St. Augustine Catholic Church, Culver City
Encyclopedia
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a Catholic
church located in Culver City, California
, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
. The church is located across the street from the Sony Studios, previously the MGM Studios.
's in Santa Monica saying Mass at the church.
The parish built a new Franco-Gothic church in 1936 with a seating capacity
of 700 on Washington Boulevard. The new church was dedicated in April 1937 in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop John Cantwell
. The Los Angeles Times
reported on the opening of the new church: "More than 2000 worshipers, including motion picture stars from the M-G-M studios across Washington Boulevard, attended the services. ... Leaning to the Gothic style of architecture, the building's interior is unique."
In November 1938, a controversy arose when Archbishop Cantwell announced plans to transfer Father O'Donnell to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hollywood. Parishioners called a mass meeting to object to the transfer, signed petitions, and presented their objections to the archbishop. Despite the protest, the transfer was not rescinded. In 1946, a wealthy parishioner left her $100,000 estate to Father O'Donnell, who the Los Angeles Times described as "the Irish priest who won the hearts of many a movie mogul during the 15 years he was pastor of Culver City's St. Augustine Catholic Church."
of 1,200, opened its doors at Christmas 1957 and was formally dedicated in June 1958. Well-known radio and television personality, Bishop Fulton Sheen, who went to seminary with Father O'Donnell, traveled to Culver City to speak at the dedication. Following the dedication, the Los Angeles Times reported that the "new church is of 13th Century Gothic Design with 14,000 square feet."
Monsignor Ian Edward Holland was pastor at St. Augustine from 1983 to 1995, at which time he became pastor emeritus at the church. Msgr. Holland died in November 2002, and Cardinal Roger Mahony presided at his funeral Mass. The parish has 3,000 member families. Father Kevin L. Nolan is the current pastor.
by Al Qaeda, a self-styled Muslim fundamentalist from Egypt, Emad Ibrahim Saad, decapitated the Virgin Mary statue at the church, cut a hand off the church's statue of St. Rita, and cut off a bronze statue of Father Junipero Serra
at the feet, taking the Father Serra statue with him and leaving it at the nearby King Fahd Mosque. Saad also scattered at the church Muslim magazines and fliers stating, "Allah is the only true God." Saad had appeared at the church the previous week, distributing Muslim leaflets before being asked to leave. On discovering the statue of Father Serra, an official at the mosque notified police. Saad was convicted in June 2002 under hate crime
laws and sentenced to five years in prison.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
church located in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...
. The church is located across the street from the Sony Studios, previously the MGM Studios.
The mission church
In 1883, the area that later became Culver City was known as La Ballona Valley. That year, a resident of the area donated land on Washington Boulevard for the construction of a new mission church in La Ballona Valley. A small wood frame church was built on the site, with a priest from St. MonicaSt. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica
St. Monica Catholic Church is a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California. The church, located at 7th and California Streets, was erected in 1926 and was featured in the 1944 film classic Going My Way with Bing Crosby. It is also the home parish of former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger...
's in Santa Monica saying Mass at the church.
The establishment of St. Augustine as a parish
In 1919, St. Augustine was formally established as a parish of the Monterey-Los Angeles Diocese. In 1922, the church was expanded to seat 500, and in 1926 the parish opened a four-room school operated by six nuns from the Sisters of Mary and Joseph.Father O'Donnell
Father John O'Donnell was the pastor at St. Augustine from 1923 to 1938. As the pastor of the church located across the street from MGM Studios, Father O'Donnell developed close ties with the entertainment business. He often acted as a technical advisor for MGM films, and the studio helped the parish raise funds with an annual barbecue.The parish built a new Franco-Gothic church in 1936 with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 700 on Washington Boulevard. The new church was dedicated in April 1937 in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop John Cantwell
John Joseph Cantwell
John Joseph Cantwell was the first archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.Archbishop Cantwell was born in Limerick, Ireland. He was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 18, 1899 and was initially assigned as curate of Berkeley's St. Joseph The Worker...
. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported on the opening of the new church: "More than 2000 worshipers, including motion picture stars from the M-G-M studios across Washington Boulevard, attended the services. ... Leaning to the Gothic style of architecture, the building's interior is unique."
In November 1938, a controversy arose when Archbishop Cantwell announced plans to transfer Father O'Donnell to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hollywood. Parishioners called a mass meeting to object to the transfer, signed petitions, and presented their objections to the archbishop. Despite the protest, the transfer was not rescinded. In 1946, a wealthy parishioner left her $100,000 estate to Father O'Donnell, who the Los Angeles Times described as "the Irish priest who won the hearts of many a movie mogul during the 15 years he was pastor of Culver City's St. Augustine Catholic Church."
Msgr. McLaughlin and the new church
In 1949, Monsignor James McLauglin became the pastor and led the effort to construct the large church that is the current home of the parish. The large Gothic church, with a seating capacitySeating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 1,200, opened its doors at Christmas 1957 and was formally dedicated in June 1958. Well-known radio and television personality, Bishop Fulton Sheen, who went to seminary with Father O'Donnell, traveled to Culver City to speak at the dedication. Following the dedication, the Los Angeles Times reported that the "new church is of 13th Century Gothic Design with 14,000 square feet."
Recent years
From 1968 to 1973, Father (Charles) Kevin Keane was the pastor of St. Augustine's., before moving to become pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood, CA.Monsignor Ian Edward Holland was pastor at St. Augustine from 1983 to 1995, at which time he became pastor emeritus at the church. Msgr. Holland died in November 2002, and Cardinal Roger Mahony presided at his funeral Mass. The parish has 3,000 member families. Father Kevin L. Nolan is the current pastor.
October 2001 attack on church statues by Muslim fundamentalist
On October 28, 2001, just six weeks after the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
by Al Qaeda, a self-styled Muslim fundamentalist from Egypt, Emad Ibrahim Saad, decapitated the Virgin Mary statue at the church, cut a hand off the church's statue of St. Rita, and cut off a bronze statue of Father Junipero Serra
Junípero Serra
Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...
at the feet, taking the Father Serra statue with him and leaving it at the nearby King Fahd Mosque. Saad also scattered at the church Muslim magazines and fliers stating, "Allah is the only true God." Saad had appeared at the church the previous week, distributing Muslim leaflets before being asked to leave. On discovering the statue of Father Serra, an official at the mosque notified police. Saad was convicted in June 2002 under hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
laws and sentenced to five years in prison.