Bl. Junipero Serra
A window in St. Mary's Cathedral
Portland, Oregon

Victor Ponet

Old St. Victor's Church

Dedication of St. Victor's Church
December 5, 1906

Administrators and Pastors
of St. Victor's Church

Rev. Daniel Murphy
1906-1913

Rev. William Forde
1913-1914

Rev. William Deeney, S.J.
1914-1915

Rev. George P. Butler, S.J.
1915-1916

Rev. John J. Hayes, S.J.
1916-1919

Rev. Hugh P. Gallagher, S.J.
1919-1920

Rev. Daniel Stack, S.J.
1920-1922

Rev. Thomas O'Toole
1922-1925

Rev. Vincent J. Shepherd
1925-1929

Rev. Msgr. John J. Devlin
1929-1976

Rev. John Gutting
1976-1977

Rev. Msgr. George J. Parnassus
1977-2000

Rev. Msgr. Jeremiah Murphy
2000

A History of St. Victor's Parish
and Pioneer Catholicism in West Hollywood

By Msgr. Francis J. Weber
Archivist
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

from the 1960 dedication booklet of the new St. Victor's Church

California's history dates from 1542 when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese admiral sailing under the flag of the Spanish realm, made his initial discoveries along the Pacific Coast. However, no substantial efforts were made to colonize the country until 1769 when, by order of the Spanish king, an expeditionary force was sent from Mexico to take formal possession of California for the Crown.

The expedition, under the command of Don Gaspar de Portola, courageously forged toward the new frontier, including among its distinguished numbers, the renowned and venerated Franciscan friar, Blessed Junipero Serra, Apostle of California.

Several early chronicles suggest that Father Serra was the first to offer Holy Mass in the beautiful section later known as Hollywood on May 3rd, 1769, the Feast of the Holy Wood of the Cross, thus giving rise to the name "Hollywood." Actually all available evidence indicates that Father Serra did not arrive in California until July of that year and that be delayed some time in San Diego before proceeding northward.

According to the usually reliable Crespi diary, Governor Gaspar de Portola's expeditionary force marched through Cahuenga Pass on January 16th, 1770, when they "had the good fortune of discovering a valley which opened the way to a plain." The small contingent of soldiers camped at the foothill level near the outlet of the range, the present site of Hollywood. The distinction then of celebrating the first Holy Mass in this hallowed area belongs to Fathers Francisco Gomez and Juan Crespi, chaplains of this pioneer group.

The following year Father Junipero Serra established the largest and eventually the richest of the Missions which he dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel. Hollywood and most of the present Los Angeles County fell under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Franciscan Fathers stationed at San Gabriel. What few inhabitants there were in and around the Hollywood area were roaming Indians of the Cahuenga Tribe.

Mission San Gabriel served the spiritual needs of the Indians, soldiers and rancheros for several decades until the Asistencia was formed at nearby Los Angeles. After 1826 when Our Lady Queen of the Angels Chapel (the Plaza Church, or La Placita, founded in 1781) was given parochial status, the ecclesiastical welfare of the entire city and its environs was transferred to the pastor of the Plaza Church.

In 1860 Jose E. Valdez bought over a thousand acres of a Spanish land grant in the present West Hollywood area where he raised a large family. The land was subsequently lost to American settlers who came to California just before the turn of the century.

Hollywood continued under missionary title for yet another twenty-five years until Bishop George Montgomery, at the request of a citizen's committee, journeyed to the area in 1903. He celebrated Holy Mass in a building located at Sunset Boulevard and Cahuenga (then Townsend Avenue).

The Bishop listened sympathetically to a plea for a parish to serve Hollywood and while the number of Catholics in the area was not great, Bishop Montgomery agreed that it was sufficiently large to warrant the building of a church.

Hollywood as a Parish

Hollywood has always been ideally located. From the very earliest days it was a natural link between Los Angeles and the territory presently known as the San Fernando Valley. The first years of the 20th century witnessed the division of ranches, development of industry and the establishment of an entirely new community so successful that in 190s the 700 residents voted to incorporate as a city. This arrangement lasted only six years until November of 1909 when the tiny city was annexed to the expanding City of Los Angeles.

