Founded: 1931
Location: 624 15th Street, Manhattan Beach
San Pedro Region: Deanery 19

"We are a community with a story and a vision," proclaims the website of American Martyrs Church. It is a claim well substantiated.

This parish was the first in the United States to be named for eight North American martyrs, including six Jesuit priests, French missionaries who were brutally killed between 1642 and 1649. The first to die was Brother Rene Goupil, an assistant to Father Isaac Jogues, both of whom were tortured for weeks. Father Jogues escaped after a year, but returned in 1646 with Jean de la Lande in a peace mission that failed. Both were tomahawked and beheaded.

By 1649 five of their fellow missionaries had met the same fate: Fathers Jean de Brebeuf, Antoine Daniel, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier and Noel Chabanel. The shrine in their memory, in Auriesville, N.Y., is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year as the site of America's first and only canonized martyrs (by Pope Pius XI on June 20, 1930). Their feast day is October 19.

The history of Manhattan Beach also has a colorful past. The area's first inhabitants were Engnovangas Indians who often trekked to salt flats to harvest the mineral. By 1781 when what is now L.A. was established, a one-lane dirt road connected the salt flat to the pueblo. Soon after, the Spanish government granted land parcels and the present day area was called Rancho Sausal Redondo ("round clump of willows"). A land grant of 22,500 acres was given to Antonio Ygnacio Avila.

A series of other developers leased and sold the area several times until 1901 when George Peck and John Merrill each owned a portion and decided to name the site. Peck wanted "Shore Acres"; Merrill, "Manhattan" after his hometown in New York. The toss of a coin decided the outcome and by 1912 it was officially Manhattan Beach, with half-acre beach lots selling for $350 and a full acre for $750. Most of the residents were summer vacationers.

In 1931, Bishop John Cantwell established a parish for the area (pop. 3,500), with Father Leo Lambrick of Canada named the first pastor. He celebrated Mass for the summer visitors in parishioners' homes, until a church on Fourth Street was built that seated 325 persons and featured an interior finished in imitation driftwood. Father Lambrick later headed four other parishes before he died in 1972 at age 79.

The next three pastors were all from Ireland, starting with Msgr. William O'Donnell of County Limerick, serving from 1934 to 1943 and then heading Mother of Sorrows Church for 30 years. He died in 1977 at age 81.

His successor, Msgr. Edmund O'Donnell of County Gablabby, purchased 15 acres of land to expand the parish plant. By 1958 the parish included a new church with seating for 1,150 persons, a 16-classroom school staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, a rectory and convent. The new church featured a shrine for St. Frances Cabrini, who may have visited the sandy crest where the church is built, and eight etched crosses above the altar for the martyrs. For 20 years Msgr. O'Donnell served the parish; he died in 1963 at age 68.

Msgr. Patrick Dignan of County Roscommon headed American Martyrs for four years. During his 48 years of service in the archdiocese, he was also superintendent of schools and pastor of nine parishes; he died in 1976 at age 71.

School facilities were remodeled during the two-year pastorate of Msgr. William Johnson, a native of Nevada (who later became an L.A. auxiliary bishop and, in 1976, the first bishop of the Orange Diocese). He died in 1986 at age 67.

For 13 years, L.A. native Msgr. Robert Deegan led American Martyrs, launching the construction of O'Donnell Hall and remodeling the church interior. Director of Health and Hospitals for the archdiocese, he died in 1983 at age 61.

Since 1983, the pastor has been Msgr. John Barry of County Cork, Ireland, formerly head of the Religious Education Office. In his tenure, American Martyrs has established new ministries, expanded its facilities, improved the parking area and involved its vibrant community in numerous outreach efforts.

"We are very involved in the city," Msgr. Barry said in an interview some years ago. "We are not a little island. American Martyrs is here as a sign of ministry; when anyone is hurting we should be here to share their pain." The 17th century martyrs would understand and share in that prayer.