History of St. Therese Parish
The year 2004 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of St. Therese Parish. Fr. Edward Leahy, OCD, in his book, Vintage of Grace: The Discalced Carmelite Friars in California, 1923 to 1982, describes the beginnings and history of St. Therese Parish. In honor of our 80th anniversary, I thought it would be enjoyable reading in the coming months to present his history in the bulletin.
Part I : Introduction
"I take great pleasure in offering the Irish Province of the Carmelite Order, situated in Dublin, a foundation in the Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego." The words are those of the Ordinary of the Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego [Bishop John J. Cantwell, Nov. 30, 1923] written to Fathers Bernard Gorman and Cyril Ryan, Discalced Carmelite priests of the Clarendon Street Monastery, Dublin, Ireland. The offer of the Bishop and the genuine sentiments of welcome in his words must have sounded sweet to these two men at the end of a long and tedious search for a foundation of their Order in the United States. That such ought to have been the case would seem obvious; but we are not sure, because not until four months had elapsed was there a response to the Bishop's offer. Fr. Bernard Gorman in reply simply informed His Excellency, the Bishop, that "the matter [of his offer] was still before the Roman Superiors." If we were to cite a possible reason for the apparent lack of enthusiasm in this response, it would almost certainly have to be the less-than-ideal place the Fathers were offered for the new foundation. "The place I propose for your consideration," wrote the Bishop, "is known as Tropico [Glendale today], adjacent to the city."
While the customary negotiations were in progress between the Carmelites and the Los Angeles Chancery Office, the Bishop was having second thoughts about the poor location he had given the Carmelite Order. "I think," he wrote, "that the Carmelite nuns must be praying you into the diocese. I am now able to offer you a better location than the one in Tropico. I refer to the parish of Alhambra." On receipt of this letter, the Carmelites were more energetic and positive in their response. "We consider your offer of Alhambra, instead of Tropico, most generous." Here then we have the first intimations of the foundation and Parish of St. Therese, Alhambra, the oldest of the California foundations and, what is still more important, the Irish Province's first-born of many missions since.
When and how St. Therese Parish began, the circumstances that determined its being set up, and the stages of its growth along the way, will be the subject matter of the following narrative. We are fortunate to have first-hand information, warm from the lips and fresh from the pens of the pioneers, given with rare vividness and a wealth of telling detail."
On January 19, 1922, the Definitory General approved a petition from Ireland to explore the possibility of making a foundation in the United States. The Irish Carmelite scene of the period was reasonably healthy, though somewhat static and introvert. An Apostolic Visitation carried out in June by Fr. Clement Mary, a Bavarian Carmelite living in Rome, brought about the reduction of the Irish Province, and St. Mary's Gayfield (the Carmelite Seminary) to that of a Vicariate. These were some of the lesser dispositions resulting from that visitation, in which, using strong-arm tactics to enforce discipline, the Visitator acted "with surprising ferocity … which he afterwards regretted." There being only twenty-nine Carmelite religious in Ireland at that time (1913), some innovative action was clearly called for to insure continuity and growth. Already, as far back as 1908, Fr. Ezechiel, General of the Carmelite Order, had pointed out, on a Visitation of the Irish Province, the need for some incentive to development. To this end, he urged the Fathers to secure a foundation in Belfast or Derry. Nothing much was done to implement the General's desires. Then, in 1912, the Provincial Chapter considered an offer made to the Province from Scotland. The place was not inviting, nor, apparently, was the name-Wick. It was turned down.
In the years following the 1913 visitation, the Irish Carmelites began to turn their attention to the United States for the fulfillment of their apostolic desires. Already, the Irish Augustinians and Capuchins had established themselves in the New World, and the Irish Carmelites thought well of such a move. They became convinced that they ought to follow the lead given by those Orders. Another explanation has been offered as the motivation for the missionary of the Irish Province at that time: It was suggested that the United States venture was a design on the part of the Province to satisfy the authorities in Rome and to divert attention from a mission in Baghdad (or somewhere in the East) which the Province was being asked to take over. The Irish Carmelites had, in fact, been petitioned constantly for help in the Near and Middle East; and some among them had opted for service in Baghdad and in India, as preferred apostolates more in keeping, they felt, with the spirit of Carmel.
