“A small house of worship associated with a main church.” That is how Webster’s Dictionary defines a chapel. Cathedral Chapel perfectly embodies this definition.
The story of Cathedral Chapel begins with Bishop Thaddeus Amat. He was the third bishop in California. Back in the mid-19th century, he asked Pope Pius IX to move the diocese seat from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. This created the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles.
To have a cathedral, a spot was bought on Main Street between Fifth and Sixth. Later, the Cathedral of St. Vibiana was built on Second Street in 1876.
The name “Vibiana” also carries a special meaning. In 1853, a tomb was found near the Appian Way in Rome. The tomb was sealed with a tablet. It read, “innocent and pure Vibiana.” A laurel wreath pointed to her status as a martyr. Pope Pius IX gave these relics to Bishop Amat. He requested that a cathedral be built to honor her. This led to Los Angeles becoming the official seat of the diocese. The Cathedral of St. Vibiana could hold 1,200 people. That was about a tenth of the city’s population then.
As Los Angeles grew, Bishop Thomas Conaty wanted to build a new cathedral. This was in 1904. He wanted to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe on Ninth Street. Another site at Vermont and Wilshire was also considered.
However, the 1907 recession, the Depression, and two World Wars halted these plans. Bishop John Cantwell also tried in the 1920s. As a temporary fix, a pro-cathedral was planned further west. This became Cathedral Chapel.
In 1927, an article described the “Pro-Cathedral Chapel” as meeting Catholic needs. This was until a real cathedral could be built. Msgr. John Cawley was appointed rector. He held the first Masses for the new parish on Christmas Day 1927. Msgr. Cawley assisted at the parish until 1929.
Msgr. Bernard Dolan then ministered to the parish from 1929 to 1939. In 1930, he opened a school. The Immaculate Heart Sisters staffed it. They provided education to students until 1968.
Msgr. James Dolan led Cathedral Chapel for 33 years. This included the World War II period and the area’s growth.
Father Earl Walker served as pastor for 26 years. He had a unique connection to the chapel. He graduated from Cathedral Chapel School as a boy. He was ordained in 1948. He even celebrated his first Mass at the parish. Later, he would lead it.
Father Charles Schwehr was appointed to Cathedral Chapel in 1998. Sadly, he passed away from heart disease just nine years later.
Today, Father Truc Nguyen is the pastor. His family was among the first Vietnamese refugees in the U.S. Before becoming a priest, he worked as an engineer and manager. He was ordained in 2000.
Since 2007, Father Nguyen has been with the parish. He brings both pastoral and academic skills. Cathedral Chapel has seen many changes over its 87 years. It stands as a testament to strong faith and service.