"The love that these parishioners have is amazing," says Father Nestor Rebong, pastor at St. Christopher Church in West Covina. "They have such pride and ownership of this parish."

On Sept. 11, Cardinal Roger Mahony joined parishioners at a Mass marking the parish's golden jubilee, followed by a reception that featured ethnic dancers which, says Father Rebong, represented the many cultures that call this parish home. "It's a joy to see such diverse groups here working together," he says. "We have Masses said in Vietnamese and Korean as well as Spanish and English. We also have large Filipino and Indian populations here."

St. Christopher has been celebrating its golden anniversary all year long, with parish retreats, sponsored walks, dinner dances and recognizing past and present ministries.

The parish officially began on April 2, 1954, with the founding pastor Father Samuel Hynes, and the first Masses celebrated at the Covina Theatre and later on the back porch of a small existing house on the property where the church now stands. The church was dedicated in 1963 by Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, under the administration of the second pastor, Msgr. Keith Bramble who led the parish for 34 years.

St. Christopher School opened in 1955, led first by the Benedictine Sisters and then (in 1979) by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. The parish sponsored one of the first Vietnamese families in the area and, to this day, is a welcoming place for those of Vietnamese origin.

The parish is currently assembling a master plan that would entail construction of a new parish hall and school.

"We celebrate the ministries today and, just as we are grateful to our elders for creating this parish and these buildings, we are called to build for our future generations," says Father Rebong. "We continue that tradition of giving and work."