Catholic church celebrates 40 years

San Agustin Catholic Church will celebrate 40 years in Scotts Valley next month with perhaps its most popular event, a community-wide fiesta.
This year’s festivities will introduce the church’s newest pastor, the Rev. Seamus O’Brien, to the community and mark San Agustin’s 40th anniversary with food, carnival games, a soda fountain, carnival games, a cake walk and more.
San Agustin has a storied history in Scotts Valley.
According to church records, the parish was named after the original Mexican land grant, Rancho San Agustín, which comprised the Scotts Valley area.
The parish was established in 1969, five years after the city of Scotts Valley was incorporated, and the first Mass was celebrated in a field next to the rectory of today.
Scotts Valley mainstays Harvey and Irene Bustichi joined the church shortly afterward.
“I like it because everybody knows everybody,” Irene Bustichi said. “And they say hi even when they don’t know you very well.”
In the 1970s and ’80s, the parish was served by Irish priests Michael McDonald (one year), Joe Leonard (eight years) and Martin McDonald (eight years). During that time, the original 30 families grew to 150 families. For many years, the meeting room at the church hosted City Council and planning commission meetings.
Dave Farrell, who began attending the church in 1987, took his future wife with him on their third date.
Though she lived in Monterey at the time, she told him that even if things didn’t work out for them as a couple, she would continue to attend the church.
“There’s an absolutely amazing sense of community here,” Farrell said.
The Rev. Michael Adams led the church for the next eight years, taking over for McDonald. In 1987, the pope visited the Monterey Diocese (the governing body of the church), and many San Agustin parishioners took part. A St. Vincent de Paul Conference was established to distribute aid to the needy locally.
During the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, many people spent several nights in the church sanctuary.
In 1994, the Rev. Matthew Pennington joined the Scotts Valley church. During the next 12 years, the parish grew to more than 600 families. Pennington’s love of liturgies carried over to the congregation, and more than a third still participate in the church’s liturgy.
“The place really boomed under his tutelage and leadership,” said Rob Bussell, who joined the church in 1994. “His reverence for the liturgy was just awe-inspiring. He would treat the liturgy like it was the Vatican.”
In 2005, under Pennington’s guidance, the church raised $1.5 million to update the church building and grounds. After the remodel was completed, Pennington said goodbye.
The Rev. Derek Hughes guided the congregation for a year, followed by the Rev. Jerry Maher, who resurrected the church’s famous St. Patrick Dinner-Dance in full Irish style.
Maher left in August, and the Rev. Seamus O’Brien joined the church as its sixth Irish priest.
Besides helping people in need through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the church has a prison ministry, and its members are involved throughout the city.
“The community is one of the warmest I’ve ever been part of,” Bussell said.
At a glance
What: San Agustin Fiesta
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 12
Where: 257 Glenwood Drive, in Scotts Valley
Details: Meals are free if ordered before the day of the fiesta; otherwise, there’s a $10 charge.
Info: 438-3633