California: A historic chapter unfolds for Filipino Catholics in the United States as the Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center opens its doors in Anaheim, California. Set to become a vital spiritual and cultural hub for the estimated 90,000 Filipino Catholics in Southern California, the center is being celebrated as the first and only dedicated Filipino Catholic institution in the country.
The official blessing and inauguration will be presided over by Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange on Monday evening. The initiative is the fruit of a long-standing dream, now realized through the efforts of the Alagad ni Maria (Disciples of Mary), a Philippine-based religious institute that will manage the center.
“I feel blessed and excited that so many people are taking part in our mission to bring people closer to Our Lord with Mary at the foot of the cross,” said Father Peter Lavin, who will serve as the center’s director. Father Lavin, along with eight other priests from the Alagad ni Maria congregation, has been ministering in the Diocese of Orange since their invitation in 2005 by then-Bishop Tod Brown.
Situated on a 1.4-acre property previously used by a Vietnamese-language Baptist church, the center includes a 180-seat chapel where Mass will be celebrated in both English and Tagalog. The facility also houses classrooms, a music room, offices, a fellowship hall, and a fully-equipped kitchen. Plans are in place to construct a priest residence on the site.
Beyond religious functions, the center aims to serve as a dynamic cultural venue. According to a diocesan press release, it will support faith formation and education in Filipino traditions such as liturgical dance, song, and language. “This center grants the Filipino community a sacred space to worship and a foundation to pass down their cultural heritage to younger generations,” said the statement.
The $5.2 million property purchase was made possible through generous fundraising. Approximately 500 donors contributed a total of $2.1 million, including two major gifts of $500,000 each. The Diocese of Orange played a crucial role in securing the remaining loan, signaling strong diocesan support for the project.
“For many years, it has been a heartfelt dream of the Filipino community here in the Diocese of Orange to have a center of their own a sacred space where they can gather in faith and grow in spiritual fellowship,” noted Father Angelos Sebastian, vicar general of the diocese. “The recent decision to guarantee the loan was a tangible expression of our deep gratitude and esteem for their ministry.”
The Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center joins five other cultural centers under the Diocese of Orange’s umbrella, which currently serves Polish, Vietnamese, and Korean Catholic communities across different cities.
A centerpiece of the new center will be an official replica of the revered Poong Jesus Nazareno statue a figure with millions of devotees worldwide that originally arrived in Manila from Mexico in 1606. The presence of the image will enhance the center’s role as both a devotional site and a place of pilgrimage.
The Anaheim center will also become the U.S. headquarters for Alagad ni Maria, reinforcing its long-standing partnership with the diocese and its growing influence in American Catholic life.
With its blend of faith, culture, and community, the Poong Jesus Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center is poised to become a cornerstone for Filipino Catholics across the nation, and a symbol of their vibrant contribution to the American Church.