Didn’t the story of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Los Angeles begin long before its physical structure even existed? In 1858 in a small French village Bernadette Soubirous encountered a miraculous event. This encounter eventually led to the creation of the world’s most famous shrine at Lourdes.
Fast forward to 1910. Bishop Thomas Conaty established the first parish in Los Angeles named for Our Lady of Lourdes. This was in the Belvedere area of what we know today as East Los Angeles. But the roots go even deeper. Benedictine monks from Oklahoma first planted those religious seeds in 1899. Fathers Leo Gariador and Gratian Ardans ministered to Basque settlers from San Diego to San Francisco.
Father Gariador later established a parish in La Puente and Montebello. Father Ardans developed the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. He chose a location between Montebello and Los Angeles. This location served those who lived too far from St. Mary’s. By Christmas Eve in 1910 Father Ardans celebrated the initial Mass in a frame structure on Third Street. It accommodated 400 people. A parish hall was completed a year later. Interestingly enough for many years a Sunday Mass was said in French. The mission church was dedicated to Joan of Arc. Today that mission exists as St. Alphonsus Church.
In 1914 the Our Lady of Lourdes school opened. It was staffed by Immaculate Heart Sisters and later the Presentation Sisters. By 1944 the school had an impressive enrollment of 1000 students. It became one of the biggest Catholic schools in the West.
Father Ardans served the parish for 20 years. He died in 1953 at age 79. His successor Father Edmund Basel dedicated a new church. It was the first church of modern design erected in the West.
In 1958 Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated the centennial year of the apparition at Lourdes. A large mosaic mural depicting St. Bernadette and Our Lady was installed. The artist Joseph Young consulted with Father Lawrence Spencer. Together they created a 54-square-foot mosaic of Byzantine and Venetian glass.
In 1976 Benedictine Father Martin Lugo became the tenth pastor. He was born and raised in the Our Lady of Lourdes parish. Father Lugo led the church’s involvement in community affairs. By this time liturgies were mostly celebrated in Spanish reflecting the changing ethnic character of the congregation. Father Brendan Helbing was the last Benedictine pastor serving from 1983 to 1988.
Father Richard Siebenand became the first diocesan priest to serve as pastor. During his 12-year pastorate the church closed for earthquake repairs. It reopened in 1990.
In 2001 the Divine Word Ministries took charge of the parish. Father Gerard O’Doherty became administrator. Today Father Jesus is the current pastor. He is a native of Mexico.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church also stands out as a rare example of Art Deco church design. Architect Lester G. Scherer incorporated Art Deco elements into his Spanish Colonial Revival design. The Latin-cross floor plan the dome and the bell tower showcase Spanish influences. But the zigzag patterns hexagonal motifs and geometric interplay reveal the Art Deco style. Inside simple yellow glass windows cast a golden light. Peaked arches create a continuous line of chevrons toward the altar. The choir loft balcony features a tile mural with a resurrected Christ in a cubist robe.
Our Lady of Lourdes is more than just a church. It is a testament to faith community and architectural innovation.