ST. PIUS X KNANAYA CATHOLIC PARISH, LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES CHURCH SONG

124 N. 5th Street, Montebello, CA 90640, USA.

Pastor / Vicar: Fr. Benoy Naramangalathu
504 N Roxbury Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210
210-843-5372, nkbinoy@gmail.com

MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday Holy Mass at 10:30 A.M.

ADORATION
Night Vigil on third Friday of every month from 7:00 P.M. to Midnight.

KOODARA YOGAMS – 5

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHOOL
DRE: Susan Mathew Kongompuzhakala 909-266-1835
Number of Students: 54
No. of staff: 18

MAIN FEAST: St. Pius X Feast on the First Weekend of September.

SANCTUARY OF THE CHURCH

HISTORY

Syro-Malabar faithful, including the Knanaya Catholics, began to migrate to Los Angeles area in the 1970s. They got organized as Kerala Catholic Association in 1978 with Abraham Niravath as president, Jacob Mutholath as secretary and Paulose Thekkedath as treasurer. The association arranged Syro-Malabar Qurbana, retreat and special services like Christmas and Holy Week at the parish hall of St. John Eudes Church with the help of priests who came for studies. Fr. James Thottappally, Fr. Paul Alangattukaran CMI, Fr. Abraham Mutholath, Fr. George Punchakunnel, Fr. Jose Kuruvila OIC helped with the religious services. During his stay for studies in Los Angeles from December 1987 to December 1992, Fr. Abraham Mutholath took care of the pastoral needs of the Syro-Malabar Catholics in Southern California.

Knanaya Catholics who were part of the Kerala Catholic Association established Knanaya Catholic Congress of Southern California (KCCSC) in November 1992 under the leadership of Fr. Abraham Mutholath. Separate Holy Mass and other religious services were held by the KCCSC for Knanaya Catholics since 1992 at St. John Eudes parish hall in Chatsworth with the help of the priests who came for studies in Los Angeles. When Fr. Abraham Mutholath came back to Los Angeles on December 8, 2000, he took care of the pastoral needs of the Knanaya Catholics.

After the establishment of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago in 2001, Fr. AbrahamMutholath took initiative to establish a Knanaya Catholic Mission under this diocese. The Los Angeles Knanaya community in its general council meeting on August 5, 2001 decided to request Mar Jacob Angadiath to establish a Knanaya mission. Fr. Abraham Mutholath proposed the name of St. Pope Pius X as the patron saint of the proposed mission. The general body agreed to it and send application to the bishop for the establishment of St. Pius X Knanaya mission.

Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the syncellus (Vicar General) of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago on October 3, 2001. Fr. Abraham Mutholath and Fr. Paul Kottackal who was in charge of the non-Knanaya Syro-Malabar faithful, took initiative and arranged a reception to Mar Jacob Angadiath in Los Angeles from December 20-23, 2001 under the auspices of Kerala Catholic Association and Knanaya Catholic Association. Mar Angadiath canonically established St. Pius X Knanaya Mission in Los Angeles on March 17, 2002 and appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as its Mission Director.

During the first general body meeting of the Knanaya Catholic Mission, the members selected the first parish executive and parish council members. They were James Chettiath and Salim Kuzhiparambil as Kaikkarans, Thomas Pachikkara as finance officer and Anil Mattappallikkunnel as secretary. The other parish council members were Joji Manalel, Valsa Mutholath, Sophi Pachikkara, Annamma Chettiath, Cyriac Chazhikatt, and Cyriac Poovathumkal.

The mission gets services from our Knanaya Catholic religious sisters since 2000. Fr. Abraham Mutholath arranged with Sisters of Carondelet in Los Angeles to bring sisters from Visitation Congregation in Kottayam. The first Visitation Convent in the USA was established in Los Angeles on July 22, 2000. The sisters worked at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood owned and administered by the Sisters of Carondelet. On February 5, 2009, the Visitation sisters moved to their new Convent House in Downey. Fr. Mutholath took initiative to bring St. Joseph’s Sisters from Kottayam by making arrangement with a hospital in West Covina. The St. Joseph’s Convent was established in West Covina on May 31, 2002.

The Mission’s regular monthly Qurbana was held at St. John Eude’s parish hall and later moved to Korean Apostolic Church at Winnetka in the San Fernando Valley. Fr. Abraham Mutholath moved to Chicago on February 15, 2003 and Fr. Baby Kattiyankel who was in Los Angeles doing CPE Course was assigned as the director-in-charge of the mission until Fr. Thomas Animoottil took charge as the director.

Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as director of the mission on August 25, 2005. Fr. Mulavanal started three Sunday services, two in San Fernando Valley and one in Artesia, and started religious education classes for children. The mission also started annual solemn feast celebration of the mission’s patron St. Pope Pius X since 2006.