The term "Hollywood" seems to have been originally associated with the Harvey H. Wilcox Ranch which was acquired in 1886. With the subsequent division of this 120 acre tract, the name gradually was applied to the budding village formerly known as Cahuenga Valley.

Bishop Montgomery selected Drouett Hall to serve as a temporary church and the focal point of Catholic activity in Hollywood. Priests from Saint Vibiana's Cathedral continued to care for the area which was temporarily administered as a chaplaincy from the Cathedral. On January 12th, 1904, Father Daniel Murphy was named resident pastor and Hollywood was given the permanency of a parish dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament.

Not a few zealous pioneers had envisioned their own Catholic Church and were greatly elated when, shortly after his installation, Father Murphy announced plans to erect a church in the newly established parish. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the cherished project were held on the following May 3rd. Bishop Thomas J. Conaty, who had succeeded Bishop Montgomery when the latter was sent to San Francisco, presided at the laying of the cornerstone on July 4th.

Hollywood's most noble desires were fulfilled when the new Blessed Sacrament Church, located on Prospect Avenue (now Hollywood Boulevard), was opened for divine services on September 12th, 1904. A formal dedication, replete with all possible solemnity was scheduled for late in October.

The Ponets of Sherman

Among the more prominent members of Blessed Sacrament Parish was the Ponet family who lived three miles west of Hollywood in a palatial home nestled in the foothills above the small village of Sherman.

Victor Ponet was a native of Lemburg, Belgium where he was born on March 9th, 1836. He had journeyed to the United States during the Civil War days, arriving in San Francisco in 1867.

When young Ponet came to Los Angeles in 1869, the city had a population of only 4,500. He immediately plunged himself into the business and civic affairs of his adopted home and before the turn of the century was the largest property holder in Los Angeles.

Several years after his marriage to Ellen J. Manning, Victor Ponet disposed of his business interests and retired to his spacious 350-acre ranch at Sherman where he lived until his death in February of 1914.

The years after Ponet's formal retirement were far from inactive. He was a man of hard work and judicious investment knowledge, a founder and later president of the German American Savings Bank (later known as Guaranty Trust and Savings) and one of the charter members of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

His distinguished service as Consul for the Belgian Government earned him the Knightly Honor of Chevalier de L'Orden de Leopold, conferred by a special mandate of the King of the Belgians.

Victor Ponet was an unusually farsighted man who realized the prominence that Sherman would one day attain. At the turn of the century Sherman Village consisted almost entirely of railway workers and employees of the Doheny oil wells which were located around Sherman Junction (between present-day Melrose Avenue and Third Street).

The Village had grown up around the large railway repair yard that M. H. Sherman had built adjacent to the roadbed along Santa Monica right-of-way.

An early chronicle describes Sherman as Òa railroad town eight miles from Los Angeles, the headquarters of the Los Angeles - Pacific Company which owns the electric line between the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The power house and the shops of the electric road are located there. The town has a post office, general stores and a church. There are some handsome residences in its immediate neighborhood."

Moses Sherman himself was a native of Vermont, who had come to California in 1873 to introduce electric traction to the city. He organized the Los Angeles Pacific Railway and in 1895 built lines to Hollywood and Santa Monica.

The section hands and shop workers of Sherman Railroad Village had no facilities for fulfilling their religious obligations. They were mostly Mexican Catholics whom Victor Ponet in his generosity sought to provide with a church.

Early in 1904, April 2nd to be exact, Mr. Ponet approached Bishop Conaty with the offer to build a church at Sherman on property which he would deed to the Diocese upon completion.

Bishop Conaty happily accepted the generous proposal but felt obliged to explain that it would be some years before the Diocese could provide a resident parish priest for the church.

At the Bishop's suggestion, Victor Ponet engaged the well-known Boston architectural firm of Maginnis, Walshe and Sullivan to draw up specifications for the proposed church.

