About Proto-Cathedral of Saint Mary [Ruthenian] · Sherman Oaks, California
The Proto-Cathedral of Saint Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is the first Byzantine Catholic church in California and the only Ruthenian Byzantine parish within the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Founded in 1956 to serve Ruthenian Eastern Catholic faithful who had migrated to the West Coast, it was elevated to cathedral status in 1982 when the Eparchy of Van Nuys was established, and became a proto-cathedral in 2010 when the eparchial see moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Today it remains a thriving Byzantine parish on Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, offering the Divine Liturgy and Byzantine devotions in the Ruthenian tradition while reaching out through livestreams, online formation, and missions in Ventura and Santa Paula counties.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (parish title: Patronage of the Mother of God)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Michael O'Loughlin
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (Ruthenian Greek Catholic, under the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh)
Why belong here
St. Mary's is the historic home of Byzantine Catholicism on the West Coast — the first Byzantine church in California and still the only Ruthenian parish within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Parishioners experience the full Byzantine liturgical life in English: the Divine Liturgy celebrated Sunday morning after Matins, weekday feast-day liturgies, the Akathist to the Theotokos of the Inexhaustible Cup, and a noted Discussion for Mental Health and Addictions in the Small Hall. The parish also sustains a lively formation life (weekly adult education on Sundays, a Byzantine book club, a chant class, and daily online devotionals), mission outreach to Ventura County and Santa Paula, and a pastor who is active in evangelization through podcasts and online Catholic formation. It is a small but unusually connected community where East Coast and West Coast Byzantine Catholics have found a spiritual home for nearly seventy years.
Mass times at Proto-Cathedral of Saint Mary [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays at 8:45 AM (before/into the first portion of Divine Liturgy)
- By appointment
- Available after any liturgy (including Morning Prayer, Vespers, etc.)
Parish Identity & Byzantine Catholic Life
St. Mary's is the Proto-Cathedral of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, serving Ruthenian Eastern Catholics in the Los Angeles area. As the first Byzantine church in California and the only Ruthenian parish within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, it is a small but historically significant community. Liturgy is celebrated in English in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) tradition, and the parish sustains a full calendar of weekly and festal services alongside a robust online formation program.
Our Byzantine Church History
Founded in 1956 by Ruthenian Catholic families who had moved west, St. Mary's grew from a single Divine Liturgy celebrated at Nazareth House in Van Nuys into a parish that planted daughter churches in Fontana and San Diego, hosted the cathedra of the Eparchy of Van Nuys from 1982, and was retitled a Proto-Cathedral when the eparchial see moved to Phoenix in 2010. The parish's own narrative page on byzantinela.com walks through each pastorate and the building of the church, icon screen, shrine and chancery.
- 1956: Letter to Bishop Elko; Fr. Eugene Chromoga appointed; first Divine Liturgy November 18, 1956 at Nazareth House, Van Nuys.
- 1957: Land purchased on Sepulveda Boulevard; property deeded October 1, Feast of the Patronage of the Mother of God.
- 1958: Chapel and rectory blessed by Bishop Elko.
- 1959: Groundbreaking for the new church.
- 1961: Church solemnly dedicated by Cardinal McIntyre and Bishop Elko.
- 1969: Parish becomes part of the new Eparchy of Parma.
- 1974: Mortgage burned under Pastor Paul Fetch.
- 1976: Father Eugene Linowski becomes third pastor and re-orders the liturgy to the authentic Byzantine tradition.
- 1978: Icon screen — wrought iron with icons by Mila Mina — installed and blessed by Bishop Mihalik.
- 1982: Eparchy of Van Nuys established; Bishop Thomas Dolinay installed; St. Mary's named the cathedral.
- 2010: See moves to Phoenix; church is retitled Proto-Cathedral.
- 2019: Father Michael O'Loughlin appointed pastor effective September 1.