Members of the mission came up with a strong desire to have a church and initiated various fundraising programs. A committee was formed to purchase a church facility in a centrally located area accessible for all the community members. The committee identified a church on sale in Montebello. The dream come true and the property escrow was closed on July 29, 2010. The church was then remodeled to fit the liturgical needs of the Syro-Malabar tradition.

St. Pius X Church was consecrated on July 31, 2010 by His Excellency Mar Jacob Angadiath, Bishop of the Syro Malabar diocese of Chicago. His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakkatt celebrated the first mass in the church and His Excellency Mar Joseph Pandarasseril delivered the homily during the celebration. Mar Jacob Angadiath canonically elevated the St. Pius X mission as a parish and appointed Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as the first pastor of the parish. The visitation convent in Downey was blessed on the same day.

Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as the Vicar General and director of the Knanaya Catholic Region on February 8, 2014. When he moved to Chicago, Fr. Siju Mudakkodil took charge as the present pastor of the parish from October 18, 2014.

The parish celebrated its tenth anniversary along with the main feast from September 14-15, 2019. Vicar General Fr. Thomas Mulavanal inaugurated the celebration and the officiated the main feast. The Liturgical celebration is scheduled on every Sunday at 10:30 A.M. and is followed by religious education classes for the children. A potluck lunch is distributed every Sunday after our liturgical services.

Mar Joy Alappatt transferred Fr. Siju Mudakkodil to Chicago St. Mary’s with effect from September 14, 2023 and appointed Fr. Benoy Naramangalath as the pastor from September 15, 2023.

This parish now serves 80 Catholic families living in Southern California.

TIMELINE

1970s: Major migration of Knanaya Catholics in Los Angeles area.

1978: Formation of Kerala Catholic Association including Knanaya Catholics.

1987 December – 1992 December: Holy Mass and other pastoral services by Fr. Abraham Mutholath.

1992 November: Formation of Knanaya Catholic Congress of Southern California (KCCSC) and separate Holy Qurbana for Knanaya Catholics.

2000 December 8: Fr. Abraham Mutholath came back to Los Angeles and took charge of the pastoral needs of the Knanaya Catholics in Southern California.

2001 August 5: The Los Angeles Knanaya community in its general body decided to request Mar Jacob Angadiath to establish a Knanaya mission with St. Pope Pius X as the patron.

2001 October 3: Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the syncellus (Vicar General) of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago.

2001 December 21: Reception to Mar Jacob Angadiath in Los Angeles hosted by Kerala Catholic Association and Knanaya Catholic Association.

2001 December 22: Application submitted to Mar Jacob Angadiath requesting to establish a Knanaya Catholic Mission in Los Angeles.

2002 March 17: Mar Jacob Angadiath canonically established St. Pius X Knanaya Mission in Los Angeles and appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the Mission Director.

2000 July 22: The establishment of Visitation Convent at Inglewood in Los Angeles.

2002 May 31: Establishment of the St. Joseph’s Convent at West Covina in Los Angeles.

2003 February 15: Fr. Baby Kattiyankal became the director in charge of the mission.

2003: Fr. Thomas Animoottil took charge as the director.

2005 August 25: Fr. Thomas Mulavanal was appointed as director of the mission.

2006: Started Religious Education Classes and solemn feast celebration of St. Pope Pius X.

2010 July 29: The mission purchased a church in Montebello.

2010 July 31: Consecration of the church by Mar Jacob Angadiath. Mar Mathew Moolakkatt was the main celebrant of the first mass in the church and Mar Joseph Pandarasseril delivered the homily. Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated the mission as a parish with Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as the pastor. The Visitation convent in Downey was blessed on the same day.

2014 February 8: Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as the Vicar General and director of the Knanaya Catholic Region.

2014 October 18: Fr. Siju Mudakkodil took charge as the pastor.

2019 September 14 – 15: Tenth anniversary celebration of the parish with Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as chief guest.

2023 September 15: Fr. Benoy Naramangalathu took charge as the pastor.

DIRECTORS / PASTORS

Fr. Abraham Mutholath (1987 Dec. – 1992 Dec.), (2000 Dec. 8 – 2003 Feb. 15)

Fr. Baby Kattiyankal (2003)

Fr. Thomas Animoottil (2003 – 2005 August 25)

Fr. Thomas Mulavanal (2005 August 25 – 2014 October 18)

Fr. Siju Mudakkodil (2014 October 18 –  2023 September 14)

Fr. Benoy Naramangalathu (2023 September 15 – )

PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS AND PASTORS

               

Fr. Abraham Mutholath (First Mission Director), Fr. Baby Kattiyankal (Director in charge), Fr. Thomas Animoottil (Mission Director), Fr. Thomas Mulavanal (First Pastor), Fr. Siju Mudakkodil (Former Pastor), Fr. Benoy Naramangalathu (Present Pastor).