About St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church · Los Angeles, California
St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church is a historic national ethnic parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, founded in 1904 by Bishop Thomas Conaty to serve Italian immigrants in Los Angeles's Little Italy neighborhood. Located at 1039 N. Broadway on the slope below Dodger Stadium (Chavez Ravine), the parish has been staffed by the Missionaries of St. Charles — the Scalabrini Fathers — since 1961 and continues to celebrate Mass in both English and Italian, drawing Italian Americans from across the city. The present church, dedicated in 1947 after a fire destroyed the prior chapel, is built in a distinctive half-classical, half-California-mission style and serves as the cultural and spiritual anchor of LA's Italian Catholic community.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Gianantonio Baggio, C.S.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Why belong here
St. Peter's is the historic Italian-American national parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the spiritual backbone of LA's Italian Catholic community, still celebrating Mass in Italian every Sunday morning and preserving regional feast-day traditions brought from Piemonte, Tuscany, Campania, Puglia and Sicily. Under the Scalabrini Fathers, the parish offers bilingual (English/Spanish/Italian) confession, an Italian 11:30 AM Sunday Mass, faith formation, and devotional and cultural life tightly integrated with the Casa Italiana next door — a major resource for the Italian-American community in Los Angeles. For Italian Americans wanting to pass on their heritage, English-speaking Catholics who love the Scalabrini missionary charism, and anyone drawn to one of the city's most culturally distinctive parishes, St. Peter's is both a place of worship and a living piece of LA history.
Mass times at St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (English, Spanish, and Italian, also by appointment)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (Adoration, listed alongside Confession times on parish website)
History of St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church
St. Peter's was established in the spring of 1904 by Bishop Thomas Conaty as a mission church 'to produce good Catholics according to Italian tradition.' It became the Italian national parish of what is now the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, originally located in a frame structure on North Spring Street, then in the former Briswalter cemetery chapel on North Broadway (dedicated July 4, 1915), and finally in the present church dedicated April 13, 1947 after a 1944 fire destroyed the chapel. The history of the parish is one of repeated pastoral instability in the early decades, followed by stability under the Scalabrini Fathers from 1961 onward.
- Founded 1904 by Bishop Thomas Conaty
- First pastor: Father Tito Piacentini (1904–1906)
- Move to Briswalter chapel: 1915
- Fire destroys chapel: June 13, 1944
- Cornerstone of present church: July 21, 1946
- Solemn dedication: April 13, 1947
- Handed to Scalabrini Fathers: 1961
The Early Decades (1904–1943)
The parish's first forty years were marked by a rapid turnover of Italian-speaking diocesan, Salesian and Claretian priests, with a four-year gap (1926–1930) when there was no titular pastor. The exception was Father Alex Bucci, who served for twelve years (1906–1918) and led the move to the chapel on North Broadway.
- Diocesan Priests (1904–1923): Fathers Piacentini, Bucci, Schiapparelli, L. & I. Montanari
- Salesian Priests (1923–1932): Fathers Castagnotto, Galli, Beccaria, Grall
- Claretian Priests (1932–1943): Fathers Pujol, Leal, Julian, Uriarte, Caballer, Gutierrez, Flamenco, Frison, Bossi
Building the Present Church (1943–1947)
Father Michael Cecere, a young Claretian ordained just months earlier, took charge in 1943 and almost immediately began organizing the Italian community to fund a real church. The 1944 fire made the project urgent; within three more years the present building was dedicated. He also won territorial-parish status for St. Peter's from the Archbishop, ensuring it would no longer be just an Italian-language personal parish but also serve Catholics living within defined geographic boundaries.
- Father Michael Cecere appointed 1943
- 300-seat annex to parish hall built during his tenure
- Cornerstone laid July 21, 1946
- Solemn dedication April 13, 1947
The Scalabrini Fathers (1961–Present)
Since 1961 the parish has been entrusted to the Missionaries of St. Charles — the Scalabrini Fathers, a religious congregation founded in 1887 by St. John Baptist Scalabrini specifically to minister to migrants. Cardinal McIntyre, through the Italian Catholic Federation, invited them west of Kansas City for the first time in order to provide stable Italian-speaking leadership. Under the Scalabrini Fathers St. Peter's has hosted long pastorates, opened the Casa Italiana (1972) and Villa Scalabrini (1979), and integrated itself into the wider Italian-American community of Los Angeles.