In 1923, two priests of the Clarendon Street Community in Dublin were designated to visit the U.S. Fathers Bernard Gorman and Cyril Ryan were entrusted with the commission of finding a suitable location. Both were tried and trusted men in the ranks of their confreres. On the broader spectrum of the Irish ecclesiastical scene, both were distinguished churchmen, with that turn-of-the-century brand of clerical elegance that is now a distant memory. What they would do in the interest of their brothers, everyone felt, would be well done.
The two Fathers left Ireland in October of 1923, with letters of introduction from the Bishops of Dublin and Clonfert. It would appear, from the rather sketchy account of their itinerary, that more than one diocese was visited, more than one bishop approached in the quest of their Holy Grail. Beginning with New York and moving westward, after having visited Seattle without success, the two travelers finally fixed their sights on California and the City of Los Angeles. Wherever their search may have led them, we know that what was then the Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego opened its doors as well as its heart to welcome them.
At this point in our narrative, we encounter a distinguished churchman whose name and fame will ever be associated with the pioneering spirit of the Church of Southern California. John J. Cantwell, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego, was an aristocratic and sometimes autocratic spiritual leader. As David the shepherd boy was chosen to build up a people of God and become King of Israel, John Cantwell, called from the rich farmlands of Tipperary, was destined to guide the multitudes of the New Israel in Southern California. His Episcopate coincided with a period of extraordinary development in the Southern California Church. He was a benevolent Ordinary to the Carmelites.
A rather charming story of doubtful authenticity has made the rounds since those far-off days. Miss Nellie Cantwell, the Bishop's sister, and a lady of some consequence in her own right, chanced to meet Fr. Thomas Aquinas Reynolds of the Clarendon Street community in Dublin around that time. On learning two Carmelite priests were in the U.S. and that they were having difficulties in their quest for a foundation, Miss Nellie airily remarked, "Why don't you talk to John?" Not knowing who she was, or the John in question, our man Thomas is reported to have cut the conversation short with the less-than-gracious comment, "But who the [heck] is John?" A more reliable source informs us that on the very day the Fathers left St. Teresa's [Clarendon Street], the Bishop of Los Angeles visited St. Teresa's-where he occasionally said Mass when visiting his homeland. That this unusual but happy coincidence could have furthered the mission of the two Fathers is a reasonably safe conjecture.
According to Fr. Gerald Holohan, sole surviving member of the early pioneers, the two Irish Carmelites were received by the Rt. Rev. Monsignor John H. Cawley, Vicar General, with every manifestation of courtesy. This esteemed gentleman was most encouraging. He was also hospitable, receiving Fr. Bernard as his guest and making him feel very much at home. He suggested that the Fathers remain over at Los Angeles to await the return of Bishop Cantwell. In this they needed little persuasion. When the Bishop did return, and after he had interviewed the Fathers, their impression was that His Excellency was less than enthusiastic about the foundation. It was then that Msgr. Cawley stepped into the picture in the role of advocate, proving himself a valiant defender and a staunch friend of Carmel. In large measure it was due to Msgr. Cawley that the Council meeting of the Diocese formally endorsed the new foundation for the Carmelites. They were to be entrusted with the care of a parish in the Glendale area, in the then-existing district called Tropico (Fr. Enda maintains incorrectly that it was to have been in Torrance); the parish was to have been dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity. At this juncture the combined services of Msgr. Cawley and especially of Mother Baptista, Prioress of the Carmelite Nuns in Alhambra, made a strong impact: The Bishop reversed his decision and allowed the Carmelites to locate in Alhambra.
While these arrangements were in the process of finalization, Fr. Ignatius McGrath, Vicar Provincial back in Ireland, was casting about in the Irish communities for men who would be the pioneers for the first Irish-American missionary enterprise. Much attention, it seems, was given to the selection. Fr. Dominic Mangan was chosen to be Superior of the mission, until it was discovered that health reasons made it necessary for him to remain in Ireland. His place was taken by Fr. Andrew Kenny. The first missionary group from St. Teresa's community consisted of Fathers Malachy Cranfield and Simon Hayes, and the Provincial, Fr. Ignatius. Fr. Andrew was detained in Ireland by surgery and followed the pioneers a few months later. Unlike the three Wise Men from the East who came to Bethlehem with gold, frankincense and myrrh, Fathers Malachy, Simon, and Ignatius brought only what was in their hearts-the desire to work and the will to help others. In those sedate, uneventful days of a Semi-Province of just three houses [in Ireland], the breaking of new ground was a stirring experience for all. How stirring it became is seen from the account of the departure of the first three after bidding good-bye to the Gayfield [Dublin] community: "…Brother Martin Dully wept copiously that November evening, saying he would never see them again, and he never did."
