Local California Mission padres from the San Buenaventura Mission had been serving the Catholic families of the Oxnard Plain at the parish mission of New Jerusalem (El Rio) for decades prior. Santa Clara parish was formally named on August 19th, 1884, by Bishop Francisco Mora. Before most of the streets of Oxnard were laid out, Santa Clara parish was named and officially opened on February 1, 1885, with Father Juan Pujol as the first pastor. At the turn of the century in 1903, a cornerstone was laid for a beautiful new red brick church in what is now the historic downtown core of Oxnard, CA.
Rev. Juan Pujol 1885-1910 Rev. John S. Laubacher 1910-1918 Rev. John Clifford 1918-1922 Rev. James Reardon 1922-1923 Rev. James O'Neil 1923-1925 Rev. J.J. Sheehy 1925-1926 Rev. Fred Wekenman 1926-1930 Rev. Michael G. Sheahan 1930-1934 Rev. Msgr Anthony Jacobs 1934-1964 Rev. Msgr Joseph Sharpe 1964-1973 Rev. Michael O'Shea 1973-1978 Rev. Msgr. Charles O'Gorman 1978-1992 Rev. Msgr Peter Nugent 1992-2001 Rev. Msgr Jon Majarucon 2001-2014 Rev. Marco Ortiz 2014-2021 Rev. John W. Love 2021