St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral

When I am in San Diego I love to attend this church. They have a wonderful music program, and the sermons are always very smart and heartfelt. This is a welcoming church, and very inclusive. It is a slightly high mass (incense, sung liturgy) however a friendly group and wonderful place to worship. The church itself is quite beautiful. The organ is amazing. Everyone is welcome.
Don’t be nervous about going, they hand you a bulletin when you enter that has the entire service printed including the hymns. You can participate as much or as little as you want.

I would recommend at least one visit on a Sunday morning to experience the mass/​Eucharist and to listen to the Cathedral Choir accompanied by the pipe organ. I enjoyed the experience.
So different from your typical Catholic mass.
The priest is a hottie.
next time i wont be high when i come

What a beautiful Cathedral! Definitely a must see while in SD.

I like visiting churches, cathedrals and temples, if not for the religious experience, to contemplate the architectural beauty and the work of love put into each stone (or piece of rock). This one is my favorite so far of all I have visit in San Diego, it is extremely peaceful and welcoming. For photo-​addicts looking for great location close to Balboa Park but a little bit different of the usual, thy to pose in those big red doors. Red gives a touch of joie-​de-​vivre, not very usually found in churches (some of them tend to be depressing, actually). This is a really pretty one, those arches are very photogenic and inside smells oh so good. Also I noticed they offer cooking classes for the community from time to time. I need to check that out and come back here and tell you more.

I am a cradle Episcopalian and have been to many different congregations in my travels and this one is by far the most welcoming, friendly and truly spiritual without sappiness or pushy evangelism. As an added bonus, they also have one of the most beautiful music programs in the Anglican world on par with much larger Cathedrals. A wonderful, warm fulfilling worship experience.

Come one, come all… ST Pauls is welcoming to all that want to worship. Sit in the unadorned beauty of the place and relax. Meet a new friend. Unburden yourself of your worries.
If you come on a holiday… come EARLY!!! The wait will be worth it as the music is inspired and uplifting. But seating can be hard to come by.
They do use incense here most of the year with the exception of the lenten season (the 40 days before easter) so if that bothers you… sit more to the right side of the church… and NOT near the middle aisle.

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CHURCH.
The high ceilings, stained glass windows, the pipe organ, and the gothic architecture are all beautiful.
But the real beauty of this church is it’s philosophy.
Part of it is this:
«If you are visiting for just a few moments or a few hours, please know that you are granted immunity from the painful ravages of religious bigotry and intolerance. St. Paul’s exists for people of all religious faiths and beliefs and for others who have yet to discover the direction of their own spiritual journey.»
I firmly believe that a church’s main function is to SERVE the needs of the community around it. And this church surely knows the people in the sorrounding community.
There are church services spoken/​sung in Spanish, and various events to minister to the needy here and in Mexico
.
They are also in the forefront, nationally, as one of the few Christian churches who recognize and support the GLBT. There’s a large gay community in this neighborhood.
I would recommend at least one visit on a Sunday morning to experience the mass/​Eucharist and to listen to the Cathedral Choir accompanied by the pipe organ. I enjoyed the experience.
So different from your typical Catholic mass.
I asked one of the long time parishioners to describe this church and she said, «CATHOLIC-​LITE», and «we’re more fun».
I’ll end this review with this Creed:
”:BOOZE ALMOST DID ME END, BUT HEAVEN DOESN’T WANT ME, AND HELL THINKS I’M DOING A GREAT JOB.”
.

Most beautiful depictions and eloquent words cannot do justice for the experience I had at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Though there may be doctrinal differences or certain topics that would cause debate, I chose to visit and see for myself what the Compline service is all about (compline is a service focused on quiet prayer and chanted hymns). I visited with expectations and hopes to meet with God in an intimate way… and I was not disappointed.
The sanctuary was open prior to the start of the service, and I was the first to enter in. The room was dark, barely lit with candles down the aisle and a few candles in the front. The stained glass windows adorning the sanctuary were barely visible in their blue tint because it was beginning to get dark outside. There were less than 15 people present, which only added to the intimacy.
I became lost in quiet adoration, and for a moment I felt as if I could have been in a cathedral in Europe in the middle of the dark ages… well, other than the three EXIT signs that were glowing in red.
Shortly thereafter, a young lady walked throughout the sanctuary with beautiful incense filling the air with a scent of holiness. There was an incredible peace and silence in the room. Three cantors then came and sat in the front; each holding a single candle. They were clothed in long dark robes. The first note sung nearly and instantly brought tears to my eyes. Two men and one woman were leading the chanting; hymns and prayers in both Latin and English. The harmonies were INCREDIBLE! The atmosphere was set to worship; to sit still and worship.
I was so pleased that I visited this church service. If you’re looking for a new experience, something intimate, special, out of the ordinary; if you’re looking for something Holy and want to meet with God, you ought to visit on a Sunday night.
For more information on location and times, you can check out their website.

Is it strange to review a house of worship? I feel like I’m making a public judgment of God or something… oh well, I do that all the time anyway.
I haven’t been a regular church-​goer for years, since realizing my family’s Christian denomination (Roman Catholic) was pretty much antithetical to a lot of my principles (not into that whole anti-​gay rhetoric nor the silencing of women in the church thing, personally).
It wasn’t until recently that I decided to come back to the church for a variety of personal reasons, and I’m so glad to have found St. Paul’s Episcopal– it truly is a «Cathedral for the City.»
The community here, from ministers to regular church-​goers, are amazingly welcoming and quite diverse. Yes, I wish there were more people of color here, but I think the racial demographic is pretty typical of the Episcopal church in the US as a whole. Importantly, conversations about the inclusivity of the church are often and openly discussed both in mass and in forums and other discussions, which is the first step towards bigger change. As a person of color, I’ve never felt uncomfortable in this space, which is very important to me and definitely a difference than other religious spaces I have been in.
As folks may know, there is a lot of differences in opinion among the Anglican church worldwide about queer sexuality and the possibility of same sex marriage. St. Paul’s is at the forefront of pushing against homophobia in both the church and in broader society, and has an active and visible queer presence in the church (they are one of the few Christian churches that march in SD Pride, for example). So if you’re fond of quoting Leviticus and the story of Sodom and Gemorrah to validate your homophobia, this probably is not the church for you. But, and this is a wonderful thing, you are free and encouraged to discuss your opinions with the ministers here, especially Dean Scott Richardson and Rev. Allisyn Thomas, and they will speak with you freely and frankly (not dogmatic, and are wonderful to discuss matters of faith with)… so at the very least, you can have a dialogue with someone who will not yell at you about your opinions (as I probably would).
Every week at the 10:30 Sunday service, the presiding minister (usually Dean Richardson, or Scott as we call him) makes a point to welcome first-​time attendees and tell them that ‘no one here is a visitor, and all are invited to participate fully in the church’. I think that really says it all about the approach of St. Paul’s, and it’s why I’ve decided to stay longer than that first time. Wherever you may be in your journey of faith, you are welcome at St. Paul’s!