Readings

Read and listen to Sunday Readings…

Add to History

Email any special event you think made history in St Agatha to Enrique Reyes.

 

St Agatha Parish Family History

Not able to listen? Click here.

In December, 1923, St. Agatha was organized by some 12 people who celebrated the first Parish Mass in the home of Mr. and Mrs. F.P. Rochefort. About two weeks later, Fr. Edward Bradley took possession of the Brown residence on Westhaven Street, which was used as church and rectory. Fr. Bradley then purchased the corner of Adams Blvd. and Mansfield Avenue. The Men formed a building committee and soon all, whose schedules permitted, were on hand to pour cement or drive nails to help build the church. Approximately thirty days later the first Mass was celebrated in the new building.

With the death of Fr. Bradley in 1930, Rev. Fr. M.H. Benso took up the duties as pastor of this parish. It was Fr. Benso who commissioned the architect who designed and built the current church as a replica of an Italian Renaissance Basilica. In September, 1936, Archbishop John Cantewell, D.D. dedicated our new Church. In 1938, Fr. Maxim Benso was appointed to the Council of Vigilance.

During the 1940's the vision off a school began to materialize through the acquisition of adjacent properties. Using the old public library building and the old parish hall as temporary classrooms, on September 5, 1961, St. Agatha School opened with 184 students. The the long awaited day arrived. On January 21, 1962, the school was dedicated and classrooms were moved into on January 22, 1962.

With the school construction completed, building a Convent for the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who staffed the school became a priority. In February 1963, a year after the school was dedicated, the parish successfully sought zoning for the Convent

St. Agatha Parish geographic boundaries changed on January 21, 1969. The new boundaries were established at Rodeo Blvd. to the south, La Cienega to the west, north to Washington Blvd., east on Rimpau, then south along Rimpau to Adams Blvd., east to Crenshaw Blvd. and south to Rodeo Blvd.

With changing demographics, St. Agatha Parish found it essential to be sensitive to the different ethnic groups in our worship. Black History Month, 1983 was honored in many ways including a full page in the bulletin with information on particular "... Blacks who have made some outstanding contributions to our society."

St. Agatha embraced RENEW, a process to help people come to know and love Jesus better by more clearly understanding the things he said and taught. Bulletin announcements are increasingly bilingual as our Spanish speaking population grows. St. Agatha's Parish holds a Parish Life and Leadership Day with over 70 different workshops to help the laity more fully understand teh mission of the church, become acquainted with new ministries, and learn more about Scripture.

It became increasingly difficult to maintain the school operations as enrollment declined, resulting in the closing of the school in 1986. St. Agatha's 1,200 families, experienced major growth in it's Hispanic worshippers. Ministry to the Spanish speaking grew significally through the ensuring 10 years while the English speaking community decreased in numbers.

During that same period, Cardinal Roger Mahony praised St. Agatha Parish for the way the cultures, Hispanic and Black, unified for parish liturgical celebrations. Our first female Pastoral Associate, Sr. Donna Shanahan, C.S.J., joined our staff in 1992. We were blessed by her dedication to the people of our community for four years.

There is a renewed growth in the English speaking community at St. Agatha's. Our Ministry to the Youth is growing, giving the Parish a bright view of the future as we approach the Third Millenium.

 

The First Sacramental Celebrations at St Agatha's Parish
Baptism	January 6, 1924
First Communion	May of 1926	22 children
Confirmation	July 8, 1925	17 candidates confirmed by Bishop Cantwell
Marriage	August 24, 1924	Celbrated by Msgr.J. Riley Huber
Funeral	March 12, 1924	Bella Storm

 

Making of History

St Agatha Parish Family