Why a record 18 LA churches are celebrating centenaries

Mike Cisneros writes in Angelus News:

In 1923, a sign was placed in the hills above Los Angeles hoping to attract buyers to a new real estate development. Though the sign was only meant to be temporary, 100 years later it has become a symbol of both a bygone era and a representation of something that has endured through constantly changing times.

That was the Hollywood sign.

This year, many LA-area landmarks and institutions are turning 100: the Hollywood sign, the LA Memorial Coliseum, the Biltmore hotel, El Cholo restaurant.

Also 100 years ago: The then-Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego established 18 parishes - the most of any year before or since.

So what was happening in the Los Angeles area in the early 1920s that not only brought these historic landmarks, but also necessitated then-Bishop John Cantwell to establish a whopping 18 parishes?

In short, LA was growing by leaps and bounds.

In 1920, Los Angeles had overtaken San Francisco to be the most populated city in California. In 1916, there were 49,107 Catholics residing in the city, according to federal census data. By 1926, that number jumped 132% to 114,211 Catholics in Los Angeles alone, not counting surrounding areas.

There were two major reasons for this, according to Father Michael Engh, SJ, chancellor at Loyola Marymount University and a former history professor.....

To read on see: https://angelusnews.com/local/la-catholics/1923-boom-la-catholic-year/