On the
California coast, just south of San Francisco, is the scenic city of Pacifica,
the home of the parish community of St. Peter.
Until the discovery of San Francisco Bay by Don Gaspar de
Portola in 1769, the Oholone Indians inhabited the San Pedro Valley. When the Spanish and Mexicans arrived in
California they were greatly impressed by the multitude of Indians and their
varied ways of life and felt it was a necessity to build a mission system to
educate and care for them. It was
during an assessment of the region for a possible mission outpost that Father
Francisco Palou, a Franciscan missionary, came to the area in 1744. Father was officially assigned to the
Mission Dolores in San Francisco, but returned to Pedro Valley to establish a
ranch operation. The
"assistencia," as it was called, became an outpost for mission work
and crop cultivation and functioned primarily with Indian labor. A compound of buildings was constructed and
in 1783 one of the local village chiefs was baptized there, becoming the first
recorded baptism in the area. Following
its completion in 1785 the settlement continued for about 10 years until
epidemics ravaged both the area and its people.
History
in the valley is not completely recorded after that until the Mexican
government attempted to formalize the settlement by granting parcels of acreage
to settlers and army officers who had settled on the California coast. Property and its allocation became very
complex with the coming of statehood in 1850 and ownership rights became very
clouded. As a result the Sanchez Rancho
San Pedro was broken up more than 150 years ago.
The coastal region developed slowly over the next several
decades. It was primarily known as an agricultural
area where "all the artichokes consumed in the United States were
grown," but peas, beans, cabbage, brussel sprouts and cauliflower were
also harvested for markets in the Bay area.
In 1905 the Ocean Shore Railroad was begun in an attempt to
provide transportation along the coast from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Real estate developers, speculating that the
area would one day develop, subdivided and promoted sales to businesses and
absentee investors, but the real estate boom did not occur for almost another
half century.
Catholics who lived in the area in the 1930s used to drive
north up the coast to attend Mass in Colma at Holy Angels Church. Some, however, wanted to have Mass
celebrated closer to home. A gentleman,
Mr. James Troglio, owned a dance hall in Rockaway Beach, and generously offered
the building for use as a Catholic Church.
It was located along the old railroad right-of-way, just across from
what became Romano’s Restaurant, and is now the vacant Horizon Restaurant.
Immediately north of it was the Tobin Station and west of it the Gust family
served customers in the Rockaway Cafe.
The dance hall building soon became known as the "Rockaway
Church" and Mass was celebrated there on a regular basis.
The Rockaway Church
Highway 1
Shortly after World War II the
real estate boom that developers had dreamed of finally happened. San Pedro Valley came under the purview of
developer/builder Andres Oddstad and new homes were built. By 1951 the Church of the Good Shepherd had
been established in the northernmost section of Pacifica.
The temporary church at Rockaway served the community until
1955 when the Archdiocese purchased a home and an additional five acres behind
it at 1496 Adobe Road. The garage to
the home had been removed and a small chapel was built. It was as wide, but more than twice the
length of the original garage. The
first Mass was celebrated in this new church on December 18, 1955 and on March
18, 1956 auxiliary Bishop Merlin Guilfoyle formally dedicated it. The former Rockaway Church became Ben's
Trading Post.
The Original Saint Peter Church
1496 Adobe Road
1955-1965
On June 25, 1956 Archbishop
John Mitty established the parish of St. Peter in San Pedro Valley and appointed
Reverend Francis E. Rielly as pastor.
Development
in what was now referred to as the "Linda Mar Valley" continued. The area was irresistibly charming and two
builders, Sterling and Challenge, met the demand for homes. The new homeowners settling within the
parish boundaries had small children, and though there was no Catholic school
in the immediate vicinity, they still found a way to teach the faith to the
children. Some years earlier the
Archdiocese had begun an educational training program for adults interested in
teaching religion to the children. By late 1956 the program in the community of
St. Peter had expanded to include all grades, two through eight. Classes were generally limited in size, with
ten to twelve students, and were taught in the homes of the instructors.
