St. Andrew's Catholic Church (Pasadena, California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Andrew Catholic Church
34°09′02″N 118°08′58″W / 34.15066°N 118.14933°W / 34.15066; -118.14933
Location	311 N. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, California 91103
Country	USA
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	saintandrewpasadena.org
History
Founded	1886
Dedicated	1927 (current church building)
Architecture
Architect(s)	Ross Montgomery Robert Brown Young
Architectural type	Romanesque Revival; Byzantine Revival
Construction cost	$1,000,000
Administration
Diocese	Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Division	San Gabriel Pastoral Region

St. Andrew's Catholic Church is a special Catholic church located in Pasadena, California. It was started in 1886, making it the oldest Catholic church community in Pasadena. It's also one of the oldest in Los Angeles County! Its tall bell tower, built in a style called Romanesque Revival, can be seen from far away. It's a famous landmark in Pasadena. The inside of the church, built in 1927, looks like the ancient Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome. The front of the church was inspired by the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome.

The Church Building: A Pasadena Landmark

The current St. Andrew's Church building was finished in 1927. It cost about $1,000,000 to build. Many people think it is one of the most beautiful and important churches in Southern California. The building's design, both inside and out, looks like early Christian churches from the Byzantine era.

The architect, Ross Montgomery, and the church's pastor, Msgr. McCarthy, traveled to Italy. They studied old Byzantine buildings to find ideas for the new church in Pasadena. The Los Angeles Times newspaper later said that their teamwork created a building that would be remembered for a long time. Montgomery and McCarthy were mostly inspired by Santa Sabina, a church in Rome built way back in 432 A.D. They used it as a model for St. Andrew's.

Bell Tower at St. Andrew's

In May 1928, a special dedication Mass was held. Hundreds of children took part in a religious parade early in the morning. They helped move the Blessed Sacrament from the old church to the new one. Bishop John Cantwell said the new church was "the pride of the diocese." He also called it a great copy of the old church in Rome.

In 1930, the Los Angeles Times wrote about the church. They said Pasadena, known for its beauty, had gained a new special feature. They described St. Andrew's Catholic Church as rising "like a jeweled crown." The newspaper believed the church's building and decorations marked a new important time for religious architecture on the Pacific Coast.

The Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles also praises St. Andrew's. It mentions the church's early Christian design and its Romanesque bell tower. The book says the inside of the church is amazing. It also notes how the church's shape adds to the city's view. It suggests seeing it from the Foothill Freeway when the sun is setting.

Amazing Murals by Carlo Wostry

Mural above altar at St. Andrew's

Even though the church building was finished in 1927, it took eight more years to complete all the art inside. This included the large paintings called murals and the Stations of the Cross. The church asked an Italian painter named Carlo Wostry to create these artworks.

Wostry had painted murals in many cities like Trieste, Venice, Paris, and New York. But he felt his work at St. Andrew's was the best art he had ever created. He spent five years decorating the inside of St. Andrew's. He worked both at the church and in a quiet studio in the Hollywood Hills.

At first, he was only asked to paint the murals above the altar. But the church members loved his work so much! They raised money for him to paint the chapel in the north part of the church. Wostry spent a whole year painting the Madonna (Mary) sitting on a throne with angels around her. In 1932, he was asked to paint the Stations of the Cross. He went back to Trieste to finish this project.

When people saw Wostry's murals in Pasadena, the Los Angeles Times said in 1930 that he was a great artist. They compared him to the famous Italian mural painters of the Renaissance. Twenty-four of Wostry's murals were shown in Trieste before they were sent to Pasadena. An Italian newspaper was sad that these artworks were leaving Italy. They thought the people in Pasadena had money but didn't truly appreciate art. However, when all his work was done in 1935, the Los Angeles Times wrote that Wostry's murals at St. Andrew's were "a revelation" to the art world in the west. They called them the best in any church in North or South America.

Church History: A Look Back

Early Years (1886–1918)

In 1886, Father Patrick Harnett from the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles was given a special job. He was to start a new church community for Catholics living in Pasadena. Before this, local Catholics had to travel far. They went to the San Gabriel Mission or Downtown Los Angeles for Mass.

The very first Mass in Pasadena was held at a hotel. This hotel was located on Fair Oaks and Colorado Streets. In 1888, the city's first church building was put up. It was at the corner of Pasadena Avenue and Bellefontaine. The first full-time pastor, Father Andrew Cullen, named the church after St. Andrew.

In April 1906, a sad Mass was held at St. Andrew's. This was for the people who died in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The altar was covered in black, and sad symbols were shown. The music was serious, with a full choir singing. The Los Angeles Times reported that about one thousand people were there. This included many city leaders and people from other churches.

