturday vigil mass at 5pm, Sunday 9am (English) and 11am (English/Cantonese bilingual). read more

We were in the area visiting many places and went here for Saturday afternoon mass. They were very welcoming of visitors.

I love old churches. This one was built in 1854 and was once the tallest building in San Francisco. It is the first cathedral of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The exterior and bell tower survived the fires from the 1906 earthquake. Under the clock in the front is a plaque with a verse that was meant to deter the men who would visit the brothels that were once across the street. Old St Mary's Cathedral is located next to Chinatown and the financial district and is a registered historic landmark. I recently walked by here and spent some time observing its beautiful Gothic Revival style design and the red bricks that make up its exterior. There is so much history in this building! The inside was closed at the time I was here so I hope to check it out in the future. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

A beautiful church with some incredible history. We visited Saturday night and then came back on Sunday for Mass. There are some pretty astounding photos of the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake. The church was damaged pretty severely, and to see it today, really makes you appreciate what had to be rebuilt to make this beautiful house of worship what it is today. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Stunning! - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They say that God knows the desires within one's heart, and sometimes God answers prayers that we do not whisper aloud. I believe this to be true in many aspects of my life. Whether it's material, spiritual, financial, personal, etc. I also believe that God has a sense of humor. That said, God has just answered one of my secret desires, and that is for the relaunch of the X-Files for 2016. I still have an autographed photo of Gillian Anderson as agent Dana Scully pinned to the board by my desk at home, as well as a limited edition trading card. Some may secretly want to win the lottery, others may want that discount big screen TV on black Friday. Me, I just wanted the X-Files back on Tv. I like this church because it's quiet with an old school feeling, and it's one of several churches that my family has always liked, and felt comfortable going to. And though I've come to this church to pray during lunchtime for strength and patience for my job, and for wisdom, I never once voiced how much I wanted this show back. But, God knows all. So, I'm excited about next years relaunch of the X-Files, and I'm excited about the peace I find in praying at this tranquil church. And I know God has a sense of humor, since he created me. read more

Thanks to my pal, Eric Robert R. (ERR), in Hawaii, I got the 411 on this historic cathedral! ...California's FIRST Catholic cathedral ! My cousin kept asking if I was sure I wanted to go so far and wouldn't I rather go to a closer church near her house? Well...If you know me, when something is in my head, it's going to happen. .. So, I was lucky to catch a ride from my cousin's husband to the cathedral. It was majestic with the stained glass windows, candles and contemporary, live guitar music. Father encouraged us to meet the people sitting around us. (Single people should come to church! I shook hands with guys from Lebanon, San Francisco, and Kansas!) There's a social hour after 9am mass! Fun! After mass, I walked through Chinatown on Grant Street and got some goodies. .. Wow, so convenient! Later, I caught a Lyft back to my cousin's house. No parking or driving problems! What an honor to celebrate mass in this famous place on Daylight savings time day of Spring Forward! read more

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California's first building built expressly to be a cathedral in 1854. It was gutted by 2 major fires, one being the 1906 earthquake. Look at the clock tower on top of the church. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Old St Mary’s Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

A man plays a Chinese instrument next to the church. A woman walked to the chapel then reflected on the stations of the cross. I didn't want to disturb the peace by taking photographs. I like having a place for contemplation and resting my feet as I walk uphill through Chinatown. I sat inside for half an hour until they turned the lights on. It doesn't look like the oldest cathedral in the state. The basin of holy water is a fountain made out of a vase. The bench I was sitting on didn't have a thing to kneel on. The connected Paulist store down Grant is good for cards and figurines. There are photographs showing this building before the hill was paved! You can still hear the cable car from inside. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

Growing up in North Beach, Sts. Peter& Paul was my school and parish until I moved from the area. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Old St. Mary's Cathedral the corner of Grant and California for services for my friend's Dad. Though I have walked or driven by in the past, I've never had a chance to visit. I determined that this brick church was built in 1854 and served as the first cathedral of San Francisco's Catholic Archdiocese until 1891. The building withstood the 1906 earthquake but was gutted by the fires from the earthquake before being rebuilt and reopened in 1909. The Church is served by the Paulists Fathers and has nice stained glass windows, religious statues and a beautiful altar. It was great visiting this California Historical Landmark church. If you're in the area, make a visit of this beautiful church. read more

