Serra House of Formation
St. Junipero Serra House of Formation is the diocesan “home base” where young men begin their journey toward the priesthood for the Diocese of San Bernardino, living, praying, and studying together next door to Christ the Redeemer Parish in Grand Terrace. It is a place where ordinary men are invited to let their hearts be molded into the Heart of Jesus for the service of God’s people.
Our Story
Serra House began in the 1980s in a converted convent in Riverside, when diocesan leaders realized that our growing local Church needed a place of its own to form future priests. In 2005, Bishop Gerald Barnes’ long‑held dream was fulfilled with the opening of a new 1.5‑acre campus in Grand Terrace, built right beside Christ the Redeemer Church on what local residents affectionately call “holy hill.”
For more than twenty years in this location, Serra House has welcomed men from across the Diocese of San Bernardino who feel the stirrings of a priestly vocation and want to discern that call in a joyful, structured community. Today the house continues that mission under the leadership of the Rector and formation team, with deep gratitude to God and to the people of the Diocese who sustain this work of hope
A House that Feels Like Family
When you step onto the Serra House property on Oriole Avenue, you find more than a building; you find a community of brothers who pray, study, work, and laugh together. The seminarians live a common rhythm of daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, meals, recreation, and household responsibilities that helps them grow into healthy, balanced men capable of meeting the demands of priestly life.
The house brings together men of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds, reflecting the beautiful diversity of our Diocese. Under the guidance of the Rector, spiritual directors, formators, and staff, each seminarian is accompanied personally so that he can mature humanly, deepen his friendship with Christ, and learn to serve God’s people with a pastor’s heart.
Life at Serra House
Formation at Serra House is the first step in our seminarians’ journey; they typically spend two to four years here studying philosophy and completing their initial college‑level formation before moving on to a major seminary for theology. A “day in the life” includes time for communal prayer, classes and study, pastoral ministry, house jobs, exercise, and recreation, all ordered toward an integrated life of discipleship.
Seminarians regularly serve and worship with the parish community at Christ the Redeemer, allowing their formation to be rooted in real parish life and in the needs of local families. They also participate in diocesan events, share their vocation stories, and help with outreach such as retreats and vocation promotion, so that others can encounter Christ’s call through their witness.
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