Founded: April 29, 1955
Location: 13935 E. Temple Avenue, La Puente
San Gabriel Region: Deanery 11

The only French monarch to be canonized a saint died in 1270 at age 55, having been crowned at age 11, reigning for 44 years, and known throughout his life as a ruler devoted to his church, his family of 11 children and his ministry to the poor and homeless.

Indeed, King Louis of France's biographer described him as a man of justice, mercy, peace and great piety. "Always side with the poor rather than with the rich," the king advised, "until you are certain of the truth." A portrait of King Louis today hangs in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives and St. Louis, Missouri famously extols his name. His feast day is August 25.

In Southern California, his name is borne by the 18th of the California Missions --- San Luis, Rey de Francia in Oceanside, established in 1798 --- and, in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, by a parish in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, established in 1955, but whose roots extend much further.

What is now the city of La Puente was inhabited by the Gabrielino Indians until 1769, when the explorer Don Gaspar de Portola arrived and named the region "Llana de la Puente" --- "Plain of the Bridge" --- to designate the crossing of the San Jose creek by his explorers. An 1880 history report lists a railroad dispatcher by the name of A.C. Bassett as the source for the rail station east of San Gabriel that was named for him and the subsequent name of the town.

Succeeding years witnessed enormous changes and by the early 1900s the region was known for its abundance of citrus, walnut and avocado crops. That's why in 1955 the founding pastor, Father James Mulcahy, could say "there wasn't much out there, about 150 families and a lot of walnut groves before the complete invasion took place."

The area, then called "Bassett," carried the sales slogan "No down to vets; just 15 minutes from Civic Center," to entice new buyers. They came by the thousands and the Irish-born pastor from County Kerry did just what Cardinal James Francis McIntyre told him to do: "Go down there and build a parish!" So he found seven acres at Temple and Willow Streets where there was only a two-lane road with big ditches on either side.

Father Mulcahy started by celebrating Mass for the local farmers in Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel (that later burned and is now the site of the city hall). Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Manning chose the name for the new parish because there were many Basque farmers in the area. Young families built homes with GI loans and by 1970 the original church was expanded to seat 1,000. The Sisters of St. Louis originally staffed the school and still administer the K-8 institution on Temple Avenue.

In his 32-year pastorate, Msgr. Mulcahy (named a prelate of honor in 1980) completed a large new church, school, convent and rectory, but no walnut groves. At his golden jubilee he pointed with pride to the many stained glass windows in the church, one designed in part by Cardinal Manning and the rest executed by the Piczek sisters. He retired in 1987, the same year the city was incorporated and that changed the Bassett address to La Puente. He died in 2004 at age 91.

Msgr. David Sork, a native Angeleno, became pastor in 1987 and served the parish for 12 years. He attended Loyola High School and holds a Master's degree and a Doctorate from Fordham University and has also served as associate director of Religious Education in the archdiocese. In 1999 he was appointed pastor of St. John Fisher in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The current pastor, in his first pastorate, is Father Lorenzo Miranda, born in Detroit, a graduate of St. John's Seminary and ordained in 1991. Before entering the priesthood he received a degree in engineering from Stanford University and was a medical student at UCLA. For four years he served on the Council of Priests.

At St. Louis of France, seven Sunday Masses are celebrated in English and Spanish. In the first temporary chapel, Father Mulcahy said four Masses on Sunday and one on First Friday, in the rectory. During the time of King Louis IX, his accomplishment was the magnificent church of Sainte-Chapelle to house his most precious possession, the original Crown of Thorns.