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OUR PRIESTS AND DEACONS

[Monsigor William O'Keeffe, Pastor]        [Father Alfonso Scott, Associate Pastor]      [Father Tom Glynn, Associate Pastor]       [Deacon Witold Engle and Wife Carmen]    [Deacon Roger Faubert and Wife Mary Ellen]    [Father Hugh Vandenbergh, Founding Pastor]         [Monsignor Dominic Daly]

FATHER RAY MORALES, PASTOR

Father Raymond D. Morales was born on 5 September 1954 in Los Angeles; the eldest of the six children of Ramon and Mabel Morales.  He attended Our Lady of Lourdes School in East Los Angeles and went on to Loyola High School, but in 1970 his family moved to Capistrano Beach in Orange County.  He graduated from San Clemente High School in 1972 and went to the University of Southern California, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1976. 

From USC Father Ray  was admitted to St. John's Major Seminary to study for the priesthood.  He was ordained a deacon in May of 1980 and elevated to the priesthood on 6 June 1981 by Cardinal Timothy Manning at St. Vibiana's Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. 

His first priestly assignment was as associate pastor at Our Lady of Refuge Parish in Long Beach, serving with Monsignor Dominic Daly and Father William O'Keeffe from 1981 to 1985.  From OLR Father Ray was assigned to St. Gerard Majella Parish in Mar Vista (1985 to 1990), then as associate pastor of St. Mel's Parish in Woodland Hills (1990 to 1996).  In the summer of 1996 Father Ray moved St. Bridget of Sweden Parish in Van Nuys where he served twelve years as Administrator and as  Pastor.

In the summer of 2008 Father Ray was appointed pastor of our own parish, Our Lady of Refuge  in Long Beach, returning to his first priestly assignment after 27 years!  

MONSIGNOR WILLIAM O'KEEFFE, PASTOR EMERITUS

Monsignor Bill O'Keeffe is a native of Portarlington, County Offaly, Ireland.  He completed his seminary studies at St. Patrick's College in Carlow, Ireland and was ordained to the priesthood in 1959 for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  In his years of priestly ministry, Monsignor Bill served in the following parishes  - St. Didacus in Sylmar, St. Barnabas in Long Beach, St. Louis of France in Bassett, St. Mel's in Woodland Hills and St. Margaret Mary in Lomita.  Monsignor Bill came to Our Lady of Refuge in Long Beach in 1980, and became its pastor in 1981.  

In July of 2008, Monsignor Bill retired as active pastor of Our Lady of Refuge, but he remains in residence and continues all aspects of his priestly work except parish administration.  Members of  our parish family  recognize and appreciate Monsignor Bill's  many talents and gifts.  He  is easy to approach and is known for his warmth and compassion in helping people going through difficult and painful situations.  

FATHER TOM GLYNN

Father Tom was born in the West of Ireland,  November 4, 1928. He is the second child of James and Mary Jo Glynn. He was ordained for the Los Angeles  Archdiocese June 6, 1954 in St. Peter’s Seminary, Wexford. During over  50 years of priesthood, Father Tom served at Nativity in Torrance, Divine Savior in Los Angeles, St. John Fisher in Palos Verdes, Santa Teresita and St. Alphonsus in East Los Angeles, and for 25 years he was Pastor of Holy Trinity in San Pedro. Father Tom lists the two most memorable events in his life as his ordination day, especially as he gave his first blessing to his father.  The second event was his Golden Jubilee of Ordination when he celebrated with his Church community of Holy Trinity in San Pedro.  Now that he has come to Our Lady of Refuge parish to retire, Father Tom   continues priestly ministry in our midst, and enjoys his hobbies of walking, golf and pursuing family genealogy. 

DEACON ROGER FAUBERT AND HIS WIFE MARY ELLEN

My story starts out in a small New England town where I was born, the fourth of five boys raised in the Baptist church. Ellen was born a few years later in the same town into a family of two children.  She was raised to marry a good Catholic boy.  We dated off and on in high school, but nothing was serious as I wasn't Catholic.

Later I was in the military and became Catholic.  We married in 1965.The Lord led us to Long Beach in 1969, and soon after we adopted our first child, Renee.  Three years later a son Andre joined his sister from Holy Family Services.  We had the family we prayed for.

In 1974 we made a Marriage Encounter Weekend.  We worked for many years in parish marriage preparation classes and also Engaged Encounter.  We later became interested in the Lay Mission Helper Program and went to Los Angeles three times a week to prepare to become missionaries overseas.  But God had other plans for us.  We found out that Ellen was pregnant;  our daughter Janelle was born that fall.

For more than 20 years my wife and I have been part of Our Lady of Refuge Parish.  We were made to feel very welcome;  we felt we were at home.  We have been active in our parish in many activities through these years.  Also Ellen has been the second grade teacher at the parish school since 1985.

During our 39 years together, Ellen and I have been blessed with many ways to serve the Lord:  in the Holy Family Adoption Group, in Marriage Encounter, Engaged Encounter, Hospice, Feeding the Homeless, Detention Ministries, visiting the sick. We have also been blessed with the love of two grandchildren, Aaron and Anna.  During this time many seeds were planted in our lives, which were nourished by the love and prayers of our parish family.

For four  years Ellen and I were in formation for my becoming a Deacon.  I was ordained by Cardinal Mahony on June 12, 2004.  (See the photo above.)  We are looking forward to loving and serving the Lord more in the future!  

FORMER PASTORS

FATHER HUGH VANDENBERGH, FOUNDING PASTOR (1948-1967)

Father Hugh Vandenbergh, a native of Holland, was born on January 18, 1902.  He was ordained to the priesthood on March 24, 1928.  

In 1948 Father Vandenbergh was assigned to Long Beach to found a new parish - Our Lady of Refuge.  He purchased a home on Bellflower Boulevard where the first Masses of the new parish were celebrated.  Father Vandenbergh led the parish as the current rectory was built, then a school in 1953.  He oversaw the construction of the current church which was completed in 1962.  

Following retirement from active ministry, Father Vandenbergh remained in Southern California.  He died on June 29, 1975 and is buried at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach.

MONSIGNOR DOMINIC DALY  (1967-1981)

Monsignor Dominic Daly was a native of  Ireland.  He served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and was for many years pastor of St. Isidore’s church in Los Alamitos, then became the founding pastor of St. Hedwig’s parish in the same city.  Monsignor Daly came to Our Lady of Refuge in Long Beach in 1967 and remained there until his death in 1981.  Monsignor Daly is buried at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach.

[Monsigor William O'Keeffe, Pastor]       [Father Alfonso Scott, Associate Pastor]       [Father Tom Glynn]         [Father Hugh Vandenbergh, Founding Pastor]      [Monsignor Dominic Daly]

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