New man out to pastor at Our Lady

Deepa Bharath

Father Kerry Beaulieu is no stranger to the Back Bay.

He jogged along its scenic path as a young graduate of the

seminary.

“I’m probably the only priest in the Diocese [of Orange] to have

served in all three parishes around the Back Bay,” Beaulieu said with

a laugh. “I don’t know if that’s a distinction, but I have it.”

Beaulieu, 56, is the new pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Roman

Catholic Church, nestled in the Eastbluff area of Newport Beach. He

served at St. John the Baptist in Costa Mesa between 1974 and 1977

and at St. Joachim’s on the city’s Eastside between 1977 and 1981.

Beaulieu spent 10 years serving as pastor of St. Bonaventure’s in

Huntington Beach. Most recently, he was vicar for priests for the

diocese’s Holy Family Cathedral.

“It’s nice to come back to the area where I started serving right

after my ordination in 1974,” Beaulieu said.

He loves Newport-Mesa because of the people, “who are warm,

outgoing and friendly,” Beaulieu said.

“I’ve had a history with this area,” he said. “It’s heartwarming

to baptize children of those whom I’d baptized years ago.”

He officially started as pastor in July, but his installation

ceremony took place at the church Sunday in the presence of Bishop

Tod Brown, head of the Diocese of Orange and other dignitaries, said

Harry Siemonsma, president of the church’s parish council.

Beaulieu has a rich background as a pastor as well as experience

in local parishes, which makes him a perfect fit at Our Lady Queen of

Angels, Siemonsma said.

“He is also a very spiritual person who has taught in a seminary

and has served as a parochial vicar in many parishes,” he said.

Beaulieu was born and raised in San Fernando Valley. He went to

high school there and attended St. John’s Seminary College in

Camarillo and got an advanced degree from Gonzaga University in

Spokane, Wash.

He was a natural choice for Our Lady Queen of Angels after former

pastor William McLaughlin retired, said Shirl Giacomi, chancellor of

the Diocese of Orange.

“He’d be a good fit anywhere,” she said. “He is one of the finest

priests we have in the diocese.”

Beaulieu said he will not make any dramatic changes at the

4200-strong church.

“This is a pretty well-developed parish,” he said. “So I’m just

going to continue and support existing programs.”

In the church’s future is also an expansion plan in partnership

with neighboring St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, he said.

Carrying on the Roman Catholic Church mission to help victims of

clergy abuse and prevent such incidents in the future is also a big

part of his job, Beaulieu said.

“The healing process is moving along,” he said. “And we are making

effort to educate children and teenagers about how to protect

themselves from physical, emotional and sexual abuse. We also teach

them how to respond and where to go for help and support.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

[email protected].