Saint Columba Catholic Church

6401 San Pablo Avenue
Oakland

Saint Columba was established as a parish in 1898 by Archbishop Patrick Riordan.  Its boundaries were originally part of Sacred Heart, the only parish for the largely rural and unpopulated area of west Oakland.  The first pastor was Rev. Martin J. Whyte, who purchased the land at the corner of 64t h and San Pablo for the church.  A small square wooden church was soon built and a rectory was completed in 1903.

More land was purchased in 1904, and the little church was remodeled to double its size.  That church served the community until the present structure was built in 1960.

The new church was designed architect George Steuer and was built by general contractor W. A. Moroney.

The beautiful stained glass windows in the church were created in 1960 and 1961 by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco.  His angelic faces and softly draped clothing grace the figures in the windows.  The major themes of the windows are the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries.

Although the old wooden church was demolished, the original 1903 rectory still stands next to the new church.