St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church and parish in the Los Angeles Archdiocese
, Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region
. The church is located on Sunset Boulevard
in the affluent Brentwood
section of Los Angeles, California
.
. Ground was broken for the construction of the church on February 9, 1947, and the cost of the church was estimated at $150,000 with an additional $25,000 for furnishings. The church was dedicated in November 1947.
The parish has been served by two pastors for most of its existence. Father Augustine C. Murray was the first pastor, serving in that capacity for 28 years from 1946-1974. Monsignor Lawrence O'Leary later served as pastor for 24 years from 1979-2003.
In March 1949, the church was damaged in a fire set by an arsonist described by the Los Angeles Times as a "wild-eyed" and "crazed 25-year-old UCLA art student". After setting the church on fire in the early morning hours, the arsonist, dressed in a well-cut flannel suit, stood in the middle of the church parking lot screaming, "The church is afire. Let her burn. Let her burn." When the pastor and staff tried to extinguish the fire, the arsonist tried to block their passage, struck a staff member in the face, and threw a statue at the fire. The fire caused $5,000 in damages, and the following day, Father Murray said mass in the church and urged forgiveness for the young man who had set the fire: "Let us pray for the poor boy who didn't know what he was doing. Let us pray that Almighty God may give him back his health."
In 1983, the parish built at parish center that is used for education, social functions, meetings and entertainment. The church was renovated in 1989.
As of 2009, the parish was served by Father Ben Le, administrator, Monsignor Lawrence O'Leary, pastor emeritus, and Father Donal Keohane.
In 1998, the school added a new wing, which included administration offices, a library, science lab and reading/math lab.
Movie and stage actor Frank Fay
was one of the founding members of the parish, and mass was celebrated in the pool house of Fay's estate before the completion of the church building in 1947.
The church was built on a site adjacent to the estate of movie actor Gary Cooper
. In 1979, the parish purchased Cooper estate. The house was used as a convent, and the grounds were used as a playground for the students at St. Martin of Tours School and for church parking. The house was sold in 1980 after the Sisters of St. Joseph ceased operating the school.
In 1948, parishioners Frank Fay and Joe E. Brown began the tradition of an annual social event that was originally known as "Murray's Follies" and later became known as the "Leprechaun Ball." The Leprechaun Ball is an ongoing tradition at the parish. Celebrities and parishioners who have assisted with the event over the years include Edmond O'Brien
, Maureen O'Hara
, Donald O'Connor
, Steve McQueen
, Barron Hilton
, Dennis Day
, the Lennon Sisters, the Lawrence Welk Orchestra
, and Pat O'Brien
.
Over the years, St. Martin has been the site of many celebrity weddings, baptisms and funerals, including the following:
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...
, Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region
Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region
The Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region is a pastoral region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in the Roman Catholic Church. It covers Downtown and central Los Angeles west to Malibu, south to LAX. The current regional auxiliary bishop is Bishop Edward W. Clark...
. The church is located on Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
in the affluent Brentwood
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Brentwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, the border of Topanga State...
section of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
History
The parish of St. Martin of Tours in Los Angeles was founded in 1946. The land acquired for the construction of the church was formerly an orchard on the estate of actor Gary CooperGary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
. Ground was broken for the construction of the church on February 9, 1947, and the cost of the church was estimated at $150,000 with an additional $25,000 for furnishings. The church was dedicated in November 1947.
The parish has been served by two pastors for most of its existence. Father Augustine C. Murray was the first pastor, serving in that capacity for 28 years from 1946-1974. Monsignor Lawrence O'Leary later served as pastor for 24 years from 1979-2003.
In March 1949, the church was damaged in a fire set by an arsonist described by the Los Angeles Times as a "wild-eyed" and "crazed 25-year-old UCLA art student". After setting the church on fire in the early morning hours, the arsonist, dressed in a well-cut flannel suit, stood in the middle of the church parking lot screaming, "The church is afire. Let her burn. Let her burn." When the pastor and staff tried to extinguish the fire, the arsonist tried to block their passage, struck a staff member in the face, and threw a statue at the fire. The fire caused $5,000 in damages, and the following day, Father Murray said mass in the church and urged forgiveness for the young man who had set the fire: "Let us pray for the poor boy who didn't know what he was doing. Let us pray that Almighty God may give him back his health."
