The founding of St. Patrick's was part of the boom that accompanied the Gold Rush; the dramatic increase in population required a similar increase in services. As housing was constructed and new businesses opened their doors, Father John Maginnis held St. Patrick's first mass in a rented hall in 1851. Within a few months, a temporary church's future expansion. Construction began in 1870, and on March 17, 1872 the new church was built nearby. By 1854, it became evident that St. Patrick's would need a larger home, and a lot was purchased for the church's future expansion. Construction began in 1870, and on March 17, 1872 the new church was dedicated at its current location on Mission Street between Third and Fourth Streets.
Like much of San Francisco, the church was destroyed in the earthquake and subsequent fire of 1906. Though it temporarily did not have a home, it did have a calling. St. Patrick's deferred its own full reconstruction in order to minister to the immediate needs of the city. When the current building was completed and dedicated in 1914, it quickly became a San Francisco landmark. Beautifully designed under the supervision of Monsignor John Roberts, the church is decorated in the Irish national colors and tells the story of St. Patrick and other Irish saints.
Throughout its history, St. Patrick's has served the community. In the first year of the Parish, St. Patrick's worked with the Daughters of Charity from Emmitsburg, Maryland to run the St. Vincent's School for Girls and the St. Patrick's School for Boys. In 1927, Father Rogers built the Tir-Na-Nog (Gaelic for ``land of youth'') men's shelter. When the Boys and Girls schools were closed in 1964 due to changing neighborhood demographics, St. Patrick's helped to build the Alexis Apartments for the elderly on the same site. The church provides meals, housing, clothing, and furniture to those in need.
The congregation of St. Patrick's has changed over the years but it commitment to serving those who come through its doors has never wavered. The church was originally composed of Irish immigrants and their descendants. In the middle of this century, the parishioners came increasingly from Spanish-speaking countries. More recently, it has been the City's Filipino population that has found a home at St. Patrick's. Its downtown location and status as a tourist destination also ensure a diverse group of worshippers on any particualr Sunday.
Around St. Patrick's, the buildings have grown higher and the rents more expensive; its neighbors now include a luxury hotel and a billion dollar entertainment complex. St. Patrick's, through, remains an oasis in the middle of a bustling city, tending to the poor and those in need for 150 years. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate St. Patrick's Church on this Anniversary and to thank Monsignor Fred Bitanga and all of the staff at St. Patrick's for their work in our City.