About St. Bridget Chinese Catholic Church · Los Angeles, California
St. Bridget Chinese Catholic Church (羅省華人天主堂) is a Cantonese/English-speaking Catholic parish serving the Chinese community of Los Angeles. Tucked alongside the Pasadena Freeway at the edge of Chinatown, it is the Archdiocese of Los Angeles's designated National Parish for Chinese Catholics and has been administered by the Salesians of Don Bosco (S.D.B.) since 1991. Today the parish celebrates Sunday Mass in Cantonese and English, runs a CCD program for children, an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, a Legion of Mary praesidium, and youth and outreach ministries, and on February 11, 2024 opened the new Mary Help of Christians youth center on its campus.
- Established
- 1940
- Patron
- St. Brigid of Ireland
- Rector
- Fr. Peter Pong, S.D.B.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Our Lady of the Angels Region, Deanery 14)
Why belong here
St. Bridget is the archdiocese's National Parish for Chinese Catholics in Los Angeles and one of the few parishes in the city where Cantonese-speaking Catholics can worship, socialize, and raise children in their own language alongside an English-speaking congregation. Its ministries reach across the life of the parish — bilingual Liturgy with the Our Lady of China Choir and English Choir, CCD and OCIA faith formation, a Legion of Mary praesidium that visits the sick at Country Villa Nursing Home, Youth Ministry with annual retreats, and outreach to the surrounding Chinatown community. The 2024 opening of the Mary Help of Christians youth center signals the parish's continued investment in forming the next generation in the Salesian tradition of St. John Bosco.
Mass times at St. Bridget Chinese Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Lenten Taizé & Adoration — Saturday, 5:00–6:30 PM (hosted by the English Choir; e.g. March 14, 2026)
- Eucharistic Procession through the surrounding neighborhood following the 11:15 AM English Mass (announced annually, e.g. June 7, 2026)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Bridget Chinese Catholic Church (羅省華人天主堂) exists 'to best serve the Chinese Catholics in Los Angeles.' Its published mission commitments are: uniting and expanding the congregation, promoting the spiritual growth of its youth, evangelizing the Chinese in Los Angeles, supporting the broader Chinese Catholic community, and enriching the spiritual life of its parishioners.
- Unite and expand the congregation
- Promote spiritual growth of youth
- Evangelize the Chinese in Los Angeles
- Support the Chinese Catholic community
- Enrich parishioners' spiritual life
History
Founded in 1940 by Irish Columban Father John Cowhig as a Chinese Catholic Mission Center on the north edge of Chinatown, St. Bridget grew from a single Christmas Day Mass in 1940 into a combined church, school, and social hall that Archbishop Cantwell dedicated in 1942. After decades under the Columbans and a transitional period with diocesan priest Father Peter Tsang as its first bilingual Cantonese-speaking pastor, the Salesians of Don Bosco took over administration in 1991. The Center became a Parish in 2000 and was named one of America's 300 excellent Catholic parishes in 2001.
- 1939 — Fr. John Cowhig, Columban, arrives in LA
- 1940 — First Mass on Christmas Day at 510 Cottage Home Street
- 1942 — Center dedicated by Archbishop John Cantwell, June 7
- 1944 — Catholic Chinese Academy founded
- 1951 — Academy closed under Archbishop McIntyre
- 1980 — Fr. Peter Tsang becomes first bilingual Cantonese pastor
- 1991 — Salesians of Hong Kong take over administration
- 1992 — Adjacent property acquired, doubling facilities
- 2000 — Center upgraded to Parish
- 2001 — Named one of 300 Excellent Catholic Parishes in America
- 2023 — Fr. Peter Pong, S.D.B., installed as pastor
- 2024 — Mary Help of Christians Center grand opening
Liturgy Ministry (禮儀組)
The Liturgy Committee plans all parish liturgical celebrations: weekend Masses, Thanksgiving Mass, Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Triduum, Easter, the annual memorial service, and other celebrations as needed. Headed by the Pastor and a lay chairperson, it draws coordinators from each liturgy-related ministry and seeks to implement the spirit of Vatican II, enabling the faithful to actively participate and encounter Christ in every liturgy.