We had our 2022 wedding at OSM and it was the perfect place to celebrate our marriage. The location is iconic, the church itself is beautiful, and its history speaks for itself. Thank you to Father John and to Satoko for making our wedding day so beautiful. read more

Traditions are meant to be kept. As a creature of habit, this is my annual ritual for Christmas... attending the Midnight Mass. With the church wonderfully decorated with a large Christmas tree by the altar, a nativity scene to the front right of the church, and the choir and musicians to the front left of the church, it was about 75 to 80% full on this cool evening. There's just something about singing Christmas songs in a mostly full church with the choir, a piano, violin, trumpet, and timpani drum going. It almost seems like something out of a public television show. With a mix of young families, couples young and old, and regular parishioners, it was truly a diverse crowd. From young children running up and down the aisle to people simply reflecting on what they have to be thankful for, there is something for everyone here. It's probably not as glamorous as the other larger churches in the city (Grace or St. Mary's on Gough), but it certainly is a nice spot to feel the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas everyone. read more

It's the first cathedral in California. It's also the closest one to the Financial District so it's the place to go at noon during holy days if you work downtown. Local celeb alert: I've seen the bishop preside over Mass here at least once. (I guess it's not really a celeb if it's still someone associated with the church.) This is the only Catholic church I've found other than Newman Hall in Berkeley that is Paulist. I believe the Paulists are from a more scholarly (and maybe more modern and I like to think, enlightened) tradition. I'm not sure if he's still there but there was a priest with good homilies here who had the interesting background of being from a Southern Baptist from the Deep South who became a Catholic. There's a good singing group (and that's at a weekday Mass when most churches barely have any singing if it all). The cantor has an amazing range. This church is in Chinatown and has a large Chinese community. read more

Old Saint Mary's Cathedral, built in 1854, is a California landmark and the first cathedral of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. You may be wondering, "what's the difference between a church and a cathedral?" Well, a cathedral is home to a bishop or archbishop, while a church is home to a pastor or monsignor. It's a decent size and there are plenty of icons throughout the cathedral. I was happy to see a statue of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz (first Filipino saint), and I paid homage. I was glad that the church was open for visitors. It may not be as busy as Saint Patrick's Cathedral in NYC, but it's still an important part of Catholic history in the United States. If you're Catholic, then you should make a pilgrimage. If you're not, the doors are still open... read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

The Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a proto-Cathedral and Parish that serves of the Chinatown and Nob Hill communities. Old St. Mary's Church was built in 1854 as San Francisco's First Cathedral, and is a California Historical Landmark. It has been served by the Paulist Fathers since 1901. It's not the huge successor Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption on Geary (AKA Our Lady of the Laundromat), and that's good. I love how the inner peace and humility that this First Church effects this very spiritual non-Catholic. Under the clock face of Old St. Mary's appears the words: "Son, Observe the Time and Fly from Evil" (Ecclesiasticus 4:23). This sentiment was aimed at the men who frequented the surrounding brothels in the 1850s and still presents a modern message. It was in front of Old St. Mary's that Emperor Norton I collapsed in 1880, on his way to a lecture at the California Academy of Sciences. Old St. Mary's survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, only to be gutted a day later by the fires. The flames were so hot that they melted the church bells and marble altar. All that was left was the exterior brick walls and the bell tower. The renovation of the church was completed in 1909. The church further expanded and built an auditorium, a library and a lecture room and used that space in the future to host events for the servicemen and women of World War II. read more

My husband and I were married at this cathedral in September. It was so lovely! I am Catholic, but my husband was not, and the priest we met with when we signed up to do our ceremony there (no longer there) was very friendly. The church was also very flexible with our attending Marriage Prep outside of the San Francisco Diocese and bringing our own Reverend from outside of the Diocese. The cathedral is the first cathedral in California so it made for a nice historic context even for those who were not as interested in the religion. The soloist, Satoko, was a pleasure to work with in coming up with the music for the ceremony. Her voice was so beautiful, as many of the guests commented. The pianist was also quite good. On the day of the wedding, a couple of people were helping at the church that I did not have the pleasure of speaking to at length -- but they were super friendly and helped everything to go along as smoothly as it did. The cathedral was beautiful inside and really did not need much in the way of decor. See the pictures! Outside of the church is the financial district and Chinatown, which adds to the character of an Old St. Mary's wedding. Highly recommended for a San Francisco Catholic or interfaith wedding! And the best part....wedding bells ringing as we exited the church! Classic! read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Old St. Mary's, Photograph by Andi Hatch Photography - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

