Now that the property was purchased, the parish was eager to build a new church. But Father Hegarty had other plans He surprised the parish by announcing that his first goal was not a new church, but rather a new parish school. Father Hegarty recognized that his parish was a community of young families with hundreds of children who needed to be taught. He also knew that opening a school would immediately create a community of parents and their children. His creative approach would further his desire to empower his flock as a people dedicated to his vision. Of course all school fathers were immediately members of the Holy Name Society and all school mothers were to join a guild.

...quickly dispatched his friend James Visceglia to New Jersey to meet with the provincial of the Daughters of St. John Bosco, an order of Catholic teaching nuns also known as the Salesian Sisters. St. John Bosco was an eighteenth century Italian priest known for his love of children and his dedication to their education and commitment to the Church. It was this kind of dedication which Fr. Hegarty hoped to instill in the young people of the parish. Again, the decision to come to Lomita took a bit of convincing. The sisters were considering two invitations - Saint Margaret Mary, and (again coincidentally) Saints Peter and Paul School. Wilmington offered the sisters a large school and convent already built and “move-in” ready. Lomita’s proposal included no school building and no convent, only a celery field, an energetic community with a dream of building a new campus and a determined pastor to get it done. Father Hegarty did not want his parish to be rejected. So he convinced his friend Mr. Visceglia that he should take a vacation to Italy, and while there, pay a visit to Mother General of the Salesian order. He was granted a meeting and argued that he had never seen a parish with such a vibrant community and committed families. The plan worked. Several months later, Father Hegarty personally greeted the eight sisters who arrived at Union Station in Los Angeles who would administer and staff his school. Thus began a thirty-five year presence of the Salesian Sisters in the parish community.

In September of 1950 all was ready for the opening of the new school - except for the school itself. Construction was not quite finished and therefore, like the founding of the church itself twenty six years earlier, the students and their teachers had to look for make-shift accommodations until the building was ready. The rectory garage became a classroom. Backyards of parishioners served as an educational space. Even the old church itself housed two classes. The kneelers were the children’s seats and the pews served as their desks. This arrangement lasted for four months. While some could have viewed this auspicious beginning as an omen, Father Hegarty and the sisters turned it into an unforgettable opportunity. Twenty five years later, at the school’s silver anniversary, alumni recounted how those four months were the most memorable in their entire education. The students knew they would forever be remembered as the school pioneers with Father Hegarty as their ever-present pastor and Sister Lydia as their principal. How exciting must have been the official dedication of the school in January of 1951 when Bishop Timothy Manning blessed the structure and declared the school open.

Michael Molina
May 14, 2007