By
late 1958 Father Rielly approached Andres Oddstad, the owner/developer of the
new homes in the area about the possible purchase of a parcel of property at
the foot of Linda Mar Boulevard at Oddstad.
After several rounds of negotiation Father was able to secure the entire
parcel for $51,000. When asked why he
thought the parish, rather than some other individual was able to acquire the
property, Father responded without hesitation that it was “probably because
it's the most beautiful spot in the valley."
An
award-winning architect was hired to design the new complex. The original plan called for a church and
rectory with plans at a later time for a convent, school, recreation center,
and detached baptistry. The design of the church was unique for its time. A
description of the structure, which was the feature of an architectural digest,
described the church as follows:
"The circular form of the church itself, from all aspects,
expresses the powerful liturgical focus of the high altar and brings a maximum
number of people close to the sanctuary.
A skeletal structure of reinforced concrete, bold and articulate to
reinforce the single central idea, gives dynamic and strict external
expression, while a suspended canopy of plywood shells provides a great
internal domed space for worship. This
sheltering canopy, bearing the warmth of wood surfaces, is rimmed by a nearly
continuous and unobstructed view into the serenity of a sunken garden. The garden is visibly contained within the
church proper by the extended radiating structural arms of concrete. The roof canopy opens up again in the
central lantern, forcefully pierced by the single ascending shaft of the
cross."
By
late 1964 Mass was regularly celebrated in the new church, though everyone
remained patient with the fact that all the inner details were far from
complete. Everyone shared pride and ownership of the new building. By the mid-1960s the development of homes in
the area was peaking. Father Rielly was
anxious to build up more capital for continued expansion, so held an auction of
the church's Adobe property. The
winning bid was $51,000—the exact cost of the new location he had purchased
just six years before.
A
spirit of goodwill and friendship was apparent in the parish community. Parishioners shared a common goal and worked
together toward it. Both the Men's Club and the Women's Guild hosted various
social activities and bake sales through the years to raise even more money to
offset the parish debt.
The
parish enjoyed continued growth of its programs throughout the years of
fund-raising and construction. A more
mature CCD program evolved after the rectory building was completed.
While
the parish was involved in major growth, the Catholic Church was embarking on a
period of unprecedented change. Pope
John XXIII had convened Vatican Council in Rome for the purpose of spiritual
renewal within the Catholic Church. Among numerous tasks accomplished during
the meetings, the Council members traced the rich heritage of the faith and
determined that, throughout its history, the responsibilities of the faithful
had gradually been given over to the clergy. Few duties remained entrusted to
the laity. At the closure of Vatican II in 1965 the Council documents sought to
reinstate the rights and responsibilities of all baptized members of the
Church. Put simply, the laity were
asked to respond to the call of Baptism, which was to share in the priesthood
of Christ, and in the ministerial work of the Church.
In
direct response to Vatican II the community of St. Peter formed a Parish
Council. Throughout its brief history the work in the community of St. Peter
seemed to already be a reflection of the newest teachings of the Church. Lay persons around the world were challenged
to become more involved in their parishes, in an effort to recognize that church
is not the building; rather, the church is the people. It was not surprising to surmise that the
parish of St. Peter was a parish "ahead of the times."
In May 1965 the Archbishop appointed an associate pastor to
assist Father Rielly, Reverend William O'Connell.
On June 25, 1966 Reverend Robert Duryea was
appointed pastor of the Church of St. Peter.
A short time later, Father O'Connell was transferred to assist in another
parish community.
Spiritual
growth in the parish flourished. By 1969 Father Ed Gaffney had joined the
parish staff. In the summer of 1970 three young men were ordained to the
priesthood in the Church of St. Peter.
The Cathedral in San Francisco had been destroyed by fire and had not
yet been replaced. Reverend Larry
Purcell was appointed to the parish following his ordination. Father Purcell
immersed himself in parish work, living with and for the people. He recalled "So much was offered to the
parishioners at that time, that there literally was a parish program for
everyone. It was an era of tremendous growth within the Catholic Church
throughout the world." Bob Duryea
confessed that he was truly blessed at St. Peter's to have both Fathers Gaffney
and Purcell, and the welcome addition of Sister Joan Murphy.