Right at the heart of Chintatown. Beautiful historical landmark with a wonderful, funny priest for your homily at 9am. Free donuts & coffee after mass, but please support their bookstore. Very cute nifty items. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - It's a historical landmark! - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The oldest cathedral in California, and one of the older churches in America, dates back to 1854. It's quite humble for being such a historic structure, but it's definitely worth checking out. Even if you're not religious, you're going to find it peaceful and quiet, and that's worth something in the hustle and bustle of the city. read more

I had my wedding at Old St. Mary's in August this year. I'll be honest, it wasn't my first choice of Catholic churches in the City. However, I really believe it was meant to be, and Old St. Mary's kind of chose me in the end. This church is so meaningful because of its history and its people. I asked Father Peter Shea to hold our ceremony for us. My husband is not Catholic and I am, but Father Shea made the whole process simple for the two of us. He is truly one of the most kind, genuine priests I have ever met. Laid back and so funny. We were so happy to work with him. I was worried because the church does not provide a wedding coordinator. The music coordinator Satoko does do the coordinator's jobs on the wedding day, helps with entry of of the bridal party. In the end, the ceremony went very smoothly. The music was fabulous. The pianist did the most absolute perfect version of the wedding march that I had requested. As I walked down the aisle, I heard the music as was just so darn happy. Satoko is an amazing vocalist! Amazing. Side notes - There is a $1500 charge to use the church for your wedding. It includes services of the church priest, cantor and pianist. Other musicians are available for an additional fee. If you're looking for a Catholic church to hold your ceremony, this really is the perfect place. The church isn't too big or too small. It has so much historical value, and the people are a delight to work with. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love the interior and the noontime concerts here, but I was treated pretty rudely today. During some of the concerts, I've noticed this annoying typing sound that I wanted to bring to the attention of whomever was in charge of these concerts. I approached the front desk if they can help relieve it, but then it dawned on me that the man there didn't know English well enough to help me. He directed me to an older woman who was in charge of it, so I tried talking to her. She told me to talk to her after the performance was done, because she couldn't hear me. So I waited, while watching her talk to some other people during the performance as well. When the performance finished, she told me to wait some more because she had to receive the people leaving the concert. She didn't even make eye contact with me as she basically just brushed me aside. Hello? I literally waited about 10-15 minutes and I had to get back to work; I wanted to leave when I was talking to her the first time around but I was patient. I couldn't have been the only one who was bothered by that ticking sound. I was just disrespected. Was it because of an ageist or racist thing? I don't even know, but if someone is making an effort to give feedback, don't be rude about it. I want to come back and enjoy this cathedral, but if there's incessant ticking in the background and I can't even properly put feedback in for that, then I'm not going to. read more

I was walking through Chinatown last weekend, and saw this Cathedral up ahead. I love looking inside Catholic churches (the older the better!), and was hoping this one would be open so I could take a look inside. Luckily it was open, and it's beautiful on the inside! Lots of stained glass windows, statues in the side chapels, candles lit for lost loved ones, and the altar is breathtaking as well. While this cathedral doesn't begin to compare to the cathedrals I've seen in central Europe, it's definitely one of the best churches I've seen in California. I love this cathedral's rich history, and think it's so great that this building survived SF's big earthquake. When I visited St. Mary's, there were choir members rehearsing in the side chapel, so that was cool to listen to as well. It's a shame I didn't get here a couple hours earlier so I could have gone to their mass. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend stopping in and checking it out; it's beautiful, and an important piece of Catholic California history! read more

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Located near the financial district and the Chinatown--parking can be abysmal. Our goal was to look at this beautiful church and then continue on to the Tonga room at the Fairmont Hotel. The church really was impressive with lots of people making visits and saying prayers. Our left driver took us to the new St Marys Cathedral for a compare and contrast. Tonga room later read more