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is currently served by Very Rev. Michael O'Loughlin, who was appointed pastor on September 1, 2019 after serving at Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado. Father Michael grew up in Albuquerque, studied philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville, was ordained for the Eparchy of Phoenix in 2015, and is active in evangelization as a co-host of the 'What God Is Not' podcast and chaplain of Lux University.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Michael O'Loughlin (since September 1, 2019)
- Office email: admin@byzantineLA.com
- Phone: 818-907-5511
Formation & Devotional Life
St. Mary's runs a remarkably full formation program for its size. Adult Education meets every Sunday at 11:45 AM in person and on Zoom, working through the catechism 'Christ Our Pascha' and other topics; a Sunday Chant Class follows at noon; a Byzantine Catholic Book Club reads together parish-wide each quarter; and the parish publishes daily devotionals (saint, icon, troparion, kontakion, epistle and Gospel) on its website and social media.
- Sunday Adult Education (in-person + Zoom)
- Sunday Chant Class (12:00 PM)
- Quarterly Byzantine Catholic Book Club
- Daily Devotionals on website and social media
- House Blessings each year after Theophany
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Beyond the sanctuary, St. Mary's sustains a network of pastoral ministries and outreach efforts. Mental-health and addiction-support gatherings meet regularly in the Small Hall, mission liturgies serve Catholics in Ventura and Santa Paula counties, and the pastor is active in Catholic education through Sophia Montessori Academy and Lux University.
- Discussion for Mental Health in the Small Hall (2nd & 4th Thursdays)
- Akathist and Discussion for Addictions and Mental Illness
- Sunday Potlucks
- Livestream of the Divine Liturgy
- Ventura County / Santa Paula Mission Outreach (St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, Camarillo)
- Saturday 5 PM Mission Divine Liturgy at St. Raphael's
- Sophia Montessori Academy (founding board)
- Lux University online Catholic formation (chaplaincy)
- Annual Eparchial Appeal for the Eparchy of Phoenix
Online Resources & Communication
Father Michael sends frequent parish updates by email, and the parish maintains an active online presence including livestreams, daily devotionals, a parish blog, and a bulletin archive. Visitors can also watch livestreams on Facebook by searching for 'Byzantine Catholic Proto-Cathedral of St. Mary' or '@ProtoCathedralSO'.
- Email updates from Father Michael
- Livestream via Facebook page
- Daily Devotionals page on byzantinela.com
- Parish Blog
- Sunday Bulletin archive (weekly)
- Daily readings and saint-of-the-day posts
Sacraments & Devotions
The Byzantine 'Mystery' of Repentance (Confession) is heard at St. Mary's every Sunday at 8:45 AM, after any liturgy, or by appointment. The parish maintains the Byzantine custom of house blessings after the Feast of Theophany each year.
- Mystery of Repentance (Confession): Sundays 8:45 AM, after any liturgy, or by appointment
- Divine Liturgy: Sundays 9:30 AM, Wednesdays 6:30 PM, Feast Day Vigils 6:30 PM
- Akathist to the Theotokos of the Inexhaustible Cup: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays
- Annual House Blessings after Theophany
Visit, Contact & Directions
The Proto-Cathedral is located on Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and a directions link is provided on the home page for visitors driving in for liturgy or events.
- Address: 5329 Sepulveda Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
- Phone: 818-907-5511
- Email: admin@byzantineLA.com
- Website: byzantinela.com
- Facebook: @ProtoCathedralSO
- Instagram: @st_marys_protocathedral
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Eugene Chromoga1958–1969
First pastor; appointed to organize the parish in 1956; celebrated the first Divine Liturgy on November 18, 1956; later transferred to the Chancery in Parma.
- Reverend Paul Fetch1969–1976
Second pastor; instituted many new parish programs and fund-raising activities; the mortgage was burned on February 3, 1974.
- Father Eugene Linowski1976–1982
Third pastor; re-ordered the liturgical services to conform with authentic Byzantine tradition per Rome's decree; oversaw installation of the icon screen in 1978; also identified as first rector of the cathedral (March–June 1982) in the Wikipedia article.
- Monsignor Michael Moran1982–2004
Named first rector of the cathedral (per the parish's own history) when the Eparchy of Van Nuys was established; also served as chancellor; later raised to Monsignor; led the parish 22 years.
- Father Melvin Rybarczyk, C.R.2004–2019
Rector; retired August 31, 2019.
- Very Rev. Michael O'Loughlin2019–present
Appointed Pastor effective September 1, 2019, coming from Holy Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Denver, CO.