Larry
Purcell recounted the involvement of the laity, and life in the community of
St. Peter: "There had already been a tradition at St. Peter's of lay
responsibility, and one clear sign of that was the CCD program. The other thing
I noticed when I got there was not a program; it was a style--a parish style.
There was an intermingling of the clergy and the people. For example, there was
no locked rectory door. People walked
in and out because it was a parish center. And the adults of St. Peter's were
highly educated theologically. They had been exposed to good theologians who
had preached well, and had done some small group education. In fact, there was
even a lay group doing small group education.
Programs included a film series, a fair-fight class, marriage enrichment
classes, and a very strong Cursillo movement.
The groundwork had been well laid.
The direction we were going in at that time was faith as a way of
life. We were not headed toward
Sunday liturgy; it was the other way around. If you had God in your life, if
that was truly part of your belief, then you wanted to gather on Sunday to
celebrate. In Europe churches are built
in the center of cities, and are often the biggest structure in the city. Life flows from them not just inside of
them. That's what we were like in the
City of Pacifica, the life of the parish and the life of the city coming together."
The
center of parish life had indeed become the church, strikingly magnificent at
the end of Linda Mar Boulevard--an outstanding structure in a valley now filled
with homes. Visitors from all over the
United States came to view the building, which was included in architectural
tours and pictured in architects' magazines. By this time the interior of the
church was completed with the insertion of eleven rows of pews. An altar of marble replaced the temporary
altar. Occasionally, some of the pews had to be wiped clean of spots of tar;
and when it rained several rows of pews had to be covered with plastic to
protect them from the leaking roof.
Time
had come to consider further expansion of the parish center. A fund-raising
drive took place to finance a building to be used primarily for religious
education. The decision to build had
been preceded by extensive discussion and study by the parish representatives
on the Council and the staff regarding the building of a Catholic school, but
it was determined that since Good Shepherd parish already had a Catholic
school, it would not be necessary to build another in Pacifica. When completed, the Center proved to be an
invaluable asset, adequately accommodating a desperate need for space. The
expanding parish complex became a center of activity.
The
spring of 1971 was difficult. The Archbishop had become aware of a compromising
situation involving the pastor of St. Peter’s that became public knowledge soon
afterward. In soft-spoken retrospect Bob Duryea related the events that
transpired: "I wonder at my own naiveté that I ever thought that it could
go on forever. I had gotten married while I was serving as a chaplain at
O’Connor Hospital, and already had a child, though it was a secret to many
people. So my move to the parish in 1966 was a little startling, because I
wasn't quite ready for it. My wife and baby were seen by enough people that
they could later say they knew we were a family." Father Duryea quietly left the rectory and
the priesthood, but the story was sensationalized throughout the country.
With
the departure of Bob Duryea Reverend Art Davenport was appointed the task of
shepherding a fragmented community.
Parish life went on in the community of St. Peter, but it had been
altered. He saw the need for continued emphasis on adult education to involve
the group of people who, although aware of the spirit of St. Peter's, were not
yet really involved. He told the
Council about the Family of God program undertaken at St. Andrew's parish. In an attempt to refocus the attention of
the community, and to deepen their faith by allowing for small group sharing of
faith experiences, the Council and staff agreed to implement the program. Both Father Purcell and Sister Joan assisted
Father Davenport in the activities of the community.
One other important business
matter affected the parish. Larry Purcell explained, "The parish got
completely out of debt. What that did for us was get us out from any economic
burden as a parish. That was when we were really able to pump money into adult
education."
In
1973 the Archbishop re-appointed Father Bill O'Connell to the parish staff. It
was at that time that the attention of the parish was focused on a new
fund-raising effort--this time for the construction of a multi-purpose
building. Father Art recognized that there would be an expansion of parish
programs, and there was a need for another large place to gather. The building
would also serve as a gymnasium, assuring that the children of the community
could become involved in the Catholic Youth Organization athletic programs.