The plans as submitted to His Excellency, envisioned a quaint English design, executed in wood. A lovely spire, visible for miles was to tower above a rustic frame church.

Father Daniel Murphy came to Sherman for the formal groundbreaking ceremonies which were held on April 25, 1905.

St. Victor's Church

In recognition of Mr. Ponet's generosity to the Diocese, Bishop Conaty announced that the new Church would bear the name of Ponet's patron, Saint Victor. At the time of its dedication and for many years thereafter, it was the only church in the nation dedicated to the 13th successor of Saint Peter.

Progress on the new church moved along so rapidly that it was ready for occupancy in late November of 1906. Formal dedication ceremonies were scheduled for Wednesday, the 5th day of December. A large number of clergy and people traveled to Sherman for the great occasion. Everyone was captivated by the excellent taste exhibited throughout the Church's furnishings. The interior was done in Oregon pine with an open beam effect in the ceiling. Over the main altar was a beautiful Sacred Heart window shedding a gentle light down upon the ceremonies. The pews were a butternut composition while the exterior was a naturally dark shade.

Solemn High Mass was celebrated by Reverend Joseph Glass, C.M., the future bishop of Salt Lake City. Twenty-five priests were present to assist in the sacred functions including Hollywood's indefatigable pastor, Father Daniel Murphy, who had supervised the entire project as an extension of Blessed Sacrament.

Music for the occasion was provided by Father Murphy's choir under the direction of Mr. John Foretz. Mr. G. Allan Hancock played Schubert's Ave Maria on the cello during the offertory of the Mass.

Bishop Thomas Conaty preached an eloquent sermon based on the Pauline text, "For other foundations no man can lay, but that which is laid in Jesus Christ."

At the conclusion of the sermon, Bishop Conaty publicly presented an autographed Papal Blessing inscribed to Victor Ponet by His Holiness, Pope Pius X, a document which hangs in the present church.

A magnificent luncheon was served in the afternoon at the lovely Ponet home in the nearby mountains. Guests could look out of the large picture window of the Ponet home and see the graceful tower of the new church, Sherman's most imposing structure.

The Intervening Years

Even though Sherman had its own church, its religious activities continued to be closely linked with those of Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood. Father Daniel Murphy and his assistants made periodic trips to Saint Victor's to administer the Sacraments and to celebrate Holy Mass but it was to be almost twenty years before a resident pastor would come to Sherman.

The arrival of the priest was always a dramatic event for the inhabitants of Sherman. He would disembark from the Red Car to the thundering peel of the melodious church bell announcing divine services. The Ponet carriage would bear him triumphantly to the tiny church hidden away at the base of the Sierras.

One of the first functions held in Sherman's new Church was the marriage of Victor Ponet's daughter, Gertrude to Francis Montgomery of Kansas, half brother of the late Archbishop George Montgomery. The marriage ceremony was performed at 9:30 Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas Conaty on July 3rd, 1907. It was a private affair and no invitations were sent out due to a recent death in the Ponet family.

Sherman's pastor, Father Daniel Murphy, was a well-known figure in Hollywood. He was loved and respected no less by non-Catholics than by his own flock. His pastorate of Blessed Sacrament and its mission church at Sherman was distinguished by many and noble accomplishments.

During his eight-year tenure, Father Murphy supervised the erection of three churches, Blessed Sacrament, Saint Victor's and Immaculate Heart of Mary. His many other expansion projects gave the Church in Hollywood a firm foundation for future development.

His apostolic endeavors were brought to a sudden close on June 8th, 1913, when he died at Joliett, Illinois. Hollywood wits shocked by the death of its spiritual father. His loss was keenly felt by the grateful community to which he had endeared himself over the years.

Father Murphy's body was returned to Blessed Sacrament for the funeral obsequies. Bishop Conaty sang a Solemn Requiem Mass at Blessed Sacrament after which the remains of the shepherd of Hollywood were borne to Calvary Cemetery for interment.

