The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet founded St. Cyril of Jerusalem School in 1950. Their mission was a call to service “the dear neighbor without distinction” with a charism of unity and reconciliation. The school continues to have the presence of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet today. They fill the positions of Pre-school Religion teacher, C.L.A.S.S. Center volunteer and art instructor. The Order also offers in-services and retreats for the faculty. The school continues to be influenced and strengthened by its founding Order. Their gifts, talents, and resources promote the gospel message, which provides the framework for our SLEs.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem Parish was founded in 1949. An excerpt from a letter written to the parish on the occasion of its 25th anniversary by Timothy Cardinal Manning, the Archbishop of Los Angeles at that time, explains how the name of our parish patron was selected. “Twenty-five years ago when Jerusalem was in anguish through war and division and strife, Cardinal McIntyre wished to signify the concern of the Church for the Holy Places and for their distressed people. This he did by placing the new parish in the Valley under the patronage of St. Cyril of Jerusalem.”
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem was born in the early part of the fourth century. While nothing is known about his early life, it is possible that his family lived in Caesarea. He became a cleric in the Church of Jerusalem and was raised to the diaconate by Macanus of Jerusalem. About 342 A.D., he was ordained priest by Bishop Maximus, famous as a confessor in the persecution of Diocletian.
Bishop Maximus died in 348 A.D. and our Saint succeeded about two years later. St. Cyril never wavered in his adherence to the orthodox and Catholic faith, for which, as the second ecumenical council observed, he suffered several times as a confessor. It appears that he played a leading role in the First Council of Constantinople in the 380s.
St. Cyril’s fame rests on his great Lenten, pre-baptismal Catechesis, which is a plain, noble, eloquent, and highly Biblical exposition of the Creed and illustrations for his defense of the Catholic Faith. St. Cyril was honored as a Doctor of the universal Church and died in Jerusalem about the year 387 A. D. His feast is celebrated on March 18th.
