Tucked near the busy 101 and 170 freeway intersection in North Hollywood, St. Charles Borromeo Church reflects both the bustling City of Los Angeles and its rural beginnings. As pastor Msgr. Robert Gallagher says, "St. Charles Parish has changed from a suburban to a metropolitan parish and still maintains a sense of community and belonging."

Msgr. Gallagher knows the San Fernando Valley well, having attended St. Genevieve elementary and high schools in nearby Panorama City, and having served previously as a St. Charles associate. "It's been a wonderful opportunity," he says, "to come to a place where I was known by a lot of people and had the comfort and support of the people whom I have known for a long time."

A well-established parish constantly updating itself, St. Charles Borromeo reflects new and old. "It's the challenge of moving a parish forward into the 21st century and there's been a lot of remodeling and rebuilding of an already beautiful parish," says Msgr. Gallagher. "The thing I've noticed is the absolute increase of positive involvement of the people in the life of the parish."

This multi-generational parishioner volunteerism adds something special to St. Charles. Josephine Segovia Ruiz, a parishioner for 83 years, recalls her grandparents helping build the first church; her father was its first custodian.

"I was born and baptized here, married here, raised all my kids here," she says. "It's been my whole life." And her children's: Her daughter is a sacristan and trains lectors; her son has been head usher; and her daughter-in-law is parish secretary.

The same is true of Paul Salamunovich, director of music, who is beginning his 60th year of ministry within the parish, directing the renowned choir and faithfully plays the organ for every funeral. Liturgy director Jim Drollinger sees the special connection between this type of service and the liturgy.

"Everything we do in the parish in terms of ministry from Monday to Saturday points us back to our community of worship at Sunday liturgy," he says. "What we do at the Sunday liturgy empowers each of us to go out in the world and try to make a difference."

"Making a difference" happens when the "Golden Girls" make their boutique items under the guidance of Mary Wiser, or when Mercy Sister Yvette Perrault visits her seniors in their homes and assesses their needs, or arranges for Communion to be brought to their home.

The St. Charles Borromeo Service Center provides the difference for as many as 1,000 people a month in the form of food, clothing and other assistance. With a crew of about 40 volunteers, the Service Center operates out of a trailer in the church parking lot. Soon it will move to its newly built location across the street from the church on Moorpark Street (the result of a capital campaign drive in the parish).

"Our volunteers not only serve the poor, but they grow to love them, and want to provide services to match their dignity," notes Dave Risk, who has worked in the Service Center for nine years and served as its director for the last two. "If you don't come to love them, you will not work with the poor for very long."

"We feel it is a Christian obligation to help the needy," adds Risk, a lifelong parishioner whose mother was the school nurse while he was growing up. "It is part of our mission to help the less fortunate. I think our parish feels that way, too, or we would not have started this center 25 years ago. We can't do everything to help the needy. But we do our little part."