Father Murphy's successor was Reverend William Forde, himself one of the diocesan pioneer priest-builders. During his brief year as pastor, Father Forde continued the various projects inaugurated tinder the direction of his predecessor.

The Jesuits in Hollywood

In September of 1911, the Jesuit Fathers were invited by Bishop Conaty to continue the scholarly work left vacant by the retirement of the Vincentians from Saint Vincent's College in downtown Los Angeles. On August 13th, 1914 the Bishop announced that the Society of Jesus, formerly in charge of Saint Ignatius Church, had also been given charge of Blessed Sacrament parish. The president of the new Loyola College, Reverend William Denney, S.J. was named pastor of Hollywood.

Among the first tasks confronting the Jesuits was the establishment of a school for the Hollywood area. After several unavoidable delays, educational facilities were opened on February Ist, 1915. The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary were entrusted with the school which pioneered Catholic education in the northern part of the city.

During the ensuing years, several pastors guided the Catholic destinies of Hollywood and its Sherman Mission. Succeeding pastors were Fathers George Butler, S.J. (1915-1916); John Hayes, S.J. (1916-1919); Hugh Gallagher, S.J. (1919-1920) and Daniel Stack, S.J. (1920-1922).

Establishment of St. Ambrose Parish

On November 22nd, 1922, after a meeting of the Board of Consultors, Bishop John J. Cantwell erected the parish of Saint Ambrose, thus dividing the western-most part of the Hollywood jurisdiction into a separate entity. Father Thomas N. O'Toole, a diocesan priest, was named pastor of Saint Ambrose and administrator of Saint Victor's Mission.

Father O'Toole continued the practice of coming to Sherman periodically to offer Holy Mass and to care for the people attached to Saint Victor's.

The First Resident Pastor at St. Victor's

Sherman Village didn't begin its rapid growth until the years after World War 1. There were only a few scattered roads in the area and vast grain fields stretched as far as one could see in every direction.

Shortly after the appointment of Bishop John J. Cantwell to Los Angeles in 1917, the city began to expand westwards to the coast. The prominence given to the Hollywood area by the advent of the motion picture industry was eagerly shared with neighboring communities. Near the end of the next decade Sherman Village adopted the name West Hollywood which has since become associated with the territory between Doheny Drive and La Brea; and Sunset Boulevard to Beverly Boulevard.

Three short years after the establishment of Saint Ambrose Parish, in September of 1925, Bishop Cantwell finally gave parochial status to Sherman with the naming of its first resident pastor, Reverend Vincent J. Shepherd.

Father Shepherd was a native of Massachusetts. He had been ordained to the priesthood in Boston's Holy Cross Cathedral by William Cardinal O'Connell in 1915. During the War be had served overseas with the 17th and 30th Expeditionary Forces.

With his appointment to Sherman, Father Shepherd channeled his vast resources of personal sanctity into the many facets of parochial activity. The pastor and his flock were soon engaged in the active parish life which occupied them so completely.

Allan Paul Remington was the first infant whose name is recorded in the baptismal register under the date of October 18tb, 1925. The first official group received its first holy communion on May 23rd, 1926.

Included within the confines of the new parish was the territory bounded by Kings Road on the east; Palm Drive in Beverly Hills on the west; Melrose Avenue on the south and the foothills on the north. In a letter dated, September 28th, 1925, Father Shepherd was also given temporary jurisdiction over the area south of Melrose to Beverly Drive.

The appointment of a permanent pastor to Sherman was a great joy to those zealous pioneers who had prayed so long and so fervently for their own Òshepherd".

Uppermost in the mind of the new pastor was the beginning of a school in which the youngsters could learn to love and serve their Heavenly Father. Blessed Sacrament was too far removed for convenience and Father Shepherd was keenly aware of the priestly obligation of teaching, all of which prompted him to set out to satisfy that duty with haste and forebearance.