Leaving Ireland on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary, the three Fathers embarked at Southampton on November 25, 1924, on the Leviathan. They reached their destination, Los Angeles, by train on December 10, at 7:30 a.m. Owing to some misunderstanding, the priest deputed to meet the Fathers failed in the appointment, with the result that they had to find their own way to the Chancery Office. They were accorded a hospitable reception by His Excellency, the Bishop.
On December 13, Fr. Ignatius called on the Bishop once again, and he "presented the various papers and documents, including that from the Sacred Congregation of Religious to the Bishop. These papers and Documents are retained in the Archives of the Chancery. We hold the Document from the Congregation of Religious, and copies of both documents are kept in the Archives of our Province at St. Teresa's Dublin.
It was on the occasion of the aforementioned meeting with the Bishop that the latter changed his mind about the dedication of the new parish. His intention was that St. John of the Cross would be the patron. That Fathers Ignatius, Malachy, and Simon were able to induce the Bishop to change his mind, no mean feat where Bishop Cantwell was concerned, was a tribute to their ingenuity and tact. Blessed Therese became the patroness of the new foundation. The Parish claims the distinction of being the first parish in the world to have been dedicated to the new saint, while she was still only Blessed.
One of the singular blessings attendant on the beginnings of the new foundation was the presence of the Carmelite Nuns, who had lived in the Los Angeles area since 1913, and in Alhambra since 1923. They welcomed their Carmelite brothers with evident signs of affection and esteem. Mother Baptista, having already interceded with the Bishop to locate them in Alhambra, opened the Monastery chapel to the Fathers as a temporary parish church, until they could get established on their own. It was then that the seeds of a beautiful and lasting friendship were sown in the relationship of the First [the friars] and Second Orders [the nuns] of Carmel in Alhambra. It is something, of course, one comes to expect, but does not always find. With feelings of deep appreciation and gratitude, the Carmelite Fathers and Brothers placed on record the unaffected support of their Sisters in the Alhambra Carmel.
First Mass as a Parish On December 21, 1924, Fr. Ignatius wrote, "There being a few of our prospective parishioners present, I announced that the formal opening of the Convent Chapel for temporary use of the parishioners would take place at 8:30 a.m. on Christmas Day, via the celebration of the first Parish Mass." There is no record of the number of people present at the formal opening of the Parish on Christmas Day. Characteristically, however, a collection of over $70.00 was noted! Much more important was the fact that a new mission of Carmel had been opened, sending waves of optimism and gratitude into the hearts of the three pioneers, echoing all the way back to their brethren in Ireland. Later that evening, over their first American Christmas dinner, reflecting on the day's happenings, the founding Fathers must have gained a clear conviction that a new phase of their religious vocation had opened up, or rather that it had been added to their hitherto monastic pattern of life. They could hardly fail to reflect that, in the designs of Providence, they were the founding members of a spiritual endeavor destined, with the passing years, to be a continuing source of spiritual enrichment for the people of God in Alhambra.
The correspondence between the Carmelites and the Bishop dating from that time sheds light on the trials as well as on the joys of a new religious enterprise. It records the visible satisfactions and happiness attendant on the ministry and work of the pioneers. One is surprised to find the Carmelites so active so soon after their arrival in retreat and mission work-and with singular success, apparently. Fr. Gerald's diary reveals that the Fathers took on missions and retreats all over Southern California and even in San Francisco.
What shines through the correspondence most clearly is the strong, warm, robust personality of the Vicar Provincial, Fr. Ignatius McGrath. His letters in the Archives of the Los Angeles Chancery Office reveal clarity of thought and sureness of touch, combined with a charming humanism reminiscent of that gracious woman, St. Teresa of Jesus. When he died rather unexpectedly in 1934 (he suffered greatly with asthma), Bishop Cantwell expressed his appreciation of Fr. Ignatius' worth, remarking, "He has honored his ranks."