- 1961 – Parish entrusted to Scalabrini Fathers
- 1961–1962: Fr. Joseph Chiminello, C.S. (first Scalabrini pastor)
- 1962–1979: Fr. Luigi Donanzan, C.S. (seventeen years; dedicated Casa Italiana & Villa Scalabrini)
- 1979–1988: Fr. Adolph Nalin, C.S.
- 1988–1994: Fr. Rino Sp[something], C.S.
- 1994–1998: Fr. Angelo Bordignon, C.S.
- 1998–2005: Fr. Giovanni Bizzotto, C.S.
- 2005–2012: Fr. Raniero Alessandrini, C.S.
- 2012–2021: Fr. Louis Piran, C.S.
- 2021–2022: Fr. Fernando Cuevas
- 2022–present: Fr. Gianantonio Baggio, C.S.
Italian-American Community & Devotional Life
St. Peter's has remained the rallying point of LA's Italian Catholic community even as the original 'Little Italy' around North Spring Street was lost to freeway construction and demographic change. Regional Italian societies keep patron-saint feastdays alive, including San Vittoriano, San Trifone, Madonna di Costantinopoli, Madonna della Stella and San Giorgio. The parish participates in community-wide celebrations such as the Columbus Day banquet and Italian-American festivals across the city.
- Regional Italian patron-saint feastdays celebrated annually
- Italian Catholic Federation affiliation
- Columbus Day banquet with LA Italian community
- Societies of San Vittoriano, San Trifone, Madonna di Costantinopoli, Madonna della Stella, San Giorgio
Casa Italiana and Villa Scalabrini
Two key institutions extend St. Peter's ministry beyond the parish church. The Casa Italiana, the parish socio-cultural center on North Broadway, was dedicated on February 13, 1972 under Father Luigi Donanzan and remains the principal venue for Italian banquets, language classes and parish celebrations. Villa Scalabrini, the related Scalabrini retirement home, was dedicated on April 22, 1979 and continues to be supported pastorally by the Scalabrini Fathers of St. Peter's.
- Casa Italiana dedicated Feb 13, 1972
- Villa Scalabrini dedicated Apr 22, 1979
- Banquet and cultural venue: Casa Italiana
- Retirement home: Villa Scalabrini
Architecture and Setting
St. Peter's present church was built between 1946 and 1947 on North Broadway, on the north slope of Chavez Ravine (later home to Dodger Stadium). The architectural style has been described locally as 'half classical, half California-mission' — a fusion of classical symmetry with the rounded arches and ornamental vocabulary of California's Spanish-mission tradition. Its raised position against the dark backdrop of Chavez Ravine makes the church a visual landmark from Elysian Park and the former railroad yards that have since become Dodger Stadium parking.
- Style: 'half classical, half California mission'
- Set against Chavez Ravine hill, below Dodger Stadium
- Cornerstone 1946, dedicated 1947
- Attached 300-capacity parish hall annex (Cecere era)
Sacraments and Pastoral Services
As an Archdiocesan national parish served by the Scalabrini Fathers, St. Peter's celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church — Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation. Sacramental preparation in the context of Italian-American heritage and the Scalabrini migrant-pastoral charism is offered for parishioners and for Italian Catholics throughout the archdiocese.
- Baptism (first recorded Sep 4, 1904)
- Marriage (first recorded Aug 30, 1904)
- Confession Thu 6:30–7:30 PM, by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick on request
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
Visiting St. Peter's
The church is open daily for scheduled Masses (Tue–Fri 6:00 PM, Sat 9:00 AM, Sun 8:30 AM/11:30 AM/6:00 PM). Thursday evenings (6:30–7:30 PM) combine Confession and Adoration in three languages. The parish hall and Casa Italiana are venues for Italian-American cultural events and banquets. Parking is limited on site; the church is within reach of the Metro Gold Line and the 101/110 freeways.