A meeting of the parish was called and it was decided to begin a drive for the necessary funds immediately. The campaign began July 28th, 1926 and continued on through the following August Ilth. Every home in the Village was visited by volunteer workers. Special devotions were held before the Blessed Sacrament to implore God's blessings on the apostolic project.

Despite the favorable response of the Shermanites to the plea for funds, Bisbop Cantwell thought it advisable to temporarily postpone the school project, although be did authorize Father Shepherd to begin construction on a multipurpose parish hall which was completed in the early fall of 1927.

It was also at this time, that the property to the east of the Church was purchased along with the small bungalow and rambling orchard grove. The house was converted into a rectory and given the number 8630 Holloway Drive.

Father Shepherd worked diligently to set in motion all the usual machinery of parochial management. He organized the Altar and Rosary Society to care for the temporal welfare of the Church and he was instrumental in establishing the branch of the Holy Name Society.

Deeply imbedded in the minds of the parishioners was the first official episcopal visitation made to Saint Victor's on November 27, 1929, at which time the Sacrament of Confirmation was conferred on 20 adults and 31 children. The bishop complimented the people on their spirit of sacrifice and zeal which had enabled them to enjoy the fulfillment of their holy ambition to have a resident parish priest.

The short four-year pastorate of Father Shepherd was a remarkable success from every aspect. In December of 1929, Bishop Cantwell transferred Father Shepherd to Saint John's Church in San Diego where he remained one year until his appointment to the pastorate of Our Lady of the Angels Church nearby.

Father Shepherd pursued his conquest of souls after the creation of San Diego as a separate diocese in 1936. His death in early 1940 came as a terrible blow to his multitude of friends in West Hollywood and San Diego.

The Pastorate of Msgr. Devlin

Simultaneous with Father Shepherd's transfer to San Diego was Bishop John Cantwell's appointment of his private secretary, Father John J. Devlin to ad minister the affairs of Saint Victor's.

Father Devlin was born in the Emerald Isle at Cork City on February 25th, 1898. He graduated from All Hallows College where he was ordained on the 11th of June, 1922, for the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles. Shortly after arriving in his adopted city, he was assigned as curate to Saint Vibiana's Cathedral. In June of 1924, Bishop Cantwell named Father Devlin to succeed Msgr. John J. Cawley as his personal secretary, a position which he occupied for the next five years.

Father Devlin found the people at Sherman intensely responsive to his needs and aspirations. They were anxious to cooperate in every project suggested by the new pastor for the expansion of the Church's influence in the Hollywood-Sherman area.

The zeal and devotion of Saint Victor's people was given visible expression on February 25th, 1930 when the Ladies of the Altar Society presented an artistic golden chalice to the parish from funds gathered at bake sales over the years.

The day of July 28th has always occupied a special place in the hearts of the parishioners of Sherman for it commemorates the patron of the Church, Pope Saint Victor I. In accordance with rubrical directives, additional solemnity has been attached to this feast day each year. One of the prized possessions of the Church is a relic of Saint Victor, authenticated in Rome on November 22, 1938 and presented to Father Devlin by Mother Francis, at that time Superior of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange.

The Erection of the School

Of particular concern to every pastor is the religious education of the children. Thus it was not unexpected that, almost immediately after his arrival, Father Devlin began making plans for the opening of a school to serve this need. Bishop Cantwell authorized Father Devlin to proceed with the project outlined by his predecessor.

Early in 1930 Father Devlin contacted the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange with whom he had worked earlier when their rule was modified and approved by the Holy See. It was a happy June 22nd when Sherman's new pastor was able to formally announce the signing of the agreement. Mother Francis promised that three sisters would arrive in time to begin the fall term.

Volunteer workers spent most of the summer remodeling the parish hall and erecting partitions which transformed the building into a most serviceable schoolhouse. Their work reached a successful conclusion before September 8th when 33 pupils enrolled in four grades.

The celebration of the silver anniversary of the church's dedication was held with great enthusiasm on Thanksgiving Day in 1930. A Solemn High Mass was sung at 9 o'clock in the morning and immediately after the Mass, a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Grace was erected and blessed at the outside Marian Shrine, a permanent monument to the generosity of Nellie Clements, a cousin of Gertrude Ponet Montgomery.

