By Dr. Ruben Barron
The Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Young Adult Housing initiative is a home rooted in faith and community for professional Catholic male adults seeking more than just a place to live. Its motto is “Love with purpose, grow in faith.” Its location near the University of California, Riverside (UCR), Riverside City College and downtown Riverside is ideal for young residents who work and pursue their college education while continuing to practice and grow in their Catholic faith.
Monsignor Gerard Lopez, diocesan Vicar General, explained the origin of the young adult housing.
“The root of the concept of this house was the late Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel,” he shared. “Pope Francis had encouraged young adults many times to think about living together as missionary disciples, staying rooted in the world through their jobs and careers but also living together in community.”
Edgardo Juarez, Diocesan Catholic Schools Office Associate Director of Mission and Catholic Identity, provided leadership from the onset. “This project came about as a discernment on how to provide spaces for young adults to live in community, live out daily life, and share their faith,” he said. “At the same time, we realized that there was a phenomenon across the nation where dioceses had empty, unused convents.”
In 2022, the vacant convent at St. Francis de Sales parish was offered so that young adults could live in community, continue their work and career and have a spiritual encounter with the Lord Jesus. At the same time, four young adult men connected to the St. Andrew Newman Center at UCR were asking for this type of housing. The Diocese agreed to begin a young adult house, assisted by Father Rafael Partida, who resided in the house and offered spiritual accompaniment.
Deacon Mark Lopez, who has a real estate background and nearly 30 years in the California State University system in public finance and university administration, was recruited to provide oversight of the adult housing.
The property features a first-floor chapel with a tabernacle and the Holy Eucharist, which Deacon Lopez described as “awe-inspiring and central to the house’s identity as a place of prayer and spiritual formation.” Msgr. Lopez expressed a strong desire to establish a regular community night when all residents are home and available for shared life. The concept has proven difficult given residents’ varied work and school schedules, but Deacon Lopez sees it as essential.
Deacon Lopez, Diocesan Office of Ecclesial Services Assistant Formation Coordinator, described the house in “very rough condition” when he first took it on. Since then, seven rooms have been refreshed with grant funding, featuring updated private bathroom configurations. The remaining rooms still require renovation. Deacon Lopez shared, “When you have your own home, there’s constantly stuff to do; now we have a bigger, older home.”
Deacon Ricardo Uribe, who serves at St. Anthony Church in Riverside, has lived full-time at the house, providing consistent pastoral presence and practical oversight for the last two years. He has first-hand knowledge of daily operation. “There are currently three young men living here with a fourth application being processed,” he shared. “We have a total of 17 rooms available, a library and a shared kitchen. The men pay a highly reduced monthly rent and share the cost of utilities.”
Deacon Uribe interacts often with the young residents and describes them as wholesome young men active in “some aspect of church ministry.” A key part of the application process for residency involves a background check that includes church involvement. Once approved for admission, each resident signs a personal contract covering expectations while in residence. Deacon Uribe has seen men arrive, receive their university education, and relocate for job purposes.
Of the original four students, one completed his medical residency at Loma Linda University, another received his master’s degree in public policy, one earned his teaching degree and teaches in a local Catholic school, while the fourth student was deeply involved in the Catholic community. So far, seven young men have lived in this safe and affordable residence. They stay in touch with each other and live out their calling by doing ministry in their parishes.
The greatest needs now are to get financial help for upkeep and improvements of the house, which was established as a convent for religious sisters in the early 1930s and to do more intentional outreach to future residents.
Msgr. Lopez’s two-prong vision includes “filling the St. John Paul II house to capacity with 15 total residents. Our other vision is to start a house for young adult women who would like this experience,” he said.
For more information on the Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Young Adult Housing, contact Deacon Mark Lopez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (909) 964-2341.
Dr. Rubén Barrón is a Catholic spiritual director and freelance writer based in Yorba Linda.