MISSIONARIES OF JESUS COMMUNITY

Serving the Twin Parishes of St. Kevin Church & Precious Blood Church

Rev. Crespo A. Lape, MJ

Pastor

Rev. Manuel Gacad, MJ

Rev. Freddie Pinuela, MJ

Rev. Joey Evangelista, MJ

Associate Pastors

Jobelle Raymundo

Parish Business Manager 

Ana Tobar

Parish Secretary

Welcome!

St. Kevin's Parish was formed in June 1923. It was formerly part of St. Brendan's and St. Basil's. Its boundaries were established as follows: North-Melrose Avenue /third Street / East - Vermont Avenue / West -western Avenue. The first Pastor was Fr. Joseph Loughran. He was succeeded by Fr. Robert Lucey (now retired Bishop of San Antonio, Texas). His successor was Fr . Daniel Nunan. In 1948, Fr. Thomas Noonan became Pastor of St. Kevin's. He built the Rectory and had seen most of the construction of the new church before his sudden death in 1954. The church is an attractive concrete construction of simplified Romanesque architecture. Fr. James Deenihan succeeded Fr. Noonan, and the new church was blessed by Cardinal Timothy Manning (then Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles on January 8, 1956. When Mgr. Deenihan died in 1966, he was succeeded by Fr. Patrick Collins. Fr. Collins was no stranger to the people of St. Kevin's since he had been Administrator of the Parish from 1940-1945. Today our Pastor is Father Crespo A. Lape.

The Sanctuary

On March 9, 1957 Bishop Alden Bell consecrated the High Altar of St. Kevin's Church. The altar proper is sculptured of rich, dark brown marble trimmed with white marble. A white marble "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God) in bas relief is centered on its facade, flanked by the Greek letters Alpha and Omega. Also, in polished marble are the altars backing and the Predella on which the altar rests. The regredos (retablo) Columns and Baldachino (canopy) are highly ornate and richly colored with gilt trimmings. Above the arched canopy is a golden symbol of the Holy Spirit. Beneath the arch is a hand-carved wood Crucifix. Marble for the Altar was milled and carved in Italy. The decorative art work about the Altar and Baldochino were pained by Artist Inocenzo Daraio.

(re-printed from the Souvenir Program of 1973)