When the Diocese authorized the relocation of Marymount College in the Sunset Hills, it became necessary to provide a chaplain for the spiritual needs of the sisters. Bishop Cantwell selected Father Devlin for the position, an arrangement which lasted for the next two decades until, late in the Ô50s the chaplaincy was given to Saint Joan of Arc Church.

At the 1933 annual Meeting of the American bishops in Washington, an Episcopal Committee on Motion Pictures was set up for the formation of a moral codification of Catholic principles on movie entertainment. The following spring Bishop Cantwell asked Father Devlin to accompany him to the initial meetings at which the Legion of Decency was organized. Subsequently Father Devlin was appointed Diocesan Director of the Legion and for decades he acted as principal liaison representative of the Church with the Hollywood motion picture industry. An interesting pictorial article entitled "Padre of the Films" was the feature story of Columbia magazine in August of 1942.

A reward for excellent achievement to the children of the school was bestowed on Sunday, December 3rd, 1933, when a banner was presented to Saint Victor's for its outstanding participation in the Holy Childhood Society. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bishop personally presided at the event and expressed his heartiest congratulations to the youngsters, their teachers and their zealous pastor.

Foremost among the customs inaugurated by Father Devlin was the introduction of the Christmas Novena which was sung by the school children nine days before the Feast of Our Lord's Nativity. Father Devlin's splendid voice and exceptional musical talent have helped to engrain this annual observance deep in the hearts of Saint Victor's parishioners.

A serious fire in the school basement occurred in April of 1934 causing considerable damage. The stage area and the floor were destroyed by flames apparently originating from spontaneous combustion. While the school was being repaired sessions were held outside under two temporary tents.

The annual report submitted to the Chancery Office in 1936 listed 700 Catholics within the parish boundaries. There were 62 boys and 65 girls in the school. A large Mexican population was still clustered in the homes built around the Pacific Electric Railway Yard, south of Santa Monica Blvd.

Father Devlin's genuine appreciation of fine music and his keen awareness of the liturgical suitability of many classical arrangements were determining factors in his selection as a member of the Archdiocesan Committee on Music on August 16, 1937.

A Convent for the Sisters

It was also in 1937 that plans were drawn up to provide a more comfortable home for the sisters, who, prior to this had resided in an unpretentious frame cottage adjacent to the school at 1012 Hancock Avenue.

October saw the completion and occupation of the cheerful new convent on an elevation at the southern end of the property. There were accommodations for eight nuns in the attractive home, which exhibited architectural tones of a modified Italian style. The small chapel was patterned in a pleasingly simple design and finished in natural wood.

Within this cloistered solitude, the sisters found shelter from noise and outside interference and could give their undivided attention to the love and contemplation of Almighty God.

The New Rectory

Frequent social and parochial activities aided in solidifying a strong fraternal spirit among the people. In June of 1941, a Carnival was sponsored to raise funds for a rectory. Damage from fire, coupled with a need for larger accommodations, made the erection of a new priests' residence of paramount importance. The old house was sold for $200, then cut in two sections and removed from the property.

The new rectory upon completion had all the traditional characteristics of usefulness and efficiency while providing adequate and comfortable living quarters for the priests and their housekeeper.

The late Archbishop's continued affection for Father Devlin was evidenced on many occasions, none of which was more significant than the request that his former secretary serve as deacon for his Silver Episcopal jubilee, December 6, 1942. A Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral at which the laity honored their beloved shepherd of 25 years.

Another milestone in West Hollywood's Catholic history was the establishment, on February 28th, 1943, of the Young Ladies Sodality. Rosemary Aiken was chosen president by a membership which pledged itself to receive Holy Communion monthly.