In 1983, the parish built at parish center that is used for education, social functions, meetings and entertainment. The church was renovated in 1989.
As of 2009, the parish was served by Father Ben Le, administrator, Monsignor Lawrence O'Leary, pastor emeritus, and Father Donal Keohane.
St. Martin of Tours School
In 1954, St. Martin of Tours School was opened. It was operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet until 1979.In 1998, the school added a new wing, which included administration offices, a library, science lab and reading/math lab.
Association with celebrities
The parish is located in an affluent section of Los Angeles that is the home of numerous celebrities and prominent business persons.Movie and stage actor Frank Fay
Frank Fay (American actor)
Frank Fay was an American film and stage actor, emcee, comedian, best known as an actor for having played "Elwood P. Dowd" in the play Harvey by the American playwright Mary Coyle Chase on Broadway...
was one of the founding members of the parish, and mass was celebrated in the pool house of Fay's estate before the completion of the church building in 1947.
The church was built on a site adjacent to the estate of movie actor Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
. In 1979, the parish purchased Cooper estate. The house was used as a convent, and the grounds were used as a playground for the students at St. Martin of Tours School and for church parking. The house was sold in 1980 after the Sisters of St. Joseph ceased operating the school.
In 1948, parishioners Frank Fay and Joe E. Brown began the tradition of an annual social event that was originally known as "Murray's Follies" and later became known as the "Leprechaun Ball." The Leprechaun Ball is an ongoing tradition at the parish. Celebrities and parishioners who have assisted with the event over the years include Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
, Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
, Donald O'Connor
Donald O'Connor
Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor was an American dancer, singer, and actor who came to fame in a series of movies in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule...
, Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
, Barron Hilton
Barron Hilton
William Barron Hilton I is an American business magnate, socialite, and hotel heir. He is the former co-chairman of the Hilton Hotels chain, and the original owner of the Los Angeles Chargers...
, Dennis Day
Dennis Day
Dennis Day born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty, was an Irish-American singer and radio, television and film personality.-Early life:...
, the Lennon Sisters, the Lawrence Welk Orchestra
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
, and Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
.
Over the years, St. Martin has been the site of many celebrity weddings, baptisms and funerals, including the following:
- In 1951, the daughter of Tyrone PowerTyrone PowerTyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
and Linda ChristianLinda ChristianLinda Christian was a Mexican movie actress, who appeared in Mexican and Hollywood films. Her career reached its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. She played Mara in the last Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan film Tarzan and The Mermaids...
, Romina Francesca, was baptized at St. Martin of Tours.
- In April 1959, the funeral of Irish-American actor James GleasonJames GleasonJames Austin Gleason was an American actor born in New York City. He was also a playwright and screenwriter.-Career:...
was held at St. Martin of Tours. The requiem mass at St. Martin's was attended by, among others, John WayneJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, Pat O'Brien, Frank McHughFrank McHughFrancis Curray "Frank" McHugh was an American film and television actor.Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents ran a stock theatre company and as a young child he performed on stage...
.
- In August 1959, actress Margaret O'BrienMargaret O'BrienMargaret O'Brien is an American film and stage actress. Although her film career as a leading character was brief, she was one of the most popular child actors in cinema history...
was married to art student Harold Robert Allen, Jr., at St. Martin of Tours. The bridesmaids included Anna Maria AlberghettiAnna Maria AlberghettiAnna Maria Alberghetti is an Italian-born operatic singer and actress.Born in Pesaro, Marche, she starred on Broadway and won a Tony Award in 1962 as Best Actress for Carnival! .Alberghetti was a child prodigy. Her father was an opera singer and concert master of the Rome Opera Company...
.
- In July 1960, the funeral for author and journalist Gene FowlerGene FowlerGene Fowler was an American journalist, author and dramatist.He was born in Denver, Colorado. When his mother remarried, young Gene took his stepfather's name to become Gene Fowler. Fowler's career had a false start in taxidermy, which he later claimed permanently gave him a distaste for red meat...
was held at St. Martin of Tours. Pallbearers at the funeral included former heavyweight boxing champion Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
, Jimmy DuranteJimmy DuranteJames Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
, and Randolph Hearst, and chants were sung by the Roger Wagner Chorale.