Plans were drawn and presented, and an ambitious pledge campaign was launched.
The drive was followed by a most successful casino gaming night and
construction was soon underway.
Growth
was again taking place. Sister Mary Anton Prismich joined the parish staff in
the fall of 1974 to assist with Adult Education programs. By that time, a High
School of Religion had been established, and a social program for teens was
flourishing. To satisfy the needs of young families in the parish, a
cooperative pre-school was established during Sunday liturgy. While
parent-parishioners worshipped, their young children were involved in programs
of their own.
The
famous church building in the round continued to draw attention as an
architectural masterpiece. However, the roof of the church continued to leak.
Father Davenport had contacted the architect, Mario Ciampi, regarding the
problem, and eventually contracted roofers to reseal the entire roof at a cost
of $12,000. The first rain brought water right back into the church, which
astounded the roofer--and everyone else. Men of the parish attempted to repair
it, sealing the roof in the areas that persistently leaked. The third time
repairmen mounted the roof to repair it, a worker's foot plunged through it.
Father Davenport realized the problem was monumental, and with the Parish
Council, began to make arrangements for a lasting remedy.
Before
any major repairs could be made, Father Davenport was transferred to Menlo Park
and associate pastor, Father Bill O'Connell, was appointed pastor of St.
Peter's in 1976. Within a few months
the parish staff expanded to include Father John Olivier and Sister Kathleen
Harris. With his staff in place Father
Bill prepared to move forward. He didn't expect that on November 4, 1976 he
would need to send a letter to all of the parishioners. It read, "Yesterday afternoon I was summoned to
an emergency meeting at the office of the architect who designed our church.
The contractor, who was preparing the church for a new roof, found the plywood
panels were damaged extensively by dry rot. A close inspection of the metal and
the beams that suspend the roof also show deterioration. The church is not
safe.”
Despite
the loss of the building, programs continued to flourish and parishioners
simply began meeting in the religious education center for everything. Marriage Preparation programs were enriched,
and new opportunities for adult education and involvement were offered.
Baptismal catechesis was provided and a process of interviewing candidates for
the reception of First Eucharist was begun. For the first time, individual First Communion was offered
as an option to the group celebration. A new program to welcome adults into
full communion with the church was also started. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults was a welcome
addition to the parish programs. The
profound practice of blessing each other in prayerful song, with arms
outstretched, was also started. The celebration of liturgy thus became a time
to share Eucharist and the joyful events in the lives of the parish members.
The various events enriched parish life, drawing the community closer together
with a family spirit.
Sister
Madeleine McFarland joined the parish staff in July 1978. By this time, all the Masses were being
celebrated in the newest structure--the multi-purpose building. The athletic
program was in full swing as well, with basketball games and practices also
held in the new building. Both the Men's Club and Women's Guild held their
monthly meetings, as well as their social events, in the same Center.
The
spring of 1979 brought another surprise. On May 15 Reverend Monsignor Daniel
Walsh, Chancellor, wrote to Father O'Connell on behalf of the Archdiocese,
"After months of deliberation, consultation, and study by you, your
parishioners, and the Archdiocese concerning the church structure at St.
Peter's in Pacifica, the decision has been reached that it is necessary to
demolish the building.
"The
cost of repair, coupled to the present debt of the parish, the liability of
leaving the present structure standing, the results of your consultation with
your parishioners, and the recommendation of the Archdiocesan Building
Committee, have all led to the decision that the building must be demolished.”
In
July 1980, the once magnificent structure of the church in the round was
completely dismantled, and the materials, including the concrete support beams,
were hauled away.
St. Peter Church-in-the-Round
700 Oddstad
Blvd.
1965-1978
The situation involving the
loss of the building was accepted over time. Parish life, augmented by programs
addressing the spiritual needs of the parishioners, was good. Programs were
added or eliminated, based on the expressed needs of the parish, and the judgment
of the parish staff. A program for Divorced and Separated Catholics was
started, with classes for the children of those families. Seven couples were
trained to assist in a Marriage Preparation course for engaged couples. A
weekly Bingo program had also been initiated to help offset some of the costs
of running so flourishing a parish.
