First Filipino Catholic Center in the U.S. Opens in Southern California

Filipino Catholics in the United States marked a milestone with the inauguration of the Poong Nazareno Filipino Catholic Center in Anaheim, in the state of California, the first center of its kind in the country, Aleteia reported. The new hub was established by the Alagad ni Maria (Disciples of Mary), a Filipino religious order serving in the Diocese of Orange since 2005.

The center, located on a 1.4-acre property previously owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, derives its name from the Black Nazarene, one of the Philippines’ most beloved devotions. Millions take part annually in the Black Nazarene procession in Manila, making it the second most popular devotion in the country. As Aleteia reported, the California center features an official replica of the Black Nazarene image, donated by a cancer survivor who attributes her healing to the devotion.

The facility includes a 180-seat chapel, classrooms, a fellowship hall, a music room, offices, and a kitchen. Plans are underway to add a rectory for visiting priests. While it is not intended to function as a parish, the center will offer faith formation, cultural education, and youth outreach programs to support the sacramental life of Filipinos across Southern California. Masses will be celebrated in English, Tagalog, and other Filipino languages.

At the blessing ceremony on July 21, Bishop Kevin Vann of Orange presided over the dedication Mass, joined by priests and hundreds of faithful. The day’s festivities also included Filipino folk dances and a shared meal featuring traditional cuisine. According to Aleteia, Fr. Peter Lavin, the center’s director, expressed gratitude for the strong community support: “I feel blessed and excited that so many people are taking part in our mission to bring the people closer to our Lord with Mary at the foot of the cross.”

The Diocese of Orange helped finance the project by guaranteeing a loan for the congregation, while the Alagad ni Maria community raised more than one-third of the cost. Fr. Angelos Sebastian, vicar general of the diocese, called the center an answered prayer for the 90,000 Filipino Catholics in the region. “This is a sacred space where they can gather in faith, grow in fellowship, and pass on the richness of their heritage,” he said.

As Aleteia noted, the Poong Nazareno Center joins three other cultural centers in the diocese serving Polish, Korean, and Vietnamese Catholics. Beyond serving Southern California, leaders hope it will become a beacon of Filipino faith and culture across the U.S.