Calling all cafeteria Catholics! I have a church for you. I know you all would rather watch paint dry than listen to my views on organized religion, but too bad yer gonna hear it anyway. I have 18 years of Catholic School under my belt. Eighteen. That's Pre-K through senior year of college, people. When I missed mass on Sunday as I child, my Irish mother and grandmother would march me down to confession. Talk about really making someone repellant to an ideology. I cannot remember feeling good at mass in a very, very long time. Some priest always has to ruin it by talking about abortion on Christmas Eve or announcing, "Only practicing, regular church-goers are welcome to come up to communion." On Christmas Eve. Great, thanks, can't wait to come back and do this again! Old St. Mary's held the loveliest Christmas Eve mass I have ever attended. The welcoming, joyful atmosphere is apparent as soon as you walk through the doors. A simple trio of violin, piano and vocals belted out the haunting carols we know so well. The priest delivered an uplifting homily that turned my insides to mush and quickly became the topic of our dinner conversation afterwards. Can't remember the last time that happened. I got a great feeling from this parish and would recommend it to anyone looking for the same. read more

Conveniently located in Chinatown Sfo, you won't miss this church! It's located just before you try all the dim sum and check out all the souvenirs or buy all the jewelry at Chinatown. This is a Catholic Church. On a Sunday we attended the 9-10am. At 10:15am is a chinese mass. You purchase the bottles candles at the rear entrance of the church at $3.00 or $5.00 each. It's a very solemn church until tourist take pictures and selfies . read more

I miss this church. For 8 yrs working in the financial dist, I visited this Mother Mary's solemn and humble church periodically, in good times and bad times to say my prayers. If not all, most of my prayers were heard and granted. I continue to visit along with my whole family when we are in the area, one would feel at home here, sit in and pray your heart out for guidance. You'll be coming back from time and time again. read more

This review is actually for the marriage preparatory class they offer and not for the church services. When we were looking into it, I couldn't find any reviews for the marriage prep classes so I thought this might be useful for other engaged couples out there too! Called Saturday for the Engaged (used to be called pre-cana) http://www.oldsaintmarys.org/html/engaged.html, Old St. Mary's offers an all day premarital counseling session for those about to embark on the life-long commitment that is marriage! Initially my fiance and I were looking into having a Catholic priest marry us outside and so this was one of the requirements. We soon ran into many stumbling blocks with that and nixed the idea, going with just a normal officiant. However, we had already signed up for this and both agreed that pre-marital counseling could only do us both some good in getting us to talk about some of the long term life goals marriage might bring to the table that we may not have talked about already. As with anything like this, you get out of it what you put into it. We both went into it not really knowing what to expect and not being overly religious and wanting more of the holistic experience and not religious experience. It was fabulous and we both got a lot out of it and would recommend it to any other couples about to get married! We consider us a strong couple but it in the furor of planning a wedding it was nice to be able to take a day to focus on the marriage which is the whole rest of your life, instead of just the wedding which is just one day. Broken up into multiple sessions, you each fill out his and her worksheets and then discuss such topics as 'feelings', 'communications', 'spirituality in marriage', 'budgets', and 'children'. Like I said, well worth our time and I think we are a better couple now as a result of having attended. read more

The service, priests and choir were all excellent. I haven't felt so welcome at a mass since I was a child. The church is also quite beautiful. I would highly recommend this church to everyone. read more

The Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception is more commonly referred to as Old St. Mary's Cathedral. It stands at the corner of California Street and Grant Ave in Chinatown. Built in 1854, it is a historic landmark, California's first Catholic cathedral, and one of the oldest church buildings still standing in California. It was for decades the seat of the Archdiocese of San Francisco until the new St. Mary's Cathedral was constructed further west on Geary Blvd. Now, Old St. Mary's is a parish catering to the Chinese-American community and downtown workers. They have early morning and mid-day masses on weekdays in addition to Sunday worship. If you happen to be in Chinatown, stop by and visit. Website: http://www.oldsaintmarys.org/ read more

I used to work down the street from this church and have come here for Ash Wednesday a few times. It's a great old church. Way nicer than the new St. Mary's which looks like the agitator of a washing mashine. Recently, I had to drag my then fiance to marriage prep classes. I found this 1 day course offered at Old St. Mary's. I was impressed with the program. My husband was baptized Catholic, but isn't practicing, so getting him to go to this was not exactly easy. The course was in the basement of Old St Mary's, so you can imagine it was a bit drafty...that's one way to keep us awake! They shared with us what we needed to know and got us in and out in one day. Granted, our procter fell asleep and truly the issues they were expecting us to cover in one day required a bit more time to discuss! When we were they were undergoing renovations...I hope this place stays open, as it's really a great Church with great people. read more

