At the direction of Bishop William K. Weigand of Sacramento, the parish was founded on January 1, 2004, to serve the Granite Bay area and the area heading north on Auburn-Folsom Road to the Auburn city limit, including parts of Penryn and Newcastle.
Our first pastor was Father Arnold Ortiz, O.S.J. ordained December 16, 1972, for the California Province of the Oblates of St. Joseph. Father Arnold is originally from St. Rose Parish, Sacramento, and has served a number of assignments over the years, including a tour as pastor at St. Joachim Parish, Madera, and St. Mary Parish, Sacramento.
Following Fr. Arnold, our parish was administered by Rev. Paul A. McDonnell, O.S.J. He had previously been the Provincial Superior of the Pennsylvania Province of the Oblates of St. Joseph. In the years leading up to serving as our Parish Adminsitrator, Fr. Paul had served as the Rector of the Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary in PA, the Vocation Director of the PA Province, and a concurrent term as both the Vice-Provincial Superior and Secretary of the PA Province. Immediately before arriving in Granite Bay, Fr. Paul was chosen to serve as the first Provincial Superior of the newly formed USA Province ("Holy Spouses Province") of the Oblates of St. Joseph.
Rev. Philip Massetti, O.S.J. was appointed pastor of our parish by Most Reverend Jaime Soto, Bishop of Sacramento, effective July 1, 2013. Fr. Phil is a native of Madera, CA and has been an Oblate of St. Joseph since 1967. He has served in various capacities in both California and, most recently, in Pennsylvania (Diocese of Scranton). Our parishioners were delighted to see him return, having known him well when he previously served as director of the Marello Youth Center.
Deacon Dennis Gorsuch and his wife, Jo, are originally from St. John's Parish, Folsom. Deacon Dennis was ordained a Deacon in June 2008 for the Diocese of Sacramento and was assigned to our parish January 2009. He retired in 2021, earning the heartfelt thanks of SJM parishioners.
Deacon Jeff McClure and his wife Darlene have been proud members of St. Joseph Marello Parish since 2009. The passion and sincerity of faith found within this community greatly influenced both of them, and in June 2018, Jeff was ordained a Deacon for the Diocese of Sacramento and assigned to our parish.