Founded: April, 1930
Location: 3705 Woodlawn Ave., Los Angeles
Our Lady of the Angels Region: Deanery 15

In an archdiocese of almost 300 parishes and more than 30 different languages, only one church --- the only one west of the Mississippi, in fact --- offers liturgies each week in German, Hungarian, Spanish and English.

St. Stephen Church's intriguing and unusual history began rather by coincidence in 1925 when a Sister of Social Service, Fredericka Horvath, came to California for health reasons and found a number of Hungarian families who wanted to pray in their native tongue. Luckily she met a Jesuit missionary on his way to China who delayed his trip to conduct the first Hungarian mission here.

By 1927 the St. Stephen Society was founded. The following year, again by coincidence, Bishop John Cantwell accepted the recommendation of another Jesuit to contact a Hungarian priest visiting the U.S. in Connecticut but on his way back to his native land.

That priest, Father Mathias Lani, received this telegram: "I invite you to Los Angeles to take care of my Hungarian people. Bishop Cantwell." In April 1928 Father Lani arrived in Los Angeles and with the bishop's permission placed the new parish under the protection of St. Stephen, the ruler and founder of Christian Hungary in the 11th century. (St. Stephen was canonized in 1083 and is venerated as the ideal Christian king; known as the patron of kings, stonecutters and those who have lost children, his feast is celebrated Aug. 20.)

To erect a church, three lots were purchased in 1929 and many sacrifices were made during those days of the Great Depression to complete the building. Finally, on April 6, 1939, St. Stephen Church was dedicated for a congregation of primarily Hungarian and German parishioners, as well as Mexican immigrants who spoke Spanish and more established residents who spoke English, all of whom Father Lani welcomed warmly.

The Sisters of Social Service contributed to the parish from the beginning, and Father Lani continued to build up other parish groups --- such as the Hungarian Ladies Society, Council of Catholic Women and Holy Name Society --- that helped form a dedicated core of support. He also led music and coached soccer for youth.

The Hungarian pastor had been a farmer, soldier, musician and athlete, but his greatest challenge was heading the archdiocesan resettlement program for displaced persons from Europe following World War II. The Catholic Resettlement Council brought 5,000 refugees here and Father Lani raised $250,000 for Hungarian relief. He worked tirelessly in helping the refugees in every way --- employment advisor, tax consultant, housing agent, budget advisor.

Father Lani's early death in 1954, at age 55, resulted in one of the largest funeral processions in the city's history --- 700 to 800 cars in the cortege to Calvary Cemetery. A year after his death, through the labor of volunteer parishioners, a parish hall was dedicated to Father Lani's memory.

For the next three years, Msgr. Edward Wade served as administrator; in Europe, it was the time of the Hungarian Revolution, and again parishioners helped to resettle more new immigrants. Austrian-born Father Arnold Biedermann was appointed administrator in 1957, pastor in 1959 and served at St. Stephen until 1966 when he was named the first pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Ventura (where, now a monsignor, he is pastor emeritus).

In 1967 the multi-language parish was placed under the care of the Norbertine Fathers, a community founded in the 12th century in Magdeburg that, in modern times, had a similar history of religious persecution. The refugee priests first came to Santa Ana to teach at Mater Dei High School.

St. Stephen's first Norbertine pastor was Hungarian native Father Benedict Horvath, a college professor and pastor in his homeland who had managed to escape from behind the Iron Curtain. He served the parish for 23 years with a zeal and commitment not unlike the founding pastor's. Father Horvath died in 1998 at age 97.

The present pastor, Norbertine Father Hermann-Joseph Rettig, began his ministry in 1990. A native of St. Louis, he entered the community in 1976, completing his theological studies at the Angelicum in Rome, and spent a year in Hungary and Austria to develop his language skills. At St. Stephen he celebrates most of the multi-language liturgies and leads the parish in the annual feast day homage to its patron, on the third Sunday of August.