Monsignor McCarthy (1918–1944)

Msgr. John Michael McCarthy was the fifth pastor of St. Andrew's. He was from Brooklyn, New York. He served the church for 26 years, from 1918 to 1944. He was one of the first priests in California to be called a monsignor. He was also known as the "adobe priest" because he cared deeply for the Mexican people.

People also called him the "padre of the boulevard." This was because he walked the streets of Pasadena every day. He would offer spiritual advice and help to those who needed it. His successor, Bishop McGucken, said he was like a "last link" to the history of Old California. During Msgr. McCarthy's time, the church opened a high school. In 1927, they built the beautiful church we see today. Msgr. McCarthy stayed at St. Andrew's as a retired pastor until he passed away in 1951. About 800 people attended his funeral.

The McGucken and Hourihan Years (1944–1982)

Bishop Joseph T. McGucken took over from Msgr. McCarthy. He was from Los Angeles. He was the pastor at St. Andrew's from 1944 to 1955. Besides being a pastor, Bishop McGucken was also a very important leader in the Los Angeles Archdiocese. In 1955, he left St. Andrew's to become the Bishop of Sacramento. The church community held a big farewell party for him. It had music and a performance by Dennis Day. Bishop McGucken later became the Archbishop of San Francisco.

St. Andrew's also had another long-serving priest, Msgr. James Hourihan. He was from Ireland. He first served as an assistant pastor from 1931 to 1936. Then, he became the pastor for 27 years, from 1955 to 1982. In 1986, Msgr. Hourihan wrote a 224-page book about the history of St. Andrew's church.

Recent Years

Msgr. Tobias P. English was a veteran from the Korean War. He served as pastor at St. Andrew's from 1982 to 1999. After he retired, he remained at St. Andrew's as a pastor emeritus.

After Hurricane Katrina, the St. Andrew's church community helped a young mother and her baby. They paid their rent for six months. The church also gave them a crib and Christmas gifts. They offered emotional support too.

In July 2004, the associate pastor, Father Marcos Gonzalez, was featured in the Los Angeles Times. The article talked about new priests who are very dedicated to church teachings. Father Gonzalez was born in Cuba. He said two important people in his teenage years were Pope John Paul II in his church life and Ronald Reagan in his civil life. The pastor at the time, Father Frank Colborn, noted that younger priests like Father Gonzalez were very focused on following church teachings.

The School at St. Andrew's

In 1897, the church started a Catholic school. It was first called the "Academy of Holy Names." Later, it was renamed St. Andrew Catholic School. The school began in a house on North Fair Oaks Avenue. The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary ran the school. In 1898, they bought land to build a permanent brick school building.

The school moved to its current location in 1923. The school building that stands today was built in 1949. While he was still a cardinal, Pope Pius XII visited St. Andrew's Church and School. Sister Mary Petra remembered, "He blessed us and admired our church." The high school part of the school closed in 1980. In September 1997, hundreds of former students gathered for a reunion. They celebrated the school's 100th birthday!

Pastors of St. Andrew's

Here are the priests who have served as the main pastor at St. Andrew's:

• Rev. Andrew Cullen, 1888–1890
• Rev. Cornelius Scannel, 1890–1896
• Rev. Patrick Farrelly, 1897–1909
• Rev. William Quinlan, 1909–1918
• Msgr. John M. McCarthy, V.F.P.A., 1918–1944
• Rev. Joseph Thomas McGucken, D.D., 1944–1955
• Msgr. James Hourihan, 1955-1982 (he was also an assistant pastor from 1931–1937, and a retired pastor from 1982–1997)
• Msgr. Tobias P. English, 1982 to 1999
• Rev. Frank Colborn, 1999 to 2007
• Rev. Paul Sustayta (2007 to 2019)
• Rev. Marcos Gonzalez (2019–Present)

Mass Schedule

As of 2020, here is the Mass schedule at St. Andrew Church, Pasadena:

• Weekdays (English): 8:15 a.m. (Monday - Friday)
• Weekdays (Spanish): 6:30 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
• Saturdays: 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (vigil Mass, the evening Mass before Sunday)
• Sundays: 6:30 a.m. (Spanish), 8:00 a.m. (English), 9:30 a.m. (English), 11:00 a.m. (Spanish), 12:30 p.m. (English), and 5:00 p.m. (English)
• Tuesday Holy Hour: 7:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m. This includes Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions.
• Saturday Confession: 3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

See also

• San Gabriel Pastoral Region