Our Church's

History

The Beginning

On the feast day of St. Raymond Nonnatus, August 31, 1956, James Francis Cardinal McIntyre announced the establishment of a second parish in Downey. The founding pastor was Fr. Patrick Cleary. St. Raymond parish began celebrating Mass each Sunday in the auditorium of Pius X High School (now St. Matthias). The new parish included about one-fourth of Downey and served approximately 1400 families.

In April of 1957 ground was broken for the church and school on five acres that had been an orange grove. The church and school were combined in one extensive building. The church intended to be temporary, seats 750 people and was designed for permanent use as a school auditorium. Three classrooms were left unpartitioned to serve as a temporary hall. Now a portion of this hall is a science lab. On All Saints Day, November 1, 1957 Fr. Cleary celebrated the first Mass in the new church.

St. Raymond opened its school on the same day Downey was incorporated as a city, September 19, 1957. The school began with an enrollment of 250 pupils. The Sisters of the Holy Faith taught grades 1 through 4. Catechism classes for public school children had a beginning enrollment of 150, soon blossoming to 400. The convent and four more classrooms were completed in November of 1959. The new rectory was erected in 1961 and included parish offices. The final four classrooms were added in 1961 as well. The school now accommodated 800 pupils and finally included grades 1 through 8. The first 8th grade graduation was celebrated in June of 1962. St. Raymond School celebrated its 50th Anniversary in September, 2007.

New Pastors

 Fr. Robert Gipson was appointed as Parish Administrator in 1979 after residing at the parish for eight years while he was chaplain to Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. He was appointed the parish’s second pastor in January 1981 when Msgr. Cleary retired after 25 years as our pastor. Our parish was again honored and proud when in 1995 a papal honor was bestowed on Fr. Bob, making him a domestic prelate, with the title of Monsignor. Now we have had two pastors receive that honor. In July of 1998 Fr. Richard Albarano took over as Parish Administrator. On February 1, 1999 Fr. Tom O’Hanlon became our third pastor. He responded to the changing demographics in our community by hiring a full time youth minister and starting a thriving Hispanic Ministry. He also helped to develop a Filipino Ministry, and oversaw the building of our new hall during his brief time at our parish. Fr. Roberto Jaranilla became Parish Administrator in March 2002 upon the resignation of Fr. Tom. On July 1, 2003 we welcomed our new Parish Administrator, Fr. John Higgins to shepherd our growing parish of over 2500 families. Fr. John was named our fourth pastor July 1, 2006. We celebrated his installation along with our 50th Anniversary in August, 2006 with Cardinal Roger Mahony presiding along with Bishop Joe Sartoris and Msgr. Bob Gipson, for whom our hall is named.

The Beginning Again

In recognition of our growing Hispanic community, a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish was begun in 1996. In June of 1999 Deacon Ralph and Aglay Riera were invited to join St. Raymond Parish to help in the development and coordination of services offered in Spanish. In May 2001 the Filipino Ministry began having Perpetual Adoration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary on first Fridays. As the parish continued to grow, the need for additional facilities became apparent, and in winter 1999 construction began on our new Parish Hall. Appropriately, groundbreaking ceremonies were held the end of August to celebrate St. Raymond’s feast day and the day the parish was founded. Our new hall was dedicated in December 2001 and it included a beautifully landscaped gathering space with a fountain and a quieter area for meditation and contemplation.

We have now had more than four stable years with Fr. John. Our church has experienced extended improvements to our facilities, greater attention to ministry development and leadership with a focus of empowering the laity to a deeper experience of parish life. There continues much to be done at St. Raymond. Despite its over 50 years of existence, the St. Raymond Catholic Community is still developing into a multi-cultural and multi-dimensional parish that will adequately respond to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of all. As our community moves forward under Fr. John’s leadership it does so in a spirit that is faith, food and fellowship, with all welcome.  Our Lord has put us together to do His work, and every day we continue to thank Him for His blessings on our Parish and ask Him to give us the will and the wisdom to continue on His plan.