Los Ángeles, USA. On May 22, 2010, the Claretian community of Our Lady Queen of Angels, La Placita, celebrated a historic anniversary in the life of our Congregation and the City of Los Angeles.
On that day in 1910, three Claretians took charge of the mother church of this great city named El Pueblo de Los Angeles de Porciúncula. After one year the Claretians were given the authorization to care for all of the Mexican community of this vast area. Today La Placita is internationally known for advocating for the human, spiritual, and social justice needs of Latino immigrants.
Every Claretian who has been assigned to the “Old Plaza Church” has been a building block for the dynamic Claretian heritage that we enjoy today.
On May 20, 2010 at a Gala Dinner we honored three outstanding Claretian Missionaries who served at La Placita – Fr. Tomas Matin, C.M.F., Fr. Alberto Vazquez, C.M.F., and Fr. Luis Olivares, C.M.F. Each in his own way has lived out our Claretian mission and charism in a loving and compassionate manner. We are especially proud to honor Fr. Alberto Vazquez, C.M.F. for his incredible commitment to the community at La Placita and to the Province.
We also announced the official naming of the street adjacent to the church renamed “Paseo Luis Olivares, CMF”. This is the first step for changing a blighted street into a sanctuary. This living memorial at La Placita will perpetuate the memory of Fr. Luis Olivares, C.M.F and his work for social justice.
