In the heat of a June afternoon in 1949, seasoned priests and advisors
to the Chancery office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles inspected
a T-shaped parcel of property between Firmament and Haskell Avenues,
with the base of the T fronting Ventura Blvd.
The site was tentatively designated to become the plant of the new
Encino parish of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. The name had been chosen,
because at the time, Jerusalem was in anguish through war and division
and strife. James Francis Cardinal McIntyre wished to signify the
concern of the Church for the holy places and for their distressed
peoples. This he did by placing the new parish in the Valley under
the patronage of St. Cyril of Jerusalem.
The Rev. Michael Lalor had been named pastor-designate of St Cyrils.
He was born on May 4, 1904, in Cullohill County, Leix, Ireland, and
ordained at St. Kierans, Kilkenny, for the Diocese of Los Angeles
and San Diego on June 8th 1930. He was not only wise in the procedures
of development of a parish plant itself but in the ability to guide
a new coalition of families from a wide social and economic spectrum
into a cohesive unit, capable of working together for the greater
good of all.
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Father Lalor was name pastor of St. Cyrils on July 7, 1949,
and the first nucleus of 300 families began attending Mass in Nazareth
House Home for Boys at Magnolia and Sepulveda Boulevards. The boundaries
of the new parish were Balboa Boulevard on the West; Van Nuys Blvd.
on h East; Mulholland Drive on the South, and Clark Street to the
North.
Evidence of Father Lalors prudence was his first edict once
the parish was fact. There would be a club for the men of the parish
and an Altar Society for women. No splinter groups would detract from
the full membership of each. The wisdom of this decision has been
borne through the first half century in the concentration of support
by the two groups to every parish endeavor from Scouts and teen clubs
for youth to senior citizen activity, Christian Service and the vital
fund-raising so necessary for growth.
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The Altar Society was established the fist week in August of 1950
with Mrs. Delmar Mitchelson as president; Mrs. Henry H. Powell Jr.,
vice president; Mrs. Frank Ralphs, secretary, and Mrs. J.D. Lydon,
treasurer. The first meeting of the unit was held in what is now the
convent, but which first served as rectory of Father Lalor and his
assistant pastor, the Rev. William Smith, a former army chaplain.
Loren Goodwin served as first president of the Mens Club with
William Galbally as vice president, Andy Anderson as secretary and
Harold Hourihan, treasurer. They met in classroom bungalows.
Father Lalor and Father Smith moved out of the two-story Spanish
residence at 4550 Haskell Ave., in September of 1950 to provide a
home for the first cadre of nuns opening the school that month, guided
by Sister Francis Joseph Ferguson. Mrs. Kay Hammer was first secretary
of the school.
Dedication of the church, now the Parish Hall, was held on the Sunday
before Christmas 1950. The building cost $100,000 and had been designed
by George J. Adams. One of his primary features was architecture,
which brought those attending Mass in close proximity to the altar.
The Crucifix and carved wooden statues of Mary, the Mother of Jesus,
and St.John, the Apostle, which graced the altar background are now
included in the magnificent carved triptych reredos of the new church.
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Mrs. Jack Vizzard was first organist for the parish and by the 1970s
an adult choir was developed by William Cormier.
Community activity by the parish continued to grow. In 1953 a group
within the Womans Club dedicated solely to philanthropic work
for those in need was named "The Godmothers." Its
first president was Mrs. Lawrence H. Jackson.
Parishioners became active in drives for the American Red Cross,
March of Dimes and Community Chest (now United Crusade) and each year
citations for these services were bestowed on St. Cyrils, giving
it recognition as a needed support for the growing area.
Mindful of the service by so many of its family fathers in World
War II, the parish also continued to support United Service Organization
with funds as well as volunteers.
A rectory at 4601 Firmament Avenue, to replace the bungalow in which
Father Lalor and his assistants had lived for nine years, was completed
in 1958 with housing for three priests and space for an office staff.
The newly completed church was opened during Christmastime in 1966.
Joseph C. Styskall was the contractor in a contemporary design with
warm blue and golds with walnut wood accents, seating. Unfortunately,
Father Lalor died on April 9, 1967 at age 62, before the church could
be dedicated.
Following in Father Lalors stead were Msgr. Christopher J.
Bradley, then assistant pastors Rev. Clinton Hagenbach, who established
the parishs first teen club. Rev. Clement Connelly who was popular
with his parish for his German Shepherd Dog and Irish tenor voice
succeeded him. Rev. Paul Kelly served before going to St. Euphrasias.
Finally, in 1970, our dear Msgr. Navin joined us from his post in
Santa Catalina Island at St. Catherines Church.
Msgr. Navin is from County Clare, Ireland. He graduated from All
Hallows Seminary, Dublin Ireland, and was ordained in June of 1945,
coming directly to California. He was welcomed as an official pastor
on December 28, 1971 with appointment by Cardinal Manning, then Archbishop
of Los Angeles and has been here ever since.
When Msgr. Navin became Pastor Emeritus in 1996, Msgr. Carl Bell
became pastor.
-Large portions of this history are taken from St. Cyrils 25th
Anniversary memorial booklet.
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