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Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church
History:
In June, 1891, Mr. William Volkmor and family arrived in Whittier, the first Catholics to settle in the town. Seeing the potential of this new town, he took steps to interest other Catholics and to arrange for the occasional celebration of Mass.
Mr. Volkmor then purchased from T.W. Newlin, of the Pickering Land and Water Company, several lots at the corner of Newlin and Wardman Street, for the sum of seventy-five dollars. On this land the first St. Mary's Church was built. It was dedicated by Right Reverend Francis Mora, Bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, on Sunday, July 9th, 1893. Father A. Montanarelli was appointed the first resident pastor.
St. Mary's was the third church built in Whittier. The Quakers constructed their meeting place in 1887, and before the town celebrated its second birthday the Methodists had completed a church building.
In 1896, Bishop George Montgomery placed the parish under the care of Vincentians of St. Vincents College, forerunner of Loyola University of Los Angeles. Father D.J. Hurley, C.M. held the post of pastor until 1898, usually coming from Los Angeles on Saturday and remaining over Sunday.
Misfortune struck at 1:00am on March 19th, 1912, when from an unknown cause, St. Mary's church was destroyed by fire. Saved, as volunteers played water on the belfry, was the bell that now hangs in the tower of the present church.
Plans for rebuilding at Wardman and Newlin immediately got under way. The second St. Mary's was completed in 1914 and dedicated by Bishop John J. Cantwell on the parish's Silver Jubilee in July, 1918.
In the same year, Whittier Council 1898, Knights of Columbus, was formed.
The Redemptorist Order took charge of St. Mary's Parish in May, 1922, at the request of Bishop Cantwell and remained in charge since that time. Five priests were assigned to St. Mary's Parish and Missionary work among the area's Mexican Population. Father Marcellus Ryan was the first Redemptorist pastor. He served until 1927.
St. Mary's Pastoral Goal:
We the members of St. Mary's parish recognize the call to nourish the people of God in their diverse cultures; we therefore commit ourselves to deep in the awareness of our reality and to create and environment of change and empowerment that enables us to build the Kingdom of God.
In June, 1891, Mr. William Volkmor and family arrived in Whittier, the first Catholics to settle in the town. Seeing the potential of this new town, he took steps to interest other Catholics and to arrange for the occasional celebration of Mass.
Mr. Volkmor then purchased from T.W. Newlin, of the Pickering Land and Water Company, several lots at the corner of Newlin and Wardman Street, for the sum of seventy-five dollars. On this land the first St. Mary's Church was built. It was dedicated by Right Reverend Francis Mora, Bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, on Sunday, July 9th, 1893. Father A. Montanarelli was appointed the first resident pastor.
St. Mary's was the third church built in Whittier. The Quakers constructed their meeting place in 1887, and before the town celebrated its second birthday the Methodists had completed a church building.
In 1896, Bishop George Montgomery placed the parish under the care of Vincentians of St. Vincents College, forerunner of Loyola University of Los Angeles. Father D.J. Hurley, C.M. held the post of pastor until 1898, usually coming from Los Angeles on Saturday and remaining over Sunday.
Misfortune struck at 1:00am on March 19th, 1912, when from an unknown cause, St. Mary's church was destroyed by fire. Saved, as volunteers played water on the belfry, was the bell that now hangs in the tower of the present church.
Plans for rebuilding at Wardman and Newlin immediately got under way. The second St. Mary's was completed in 1914 and dedicated by Bishop John J. Cantwell on the parish's Silver Jubilee in July, 1918.
In the same year, Whittier Council 1898, Knights of Columbus, was formed.
The Redemptorist Order took charge of St. Mary's Parish in May, 1922, at the request of Bishop Cantwell and remained in charge since that time. Five priests were assigned to St. Mary's Parish and Missionary work among the area's Mexican Population. Father Marcellus Ryan was the first Redemptorist pastor. He served until 1927.
St. Mary's Pastoral Goal:
We the members of St. Mary's parish recognize the call to nourish the people of God in their diverse cultures; we therefore commit ourselves to deep in the awareness of our reality and to create and environment of change and empowerment that enables us to build the Kingdom of God.