ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ DEDICATES NEW GUARDIAN ANGEL CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PACOIMA
April 4, 2025  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

Archbishop José H. Gomez presided over the dedication Mass for the new Guardian Angel Catholic Church on 12305 Terra Bella St., Pacoima, on Friday April 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Bishop Albert M. Bahhuth, Auxiliary Bishop of the San Fernando Pastoral Region, Bishop Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the San Fernando Pastoral Region, and Father Luis Estrada, parish pastor, along with other clergy concelebrated the Mass.

The ceremony commenced with a gathering outside the doors of the new church where Archbishop Gomez welcomed the parish community, and Fr. Luis Estrada officially opened the doors of the new church for the celebration of the Mass. The dedication included the anointing of the walls of the new church with holy water and incense, and the walls were sealed with holy oil, known as Sacred Chrism. Dedication candles were lit symbolizing the light of Christ.

Archbishop Gomez shared congratulations during his homily, “…this has been a long time coming! But here we are, altogether, in one sanctuary, worshipping Almighty God!

“Jesus built his universal Church on the “rock” of Peter’s confession. Today we are dedicating this new church on that same foundation, the faith of the apostles, with Jesus as the cornerstone. And may Our Blessed Mother Mary, the Queen of the Angels, watch over you and your families. May she make this new church a place where every heart will come to experience the love of her Son, who is our hope!”

Construction of the new church started in July 2023. The original 70-year-old church on Lehigh Avenue, with 200-seat capacity, is a mile away only a 200-seat capacity surrounded by the densely populated and landlocked San Fernando Gardens, one of the oldest low-income public housing project developments in Los Angeles. The original church will be used as a mission chapel.

The newly completed church building measures over 17,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 1,300 per Mass. The land was undeveloped and required improvements to the surrounding neighborhood including street widening, new sidewalks, curbs, gutters and streetlights.

The stunning main altar is made of polished Botticino Marble with the top made of Carrara White Marble. The Chi-Rho is of Rosso Laguna Marble – the same stone used for the Main Altar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and under the talented craftmanship of David Carnavale of Carnavale & Lohr includes sacred relics of Blessed Junípero Serra and Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, for permanent inclusion at the base.

The tabernacle was a gift from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in North Hollywood and originally commissioned by Bob and Dolores Hope many decades ago. The church also includes a 5 ½ foot by 3 ¼ foot mosaic image by Lenarduzzi mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe, composed of thousands of gold tiles and a vibrant assortment of smalti tile, opaque glass first used in works created during the time of the Byzantine Empire.

The community is invited on Saturday, April 5, at 12:00 p.m. for a procession, Solemn Mass and celebration starting at the Guardian Angel Chapel (Old Church) at 10886 Lehigh Avenue. The procession will culminate with Mass to mark this momentous occasion by Auxiliary Bishop Albert Bahhuth of the San Fernando Region at the new church at 12305 Terra Bella St.  Masses will begin on Sunday, April 6th at 7:00 a.m. (Spanish), 9:00 a.m. (English), 11:00 a.m. (Spanish), and 1 p.m. (Spanish).

For images and video of the dedication Mass please contact communications@la-rchdiocese.org and for information on the construction please visit https://guardianangella.org/art-architecture.

####