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Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
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ST. BRENDAN, HANCOCK PARK

"A Little Louder, Sweetheart"

St. Brendan Church, 310 South Van Ness Avenue at Third Street, in Hancock Park is one of the archdiocese's architectural gems. The church was built in 1924 and designed by famed Los Angeles church architect Emmett Martin, younger brother of the more famous A. C. Martin. Although subjected to a sort of sanctuary dissection, the transformation of the former altar area into worship space was done with an eye to visual appeal. The tabernacle, though deprived of its altar, has been left on an ornate pedestal in its former location, with a wooden peek-a-boo screen to shield it from worshippers. The beautiful dark wood and green marble color scheme of the church has been preserved, as have the side chapels. The holy table, small, wooden, and squat, carries the same attractive Celtic motifs which dominate the somewhat Gothic interior. Like Hancock Park itself, St. Brendan's reminds one of an earlier, quieter, more refined Los Angeles.

I made my way there for the 11:30 a.m. Mass, December 16, 2001, the Third Sunday in Advent -- also called Gaudete Sunday. The mostly older Anglo crowd filled the church, looking expectantly toward the worship space. A number of people entering their pews genuflected. The sanctuary party, consisting of celebrant Father Charles Gard and an all-male party of altar servers in traditional black cassocks and surplices, processed to their places in the worship space. The choir sang tastefully from the choir loft in the rear. Penitential rite and the Kyrie were performed according to the missal.

A suited lector read Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10, which speaks of the wonderful things in store for Israel. Then a lectoress declaimed St. James 5:7-10, with its call for patience. At last, Father Gard read the account in St. Matthew 11:2-11 of the notification to the imprisoned St. John the Baptist of Christ's activities. Thus far, the Mass was conventional.

The priest gave his sermon, walking back and forth in the middle of the nave. First pointing out that his vestments were not pink but rose, he commented on the recent performance of the "Fighting Irish" of Notre Dame University, for whose success he asked us to pray. From there he went on to tell the story of a young boy, a student at the parish school, who had contracted a strange infection of the area around the heart. Near death, the child had been much comforted by the prayers of his fellow parishioners and schoolmates. He had thankfully recovered, and had told Father how anxious he was to return to his parish family.

Father Gard then told of the recent funeral of Councilman Ferraro. Although the city council had wanted the obsequies performed in a larger church, the councilman's family insisted that it be in St. Brendan's, his own parish, which he had loved so much. Security and media people had been there for a few days to prepare, as had the liturgy team. The result was a beautiful service, which was very crowded. This, the celebrant informed us, showed the necessity of preparation for anything important. So it is, he declared, with Christmas and Advent. To that end, the following Wednesday evening would see a penitential service, confession being one of the best ways to prepare for the coming feast. He encouraged us not to start celebrating Christmas until it actually arrived, and then to follow the Church in keeping it through Epiphany, and, in some sense, until Candlemas.

The offertory duly performed, Father Gard called all the children up around the altar, and told the rest of us to kneel. Surrounded by the crowd of kids, he elevated the host, and sang "Jesus Christ has died for us," which the congregation then sang back to him. The same ritual surrounded the chalice. As soon as he placed the Precious Blood back on the table, he, beaming, hoisted a little girl up for everyone to see. He asked the little one's name; bashful, her reply was inaudible. "A little louder, sweetheart," he said. She wouldn't, so he said, "she's shy," and put her down. Finishing the Eucharistic prayer, Father Gard sent the children back to their proud parents.

After a hearty hand-holding Our Father, the rest of the Mass proceeded without incident, the recession being followed by traditional applause. Most of the congregation then departed through the door to the left of the worship space, into the courtyard. There, doughnuts and steaming coffee awaited them.

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