- In October 1983, the funeral for Pat O'BrienPat O'Brien (actor)Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
, "the prototypical charming Irishman in scores of films," was held at St. Martin of Tours.
- In May 1985, the funeral for Academy Award-winning actor Edmond O'BrienEdmond O'BrienEdmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
was held at the church.
- In March 1994, the funeral for actor and comedian John CandyJohn CandyJohn Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
was held at St. Martin of Tours. The funeral was attended by many actors and celebrities, including Tom HanksTom HanksThomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
, Chevy ChaseChevy ChaseCornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
, Bill MurrayBill MurrayWilliam James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
, Martin ShortMartin ShortMartin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
, and Rick MoranisRick MoranisFrederick Allan "Rick" Moranis is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and a magician. Moranis came to prominence in the late 1970s on the sketch comedy show Second City Television, and later appeared in several Hollywood films including Strange Brew; Ghostbusters; Spaceballs; Little Shop of...
. The eulogy was given by Dan AykroydDan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
.
- In June 1994, the funeral of murder victim Nicole Brown SimpsonNicole Brown SimpsonNicole Brown Simpson was a former wife of professional football player O. J. Simpson.- Relationship with O. J. Simpson :...
, ex-wife of O.J. Simpson was held at St. Martin of Tours. The funeral occurred amid "the buzz of media helicopters" and a "phalanx of reporters and camera people" flanking Saltair Avenue as suspected killer O.J. Simpson arrived at the funeral with the couple's children, Justin and Sydney. Nicole Simpson's light wood casket covered with a spray of white roses was taken to the church in a white hearse. Bruce JennerBruce JennerWilliam Bruce Jenner is a former U.S. track and field athlete, motivational speaker, socialite and television personality. He won the gold medal for decathlon in the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympics....
, Steve GarveySteve GarveySteven Patrick Garvey , nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman...
and Al CowlingsAl CowlingsAllen G. Cowlings is a retired American football player, known for his role in the saga of O.J. Simpson's murder trial...
were among those in attendance.
- In August 1998, the funeral for Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning sportswriter Jim MurrayJim Murray (sportswriter)James Patrick Murray was an American sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times from 1961 to 1998.Many of his achievements include winning the NSSA's Sportswriter of the Year award an astounding fourteen times...
was held at St. Martin of Tours. The funeral was attended by numerous sports, business and entertainment celebrities, including Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
and Peter FalkPeter FalkPeter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
. Jack Whitaker delivered a eulogy in which he said, "Once again, he has out-written us all, because he is his own eulogy."
- In August 2002, St. Martin of Tours was the site of the funeral of Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
announcer Chick HearnChick HearnFrancis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was an American sportscaster. Known primarily as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, the legendary Hearn is remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, inventing colorful phrases such...
. The funeral mass was given by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and attended by sports legends and celebrities, including Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Magic JohnsonMagic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, Kobe BryantKobe BryantKobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, Los Angeles Mayor James HahnJames HahnJames Kenneth "Jim" Hahn is an American politician. Hahn was elected the 40th Mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He served until 2005, at which time he was defeated in his bid for re-election...
, California Gov. Gray DavisGray DavisJoseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
, Vin ScullyVin ScullyVincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
, John WoodenJohn WoodenJohn Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
, and Jack NicholsonJack NicholsonJohn Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
. In addition to 400 present at St. Martin, the funeral was simulcast to 19,000 fans at Staples CenterStaples CenterStaples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
and broadcast on Los Angeles television stations. In his eulogy, Cardinal Mahony told mourners: "I am going to go outside and look up in the sky, because I think for the last time we will see the meteor go by, and we will wave so long. This one's in the refrigerator."
- In 2006, the funeral mass for Jane WyattJane WyattJane Waddington Wyatt was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as the housewife and mother on the television comedy Father Knows Best, and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on the science fiction television series Star Trek...
was held at St. Martin of Tours.