Once again, the end of Linda Mar Boulevard became a hub of activity.
Reverend Len Calegari arrived on May
30, 1981. The community enjoyed a time of harmony. Father Len conceded,
"My predecessors worked very hard, and went through a lot, in order for
the 80s to be relatively calm." There was a diverse offering in parish
programs and the Men's Club, Women's Guild, and the Parish Council hosted
social events. There were a few changes among parish staff members. Sister
Madeline had begun to work among the elderly, the sick, and the shut-ins of the
parish. Ms. Bobbi Moffat took over the coordination of the Elementary School of
Religion, Sister Mary Jane Sullivan replaced Sister Margaret as the Director of
Adult Education and Liturgy, and Sister Monica Miller took over the
coordination of the High School of Religion and the St. Peter’s Youth Group
(SPY). Reverend Fred Lenczycki also joined
the parish staff.
Thought was then given to the building
of new church. A committee of parishioners had been formed to research and plan
for a new campaign, aimed to raise funds for the construction of a new church
building. They sought the assistance of a large number of parishioners to successfully
solicit donations from the entire parish family.
Finally, on January 29, 1989 the parish gathered to witness
the breaking of ground for a new church building. On May 12, 1990, in the spring of a new decade, the parish family
witnessed the dedication of the church.
Archbishop John Quinn presided at the ceremonies and concelebrated the
dedication liturgy with Fathers Rielly, O'Connell, and Olivier joining Father
Len and Father Fred in a ceremony rich with ritual. Aware of the parish history, Archbishop Quinn remarked in his
homily "Look upon this building as a sign of God's fidelity to His
people."
Current St. Peter Church
700 Oddstad
Blvd.
1990-present
In the
years that followed the dedication of the new church, the parish flourished through
the generosity of the parishioners, and through the dedication of its pastor,
Father Len. Parish programs were
expanded to meet the growing needs of the parishioners. Father Fred returned to
the Midwest, and Father Bill O’Connell and Deacon Peter Solan assisted Father
Len with weekend liturgies. For several
years Bishop John Wester resided at the rectory.
Sister Deanna von Bargen, who had
enhanced parish worship and the RCIA program by her devotion to these
ministries, was followed by Sister Dianne Nixon. Art Angst assumed responsibilities of the High School of Religion
and the Confirmation Program replacing Margaret Kern. Barbara Malone led the Elementary Religious Education Program.
Jackie Clinton and Gerda Leis, rectory staff members, effectively and
faithfully served the parish family for many years. When Gerda retired and left
the area, Ellen Hage assumed her duties in the rectory. Father Len credited the success of the
parish to the support given him by the parish staff and to the outstanding
leaders who gave so generously and faithfully of their time and their talent to
serve the members of our parish family through the Pastoral Council, the Men’s
Club, the Women’s Guild, the religious education programs, CYO Program, and the
various other ministries associated with a rich and rewarding parish life.
During the summer of 2002 parishioners
were stunned to learn of allegations of sexual abuse by former pastoral
associate, Reverend Fred Lenczycki, while he served a parish in Hinsdale,
Illinois prior to his service at St. Peter parish. A meeting of parishioners,
staff, and representatives of the Archdiocese was convened to discuss the
allegation, to respond to questions raised by the parish community, and to
begin a process of healing for all affected.
Father Fred ultimately pleaded guilty to the crimes and was subsequently
incarcerated.
In 2003 Father Len announced his plans
for retirement and discussed the potential for developing the parcel of land
adjacent to and just behind the church as a means of raising money to reduce
the parish debt. A Land Use Options
Committee was formed and prepared a comprehensive review of options, which
were shared with the parish. Following
an ethical decision- making process, parishioners decided not to develop the
land, but instead embark on a fund-raising effort to not only address the
maintenance needs of the parish but also to create an endowment for future
needs.
