Founded: 1950
Location: 7922 S. Passons Blvd., Pico Rivera
San Pedro Region: Deanery 18
Choose any one of these names that have appeared in previous Tidings articles over the years and they will all apply to the parish in Pico Rivera: St. Marianne, St. Marianne De Paredes, Mary-Ann de Paredes, the "Lily of Quito," Mary Anne de Paredes, St. Mariana de Jesus Paredes, St. Maria Anna de Paredes, St. Maria Ana, Mariana de Paredes y Flores and St. Mariana de Paredes.
The name was inspired by Archbishop James Francis McIntyre witnessing the canonization of this saint in Rome by Pope Pius XII on July 9 in the Holy Year of 1950. That made the parish one of the first anywhere to be named for this unusual saint, whose short life (26 years) was filled with piety and penance.
At Mariana's birth in 1618 in Quito, Ecuador, a rare celestial phenomena --- a ray of stars --- appeared above the house. Orphaned at a young age, she chose to live as a hermit and spent her days in extreme acts of penance and intense prayer. Through her intercession many miracles happened --- even restoring a dead woman to life.
In 1645 a severe earthquake and subsequent epidemics brought havoc to the city, but she offered herself as a victim and the city was saved. She was declared a national heroine and at her death a pure white lily blossomed from her blood. Her feast day is May 26 and in America many miracles have resulted from her intercession.
At her namesake parish, instead of lilies, there was an abundance of oranges --- thousands of acres of orange groves that eventually gave way to new homes with young families. When the founding pastor was assigned to the new six-acre site, he found just 10 Catholic families in the area, but within a year he started a building program, relying on the enthusiasm of young families to help carve out a parish.
Father Herve Trebaol, at 49, had recently returned from five years as an Army Chaplain Major serving in the Pacific and Europe during World War II. A native Angeleno, the sixth of 15 children, he attended Loyola High School, was ordained in 1933 and assisted at parishes in San Pedro, Ventura, Ontario, Altadena and Compton before his first pastorate at St. Mariana.
"Parishioners have shown a wonderful spirit of cooperation in the organization of the new parish," he said of the young families who were helping and looking forward to a new school, which opened in 1954 (and is named St. Marianne), with 408 students and a waiting list of 300. For 20 years Father Trebaol ministered at St. Mariana; he died in 1970 at age 69 of complications from injuries in an auto accident.
Another Angeleno, Msgr. Matthew Kelly, headed the parish for the next five years, followed by Father Gerald Maechler, a Glendale native ordained in 1955. In many ways his priestly life followed that of the founding pastor --- associate pastor in several parishes and a military chaplain, serving for some 20 years in the Air Force with service in Vietnam, Korea and with Marines in the Gulf War. He received the Bronze Star for his heroism in Vietnam and rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel.
For five years he headed St. Mariana and then was named pastor at La Purísima Concepción, Lompoc. One of three priest brothers, Father Maechler died in 2002 at age 72 from cancer.
Father Gerald McSorley, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, was ordained in 1964 at All Hallows Seminary, Dublin. His first assignment in Los Angeles was as an associate at St. Mariana de Paredes (1964-71), during Father Trebaol's pastorate. Ten years later, after serving in L.A., Arcadia and Long Beach, he was named pastor of St. Mariana where he served 12 years; he is now pastor of St. Bernard Church, Glassell Park.
A native of Spain, Father Fernando Iglesias, was pastor from 1993 to 2003, his fourth pastorate in the archdiocese. He retired as pastor emeritus in 2003 and lives in Moreno Valley. Father David Gallardo, the current pastor, was born in Santa Monica, attended St. Joan of Arc School and was ordained in 1984. Another member of that class, Father Alexander Salazar, is now auxiliary bishop of the San Pedro Pastoral Region --- the home of St. Mariana de Paredes. |