- Altar Servers (輔祭會)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (送聖體員)
- Lectors (讀經員)
- Our Lady of China Choir (中華聖母聖詠團)
- English Choir (英文聖詠團)
- Hospitality (接待組)
Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation (宗教教育)
St. Bridget offers Catholic religious education for children and adults. CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) provides weekly religious instruction to Catholic children attending secular schools, preparing them to receive the sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the adult catechumenate process for those entering the Church. The parish publishes sponsor-eligibility requirements for Baptism and Confirmation.
- CCD — Children's Sunday School (兒童主日學)
- OCIA — Adult Initiation process (成人慕道入門課程)
- Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation
- Sponsor eligibility requirements
Youth Ministry & Mary Help of Christians Center (青年牧民組)
The Youth Ministry cultivates the spiritual growth of the parish's young people in the Salesian tradition of St. John Bosco. On February 11, 2024, Bishop Matthew Elshoff, OFM Cap., joined Father Peter Pong for the grand opening of the Mary Help of Christians Center on the parish campus — a facility dedicated to helping Los Angeles youth grow into 'upright citizens and good Christians.' The youth of St. Bridget regularly perform lion dances and traditional Chinese opera to mark the Lunar New Year, and an annual Lenten retreat is hosted at the new center.
- Mary Help of Christians Center — opened February 11, 2024
- Annual youth Lenten retreats at the Center
- Lion dance and Chinese opera for Lunar New Year
Formation, Outreach & Sodality Groups
The parish maintains a Formation Ministry (宗教培育組), an Outreach Ministry (社區外展組) that takes Catholic life beyond the church walls, and a full schedule of sodalities (善會). The Legion of Mary (聖母軍) holds weekly meetings, makes regular visits to the sick at Country Villa Nursing Home, and hosts an annual parish retreat.
- Formation Ministry (宗教培育組)
- Outreach Ministry (社區外展組)
- Legion of Mary (聖母軍) — weekly meetings, visits to Country Villa Nursing Home, annual retreat
- Sodalities (善會)
Devotions & Annual Observances
Beyond Sunday Mass, the parish gathers for seasonal devotions in both languages. The English Choir hosts a Lenten Taizé prayer and Eucharistic Adoration evening, the Formation Team organizes a Cantonese Lenten retreat, the Youth Ministry hosts a Lenten retreat for young adults and high school teens, and the parish holds an annual Eucharistic Procession through the surrounding neighborhood. Parishioners also gather for a community luncheon after Sunday Masses several times a year.
- Lenten Taizé & Adoration (English Choir)
- Cantonese Lenten Retreat
- Youth Lenten Retreat at MHOCC
- Annual Eucharistic Procession through the neighborhood
- Community luncheons after Sunday Masses
Parish Leadership & Governance
Pastoral and financial governance is shared between the priest-pastor and two lay councils, supported by a parish committee dedicated to child safety.
- Parish Pastoral Council (牧民議會)
- Parish Finance Council (財務議會)
- Safeguard the Children Parish Committee (保障兒童安全委員會)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Cowhig (Columban)1939–1954
Founder of the Chinese Catholic Center; first Mass on Christmas Day 1940; dedicated June 7, 1942
- Fr. Anthony O'Doherty (Columban)1954–c.1964
Center thrived under his tenure; visited homes of parishioners
- Fr. Matthew Quinn (Columban)c.1964–1980
Continued outreach to incoming Chinese-speaking immigrants
- Fr. Peter Tsang1980–
First bilingual Cantonese-speaking pastor; added a separate Chinese Mass
- Fr. Francisco Lau (S.D.B.) and Br. Paul Li (S.D.B.)1991–1994
Salesians of Hong Kong take over administration; chapel renovated; Chinese Catholic Association of LA founded
- Fr. Joseph Cheng, S.D.B.1994–2006
Center upgraded to Parish (2000); named one of America's 300 excellent parishes (2001); died 2007
- Fr. John Kin Hon Lam, S.D.B.2006–2023
Appointed USCC National Advisor for Chinese Affairs 2008; retired May 1, 2023
- Fr. Peter Pong, S.D.B.2023–present
Current pastor; opened Mary Help of Christians Center, Feb 11, 2024