On December 16, 1924, we find Fr. Ignatius and his companions enlisting the help of Fr. Henry Gross, Pastor of All Souls Church, Alhambra, in their efforts to find a suitable place to live. In this worthy man, the Fathers were to find a staunch and abiding friend as well as a wise counselor, who placed himself unreservedly at their disposal. On January 26, 1925, the Fathers were able to take up permanent residence in a newly acquired home at 515 Vega Street, purchased for $37,000. (the house had been built in 1899 by Seth Champion). The Carmelites blessed their new home on January 27, dedicating it to Blessed Therese, thus becoming the first Irish mission of the Discalced Carmelites. It served as such until 1956, when, due to time's wear and tear, it was replaced by the present rectory.
As a place name, Alhambra is just over a hundred years old. Called after an old Moorish castle in Spain, the City is said to have received its name in an interesting way. Benjamin Wilson, "Don Benito" to his friends, owner of extensive acreage in that area, was reading one afternoon in 1875. Sitting on the broad veranda of his elegant home and gazing on the lush landscape that unfolded itself on all sides, he became aware that the scene was strikingly similar to the one described in the book he was just then reading-Washington Irving's Alhambra. Instantly the thought of naming the entire district Alhambra suggested itself. Up to that time the place had had no name.
The first house to be built in the vicinity of Don Benito's home occupied the site where the Parish of Alhambra stands today. A description of the Alhambra of those days, given in rare language by the sensitive pen of one who must have loved Alhambra, is nostalgic-depicting a charming, rural setting reached by an old dirt road that was bounded by lacy pepper trees and stately eucalyptus. It was a haven of peace where "no sound was heard except the song of the meadowlark, the occasional beat of horses' hooves and the sweet sound of bells from Mission San Gabriel.
A special occasion in the life of the infant foundation was the first visit of the Bishop. "We are celebrating the feast of the Little Flower, St. Therese, this coming 30th of September," wrote Fr. Andrew Kenny, OCD, Superior of the new community, "and we are in hopes your Lordship will grace the occasion and speak to us a little about the new Saint." The Bishop did indeed attend, using the occasion to commend the Carmelites and their parish project to their new parishioners. "The Carmelites of Alhambra," he said, "have come to perpetuate in California the spirit of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese, the Little Flower. It is the intention of the Fathers, with the help of a generous laity, to erect in Alhambra a church dedicated to St. Therese of the Child Jesus. I most cordially bless this undertaking."
With the foundation solidly established, the Carmelites could now focus their energies on the task of building up the Parish entrusted to them. Not a little attention was centered on setting up the Parish boundaries. It need scarcely be said that decisions of such nature were made without the intervention of the Carmelites. “They had no voice in this matter. They simply took over the territory assigned by the delegates of the Bishop and sanctioned officially by his Lordship” [Bishop Cantwell].
Some priest friends of the neighboring parishes thought that the Carmelite Parish was too restricted, and that the boundaries ought to be extended. They had sympathy for the Carmelites, being located in such a sparsely populated area—bean fields and orange groves—as was the Alhambra of those days. Again, Fr. Henry Gross was an advocate for the Carmelites in this regard. His suggestion that the Carmelite Parish take in a large part of San Marino and that the church be located on Huntington Drive aroused a negative response in high places. On the back page of Fr. Gross’ written suggestion to the Council, the Bishop [Cantwell] wrote the words, “Church north of Main Street.” The case was effectively closed.
Every religious enterprise, like God’s kingdom on earth, the Church, is a repeat experience of the parable of the mustard seed: small beginnings, strident circumstances, and the struggle for financial survival. St. Therese Parish, in common with other institutions of the Diocese, shared fully in the growing pains of the developing scene. An entry in Fr. Gerald’s diary before May of 1925 sheds light on the sober mood of the pioneers: “The distance from the Convent [the temporary church] as well as the quiet of the house and surroundings made us feel very much isolated. Seeing very few people come around the place because we had no Church made some of us feel as if nothing was being accomplished.”
It must be remembered that the financial circumstances at St. Therese were not as stressful as one might have expected them to be. Some of the first parishioners, in fact, were heard to comment that “these Carmelites have plenty of money.” Here it is necessary to place on record, ad pertetuam rei memoriam, the generosity, or better, the liberality, of the home Province [Ireland] towards its newly acquired mission. Not content with supplying the nourishment of manpower to equip the mission, the Definitory Provincial and the community of St. Teresa’s Clarendon Street opened their collective heart still more widely: a sum of money that, for the 1920s, could only be described as extravagant, $82,000, was allocated. That it was an outright gift, made by a poor country to a wealthy one, makes the gesture more memorable.
