Saint Anne Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite

Introduction

Saint Anne Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite is a Catholic Christian parish of the Byzantine Ruthenian Tradition. Founded in 1986, its vocation is to evangelize and support everyone in the Gospel values of the Catholic Christian faith. In the words of Saint Anne's former Bishop George Kuzma, Saint Anne's goal is to “be the beacon of Christ's light on the Central Coast for all those who seek Him with a sincere heart!” Saint Anne's is a parish of the Eparchy of Van Nuys located midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the City of San Luis Obispo.

History

The history of the Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite on the Central Coast of California began in the early 1950s when the Petrick, Kubek and Bereczky families settled in San Luis Obispo. The Reverend Father Anthony Kubek maintained his own private chapel, and for many years celebrated the Divine Liturgy for his family and other interested people. The Reverend Eugene Bereczky also celebrated the Divine Liturgy at his own private chapel in San Luis Obispo during this era to support the needs of the small Eastern Catholic community. After the passing of Frs. Kubek and Bereczky, the community was ministered to for its sacramental needs by visiting priests from the former Pittsburgh Greek Catholic Exarchate including Reverend Joseph Ridella, Reverend Eugene Chromoga and Reverend John Lucas.

With the close of WWII, Eastern Catholics whose ancestors had settled and helped to establish parishes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and the Northeast were now migrating to the Western States. By the mid 1980s, former parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Sherman Oaks and the Church of the Annunciation in Anaheim who had relocated to the Central Coast of California requested a priest from the Eparchy of Van Nuys to serve their spiritual needs. In 1986, the Most Reverend Thomas Dolinay, the first Bishop of Van Nuys, sent his secretary, the Reverend Father Edmund M. Idranyi, to ascertain the feasibility of beginning a new mission on the Central Coast.

San Luis Obispo was chosen as the perfect location, given its central location within the region. Through the good graces of the Reverend Father James Nisbet, pastor of Old Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa , and with the approval of the Most Reverend Thaddeus Shubsda, the Bishop of Monterey, the new San Luis Obispo/Santa Maria Byzantine Catholic Mission was given the use of the Old Mission's former convent chapel for Sunday Divine Liturgies. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday, June 26, 1986 with about 25 of the faithful in attendance. Father Idranyi was assigned to care for the new mission community while continuing his duties at the Eparchy's Chancery Office in Northridge, about 200 miles to the south of San Luis Obispo in the San Fernando Valley.

Elevated to Parish Status and the Purchase of a Home

In the beginning, monthly and major holy day liturgies were celebrated for the growing community. Soon bi-weekly liturgies were the norm, and by September of 1986, it was decided that the Divine Liturgy would be celebrated every Sunday and all major holy days. Bishop Dolinay visited the growing community two times, each time celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the main church of the Old Mission. On January 17, 1989, Bishop Dolinay raised the San Luis Obispo/Santa Maria Byzantine Catholic Mission to the canonical status of a parish under the patronage of Saint Anne, the Mother of Mary. Saint Anne was chosen as the patroness largely due to Father Idranyi's long-held devotion to her.

The growing parish was quickly outgrowing the Old Mission chapel. In 1990 the opportunity to secure a permanent facility arose. The former Disciples of Christ Church facility at 222 E. Foothill Boulevard was for sale. After protracted negotiations, the Most Reverend George Kuzma, the second Bishop of Van Nuys gave permission to purchase the land and structure in 1991 for $500,000. Bishop Kuzma was concerned that the young parish did not have a pastor. He was also concerned that Father Idranyi was wearing himself out after nearly five years of weekly round-trip commutes between Northridge and San Luis Obispo. In response, Bishop Kuzma assigned Father Idranyi to be the administrator and resident priest of Saint Anne Byzantine Catholic Church.

Before the newly-acquired facility was made ready, the Christian Brothers offered the use of the chapel of the local Catholic Newman Center. Saint Anne's new home was ready for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Christmas Day of 1991. The Church was blessed on the following January 6th by Bishop Kuzma. The third Bishop of Van Nuys, the Most Reverend William C. Skurla visited the parish three times after being ordained as bishop of the eparchy on February 19, 2002: first as a general visit after being named the Bishop of Van Nuys, second to celebrate Father Idranyi's 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination, and finally on July 29, 2007 to ordain Mr. John F. Bradley to the permanent diaconate.

Parish Maturity, Church Remodel and the Future

On December 6, 2007, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI had accepted the resignation of 80-year-old Bishop Andrew Pataki

Andrew Pataki

Andrew Pataki is an Eastern Catholic prelate, the second bishop of Parma for the Byzantines, and the third bishop of Passaic for the Byzantines. He is currently retired.-Life:...

of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic and appointed Bishop William C. Skurla of the Byzantine Eparchy of Van Nuys, 51, as his successor. The Holy Father also named the Very Reverend Gerald N. Dino, 67, protosyncellus of the Passaic Eparchy and pastor of St. George Parish, Linden, New Jersey, to succeed Bishop Skurla as bishop of Van Nuys. On March 27, 2008, the Very Reverend Gerald N. Dino was ordained as the fourth bishop of the Eparchy of Van Nuys.

In 2008, Saint Anne's Church was completely remodeled. The re-design by Mr. David Tsow was carried out by the James V. Shepard Co. of Paso Robles, CA. The remodel included moving the sanctuary so the Divine Liturgy could be celebrated ad orientem
Ad orientem
In the Catholic liturgy the expression ad orientem is the eastward orientation of a priest celebrating Mass. This orientation has been described as the "cosmic sign of the rising sun which symbolizes the universality of God."...

, the installation of a new iconostasis,
the creation of an office for the pastor, and a room set aside for the Sacrament of the Mystery of Reconciliation.

On May 18, 2009, Bishop Gerald N. Dino announced the retirement of the Reverend Father Edmund Idranyi as Pastor of Saint Anne's Parish effective June 30, 2009. In the same communication he appointed Father Idranyi as Pastor Emeritus of Saint Anne's, giving tribute to his 23 years of service as the founding pastor of Saint Anne's. Bishop Gerald named the Reverend Father James Lane as the new pastor of Saint Anne's effective July 1, 2009. A former parochial vicar of Saint Stephen's Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix, AZ, Father Lane is the second pastor in the growing history of the parish. Today Saint Anne Byzantine Catholic Church has about 75 registered households. We are blessed to have this spiritual resource here in San Luis Obispo. Take some time to see for yourself.

Parish Images: Original - Remodeling Phase - Current

External links

The Holy See website
Saint Anne Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite website]
The Eparchy of Van Nuys website