In 1924, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church was officially established as a parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with about twenty registered families. In the Golden Jubulee year of 1974, the parish had 320 registered families in permanent residence. In 1976 the Diocese of Orange was officially established as independent from Los Angeles. Today, the parish has about 1600 registered families.</>

Mount Carmel is a mountain in northwestern Israel that is above the port of Haifa. From the earliest times, Mount Carmel was revered as a holy place dating back to the sixteenth century BC.  Biblically, it was the sight of Elijah’s confrontation with the false prophet Baal and was a habitation site for early Christians. From around the sixth century when Greek monks established a church and a monastery there, Carmel was especially associated with the veneration of Mary. The Carmelite Order was founded on Mount Carmel around 1154 AD. It was comprised of former crusaders, hermits and pilgrims who had taken up residence there – the hermits claiming descent from Elijah. After the collapse of the Crusader States in the Holy Land, most of the Carmelites moved to England where they reassembled under the leadership of St. Simon Stock. St. Simon, who was elected Prior General of the Carmelite Order, was greatly responsible for its rise and growth throughout Europe.