St. Mary's is a Roman Catholic church in Riverside. I was baptized here, I did my first Communion here, I was confirmed here, and I have attended Sunday mass here (usually the 11:30) for my entire life, excluding the years I was in college. While I may not have met many people specifically through the church, many Riverside community members go to St. Mary's and I always am comforted to see plenty of people I know at church.
The church itself is pretty intimate--certainly no megachurch. There are plenty of pews on the main floor, although I've only sat there a few times in my life. The choir loft almost always has seating or at least standing room that doesn't get in everyone's way if you happen to be late. Like any church, everyone flocks here for Christmas and Easter, so masses are held in the gym instead (which is part of the St. Mary School).
The music isn't huge here (like huge churches that shell out thousands), but there are some incredibly talented cantors and sometimes there are instrumentalists who volunteer to play the harmonies (most recently, three high school violin players).
The only reason I took away a star is because some of the priests have strong accents so I struggle a little to understand what is being said for the Homily. Overall, I love St. Mary's and I will certainly continue to attend mass here for as long as I live in the area. If you come to St. Mary's, I promise you will feel welcomed. "All Are Welcome."
Note: I don't know why St. Mary's is listed in the "Colleges and Universities" categories. It's definitely a church! read more