The history behind the development of Our Lady of the Rosary church reveals the unique story of an Italian parish, built as a labor of love by the Italian-Americans of the San Diego area. It is the story of an entire people and their faith.

It was December, 1921, when the dream of an Italian parish for the San Diego area began to occupy the thoughts of a young and zealous priest, Father Sylvester Rabagliati. A native of Italy and a student and scholar of St. John Bosco, Rabagliati went to Colombia in his early youth where he was ordained in 1894. He spent six years as a student of the Spanish College in Bogota, after which, he came to the United States, arriving in Troy, New York in 1904. Rabagliati’s first appointment was at St. Joseph’s Seminary for Italian boys where he served as president for four years. Following this, he went on to establish a college for Italian-American boys in Hawthorne, New York. He was later appointed rector of the Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians, in New York City.

After coming to California, he continued to give untiringly of himself to the needs of the Italian immigrants. He assisted in the building of an Italian church in San Francisco, while also devoting his time to giving missions among the Italians. His apostolate called him as far north as the state of Washington to teach the word of God. Besides his native tongue, Father Rabagliati spoke French, Spanish, Portuguese and English fluently. He was also an accomplished pianist.

During this time, His Excellency, Bishop John J. Cantwell of the Los Angeles Diocese was concerned about tending to the spiritual needs of the growing population of Italian Catholics in San Diego. He sent for Father Rabagliati and assigned him to San Diego to pave the way for a much-needed Italian church for the region. Father Rabagliati arrived in San Diego at the end of the year 1921 and was delighted with his new apostolate. He immediately began the work of trying to unite the Italian community and to provide a spiritual environment in the language and tradition with which they were familiar and could best relate.