Diocese of Fresno

What Diocese of Fresno does

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Co-Patroness of the Unborn, is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic parish and Diocesan Shrine operating under the Diocese of Fresno in Bakersfield, California. Founded in 1925 as a mission chapel for the Hispanic Catholic community, the parish was elevated to Diocesan Shrine status by the Bishop on September 12, 2012, and is currently administered by the Oblates of St. Joseph (O.S.J.) under Josephite-Marellian spirituality. Core operations include Catholic Mass services in English and Spanish, the seven sacraments, religious education, youth ministry, pro-life and pro-family programming, bereavement support, and the unique Memorial of the Unborn. The parish operates from multiple locations including a main church on California Avenue, a 1,000-person Pavilion/grotto on Brundage Lane, a Catholic school (OLG School), and a Memorial of the Unborn with crypts for babies lost from first trimester through full term.

The organization funds itself through tax-deductible donations and tithes from parishioners, with monthly recurring giving as the core revenue model alongside one-time gifts and check payments. Marketing and community engagement are conducted through the parish website, YouTube livestreams, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flocknote email newsletters, and a printed weekly bulletin. Distribution occurs directly through on-site worship at multiple locations including a proposed Perpetual Adoration Chapel. The parish leadership includes Pastor Fr. Shaji Athipozhi (O.S.J.), two Parochial Vicars, a Transitional Deacon, and an office team of approximately 11 staff plus volunteer ministry coordinators.

The organization is currently executing a multi-phase capital campaign. Phase One (Shrine and Pavilion) was completed and blessed in October 2012, and the Memorial of the Unborn was blessed in August 2020. An ongoing Phase Two effort seeks to fund a new 1,200-seat Spanish Mission-style Shrine Church on the 12-acre Brundage Lane property, with a Perpetual Adoration Chapel also planned. The campaign is led by a dedicated Campaign Director and includes a formalized Pledge Card process, with the operating entity governed hierarchically under Bishop Armando X. Ochoa's spiritual authority.

Name

Diocese of Fresno

Legal name

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Copatroness of the Unborn

Website

https://guadalupebakersfield.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a bilingual Catholic parish and Diocesan Shrine in Bakersfield, CA, serving the Hispanic and English-speaking Catholic community of Kern County under the Diocese of Fresno with Mass, sacraments, religious education, and the unique Memorial of the Unborn.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services (Catholic Parish)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAL

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Catholic parish services
• Sacramental ministries
• Religious education
• Catholic K-8 education
• Pro-life family ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: The parish receives tax-deductible gifts from parishioners through monthly recurring giving, one-time donations, and checks. Donations support parish ministries, the new church campaign, and the Memorial of the Unborn.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a parish of the Diocese of Fresno, delivers Catholic worship services (daily and Sunday Mass in English and Spanish), the seven sacraments, religious education, youth ministry, and pro-life/pro-family programs. It also operates a parochial K-8 school and provides grief support through the Memorial of the Unborn. Funding flows from voluntary donations, tithes, and a multi-year capital campaign to build a new 1,200-seat Spanish Mission-style church.

Product overview

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Co-Patroness of the Unborn is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic parish within the Diocese of Fresno offering worship services, sacraments, religious education, and ministry programs. The parish operates from two locations: the main church at 601 E. California Ave. and the Shrine/Pavilion at 4600 E. Brundage Ln. Core offerings include daily and Sunday Mass, the Memorial of the Unborn, Perpetual Adoration Chapel, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Pro-Life and Pro-Family programs, and various spirituality devotions. A major construction campaign is underway to build a new 1,200-seat shrine church on the Brundage Lane property.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Memorial of the Unborn: A memorial offering crypts for babies lost from the first trimester through full term, with plaques available for families to name and honor lost children.
• Perpetual Adoration Chapel

