In April 1963, James Francis Cardinal McIntyre established St. Norbert Parish for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Father George Kass was named the founding pastor and he began to gather a group of local Catholic families for Sunday Mass at the Abrams Dance Studio on Orange-Olive Road in the city of Orange.
A year later, Mass was moved to a warehouse building on West Barkley, to accommodate the growing number of parishioners and to begin plans for the construction of a new church. Two years later, ground was broken for the construction of the permanent church at its current location.
On June 19, 1966, the first Mass was celebrated in the new church building, with approximately 750 registered families. Today, there are nearly 3,200 registered families at St. Norbert, and a parish school with nearly 300 school children enrolled.
Timeline
1963
St.Norbert Parish is established in April
1965St. Norbert School opens and construction of
permanent church begins
1966First Mass celebrated in new church building
1969First graduating class from St. Norbert School
1969Father Sinon Falvey is named pastor
1971Rectory built on parish grounds
1975Parish Hall completed
1983New stained glass windows, murals and Stations of
the Cross added to church décor
1984Weekly Sunday Spanish Masses begin
1988St. Norbert parish celebrates 25 th anniversary
1989Father John Janze is named pastor
1990School celebrates 25 th anniversary; Kindergarten
building added, along with first Kindergarten class
1992Parish Hall refurbished
1996Father John Joyce is named pastor
1999Dedication of renovated St. Norbert Church on Dec. 5
2001Groundbreaking for new parish Ministry Center
2003Parish celebrates 40 th anniversary
2003Monsignor John Urell is named pastor
2005St. Norbert School celebrates its 40th Anniversary
