In the Spirit

Address: 314 Marine Ave., Balboa Island

Phone: (949) 675-2221

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Year established: 1941. The church will celebrate its 60th anniversary

next year.

Mass times: 7:45 a.m. Mondays through Fridays; 5 p.m. Saturdays; 8, 9

and 10 a.m. Sundays

Administrator: The Rev. Lawrence J. Baird

Attendance: Masses are typically standing room only. The chapel holds

approximately 150 people.

Makeup of congregation: Close to one-third of the congregation’s

members are Balboa Island residents. Others come from surrounding cities.

All ages, from babies to seniors, are represented.

Child care: There is no nursery at St. John Vianney. Parents bring

their children to Mass with them.

Religious education: Religious education for children and adults is

provided at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Corona del Mar.

Type of worship: Traditional Roman Catholic. Music is directed by

Nicholas Krupka; Robert Grant is the church’s organist.

Type of sermon: Sermon themes are tied to the Scripture readings from

Old Testament, epistle and Gospel texts of the day. The sermons provide

commentary and interpret and apply the texts to the lives of people for

reflection in their daily living. Scripture readings for each week are

taken from the Common Lectionary and are also published in the chapel’s

newsletter.

Welcome wagon: Visitors are warmly received. Coffee and doughnuts are

served after the 8 and 9 a.m. Masses to provide time for introductions

and fellowship among members, visitors and newcomers.

Outreach programs: The church supports a variety of missions. Most

recently, the congregation adopted the Rev. Marc R. Boisvert Children’s

Orphanage in Haiti. To help raise funds for this mission, local

watercolor artist Beatrice Anderson painted a colorful rendering of St.

Vianney Chapel, which has been reproduced on postcards. Proceeds from the

sale of the cards, available at the chapel, will go to the orphanage. The

chapel’s Women’s Guild maintains a hotline to help handle the needs of

the parish and its members. The guild also supports the life of the

parish with numerous other activities throughout the year. On Nov. 19,

guild members will host their annual Harvest Bake and Plant Sale.

Church design: The building is a landmark on Marine Avenue. The

white-stucco and red-tile structure is adorned with a large fresco over

the front door, abundant stained-glass windows and statuary depicting

various religious scenes and saints, especially the chapel’s patron

saint, St. John Vianney. A courtyard patio, landscaped with flower

plantings, benches and statuary, was recently added to each side of the

chapel to provide better areas for members and guests to congregate after

Mass. Bells were installed at the church in November.

Mission statement: To bring people to God through the sacramental life

of the church.

Interesting note: St. Vianney Chapel is the only church on Balboa

Island. It has had a strong presence and influence on the island since it

was established in 1941 as a mission of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on

Balboa Peninsula. It is now a mission of Our Lady Queen of Angels in

Corona del Mar. Many island residents are Roman Catholic, descendants of

those who came from Los Angeles to build summer homes on the island in

the 1930s. The chapel also receives many visitors who are not Roman

Catholic. Many of them become Roman Catholic in time. Fifteen to 20

non-Catholics from the chapel are enrolled in the nine to 12 months of

Rite of Christian Initiation classes at Our Lady Queen of Angels in order

to become Roman Catholics and members of the church.

-- Compiled by Michele M. Marr