Much has been made of the trials endured by the pioneers of Carmel in California, and justly so. Much has been said also of the alleged unwillingness, or inability, of the Superiors in Dublin to comprehend and appreciate the real needs of the California mission. These complaints, however well-founded they may be, are
effectively offset by the remembrance of this magnanimity. Not until the 1940’s did the Alhambra community, and the Delegation as a whole, begin to feel that some return ought to be made to the home Province for this early benefaction. The money was finally returned by the Archdiocese in installments to the Carmelites; it is now held in trust in California by a decision of the Irish Provincial, to be used for the training and education of native vocations.
It was not until the mid-1950s that the Pastor of St. Therese and his Associates, at the insistence of Cardinal McIntyre, began taking salaries in the amounts recognized for all pastors and associates in Los Angeles. The new Carmelite community of 1924 recognized as their prime need the presence of a school. In the California Catholic Church of the 1920’s, a school was judged such an integral component of any parish unit as to be inseparable from it. “No school, no parish church” became an axiom. Fr. Malachy, the first Pastor, was authorized by the community in February, 1926, to prepare plans for a church-school combination.
The plans and building moved ahead with dispatch to be completed within six months, at a cost of $69,000; the ground-breaking ceremony was performed on June 1, 1926, by the newly appointed Vicar Provincial, Fr. Bernard Gorman. The combination construction was under one roof: the school on the ground floor, and, on the upper floor, the church. In the first week of September, 1926, the new building was ready for school to begin; the enrollment was fifty-three children, half of whom were drawn from the neighboring parishes of San Gabriel and El Monte. The first Mass was celebrated on September 22 by Msgr. Cawley, Vicar General. The dedication ceremony took place on November 7, 1926. “It was a memorable event for the Parish. The Bishop spoke beautifully on the occasion, mentioning the advent of the first Fathers to San Diego long ago and of our coming to continue the work it was their intention to perform.”
By far the greatest contribution of the parent Province to the mission was the men chosen to take part in it. In number and merit they were among the best available. Within the first year of its life, St. Therese Parish was to see five new members added to the community: Fathers Andrew Kenny and Gerard Holohan and Brother Anthony Mahoney would arrive in February, 1925, to join the two existing members, Fathers Malachy Cranfield and Simon Hayes (Father Vicar Provincial was due at this time to return to Ireland). The following December saw Fathers Kieran Dolan and Colman Kilduff join the young community. Thus began a stream of manpower from Ireland to California that has flowed continuously for almost fifty years. Every year, almost with regularity, one could expect to see a Carmelite Father or Brother arriving to supplement the new community, adding life and hope to the already hopeful picture. These latter years, as the well begins to run dry and native vocation increase, arrivals have slowed down to a trickle, even to a standstill. From the years that saw the first Carmelites arrive in Los Angeles down to our day, the signs of change are clearly discernible. Time does not roll idly by. One has only to look at the faded photographs of those early arrivals to Alhambra for confirmation of this fact: we see them detraining at Pasadena railroad station in their unlikely garb—dressed in overcoats, heavy-fabric chesterfield suits, large black hats, and armed with rolled umbrellas under a blistering California sun. St. Teresa, who herself knew more than most the joys and disappointments attendant on a new foundation, must have derived edification and some amusement as she surveyed this scene from the seventh mansion of the Kingdom.
In chronological sequence, a list of Pastors of St. Therese begins with a native of Dublin, Fr. Malachy Cranfield (1924-1927). His was not an easy role in a new country and on an assignment for which he had had no previous experience. His best gifts were not in the field of government or administration; he was a literary man of wide reading tastes and possessed a considerable talent as a public speaker. As a young priest, he had served in the Indian mission. In his role of Pastor in Alhambra, he would be judged less than a huge success. It was said that “some people he seemingly ignored; others he singled out for preferential treatment. This could be so because of a marked squint in his right eye which made people unsure whether he was looking at them or ignoring them.” Alhambra was his first assignment of responsibility as Pastor; it was also his last. In 1928 he returned to Claredon Street, Dublin, Ireland, where, except for a brief period at Kensington Priory in London, he exercised a fruitful apostolate more in keeping with his aesthetic tastes, until his death in 1962.
