St Finbar is one of the four Catholic Churches I go to. All four churches are within two miles or less from where I live. Depending on where I am while doing errands or going to my appointments, I attend a mass to the nearest one. I love each one of them. I know a lot of people from each church except for St Patrick in North Hollywood. I usually attend activities for each church but I find St Finbar for having much more activities than others. Be it feast day, church anniversary, etc. I like attending these activities because I love to see familiar faces in one gathering and at the same time, meeting new people. I love the leaders of this church especially the pastoral priest. Although I miss Fr. Albert who served here for many, many years, Fr. Francis is doing a pretty great job at this church. read more

After living in Los Angeles for 20 years I have finally found my Parish. I've tried 3 different churches in the area & this place just fits. The Sermons really hit home, I love that they have projectors for you to read. And Everyone is so nice and welcoming, basically come as you are! For someone who was afraid of going back to Church, I'm glad there is a community like Saint Finbar. read more

A great place to go when you need to breathe and be alone with your thoughts. Reminds me of my childhood and when times were easier. So glad this community is here. read more

Wonderful staff and Father Francis and Deacon Ryan are lovely. Happy to see when or if Father Memo steps in.

My grandma was a member of this church for many many years. My aunt and uncle were married here over 40 years ago. She attended regularly up until her death a few weeks ago. Following her wishes, we held her funeral services here. Father Francis Mendoza was great during the service and led us through mass to honor my grandma exactly how she would of wanted. this is a beautiful, traditional looking, elegant church. I am not a practicing catholic (I am evangelical Christian) but this church has been part of my families life for years and it was the perfect place to celebrate my grandma since this church was such a big part of her life. Thanks for everything, father Francis Mendoza. read more

Fr Francis gives wonderful relatable sermons. I have been in Burbank the last month due to my daughter's illness. I have attended morning Mass each day and found comfort in the holy Mass at this beautiful church and Fr. Francis's daily sermons. read more

Good church service, went almost every Saturday.Mr Tony is great with the kids. He taught the kids to be a good person!

Beautiful church, welcoming congregation and a very kind Pastor. Upon entering you just feel a sense of peace, and warmth.

Religion is a touchy subject (and I'm not talking about the accusations of child molestations). I don't consider myself religious (although I was baptized Catholic and received my First Communion as a child) but I do consider myself spiritual. Like many intelligent individuals, I like to learn about other cultures and religions, regardless of whether I agree with them. With that being said, I've been going through some intense difficulties lately (heck, the past couple years); so I had an urge to do something I haven't done in over a decade: go to church. To be more specific, I had the desire to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve with my half-Jewish, half Eastern-Orthadox boyfriend. This is the way memories are built, ladies and gents! My boyfriend and I arrived on Christmas Eve to a packed, beautifully decorated, church. The cathedral is huge, airy, and not over-extensive on the stained glass or saint statues which make some people uncomfortable. Immediately, ushers and female employees welcomed us, greeted us in Christmas spirits, and found us a sitting spot. I generally feel VERY uncomfortable at church (whether it is a wedding, event, or whatever); but I honestly felt like I was "home". The service was a nice midnight mass introduction to my Jewish boyfriend whom has never experienced such activities. Complete with a string orchestra, several-harmony part choir, children dancers, nativity scene actors, and a choreographed number; the mass was almost like a concert versus an awkward bible enforcement. The best part: Father Albert Bahhuth. This guy is hilarious! As opposed to the monotone, elderly, overly zealous priests we accredit to catholic churches, Father Bahhuth was a comedian. His sermons really leave a lasting message due to his delivery and spoken word as a friend versus a priest. My boyfriend and I couldn't stop laughing. We both actually said, "We like this guy!". At the end of the service, St. Finbar offered each attendee a beautiful (and free!) Christmas ornament of the nativity scene which found a resting place on my tree. In other St. Finbar news, they of course partake in charity events, saint days/blessings, confirmations, confessions, a catholic school for kindergarten-8th grade (winner of "Best Private School in Burbank" award) and even such extras as a job-search website and unemployment support group. They really try to mark a place in the community. On a sidenote: I made my Jewish boyfriend receive communion with me. Shhhh!!!! I may not be an avid church-goer but I can truly say my experience at St. Finbar was a pleasant one. Hey, if nothing else, check out Father Bahhuth. He will surely leave you in a laughing fit! read more

CNN awoke me around 3am with news that Pope Francis is urging more tolerance towards gays and divorced people. I am not Catholic, however, open to ideological beliefs. Some of my closest friends are Catholics. Maybe, this is why St. Finnbar invited me on a holy trip to Israel. Truthfully, every so often, I light a candle and say a prayer at St. Finbar Catholic Church. They are very kind to me, and I am a non-practicing Muslim that visits Lola's Psychic Shop (located across the street, diagonally). My heart trusts that the presence of God is everywhere. So what if I'm a sinner..... Aren't we all? And no, I didn't steal the puppy dog!!! Well, anyways.... I don't agree with Pope Francis. Society is quite accepting of everything, especially in these modern times. It's the priests in those confession stalls that should grow more liberal. Then, I wonder if loose morals from the church will impact the community. I do not know. Can anyone really know for sure? Maybe, Dr. Phil? The church should stick to holy book beliefs. Society dictating the church just seems backwards..... Procreate. Procreate. Anyways, St. Finbar Catholic Church has always had open doors. I love the architecture, artwork and friendly people. I hope this recent change in Pope Francis does not impact this Burbank Community in a negative manner. Peace be with you. read more

See all

First catholic church in LA that doesn't run their entity as BUSINESS. Charge for dedicating a prayer is very absurd and I am very glad that they don't. Also have a very nice and attentious recepcionist. read more

