Welcome to Saint Anthony Catholic Church! We are located in Downtown Long Beach in California.
Saint Anthony Church, established as the first Roman Catholic Parish in 1902, is regarded as the Mother Church in the City of Long Beach.
St. Anthony’s Church History
Parish History
Table of contents:
A. The Early Years – 1890-1920
- Long Beach history 1890-1902
- Landscape
- Population
- Catholic Services and Education – 1900
- St. Peter and Paul
- Miss Della Malone
B. Planning the first Catholic Church in Long Beach
- Bishop Montgomery – 1900
- J. M. Morris
- Lots selected
C. First Church Building
- Ground broken – 9/16/1902
- Cornerstone laid – 10/19/1902
- Parish men build Church
- Furnishings donated
- Dedication Mass – 7/19/1903
D. First Pastor and Congregation
- Rectory built – 1/19/1904
- Ferrer serving Compton and Long Beach
- Reardon appointed – 4/1907
E. First School built – 1907
- Opening 9/1907
- Staff, students
- Stable converted
- School closed – 1909
F. Second Church building
- Population growth
- Cornerstone laid 10/24/1913
- Dedication Thanksgiving Day, 1914
- Second Rectory
G. Second School built
- Reopened with Immaculate Heart Sisters in 1916
- New school building dedicated 9/29/1919
- High School classes begin 9/1920
The Growing Years – 1920 – 1933
- John Hegarty appointed – 1922
- Third Rectory completed – (Picture)
- School growth
- High School accredited – 5/1922