At that early period it was thought proper to separate the office of Pastor from that of House Superior or Vicar. Thus, Fr. Andrew Kenny became Superior of the Community. The arrangement became known among the Carmelites as the “dual monarchy” but could be more accurately described as the “duel experience.” It was a failure and was abandoned in 1928, never to be reattempted.
From 1927 to 1933 the Pastorate of Alhambra was in the hands of Fr. Gerald Holohan; that is, until his return to Ireland, at which time the reins of Alhambra passed on successively to Fathers Andrew Kenny (1933-39); Patrick Collings (1939-45); Martin Lydon (1945-48); James Gilmartin (1948-54); Columban Fitzgerald (1954-60); Gerald Winters (1960- 66); William Fenton (1966-72); Matthew McKeogh (1972-78); William Fenton (1978-84); [David Costello (1984-90); Patrick Sugrue (1990-96); Stephen Watson (1996- 99); and Matthew Williams (1999 - ). Of the above roster of Pastors, with their Associates, some have already been gathered up by the Supreme Pastor into the heavenly sheepfold of everlasting life; while others still with us, bide their time confidently for His gentle call.
Of the early Carmelites who came to California, none chose to “husband out life’s taper at the close” near the scene of their labors. Impelled instinctively, it would seem, by the Celtic dream and desire for bas in Eireann (“death in Ireland”), all returned to pass their twilight years and await the resurrection among their own people. These later years have seen a change in such preferences, as men push their roots more deeply into the rich soil of the land of plenty and promise.
Reading through the notes of the first years of Alhambra’s life, it is difficult to avoid the impression that California proved a less-than-ideal change for some who were sent there. After only nine months, we find Fr. Simon Hayes returning to Ireland. Within three years, Founding Pastor Fr. Malachy Cranfield, Brother Anthony Mohaney, and Fr. Andrew Kenny would be back again in their native heath (arriving on October 28, 1928). Fr. Kieran Dolan would return in 1930, to be followed by Fr. Colman Kilduff in 1931.
The Alhambra foundation was almost thirty years in existence when it saw death in the community for the first time. Fr. Ephrem (Eugene Mullen) was scarcely settled into life in the U.S. when, on March 8, 1953, God called him to that greater life with Himself, in the fifty-seventh year of his life, twelve years of which had been passed as a Carmelite priest.
“His academic authority shrouded him in an atmosphere of obscurity and a certain exclusiveness.” For many who came to know him in later years, this image fits him appropriately. Fr. Ephrem’s life as a Carmelite spanned a mere fifteen years, less than three of which were passed in California—years more profitable, it would appear, than long, for his memory is still treasured in the hearts of those who knew him. Having passed his adolescent years as a clerical student in Maynooth, Eugene Mullen turned his attention to the study of letters, during which period he became associated with and deeply involved in the national struggle for independence. When, in the 1920s, the people of his native South Mayo looked for someone of stature to represent them in the government, their choice was Eugene. But Eugene Mullen was the thinking, not the fighting, type. Because of this, perhaps, we soon find him removed from politics to the serene, secluded setting of the newly founded Carmelite College of Castlemartyr, County Cork—where later he would be for many years a teacher of English and history. His most notable literary contribution is “The Ode to St. Patrick,” a religious poem selected by the Irish nation to be read by its author on the occasion of the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, in June, 1932.
Listening ever more deeply to an inner call, Eugene Mullen asked for and received permission to enter the Carmelite Order in 1938. That his search for fulfillment had come to an end is indicated by the tenor of his life from then on to his untimely death by cancer. He awaits the resurrection in Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, in the company of his Carmelite brothers.
A much- debated issue in Carmelite circles in the past was the compatibility of parish involvement with the contemplative vocation—or the problem of integrating prayer and parochial work in the following of Christ. It was a heated question that often enough succeeded in unwholesome polarizing of religious communities. Nowadays, when younger religious try to swim like fish in troubled waters of religious renewal, many of these ancient problems of incompatibility have passed into limbo, there to rest in peace.
It is well known that very early in its newly reformed life, even before the death of St. Teresa, Carmelite Friars of Spain turned their attention to the missions in the Congo. The fact that the missionary apostolate was grafted onto the contemplative life in 1582, and that this was done with the blessing of St. Teresa, proves that for the first Discalced Carmelites, no conflict existed between the active life of a parish and the contemplative vocation. California in 1924 was not the Congo; even so, the Catholic Church in California was nothing if not missionary, since the United States had been removed from the jurisdiction of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide a scant sixteen years before.
