Alumni, students, faculty and friends gathered in Santa Fe Springs Sept. 24 to help St. Paul High School begin the celebration of its 50th anniversary year.

A Mass in the school's newly refurbished Msgr. Cranham Stadium marked the occasion. Prior to the Mass, principal Frank Laurenzello cited St. Paul's "rich tradition" of service, and noted that some families are now sending a third or fourth generation student to St. Paul.

Connecting the celebration to the day's readings in his homily, Cardinal Roger Mahony walked into the bleachers where St. Paul students were seated, and asked what types of activities students did for others. Students said that they participate in the March for Hunger, help at soup kitchens (including the Catholic Worker downtown) collect teddy bears for children in need, join causes fighting breast cancer, participate in a Red Cross Club on campus, and provided relief for Hurricane Katrina victims.

"We see the face of Christ in serving those in need," Cardinal Mahony noted, commending students on their efforts. "Jesus reminded his disciples, 'If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.' The more we focus on others, the less we focus on ourselves."

St. Paul began in the fall of 1956 during a decade in which Cardinal James Francis McIntyre opened an astonishing 24 Catholic high schools. It was known then as Santa Fe Catholic High School, located in two classrooms at St. Marianne School in Pico Rivera, with 100 freshmen from the surrounding Whittier area parishes. The staff consisted of: School Sister of Notre Dame Michael Marie (principal), Franciscan Brother Martin, and Dominican Sister Siena.

In 1957, the school name was changed to St. Paul to avoid confusion with the recently opened local public high school named Santa Fe. In January 1958, St. Paul High School moved to its present location on Greenleaf Avenue with a student body of 325 freshmen and sophomores. The first class graduated in May of 1960.

Since its beginning, St. Paul has been staffed by members of the Order of St. Francis, clergy from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and, at various times, members of eight different religious congregations. For the past 50 years, there have always been at least two Franciscan Brothers on the faculty. Today, the majority of the teaching faculty is made up of lay men and women.

Cardinal Mahony recognized two former principals in attendance, Msgrs. Aidan Carroll and Robert Gallagher, and he thanked both the many religious and lay teachers who have served at the school, and those benefactors who have helped to provide Catholic education.

Principal Laurenzello proudly cited the school's 97 percent college entrance rate "that shows the academic excellence of St. Paul. We expect to continue providing our community with a Catholic high school education steeped in Gospel values and rich tradition into our centennial celebration and beyond."

On March 31, 2007, St. Paul will hold a dinner gala at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. For information call Lois McMillan Maldonado, (562) 698-6246.