Parish History: 2004 Centennial Edition
Blessed Sacrament Parish History Book
A Slow Process
urch was economic. Although the parish had made a nice profit from the sale of the property on Hollywood Boulevard, initial cost estimates for the new church exceeded half a million dollars - not including windows, furnishing or equipment. It was deemed more prudent to build what could be paid for out of available funds first, which is why the school and rectory had been given priority.
Since moving to the Sunset location, two additional adjacent lots on Selma were also purchased, essentially giving Blessed Sacrament a full half block of acreage on which to expand. When construction of the new church was finally ready to proceed, the Beezer Brothers from San Francisco drew up the architectural plans, Thomas Power was hired as the project manager and everything seemed on course until yet another unexpected crisis arose. A group of nearby residents petitioned the city to continue Cherokee Street from Selma to Sunset, which would cut through the western end of the parish property - right where the church was to be built.
Throughout its history Blessed Sacrament had earned a reputation for being supportive of the community but Father McHugh had no choice but to oppose the petition, angering some long-time neighbors in the process. Even though a majority of Hollywood residents sided with the pastor on the issue, it took a year of delicate persuasion before the petition was withdrawn.
The long-delayed ground-breaking ceremony took place on Sunday, March 13, 1927 and was attended by a throng of well-wishers, including parishioners, the parish staff, visiting pastors from other L.A. parishes and special guests from the diocese. Amid a carnival-like atmosphere, Father McHugh and several others made speeches before Monsignor John Cawley grabbed a shovel and dug out the first clump of dirt. Other highlights included a flag-raising by the Boy Scouts and school children leading the audience in the National Anthem accompanied by The Loyola Band.
Once it finally started, construction proceeded at a brisk pace - especially by today's standards - and by Easter Sunday 1928, the new church was ready to begin services. Like the school, the architecture was influenced by the churches of old Spain, with a tower that rose 203' above Hollywood.
The outside was stone and cement and according to an early description, inside there were "seven chapels opening into the nave, two sets of two confessionals on either side of the nave, an elevated sanctuary, a narthex with ornate spiral staircases, and an open roof with ornamental steel trusses and purlins." Outside an acre of land had been set aside to accommodate up to 300 cars. One of the innovations introduced by Fr. McHugh in the new church was the Envelope System for making parish contributions, which is still used today.
Although the structure itself was finished, the interior design and furnishing were still incomplete. Most current parishioners might not realize it, but almost every adornment and furnishing inside Blessed Sacrament Church was donated or in some way provided for by the then-congregation. The estimated cost to completely dress the church, including windows, altars, statuary, carpets, prie-dieus, pews, the organ and other decorative elements was around $300,000 - which in today's currency would be over $5 million. Fortunately for Blessed Sacrament, the parish took on, and met, the financial burden, raising the money through private donations, community fundraisers and an assortment of fairs and carnivals.
A parish history written in 1928 noted: "Mrs. William Brophy was the first to head the list of special contributors with $20,000 for a magnificent main altar in memory of her deceased husband. Miss Dolores del Rio started the organ fund on its way. The Ladies' Sodality is collecting a sum with which to contribute a window."
The church's dedication took place on June 3, 1928 and was presided over by Reverend John J. Mitty, the Bishop of Salt Lake, standing in for Bishop Cantwell who was away on unspecified business.
The following Sunday, the Parish Weekly reported:
"On Sunday morning, which broke bright and beautiful, the Right Reverend John J. Mitty, D.D., Bishop of Salt Lake, solemnly blessed the church and thereafter sang Pontifical Mass in the presence of a large number of the clergy and of a concourse of people which taxed the fullest capacity of the edifice.
"The ample spaces of the sanctuary, the flowers, the incense, the music, the splendid vestments of celebrant and assistants, the robes of monsignori, of acolytes, of clergy, all threw around the Holy Sacrifice as it progressed a beauty of religious dignity that is of heaven.
"It was a fitting occasion for the eloquent sermon preached by the Reverend D. J. Kavanagh, S.J., of San Francisco. Our people will not forget his tribute to their faith and its generous impulses which prompted them to raise so noble a monument of religion to Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar."
Elsewhere in the Weekly, were these observations:
"Echoes of the magnificent sacred pageant, which marked the solemn dedication of our beautiful church are still ringing in the air. They help us to keep fresh in our memories, if that is necessary, the occasion that so auspiciously inaugurated regular services in our Blessed Sacrament Church."
"When properly carried out, the ceremonies of the Catholic ritual lift up the mind and the heart wondrously to God. Our congregation and its friends had the fullest opportunity Sunday, June 3rd, of witnessing and taking part in these uplifting ceremonies. They will never forget them. It was but natural, therefore, that echoes of them should still ring in the air."
"Our people were stirred that Sunday morning with the solemn beauty of our Catholic ceremonial. They experienced heartfelt satisfaction and a just pride in the Providence of God that they had shared in the erection of a shrine not altogether unworthy of the Eucharistic Son of God."
In other words, everyone was thrilled with the church and a good time was had by all.
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