From the accounts of 1924, we gather that the pioneers at Alhambra encountered little difficulty in the transition from the serenity of monastic life in Ireland to the fiercely active apostolate of a modern, bustling American city. They understood that, as the Gospel finds itself at home in every clime and culture, just so does the spirit of Carmel transcend the accidents of time and space. It is a tribute to the prudent caution of those early pioneers, as well as to their religious zeal, that these men succeeded in drawing tighter the two strands—action and contemplation—into a workable, fruitful, and harmonious combination.
The California pioneers may not measure up to such heroics of the spirit as we hear about in the account of their Carmelite brothers on their way to Australian twenty-four years later. However, we are assured that Alhambra’s community rose every morning at 4:45 a.m. for prayer and the recitation of the Divine Office, that they abstained from eating meat, and even continued the prescription of the “discipline.”
Archbishop Cantwell, always interested in the Carmelites’ spiritual as well as temporal well-being, maintained a paternal solicitude towards them. His friendship, always genuine, could on occasion be paternalistic and exacting. His expectations were always high in their regard. In reproving them, he did not make use of subtle indirection. When Fr. Patrick Collins was appointed Pastor of St. Therese, the Archbishop was outspoken and blunt in his disapproval. “Personally, I have no confidence in him.” The objection was based solely on the fact of Fr. Patrick’s inexperience (he was only thirty-one years old). The Archbishop would be mollified only by the return of Fr. Andrew Kenny, previous Pastor,
from St. Mary’s in Dublin, where he had to relinquish the office of Prior to which he had just been elected.
We now continuing our excerpts from Fr. Edward Leahy’s book, “Vintage of Grace”.
One of the most important developments in the history of St. Therese was the building of the new church, planned and completed in 1950 at a cost of $225,000 during the Pastorate of Fr. James Gilmartin. The blessing of the new Church took place on January 14, 1951—James Francis McIntyre, then Archbishop, being the officiant.
Brother John O’Neill - In almost sixty years of parochial life, Alhambra has witnessed the comings and goings of the members of the Carmelite community. Some have passed many years here, others few. Some stand out conspicuously for the work they have accomplished; others, not so.
Brother John will be remembered not for any of these reasons, but for the essential simplicity of his life. Few Carmelites who have lived in St. Therese Parish will have touched the lives of so many, so endearingly, as Brother John did in his long sojourn here. Entering Carmel in his native Ireland, after having served as a shop assistant in London for some years, he was assigned to Alhambra in 1928, arriving on October 11. There he remained until cancer took him on September 9, 1971, forty-three years later, at the age of seventyone.
Brother John immersed himself in the life and work of the community and Parish, always thinking up new ideas and better ways to be of service. His engaging simplicity and boyish enthusiasm as well as the sense of fulfillment he found in his call as a Carmelite Brother were his most obvious traits. When death came, he welcomed it with a gentle smile as the consummation of his religious profession. Brother John’s contribution to Alhambra is not to be seen in anything special that he did, but rather in the fact that he himself was special. To say that St. Therese Parish lost something in his passing, true though it be, would be ungrateful if Alhambra and its community were to forget how much it had gained through his passing among them for forty-three years.NOTE: Fr. Ignatius McDonnell, O.C.D., who was assigned here for a few years in the 1940’s, has died in Ireland. Please pray for the repose of his soul.
Words of Fr. Matthew William (current pastor - 2004):
A couple of weeks ago, the account of the beginnings of St. Therese Parish mentioned the building of the
new church. I thought it would be interesting to begin to reprint the description of the church that was published
when it was dedicated on January 14, 1951.)===
“St. Therese Parish Church shows a modern adaptation of the Mediterranean style of architecture. It is built
entirely of reinforced concrete and has a tile roof. There is accommodation for at least 750 persons. Entering
the nave by way of the narthex, one gets the first glimpse of the altar and sanctuary; the stately columns
and the elevated portion of the roof over the transepts with its heavy arches give an aspect of imposing
strength; the graceful lighting fixtures claim notice; the fitness of the church furnishings and appointments is
apparent. There is symmetry. Nothing, however, seems to minimize the beauty and the prominence of the
main altar which is the chief focal point of interest.