Products and services

• Parish Church Services Catholic Mass services in English and Spanish, confessions, and the seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Confession) offered at the main parish church at 601 E California Ave, Bakersfield. Open to individual parishioners and families in Kern County.
• Shrine and Pavilion Outdoor worship space at 4600 E Brundage Ln featuring a covered pavilion for Sunday Mass and a grotto with a mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe created by Vatican Studio, designed for bilingual parish gatherings and special events.
• Memorial of the Unborn Memorial garden offering crypts for babies lost from first trimester through full term due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, with plaques available for families to honor and name their lost children. Provides grief support and post-abortion healing ministry to bereaved families.
• Perpetual Adoration Chapel Chapel for continuous day and night adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, located in front of the Grotto of Our Lady on the Brundage Lane campus, designed to seat 150 people for daily Mass. Currently under construction/development.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School Parochial K-8 Catholic school at 609 E California Ave providing academic education integrated with Catholic Gospel values to a multicultural community of students. Affiliated with the Sisters Servants of the Blessed Sacrament since 1989.
• Religious Education Programs CCD classroom-based religious education for children, youth, and adults including sacrament preparation, led by the Religious Education Director. Designed for parish families seeking formal Catholic faith formation.
• Youth Ministry Programs Youth faith formation programs including Marello Youth Council, Lumen Christi (high school), and IROCK Mission (middle school) focused on Catholic faith growth and community service for parish youth.
• Pro-Life Ministry Ministry supporting pregnant mothers and unborn children, including Blessing of Babies in the Womb, Annual Baby Shower, Spiritual Adoption, and Post-abortion Healing programs. Open to parish families and expectant mothers.
• Pro-Family Ministry Family formation programs including Engaged Blessing, Holy Spouses Society, Life-Giving Love workshops, and Natural Family Planning courses for engaged couples and married families in the parish.
• New Shrine Church Construction Campaign Capital campaign to fund a new 1,200-seat Spanish Mission-style church on the Brundage Lane property to replace current facilities. Currently soliciting tax-deductible pledges from parish donors and benefactors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Memorial of the Unborn blessed by Bishop Joseph Brennan on August 22, 2020

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oblates of St. JosephcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001The Oblates of St. Joseph assumed ministry of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in 1992. Fr. James Catalano, OSJ, initiated the land acquisition for the new shrine. The parish operates under Josephite-Marellian spirituality founded by St. Joseph Marello.
• Sister Servants of the Blessed SacramentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament arrived at OLG in 1989 to serve at the school. They continue to provide staffing and spiritual guidance for the parish school.
• Diocese of FresnocoreOthers · 1 January 1967The Diocese of Fresno was established in 1967 and has ecclesiastical authority over the parish. The Bishop declared OLG a Diocesan Shrine in 2012 and blessed various milestones including Phase One construction.
• Holy Ghost Missionary Fathers (Spiritans)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1948Holy Ghost Missionary Fathers served at OLG from 1948 to 1983. Fr. Francis P. Trotter, C.S.Sp., served as pastor from 1948-1959 and established many parish programs.
• Sisters of MercyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1921Sisters of Mercy originally taught at the school from 1921-1985, providing Catholic education and establishing early clinic services for the community.
• National Catholic RegisterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured article titled 'Mourning the Little Ones: Holy Spouses Mausoleum and Memorial of the Unborn Offers Healing, Hope' published on January 22, 2021, providing national media coverage for the Memorial ministry.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish SchoolcoreOthersOur Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School operated by the parish at 609 E. California Ave., providing Catholic education from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: Largest Catholic shrine in the United States — directly comparable as a Catholic national shrine destination but at significantly greater scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels: Archdiocesan mother church in Los Angeles serving a large bilingual Hispanic Catholic community, comparable as a Spanish-language Catholic cathedral/parish operating bilingual Masses and major community ministries in California.
• Mother Cabrini Shrine: Catholic shrine with pilgrimage programming and outdoor devotional spaces — comparable as a shrine operation with pilgrimage/retreat-style ministry.
• Mission San Juan Capistrano: California Catholic mission functioning as an active parish alongside a heritage/tourism operation — comparable in combining sacramental ministry, school operations, and cultural-shrine activities.
• Mission San Luis Rey de Francia: California Catholic mission and parish with Franciscan heritage, similar in operating an active parish plus retreat/shrine ministry and serving a regional Catholic community.
• Old Mission Santa Barbara: Historic California Catholic mission and parish operating as both an active parish and a heritage shrine/visitor destination — directly comparable to OLG's dual role as parish and Diocesan Shrine.
• National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help: U.S. Catholic Marian shrine with pilgrimage appeal — comparable in operating as a designated Diocesan shrine destination with devotional focus.
• Our Lady of Pompei Church (East Harlem, NY): Historic Italian-American Catholic parish and shrine serving a specific ethnic Catholic community — comparable in operating as a heritage ethnic-language parish with shrine designation.

Others

• Catholic Charities USA: National Catholic social-services umbrella organization — adjacent comparable in providing faith-based social services, bereavement support, and community outreach programs structurally similar to those offered by OLG.
• EWTN Global Catholic Network: Catholic media organization providing broadcast/online Catholic content — adjacent/ecosystem comparable as a faith-based organization reaching Spanish- and English-speaking Catholic audiences, but operating a media model rather than physical parish model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/olgbakersfield
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ShrineofGuadalupeBakersfield/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/guadalupebakersfield
• Instagraminstagram.com/olg_church/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-fresno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Fresno