our church

established in 1940

explore our history, our stations, and our organ

Praying the Stations of the Cross during Lent

Join us each Friday during Lent to pray the Stations of the Cross.


What are the Stations of the Cross and why do we pray them?

Stations of the Cross are a powerful prayer experience and favorite Lenten practice that allow us to meditate and walk with Jesus as He carried His cross on the day He died, known as Good Friday. In the Gospels, Jesus says that those who want to be a disciple must take up their cross and follow Him; "Stations" are an opportunity for us to reflect, pray, and enter into this reality of the cross. Through this devotion we hope to better understand His immense love for each of us.


History of the Stations of the Cross murals

The Stations of the Cross at St. B’s are one of the unique features of our church. Rather than individual scenes, the Stations run into each other, allowing the viewer to more vividly experience Jesus’ Way of the Cross. This fresco-style murals with life-sized people and dramatic use of color were created in 1948 by a Benedictine monk named Dom Gregory de Wit, OSB (1892—1978) who was a friend of Father van Veggel, our pastor at the time. Distinct features of Father De Wit’s artwork as seen in our Stations include:

  • Vibrant colors—attributed to his method of mixing paints
  • Contemporary elements—some say he included faces of parish children


Different ways to pray the Stations

As you know, there are many ways to pray through the Stations - explore some resources below:

The Martin Ott Organ

Through the generosity of 276 donors, the Saint Brigid Parish custom-made, mechanical “tracker” organ was built by Martin Ott of St. Louis, Missouri and dedicated on October 3, 1993. The 37-stop, 51-rank organ was built in Gottingen, Germany and St. Louis. With 2,536 pipes, it was the largest ever built by Ott and is the largest of its kind in San Diego. Pipes range in length from 3/8 inch to 18 feet. Pipe cases are made of American red oak, stained to walnut finish and feature gold-leaf embellishments in the shape of Celtic designs from the Book of Kells.

“Trackers” are long, narrow strips of wood, linking the manuals (keyboards) to valves in the windchest. Pressing a key opens the corresponding valve, allowing air to enter the pipe and produce sound. Electrical power is only used to pull stops and supply the blower. Developed in Germany, tracker organs “live” for centuries – some 17th century instruments are still in regular use.

Our History

Enjoy watching the Celebrating 85 Years 30-minute video with great old pictures, bulletin announcements, and more that chronical our rich history of both parish and school. Or watch the 2024 Year in Review 11-minute video.


Enjoy reading the PB Historical Society Newsletter that features St. B's with great photos of our church and neighborhood in the 1940's, as well as our school kids, and Boy Scouts from that era.

Celebrating 85 Years Video 2024 Year in Review Video PB Historical Society

Parish Timeline

  • 1940 (March) - Saint Brigid Parish was founded by Monsignor J.A.C. Van Veggel. It was dedicated four months later in July.
  • 1948 (December) - The present church, which also incorporated Saint Brigid Academy, was dedicated. The academy closed down in 1971 leaving behind parishioners who still can remember their time here as students.
  • 1972 - the year our K-8 school closed down
  • 1980 - The original church was torn down when the current Saint Brigid Parish Hall was built.
  • 1997 - We had a major renovation project including repositioning the main and side altars, increasing the size and seating capacity of the side transepts, and retrofitting for earthquake safety.
  • 2007 - A new rectory (residence of the priests) was built next to the parish hall allowing the former rectory to become our present-day ministry center. The Ministry Center houses many parish offices, meetings rooms, social areas, and a spacious kitchen!