The History of Divine saviour Parish

John L. McKenzie, a noted theologian, once wrote that, "If the works of the Roman Church were mentioned in the order of importance, the parish should stand first." This observation rests on the fact that the parish is the basic of the Roman Catholic Structure. In a tranquil Northeast section of Los Angeles, such a parish has existed since its 1907 establishment. It is the parish of the Divine Saviour. Its not generally known that the original Divine Saviour Church rested on a hilltop at 546 Isabel Street. This first church was erected to provide the nearby Polish Laborers (who were employed by the Southern Pacific Railway Company) with suitable house of worship.
The obligation to form a new parish here was initailly recognized by the foundation pastor of Divine Saviour, Father L. Organisciak, a missioner of the society of Divine Saviour, an order based in Chicago. The chief shepherd of Monterey-Los Angeles during this time of parochial established for Divine Saviour was the Irish-American prelate, Thomas J. Conaty. The pastors who faithfully guided the people of God at Divine Saviour during the early years were Father Edwards Riorden, Denis R. Carroll, and Michael McCormack. As the years advanced many people migrated into the area which was being served by the Church of the Divine Saviour. The newcomers arrived in different groups. These groups included the Irish, the French, the Italian, and the Mexican peoples. The small parish gradually stretched out ot embrace more Roman Catholics and its consequently reached greater terrestrial proportions.

During these pioneer years, a group of Sisters of Loretto arrived to offer religious instructions. They remained at Divine Saviour parish since those days when religion was taught in the basement of the church on Isabel Street.