Highlights of Parish and Local History

Before 1820, the geographic parish boundaries included an adobe station of Mission San Juan Capistrano, for the vaqueros tending the Mission cattle. A small church and school were later founded in 1880, near the intersection of Harbor and Fairview and close to the now dormant Fairview sulfur hot springs. In the 1940s, Baker Street was the northern boundary of the Santa Ana Army Air Base, and trainees attended Mass at the Catholic chapel on base. After World War II, part of the base located at what is now Mendoza Street became the Air Force Rocket Engine Facility. The surrounding area was still agricultural land.

In May 1958, Cardinal McIntyre of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles granted permission to Msgr. Thomas J. Nevin, then-pastor of St. Joachim's parish on Orange Ave. in Costa Mesa, to build a new church to accommodate the growing population of the city and relieve the packed condition at the city's only other Catholic church. Ground was broken on Christmas Eve 1958  at the current site of St. John the Baptist parish for a small annex church and school. The so-called temporary church building was completed quickly with the intention, in the Master Plan from that time, of converting it into a church hall after a permanent church building was constructed. Mass was first said in this designated church on November 8, 1959. Photos from the time show sprawling fields of lima beans bordering the church property. Until May 1960, the church and school were known as St. Joachima's Annex. In May, the church was officially designated a separate parish and Father McGowan was appointed its first pastor.

Like many parish communities, the parishioners of St. John the Baptist have a history of pulling together as a family and generously pooling time, treasure and talent to serve their parish community. Through the years from 1962 to 1997, parishioners helped provide for an expanded elementary school, convent, rectory, parish hall, religious education office, parish office and portable classrooms. 

Highlights of the New Renovation

In 2004 permission was not granted from the bishop to construct a new church building, but instead was given to renovate the existing structure. The parish did exactly that, consulting together and hiring in artisans from Arte Granda in Spain to design the renovations and custom-make new art, including:

• Stunning, dominant, behind-the-altar, hand-carved relief of St. John the Baptist pointing out Christ in a Biblical scene Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God). The relief is framed by a gold leaf and rojo marble in laid relief.
• Three-foot in diameter, bronze medallion, located just under the dominate relief, that features Christ as the Lamb of God and the seven seals from the Book of Revelation. The Blessed Sacrament resides directly behind this medallion, facing the Eucharist Chapel behind the Altar.
• New altar with rojo marble.
• Four hand-carved, wooden statues - two placed on either side of the dominant front relief, one of St. Joseph and the other of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child, and two placed in the Eucharistic Chapel, of St. Norbert and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
• Eucharistic chapel directly behind the Altar. This chapel will eventually house continual, 24-hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
• New tabernacle with a door that depicts six scenes from Christ's Passion.
• At the front of the church, bronze double doors featuring scenes from the Baptism of Christ.