A Solemn Triduum of Thanksgiving, beginning on November 24th and continuing through the 26th was given by the renowned Father Peyton, promoter of the Family Rosary, in 1946. This Eucharistic function was held in conjunction with the annual Forty Hours devotion, usually scheduled near the end of November. Large crowds jammed the Church to hear the famed Marian priest.

Msgr. Devlin's Jubilee

1947 was Father Devlin's Silver jubilee in the Holy Priesthood. Despite his reluctance to take public notice of the occasion, the parishioners insisted that there be an official ceremony and a Solemn Mass was accordingly scheduled on Trinity Sunday, June 1st for the entire parish. In his dramatic sermon, Very Reverend Robert T. Brown, C.M., late Rector of Los Angeles College, characterized Father Devlin as a "true representative of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ."

A banquet that evening was dignified by the presence of 75 priests.

Barely a month later, on July 4th, the Holy Father elevated Father Devlin to the rank of Papal Chamberlain, with the title of Very Reverend Monsignor. The official communication from the Vatican, signed by G. B. Montini (later Pope Paul VI), the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, bespoke the Pope's affection for Msgr. Devlin. A large representation from Saint Victor's witnessed the solemn investiture at Saint Vibiana's Cathedral.

A set of carillonic bells was installed in Saint Victor's tower in April of 1948 through the munificence of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Deak. It was one of the first instruments of its kind on the West Coast, a product of Schulmerich Electronics Corporation.

A New School

Among the varied interests of Msgr. Devlin, his school was foremost. And after almost two decades of useful and efficient service, Monsignor and the people realized the old school was badly in need of permanent replacement.

In June of 1949, drawings for a new school were officially approved by the newly appointed Archbishop, J. Francis A. McIntyre. It was announced the following February 3rd, that the Consultors had awarded the contract for construction of the new educational facilities to Raphael J. Brennan. Ground was broken on Tuesday, February 14th by the pastor and members of the various parochial organizations.

The campaign to provide funds for the school started on October 9th under the auspices of the Holy Name Society. It was emphasized that no effort would be spared to help parents fulfill the obligation they had of educating their youngsters in a truly Catholic environment.

Monsignor Devlin said the building of the new school was an event second to none in the history of the parish. He further explained that the old building would continue in service after its conversion into a hall for meetings of various church organizations.

Progress on the school moved along so rapidly that it was ready for occupancy the following fall. At 3 p.m. on September 16th, Archbishop McIntyre and a large concourse of clergy participated in the impressive rite of dedication.

The modern two-story reinforced concrete edifice was splendidly equipped with every imaginable convenience including a modern up-to-date library, a memorial to the late Ned Moore. In his inspirational sermon, Msgr. Patrick Dignan, Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools, emphasized the value of a Catholic education and its place in modern society.

The first graduate of Saint Victor's School to complete his studies for the holy priesthood was Reverend Thomas Aiken, a graduate of the Class of 1937. A formal reception in his honor was held in the old parish hall on May 8th, 1949. It was a time of rejoicing for friends and neighbors to see one of their own parishioners raised to the priesthood.

Further papal distinctions were bestowed on Saint Victor's and its pastor on August 13th, 1950, with the conferral of the Domestic Prelacy on Msgr. Devlin by the Holy Father.

Parish Census, 1950

In February of 1950, the Sisters of Social Service were instrumental in taking a thorough census of the entire area. Every home within the parish limits was visited. It was a wonderful opportunity of allowing many non-Catholics to learn of the Church's concern for their spiritual welfare.

Early in 1951, the late Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, extended the Holy Year privileges to allow Catholics a further chance of partaking in the attached spiritual indulgences. An observance and pilgrimage was planned on April 1, 1951. by the people of West Hollywood who visited four station churches and then assembled for benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at Saint Victor's.

Marian devotion among Saint Victor's people has continued especially during the years since 1941 when the Perpetual Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal was introduced. This parochial spirit of devotion to Mary was forcibly brought out by Msgr. Devlin in his address at Mary's Hour, May 9th, 1952. "In answer to our sighs and longings, hopes and fears, Our Heavenly Advocate tells us the way to peace through prayer and sacrifice."

