Annunciation Catholic Church sets the foundation for strong faith communities in Arcadia. We work to become the hands and feet of Christ – providing education, poverty relief, outreach and other beneficial services to the community. In addition to our community activities, Christian Ministries hold regular meetings supporting the physical and spiritual life of our community from day to day. We are a people of prayer and service, always happy to meet and make new friends – All Are Welcome! Please click Our Work to visit all of the different organizations and ministries. Also, you can usually click any UNDERLINED word or phrase and get more information on your topic of interest! OUR HISTORY
In May 1949, Father Dominic Daly was appointed pastor by Archbishop J. Francis McIntyre with instructions to organize the Church of the Annunciation within the specified land boundaries.

The new church members were veterans and families who remained in Southern California after World War II, and established parishioners from surrounding Catholic churches. Meetings were held in various homes to aid Father Daly in search for a site to hold Mass and formulate plans for new parish ministries.

Through the generosity of Mrs. Mary Ettensperger, owner of Mountain View Dairy, a three-bay truck garage at the dairy was made available to hold Mass on Sundays. Holy Angels Parish supplied a small altar, Immaculate Conception Parish provided chairs, and men of the parish brought pews from South Gate. It was the duty of the men of the Holy Name Society headed by John Devore, to clean the garage every Saturday and set up pews and chairs – and to remove everything each Sunday afternoon. Ladies from the Altar Society headed by Mrs. John Stark took care of the altar.

From these humble quarters, Father Daly offered the first Mass on Sunday, May 29, 1949 at 9:00 a.m. with 70 persons in attendance; a second Mass was offered at 11:00 am with 50 persons in attendance. Attendance grew until eventually four Masses were offered with help provided by the Passionist Fathers from the Monastery in Sierra Madre.

Often times during Mass, especially when the milking machine stuck, dairy cows fifty feet from the altar would bellow – providing competition to the sermon. At Christmas, Mass in this setting always brought to mind the birth of Christ in a lowly stable.

Ground breaking ceremony was held Sunday, March 26, 1950 with the actual construction started the first week of April. Built originally as a combination meeting room, church and kitchen, the building was completed in the spring of 1951.

Construction of four classrooms was started in the fall of 1951 and the first students entered school at mid-term 1952. Four additional classrooms, as well as a convent and chapel to accommodate 16 nuns, were added to the school in 1956. Three years later, additional classrooms and the parish hall were completed. The parish debt was paid off by late 1964, and in ’65 extensive remodeling of the Church was completed – adding a bell tower, a Baptismal, a choir loft and a much-needed rectory.

To accommodate our parish and school’s growth, (1800 registered families and 300 registered students), and changing times, we continually experience the need for ongoing improvements and most importantly, the support and understanding from each of us as we reflect on how we started, where we are and where we want to be as followers of Christ.

Annunciation Church is proud of its growth from such humble beginnings in a dairy garage to its present complex. We are not only grateful to our Pastors and the many assistant pastors who have served us, but also to the many parish ministries and parishioners who have contributed so much to the growth and development of the Church.