A letter to Father Dolan 2003

Dear Father Dolan:

Pursuant to your request, please find below a summary of researched facts relating to the formation date of St. Rose of Lima parish in Chula Vista. The specific issue addressed is whether the parish began in 1913 or 1921.
Honor and credit must be given to the pioneers Fr. Henry Eummelen and Fr. E. Lapointe for their work in the Otay Valley and Palm City areas. These communities, however, did not include the Catholic families of Chula Vista. In 1910 travel to the outlying missions of Otay and Palm City was extraordinarily difficult. Indeed, for many who lived in the South Bay, it was not an option. At a distance of five miles, with only horse-drawn buggy or streetcar available, it was at minimum an hour’s ride each way. St. Anthony’s in National City was the closest Catholic Church with regular Sunday Mass and a resident pastor. It was this church that the Chula Vista families attended when possible.
The Catholics of Chula Vista, heartened by the encouragement of Bishop Cantwell, gathered the means necessary to found their own parish. Numerous card parties and bake sales were held in the spring of 1921 to raise funds for the transfer of the mission building of Palm City to Chula Vista. Lumber and building materials were donated, as were carpentry skills and furnishings for the new church and pastoral residence. Though small in the beginning, St. Rose of Lima parish has become one of the largest in the San Diego Diocese. It is a parish rich in tradition and history.
This research has been done in order to give honor to the Catholic families and their non-Catholic supporters who worked so hard and gave of their time, talents, and treasure to found this parish. I am the granddaughter of one of the founding parishioners, Mrs. Roy S. Peters. My father was baptized in 1923 at St. Rose of Lima and has remained a parishioner for eighty years. My parents have carried on the good works initiated by those courageous and pious Catholics of Chula Vista. They, in turn, have passed on to me the great joy they have received in belonging to St. Rose of Lima Parish, and it is my desire to see that my children find their home here too.
While it is true that history rarely remains static, dated historical documents can give an accurate account of events. The information summarized below establishes that St. Rose of Lima parish was founded in 1921 and not 1913. I can only hope that Diocesan records will be changed to reflect this historical fact. I thank you for the time you have devoted to this matter.

Respectfully,

Gretchen Peters Schaar

Historical Findings

Chapter 1 - National City
Chapter 2 - Baptism Registry
Chapter 3 - 1970 Account
Chapter 4 - Decision for 1913
Chapter 5 - Mr. and Mrs. Roy Peters

Appendix I: History of....
- Fr. John Reynolds
- Fr. Ernest Leguyader
- Fr. Michael Conneally
- Fr. Michael Egan

Appendix II: Findings from "The Tidings"

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