- Open for daily and Sunday Mass as posted
- Thursday evening Confession & Adoration
- Adjacent Casa Italiana open for events
- Metro Gold Line and freeway access
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Tito Piacentini1904–1906
Diocesan priest; first pastor of the mission, served from the frame structure on North Spring Street
- Father Alex (Alessandro) Bucci1906–1918
Diocesan priest; the longest early pastorate (12 years); oversaw move to the Briswalter cemetery chapel on North Broadway, dedicated as St. Peter's on July 4, 1915
- Father B.J. Schiapparelli1918–1919
Diocesan priest
- Fathers Louis and Innocent Montanari1919–1923
Two brothers who served the parish consecutively
- Father Joseph Castagnotto1923–1925
Salesian priest
- Father L.B. Galli1923–1925
Salesian priest
- Father P. Beccaria1925–1926
Salesian priest
- Father Ypres Grall1930–1932
Salesian priest; 1926–1930 there was no titular pastor, with the church served by the local Salesian community
- Father A. Pujol1932
Claretian priest
- Father A. Leal1932–1935
Claretian priest
- Father U. Julian1935–1937
Claretian priest
- Father J. Uriarte1937–1938
Claretian priest
- Father Peter Caballer1938
Claretian priest
- Father Joseph Gutierrez1938
Claretian priest
- Father Eustace Flamenco1938–1939
Claretian priest
- Father Basil Frison1939–1942
Claretian priest
- Father Louis Bossi1942–1943
Claretian priest
- Father Michael Cecere1943–1949
Claretian priest, just months after ordination; led fund-raising and building of the present church (cornerstone 1946, dedicated 1947); secured territorial-parish status for St. Peter's
- Father Leonard Cuellar1949–1951
Claretian priest
- Father Donatus Larrea1951–1954
Diocesan priest; transitional pastor after return of diocesan clergy
- Father Salvatore De Vita1954–1960
Diocesan priest; introduced significant parish-society changes during six-year pastorate
- Father John Kokot1955–1960
Diocesan priest; assistant pastor under Fr. De Vita
- Father Lorenzo De Dominici1960–1961
Diocesan priest; last pastor before the Scalabrini takeover
- Father Joseph Chiminello1961–1962
Scalabrini (C.S.); first Scalabrini pastor in Los Angeles
- Father Luigi Donanzan, C.S.1962–1979
Seventeen-year pastor; dedicated Casa Italiana (Feb 13, 1972) and Villa Scalabrini (Apr 22, 1979); a key figure in unifying the Italian Catholic community
- Father Adolph Nalin, C.S.1979–1988
Scalabrini pastor
- Father Rino Sp[something], C.S.1988–1994
Scalabrini pastor (full surname truncated on parish website)
- Father Gerardo Garcia1990–1992
Scalabrini priest in residence
- Father Angelo Risoli1992–1994
Scalabrini priest in residence
- Father Angelo Bordignon, C.S.1994–1998
Scalabrini pastor
- Father Miguel Alvarez1998–1999
Scalabrini priest in residence
- Father Giovanni Bizzotto, C.S.1998–2005
Scalabrini pastor
- Father Julio Lopez1999–2000
Scalabrini priest in residence
- Father Guillermo Diaz2000–
Scalabrini priest in residence; later pastor at Villa Scalabrini
- Father Jesus Olivarez2001–2003
In residence
- Father Raniero Alessandrini, C.S.2005–2012
Scalabrini pastor
- Father Esvin Marroquin Sanchez2005–2012 era
Scalabrini priest in residence listed in archdiocesan Italian-ministry directory
- Father Louis Piran, C.S.2012–2021
Scalabrini pastor; led parish through its centennial era and the 2018 anniversary
- Father Fernando Cuevas2021–2022
Brief transitional pastor
- Father Gianantonio Baggio, C.S.2022–present
Current Scalabrini pastor