"Son, observe the time and fly from evil," reads the Biblical message just below the clock on the front of Old St. Mary's Cathedral. I found the doors to be open and welcoming when I visited this afternoon, and I was delighted to discover a "museum" inside with a historical timeline, photos of the cathedral's founder and its priests, as well as the crucifix found after the church caught fire (it seemed somewhat unscathed). The interior is incredible, with vivid stained glass pieces, stations of the cross in little niches lining the walls, and an abundance of pews. There's also a side altar area off to the right, and a number of paintings throughout the church. I couldn't resist donating--this cathedral needs to endure for at least another century, if not longer. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Detail of St. Mary's Biblical citation - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've been a part of this parish for almost 1 yr now. I went through their wonderful R.C.I.A. last year. You will fall in love with this church as I have! Mass is so special every Sunday. You will feel very welcome as you step through the door. read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm always torn on how to rate churches, but here goes: Superficial stuff: Interior: darker, paint peeling in parts, definitely got more of a somber feel. Music: wish there was an organ as part of the singing, but it's pretty cool to be listening to the Gospel while erhu echoes in from down the street. The choir is small and on a volunteer basis, and the music is okay. Important stuff: Inclusivity: I found the church on gaychurch.org, to find Catholic churches that would be gay-friendly. Old St. Mary's was listed on it. They very much stress the "all are welcome" aspect, encourage people to introduce themselves at the start of Sunday Mass. The congregation is pretty ethnically and socioeconomically diverse. Had a cool Worship of the Ancestors ceremony for Chinese New Year, love that hybridityy. Homilies: This is why people go to church, right? Father Tom and Father Bart are some of the best preachers I've experienced. They think about what their audience needs to hear instead of just blindly reading off a lectern. The homilies are the reason I keep going back. I am Catholic-curious and feel welcome and rejuvenated whenever I go to Mass here. Highly recommend. read more

Old Saint Mary's Cathedral Church has been around for 157 years now. I've lived in San Francisco for 24 years and I walked by this location from time to time seeing a church building. Well, I finally knew this was a church building when I walked in here for the first time 4 months ago. This is when I decided to come in here to check out the history of this church. The church building here on the corner of California St and Grant Ave is one of the most historical landmarks in San Francisco. read more

How many times have I walked by this old cathedral and promised myself that,one day, I'd go inside? Well, as of today, I've marked that one off my 'Things you haven't seen or done in the 20 plus years you've lived in The City' list. Well worth it too. I've seen the countless photos of the fire, not the quake, that ravaged her interiors but it was built up again and open for God's business by 1909. There is a wonderful display of these photos and ones I've never seen when you go in. Another fact I hadn't known. It was dedicated with a Christmas Eve mass in 1854! A very beautifully, restored cathedral..the bookstore just a few paces outside on Grant didn't do anything for me but it has some cool Celtic Crosses in back. Tie this in with Chinatown and North Beach tours, all can be traversed in an hour or less/ read more

Old St Mary's Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I finally came here for the 12:30 Tuesday classical music - loved it! They have a full schedule of varying classical music, and I hope I can come back again soon. They had Russian violin and piano during my first experience and it was just magical. Make time to visit this beautiful church and the lovely musical performances every Tuesday. read more

Every Tuesday at 12:30 there is a live classical music performance. It is donation based but you can go and listen/watch award winning musicians playing great music! They have the upcoming performances on their website, and for me, it was a great escape from sitting behind a desk all day at work! PS. The church is gorgeous! read more

Great Little church , did Sunday mass n then walk down n had lunch in Chinatown! Everybody super friendly n mass was a very good one! I suggest you try it! read more

Great history, lovely church, and they have the chronology of how the church has evolved over the last 150+ years -- worth checking out.

Thank you to Fr Joe Scott who baptized our baby son in late December. Fr Joe made the process amazingly simple, streamlined and completely enjoyable. At the very last minute we had family join us so I knew it was going to be tough to find a parish who could christen our child in such a short time period. We are very greatful to Fr Joe for his time & his generosity. A beautiful church, we can highly recommend Fr Joe for his gentle & sweet interaction with our baby. read more