The dawn of a new era of leadership is upon us at Holy Family.  This is a time of celebration, renewal and inspiration.  Over the past several years, proactive and intentional planning has led to our consideration of a new way to ensure vibrant parish leadership.  Guided by the Holy Spirit and much research and contemplation, great effort has been made to include a Parish Life Director in leadership plans.  The transition process is now complete.  Appointed by Cardinal Roger Mahony, Cambria Smith officially became the Parish Life Director at Holy Family Church, effective July 1, 2009.

A Parish Life Director is a vocational minister who is entrusted with the leadership of a parish that includes a priest minister. The Parish Life Director has the responsibility for providing for the overall day-to-day pastoral care and administration of a parish. Sacramental ministry is reserved for the clergy by the norms of Canon Law.  Together with the priest(s), the Parish Life Director enables and empowers the community to be a faithful witness to Jesus Christ and of the Kingdom of God. The Parish Life Director is accountable to the Cardinal or his delegate.  Through the leadership of the Parish Life Director, the various ministries of the parish are coordinated. As the leader, the Parish Life Director responds to the diverse needs of the parish and is understood to be a unifying presence within the faith community.

Pastor Emeritus

As Pastor Emeritus, Monsignor Connolly shares responsibility with the Archbishop, the Parish Life Director and the parish staff to serve the needs of the parish community.  He provides a spiritual and pastoral guiding presence and nourishes faith life primarily through Eucharistic Liturgy and other sacramental celebrations.

Priest Minister

Fr. Jose Parathanal serves as a priest minister. Together with Monsignor Connolly and Cambria Smith and members of the lay staff, they ensure that the liturgical and sacramental needs of the parish faith community are met.  They may have other pastoral duties that are mutually agreed upon with the Parish Life Director. Fr. Niall O’Leary and Fr. Tony Scannell serve as Director of Spirituality and Weekend Presider, respectively.

In considering the future of Holy Family Parish, we recognize and celebrate the important role of our priests in ministering to our people and in providing a vibrant pastoral, sacramental and liturgical life for the parish.  Holy Family also recognizes its long tradition of lay participation.  The institution of a Parish Life Director to lead Holy Family Church into the future allows for a new level of lay leadership and at the same time allows our priests to dedicate themselves to priestly ministry and sacramental life for the benefit of the parish. This leadership model supports the size, needs and culture of our parish.

For more information, please contact the Transition Committee at 626-403-6182

To view the official Holy Family parish leadership plan in its entirety, please download "A Vision for Parish Leadership"

Please look for future updates and information in the bulletin and on this website.

See the following links for more details about A Vision for Parish Leadership.