The Golden Jubilee

The Golden Jubilee of Saint Victor's Church was scheduled for 10 a.m. on November 22nd, 1956. A Solemn High Mass was sung by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Murphy, brother of Hollywood's first Pastor , who as a crossbearer had participated in the original dedication in 1906. A large crowd of people gathered in the small church for the occasion. Msgr. Robert Brennan preached an eloquent sermon, enumerating the more noble events associated with the humble building which has served the community "for fifty truly golden years.Ó

However, by the following spring, it had become increasingly clear that the structural condition of the church was rapidly deteriorating, resulting in serious hazard. Several minor collapses of plaster exhibited the need of a new and larger church to serve the needs of the parish.

The New Church

A drive for funds was initiated, a subscription committee formed, and enthusiasm for the work was spread throughout the parish. In the brief ten days from March 10th to March 20th, 1957, an intensive drive for the new church revealed the typical generosity of the extraordinary congregation. They were spurred on still further by an artistic model of the proposed church prepared by John DeCuir, a parishioner.

After serious deliberation, it was considered wise to erect the new edifice on approximately the same location which the former church occupied. The hall would be removed and the property leveled to provide a larger playground for the children.

Solicitors visited each family and at the conclusion of the campaign the realized goal of $50,000 in cash and pledges was a reality.

The plans for the church were altered several times in order to meet the specifications of the Archdiocesan Building Commission. A revised sketch was ultimately accepted and authorization was given to draw up in formal detail specifications for the proposed church.

The completed plans were released to bid in late May of 1959 and the contract was awarded by His Eminence, James Francis Cardinal McIntyre, to Diverco Constructors of Downey.

Some preliminary work was necessary in order to convert the old parish hall into a temporary church. Mr. Eugene Miller was engaged to seal the windows and relocate the exits in order to satisfy Los Angeles County requirements.

Final services were held in the old church on the vigil of its patron, July 27th, 1959. Immediately after the Miraculous Medal Novena services, the men of the parish stood at attention while the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly carried from its home of 53 years. It was, in many ways, a sad event, but also a memorable one, for it marked the beginning of the final stage of West Hollywood's development for the honor and glory of God.

The new church was the greater part of a year in construction during which time divine services were conducted in the refurbished Hall. A marvelous espirit de corps among the parishioners enabled them to minimize the more obvious inconveniences of the nonheated, poorly vented, hopelessly inadequate building.

Nevertheless it was a happy June 26th, when Holy Mass was offered for the first time in the lovely new Church. West Hollywood finally had a church large enough to serve its needs, a church whose concrete tower proudly symbolized the memorial of a grateful people to Almighty God.

Simultaneous with the completion of the church, the old parish hall was dismantled after a long and useful career as hall, school and church. The pews, altar, font and other furnishings were sent to Page, Arizona where they were installed in Saint Mary's Church.

The appurtenances of the new church were not completed for several months. The old altar was set in place on a temporary predella until the arrival from Pietrasanta, Italy, of the new marble. Installation of the baptismal font, pulpit and altars took place in the latter weeks of September under the able direction of Mr. Richard Jung.

The first official episcopal visitation to the new Saint Victor's Church took place on December 6th when Bishop Timothy Manning conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on 16 adults and 61 children.

The Stations of the Cross were canonically erected on January 23rd and the main altar was consecrated on February 11th, 1961.

His Eminence, James Francis Cardinal McIntyre paid his first visit to the new church on April 21st, when he presided at the funeral obsequies for Mr. Francis Montgomery, who had been married in the original Church in 1907.

This, then, is the history of a parish, one dedicated to the conquest of souls under the patronage of the great and noble Saint Victor, himself' a Prince of Peter. It is an interesting and exciting story of a small group of families and what they and their priests have done to promote the glory of God.

But we are realists, we live not in the past but in the present, preparing for the future. And as the people of Saint Victor's look ahead, they pray the blessings of Almighty God will be as generous to future generations as they have been to those past. So be it! God wills it!