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A young city, a new church. . .

In 1928 Bishop John Cantwell, head of the Diocese of Los Angeles, invited the Paulist Fathers to establish a new parish in the Westwood Hills area that would serve the new UCLA campus and surrounding community. He also asked them to take care of “the Moving Picture people.” The first Mass was held in a storefront at 10374 Ashton Avenue, Westwood Hills in 1928. The store owner, Phil Cohen, leased the real estate office to the Paulist Fathers. The first mass was held in the office with a desk as the first altar.

Over the next four years Masses and religious instruction were held at numerous sites. Three times property was purchased for the new parish and then found to be unsuitable. Finally in late 1930, property at Ohio and Selby was purchased and construction began. The original church (now the Upper Social Hall and Parish Offices) was dedicated and went into use in 1932. The first section of the school was opened in 1935 and staffed from its inception by the Daughters of Mary and Joseph.

Following World War II Southern California experienced a huge population boom…many of whom were Catholic. New parishes sprouted everywhere and “older” parishes – like St. Paul’s – built new and larger facilities to hold the crowds. Ground was broken for the current church structure in 1956. Construction was completed in the spring of 1958 and the new church, which is still in use today, was dedicated on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29, 1958.

2008 marks the 80th anniversary of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Community. The Paulist Fathers and the Daughters of Mary and Joseph continue to staff the parish…but now they collaborate with dozens of dedicated men and women who together carry out the community’s mission and vision.

A school opens its doors. . .

St. Paul the Apostle School was established in 1935 under the guidance of the Paulist Fathers and the Daughters of Mary and Joseph. The school opened with six classrooms and over the past seven decades has expanded and developed its resources as needed. In 1952, St. Paul the Apostle School increased to sixteen classrooms. In 1975 half day kindergarten was reinstated and a science lab and resource center were added. In 1981, the convent was renovated to provide additional space for the library, junior high classrooms, a choir/music room and parish activities. Enrollment has increased from 508 in 1989 to a constant 540 students. Each grade level maintains two homerooms.

In 1987 St. Paul's provided space for a Writing to Read lab, an office for the extended day care program and an office for the athletic department. The school also provided outside work space for the kindergarten. In the mid-90's the Writing to Read lab needed to be enlarged. The Science lab was also updated to create a state-of-the-art lab. An Art Literacy program was initiated and provided through out the school.

Since the spring of 1997, the convent building, (now known as the Community Building) has become home to a new Spanish classroom, Essential Learning Systems Classroom and music office. By 1998 all classrooms had air conditioning installed. Safety and security measures were added, including, classroom telephones, gates with monitored security release and alarms. Classroom windows were upgraded with shatterproof panes, Redesigned yard areas and murals enhanced the already aesthetically pleasing campus.

In 2002 all students, grades 5-8 were assigned a locker. In 2003 a separated business office was created and moved to the Community Building. The Art Literacy studio had old windows replaced. In 2004 the school technology center was expanded to house all servers and meet the growing demands. The counselor's office was moved upstairs in the community building and the Essential Learning Systems classroom was upgraded to become a Student Learning Center. St. Paul's adopted the full day kindergarten in September 2004. A second kindergarten homeroom was established bringing the homeroom count to eighteen. To accommodate a classroom for the second kindergarten homeroom Spanish was moved out of its' classroom and grades four and eight homerooms were moved around to offer the best configuration and homeroom for all students. The summer of 2005 provided the school time to add a transformer to the campus to address the electrical needs for the next 50 years. In addition, the library was completely renovated.