Diamond Jubilee History
By M. M. Howard Miller, Originally published in the 75th Anniversary booklet in 1990
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
The new church, three blocks from the school, stood alone with no adjacent buildings. At this time, motorists and neighbors enjoyed the sight of priests, sisters and eight grades of school children making their way down Third Street between the school and the church for confessions, First Fridays and procession practice. There were a great many processions, little girls with veils and flowers, little boys wearing cassocks and red or gold satin capes.
After the great Long Beach earthquake of the early 30's, there seemed to be innumerable smaller quakes for the ensuing months. If you were in church, there was little noticeable movement in the great steel and concrete edifice, but there was a crackling sound as the building adjusted. Everyone was silent, motionless—invoking their Creator with ardor.
In 1940, Father Thomas Fogarty, later
Monsignor Fogarty, became pastor, still confronting a debt
over $200,000,
which he was
finally able to retire. He then planned a new building
program for St. Brendan. He sought and obtained donations
from parishioners
to erect three new major altars in the front section of
the church. He installed a golden mosaic reredos above
the altar.
The baldacchino, is a canopy of polished bronze and French
antique glass in the form of a great crown. A projector
in the crown floods the altar with light. Against the reredos
is a carved depiction of the crucifixion in white oak,
spectacular
against the gold mosaic.
Father Fogarty had an awesome vision of not only dramatic and expansive changes for the interior of the church building, but a new school behind the old one, retaining the former chapel for an auditorium, a new sisters' residence to house 16 nuns, and, finally, a new priests' house.
Originally, a magnificent tapestry hung over the old gothic altar. Carved wooden screens, twenty feet high, stood in front and on either side of the sanctuary. These were all removed, as were the exquisite painted medallions of the saints on the wall high above the altar. The latter were placed over the side doors of the church.
Gradually all the statues were replaced as were the altars on the sides of the church. A new font, of the same white Botticino marble as the new altars, appeared behind the lovely wrought iron flowers and leaves of the baptismal alcove. All the new carvings have a stylized simplicity, rather than the previous gothic lace depictions.
Bishop Manning consecrated the church
in 1957. He came again two years later to bless the 15 bells,
weighing a
total of 10,000 pounds, which were placed in the tower.
The Archbishop
was assisted by many of the Priests who were formerly St.
Brendan's boys. Fathers Weber, Schneiders and Hiss.
When Father Konoske met with the Parish Council for the last time, he confided to them that there was a day when he was very depressed by his new parish, and went for a walk. He passed Stan and Beverly Chambers, walking hand-in-hand, they waved their usual happy hello and offered to collect clothes for the poor. At that time, Stan and Beverly had ten young, happy, amazingly beautiful children. Father Konoske, his spirits raised, said he walked backed to the church paid a visit to his Lord, went into the rectory, and turning the pages of his copy of Vatican II, decided to form a parish council!
Father Konoske also welcomed the inauguration of the First Saturday Rosary to Our Lady of Fatima for peace and it has become a 20 year tradition. Its leaders have been Carmen Samaniego, Loretta Amiott, Gladys Lyman, Beatrice Challiss and Shirley Laugharn.
In 1969 Archbishop Timothy Manning, became the pastor, to the great happiness of the parish. He came down from Fresno's Diocese during an orderly transition from Cardinal McIntyre's retirement to Archbishop Manning's installation. Because the crumbling old school had stood purposeless for so long, he tore it down and doubled the size of the playground. It was a happy peaceful, time. It was fun to watch wonderful Mary Durkin, the Archbishop's long-time Irish housekeeper, re-do the Sacristy, bringing out the best in the old vestments. The priests' house, too, sparkled with her new snap. Everyone seemed to enjoy doing his best.
In 1970 Monsignor Patrick Roche, educator and long the Editor-inChief of the Tidings, an erudite and cultured priest, brought a further love and deeper understanding of the beauties of our church, as well as an historic and theological appreciation of our ancient faith and its application to our present world. Monsignor Roche, painstakingly started gathering dates and facts for an outline of the history of St. Brendan. Unfortunately, He was unable to complete it because of a terminal illness.
Some of his parishioners believe that he quietly suffered his pain long before he had to divulge it, and the Lord took him. His parishioners andother innumerable friends were shocked and bereaved. A bronze plaque in his memory is affixed to the southwest corner of the church. It reads, "In memory of our friend and pastor Monsignor Patrick Roche—May he rest in peace, 1982."