A fund-raising effort was launched in
2004, "Preparing for the Future…. Our Vision
Continues" and through the overwhelming generosity of parishioners
secured pledges totaling nearly one million dollars. The successful drive was a fitting tribute to honor a beloved
pastor at the time of his retirement.
In July 2004 Reverend Michael Healy
was appointed the sixth pastor of St. Peter Church. The scandal plaguing the Catholic Church in the United States had
resulted in the departure of many Catholics from their parish communities, and
St. Peter parish was no exception. Father Mike convened town hall meetings to
elicit ideas from parishioners to help bring those who had left the Church back
to worship, and to creatively problem solve the ongoing financial constraints
of the parish. Citing health issues,
Father Mike chose to leave the parish after one brief year and was replaced by
Father Roberto Andrey in July 2005.
As the fiftieth anniversary of the
parish approached, Father Obet (a Filipino nickname for Roberto) convened a
Jubilee Committee to plan a year-long celebration. Under the leadership of Joanne Cacicedo a series of events were
planned, including a gala dinner/dance and auction that netted $46,000.
June 25, 2006, exactly fifty years
after the designation of the parish boundaries by the Archdiocese of San
Francisco, a Golden Jubilee Mass was concelebrated by Bishop John Wester,
former pastors and clergy. New stained
glass windows, designed and completed by Peter DeMartini in time for the
Jubilee celebration, were unveiled in the Chapel following the Liturgy and new
stained glass windows were placed in the main building of the church.
At the base of the Baptismal font, a
bronze sculpture has now completed the piece.
A statue of the Blessed Mother was placed to the right of the altar, symbolical
of the Virgin Mary’s “presence” in the midst of the congregation; and a statue
of St. Peter was dedicated in honor of former pastor, Len Calegari, and placed
in the narthex of the church.
On the north side of the church a
meditation Labyrinth was placed. The
project was approved by the parish finance committee as a fundraising
effort. Individual stone pavers, many
dedicated in memory of parishioners, make up a spiritual path for focused
walking meditation.
In the summer of 2009 the parish administration
shifted. Father Roberto Andrey was
transferred to Saint Robert’s parish in San Bruno and Father Mark Mazza was
appointed parish administrator for the Community of St. Peter.
In the initial months of his
administration, Father Mark hired a new youth director, Tamara Rozofsky, who
replaced Lauren Bergeson.
2009 also marked the formal close of the capital campaign
effort that had been launched in 2004.
At the conclusion of “Preparing for the Future…Our Vision Continues” the
parish celebrated its success. With
monies raised through the honored pledges, which totaled nearly $1 million, the
parish was able to reduce parish debt, make capital improvements to the parish
facilities and establish a capital maintenance fund.
Members
of the parish council embraced an opportunity to work with Father Mark on the
development of a new master plan for the parish that included parish life,
worship, spirituality, evangelization, and the social life of the parish. And Father Mark also began preparing
parishioners for the changes that will occur with the implementation of the new
Roman Catholic missal, beginning in November, 2011. The new language marks the first time since Vatican II that
changes will occur in the Liturgy, changes that theologians believe are truer
translations from the original Latin prayers of the Mass.
In the summer of 2010 Sister Dianne
Nixon left the parish community to assume a new ministry in Tutwiler,
Mississippi. Sister Dianne had
overseen the RCIA Program as well as parish worship committees in service to
the parish community for a decade.
Deacon Tom Reardon joined the parish staff in December 2010
just in time to celebrate the installation of Father Mark as Pastor.
Truly, the spirit of the
self-sacrificing early pioneers of the parish continues to be reflected in the
generosity of the current parishioners who have made contributions, pledges,
memorial gifts, and continue to support the needs of the parish through their
contributions of time and talent.
The church bells peal and can be heard
throughout the valley. They beckon to
all who hear to come and gather at the Church of St. Peter, where everyone is
welcome at “the most beautiful spot in the valley.”
“Whoever is needy turn in here, whoever is without love,
enter here! Come eat my bread and drink
my cup; come enter here. Wisdom has built a house; come enter here, come enter
here and live!”