Century-old parish is a ‘kaleidoscope of faith’

St. Rose of Lima marks milestone anniversary



MASS APPEAL—Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, left, presents the Rev. Joseph Shea, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church, a certificate honoring the parish’s 100th anniversary.

MASS APPEAL—Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, left, presents the Rev. Joseph Shea, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church, a certificate honoring the parish’s 100th anniversary.

Nearly 50 countries are represented by more than 1,800 congregants who call St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church their home.

This diverse representation is a “kaleidoscope of faith” that just keeps growing with each year the church serves the Simi Valley community, the Rev. Joseph Shea said.

Shea, who has headed St. Rose since 2008, said this cultural diversity couldn’t have been more apparent than during the parish’s 100th anniversary on Aug. 22.

Around 900 people showed up at the church at 1305 Royal Ave. in Simi Valley to celebrate its centennial anniversary with a catered dinner, dancing and music.

Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Archbishop Robert Barron of the archdiocese’s Santa Barbara Pastoral Region, which includes Simi Valley, and 15 former St. Rose priests also attended.

“I really love the deep roots the church has here in Simi, and it’s very evident by the many different nations represented by our congregation,” Shea said.

The parish, he said, started with mostly white and Hispanic attendees but now has many people from Central and South American countries as well as India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and even Samoa.

“It’s the kaleidoscope of faith. We come from many places and have many cultures but are one in faith and it’s such a wonderful thing,” Shea said.

During the Aug. 23 City Council meeting, Mayor Keith Mashburn recognized St. Rose for being a cornerstone of the community for the past century, and said the church’s anniversary event was a wonderful display.

“What really struck me is that as a community that sometimes gets negative thoughts . . . there were (many) different cultures represented,” Mashburn said. “I didn’t see any tables that didn’t have a large group of different cultures eating and celebrating together.”

Having lived in Simi her whole life, Councilmember Dee Dee Cavanaugh has watched St. Rose grow and change over the years.

“Everyone was very, very proud (and) it was really wonderful to see (Archbishop Gomez),” Cavanaugh said at the Aug. 23 meeting. “I’m glad he was able to visit our community and see such a great turnout of our community members.”

Quaint beginnings

The story of St. Rose of Lima stretches all the way back to the 20th century.

In the early 1900s, St. Rose served as a mission branch of the Santa Clara Catholic Church of Oxnard and operated out of a former Presbyterian church on Pacific Avenue and Third Street in Simi Valley. That building, which could hold up to 70 people, officially became St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in 1921.

The original structure has since been moved to Strathearn Historical Park for preservation.

In 1965, the church moved to its current location on Royal Avenue, and a school was opened around that same time, Shea said. The St. Rose sanctuary of today can accommodate up to 950 people, with seating for another 200 in the parish hall.

Over the past century, St. Rose has become a central part of the community, helping to feed the hungry and host special events.

Chapter 5803 of the Knights of Columbus uses the church as its home base for blood drives and other service projects, like providing shelter for people without homes in partnership with the Samaritan Center.

St. Rose is known for hosting special Masses in honor of various groups throughout the community. Recently, the parish put on a special Blue Mass in honor of police and other first responders.

Another community effort is Simi Valley Dream Cuisine, a food and wine festival the church started in 2009. Shea said local restaurants donate food, and the church serves it to attendees with proceeds going to fund a Christian service program that helps 70 to 100 families weekly by providing food or money to cover bills.

‘Catalyst for connection’

Looking ahead, Shea said he’s excited to see St. Rose continue to grow and be a catalyst for community at a time when people have become so disconnected from one another.

“When I was growing up, it didn’t matter what religion, creed or race you were. We were there to help each other,” said Shea, 68, who was raised in Granada Hills. “But this fast-paced life has turned people into themselves and they don’t take the time to get to know each other anymore. That’s where I see St. Rose being a catalyst for connection.”

Looking to the future, Shea said the church plans to build a large theater arts center that can double as a gym for use by local schools that don’t have a dedicated performance space.

Shea said he plans to be around for St. Lima’s next big milestone.

“They can just roll me out. I’ll be like a living fossil then,” he said with a laugh.