The altar is strictly liturgical in that it consists of four solid marble stapes, or supports, which carry the
weight and intricate design of the main slab of the mensa. The mensa, 4’ x 10’ in area and 4 ¼” thick, is of
crèmo white-veined marble and carries a securely attached bronze tabernacle with candlestick to match.
The front of the altar is closed in with a beautifully carved marble figure of a lamb carrying the banner of
Christ. The carving itself is enriched by gold leaf. The platform predella in front of the altar is made up of
colrosa pink travertine enhanced with panels of imported marble chips.
The main body of the sanctuary floor is made up of Cardiff green marble set over reinforced concrete. The
reredos effect on the wall behind the altar is made up of real marble slabs carefully cut and polished to
match. The reredos field is carved with ribbons of gold leaf inserted in the scalloped
carving as well as the fleur-de-lis ornaments. East of the altar, we have
the Carmelite Fathers choir chapel, and on the west side we have the closed
mothers’ room. Each of the side rooms looks into the sanctuary through plate
glass set between piers of terrazzo-covered concrete structure. The piers
extend up beyond the roof forming window divisions inviting a directional
flow of light down onto the altar.
The side altars are made up of a rich green vert-de-alps marble base with
white-veined cremo marble tops set against a high panel of matched
pink colorosa travertine broken only by a projecting base for the marble
figures of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph. The concrete
pulpit, with its amplified sound hood, is built against the self support of
the sanctuary arch, and sedilia and acolyte chairs and credence
table enhance the right support of the sanctuary arch.
REPRINTED FROM 1951:
There is common consent that St. Therese Church is one of the most beautiful churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. You might wonder, “Who was the person that designed the church and oversaw its construction?” The answer to that question is: J. Earl Trudeau, who was commonly known as Jack Trudeau. Here is a reprint of the article that appeared about him in the “Dedication Booklet” of the church.
J. Earl Trudeau, a member of the American Institute of Architects, has over twenty years of experience in architecture, which began with the Los Angeles firm of Weston & Weston which specialized in the construction of banks. He was assigned to an extensive rehabilitation of the Phoenix First National Trust and Savings Bank Building. As a result of the excellence of this work, Mr. Trudeau was advised to further his experience and education in New York.
Venturing to New York City at the beginning of the depression, he was able to place his services with leading architectural firms—gaining experience of Class “A” projects such as American Embassy in Paris; Federal Physopathic Institution, Springfield, Ill; Queen’s Hospital, New York, as well as having successfully competed in Beaux Art Institute, doing top awards in upper division study. Awarded the Harvard Scholarship in 1931 and a Bronze Medal of the Society de Ecole Beauz Arts in 1932, his solution and presentation drawings in another National competition won a Fellowship to Princeton Graduate School of Architecture.
Mr. Trudeau made a special trip through Europe to study, paying particular attention to materials and methods of construction of modern as well as traditional architecture. Returning to California in 1933, he executed the design and portions of the working drawings and specification on the following projects: Purex Warehouse and Bleaching Plant; South Gate; General Petroleum Corporation; Franklin Junior High School in Long Beach; Claremont School in Claremont; Lincoln High School in Los Angeles; 15 Church buildings, as well as varied classes of residential work.
When our entry into war restricted building projects, he assisted the Los
Angeles Office of the War Department—employed there as a Chief Engineer Aide Architect with a Civil Service rating of 99. He was also engaged in the war effort with Fluor Corporation and in the motion picture studios prior to reopening architectural offices in October 1944. Mr. Trudeau has his home office at the corner of First and Bay State Streets, Alhambra, a community of which he has been a property owner and resident for twelve years, a member of St. Therese Parish; a member of Alhambra Lions Club; a member of Elks Lodge No. 1328, and an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. Some of his recent works are: Bellflower: School, church, convent, rectory; San Diego Land Title Co.; El Monte: School, gymnasium and convent; Ramona Convent, Chapel alteration and new Faculty residence; Monterey Park: Convent; Artesia: School, gymnasium, convent and rectory; Roscoe: First unit of school and rectory; Tujunga: New School and Hall; St. Elizabeth’s Jr. High School; Cabrini Parish: Church and rectory; and St. Michael’s Parish: Memorial Tower.
Next week:
(To Be Continued)
NOTE: Fr. Ignatius McDonnell, O.C.D., who was assigned here for a few years in the 1940’s, has died in Ireland. Please pray for the repose of his soul.
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