I came here on Good Friday and sat in on a Spanish mass!! It was great and I got a chance to thank Jesus for everything he blessed me with. I also asked for forgiveness!! read more

St Finbar Church - Churches Near Me - Burbank, California

I went to St. Finbar with Dre b. *sigh* That day was a bad day at St. Finbar's. As a born and bred Angeleno I do have a bit of prejudice against the ent-wannabes out here. I'm not saying locals are any better but shiet, almost every business in the valley has failed actors and actresses who thought they could move out here and be something when they were nothing to begin with...but seriously.. religion?? Nothing is sacred anymore! Anyhow, I remember we sat too close to the homeless person because I remember the smell. I had no idea where it was coming from until after the mass. The reading of the church bulletin and blatant request for money is an all too familiar tradition in the SoCal church arena. When I was younger I loved going to Christian churches because I always felt their youth groups were better and their pastors tended to communicate more clearly than Catholic priests. As I grow older, I see myself orienting more towards generic Christianity. All I really appreciate about Catholicism is the ritual...it's tradition. read more

This church is big and really nice . It is really organized . It nice to come and pray to a place where it's nice , clean and that feels really peaceful . They let you bring in your own candle Which is great . There is street parking . read more

St Finbar Church - The outside - Churches Near Me - Burbank, California

See all

If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, please attend the Bereavement support group that are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6pm-7pm. There is a great group who understands your pain and will listen. read more

This is the nearest church to my place in Hollywood Hills. I like this church coz of their choir during the Sunday noon mass. They also have children Sunday school, perfect for families with kids! They also have masses in Spanish! read more

I just got married here at Saint Finbar. The church is really simple and lovely and the officiating priest is really nice and accommodating. My only and biggest complaint is the WEDDING COORDINATOR DORA MORALES. The only wedding coordinator I know of who will not rehearse on a weekend because she said she is busy with family affairs. Why would somebody be a wedding coordinator if her schedule is not flexible? I mean this is the nature of her job, right? And this is not a voluntary work because we paid her $150. We didn't have a rehearsal because she wants us to rehearse on a weekday when everybody is working, so she asked me to tell the wedding party to be at the church at 1PM on the day of the wedding so they can have a mini-rehearsal. A lot of my relatives and friends were there on time but Dora was not even there. And when finally she came and gave instructions to them, my bridesmaids told me that she is just talking non-sense and not giving clear instructions as if all of them are wedding coordinators and know exactly what to do. In addition, the wedding march itself is kind of chaotic because she is so disorganized. My husband who is supposed to walk down the aisle before everybody else walked down after the secondary sponsors because Dora was not paying attention. My husband even asked her to give him a cue if it's his turn already and she just told him to smile and relax. A friend just saw him in the corner and asked him why he is still standing when his parents and some sponsors are already in front of the altar. A word of advice for the brides - if you want a smooth and perfect wedding, ask for the wedding coordinator first. Make sure that the wedding coordinator understands your schedule, your preference, and your needs. read more

I love this welcoming, happy church with the great choir and the priests who really talk to the congregation with faith, humor and warmth. Feels like a home with Christ. I'll keep going back for rejuvenation each Sunday at 5:00 pm. What a great mass! read more

BEST possible Catholic Community to be involved in. Father Albert Rocks!

I love the Catholic Community of Saint Finbar. I read the two negative reviews and feel like I should offer a different view. Sure, a few of the parishioners are in the entertainment industry, but that has nothing to do with how they choose to serve the Lord. God gives us all talents and it's up to us to use them to serve his will. Saint Finbar has a motto of All Are Welcome. This includes the homeless. I'm always happy when they come in and celebrate mass with us. We used to have a convent across the street from the church. It's now been converted into a temporary living area for Family Promise to operate. You can find out more about them here: http://www.familypromiseesfv.org/about/index.html Finally, it is true that we were raising funds for a new community center. It is because people did "go home and pray about it", that we were able to finish building the community center last year. Since the building has been complete, it has been used to help our community in many ways. Right now it is almost Thanksgiving, and those who have no where to go on Thanksgiving can come to our community center and have a Thanksgiving meal. The community center has been used for blood drives, health screenings, sports activities, and plays just to name a few things. The whole goal of the community center is to help serve our community. That is exactly what it is being used for. I invite those who want to learn more about what Saint Finbar has to offer, to stop in some time and talk to Father Albert. Saint Finbar is more than just a church. It's a Catholic community. And, for me, it's a home. read more

GO TO THIS CHURCH!!! The 5:00 PM Saturday evening Mass has INCREDIBLE music!!! I have never heard music this great at any other church. It really helps make the Mass a wonderful experience. GO! Saturday at 5:00 PM. You will not be disappointed. read more

Warm and friendly environment. Very enthusiastic priest. Beautiful shrine/ peace garden in the front side of the church.

I love this church, most of all I love that my children enjoy coming every Sunday :)

I hadn't been to church in a long time and decided I needed to feel reconnected. I decided to go and took 2 friends and my boyfriend. I had seen St. Finbar a few times on my way to Tallyrand, a diner down the street, and thought that it was a sign that I should go there. I have to say, I was not too thrilled. I'm sorry, maybe I'll go to hell for writing a bad review, but this is what I got from mass. First off, it was a visiting priest that was trying to break into Hollywood...can you say sell-our? Then, while doing the homily, he goes completely off track. I couldn't even remember what the readings were about. Shouldn't a visiting priest be AMAZING?! At least that was what I thought. Then when mass was almost over, they read the bulletin. This is usual in all churches. But then they said they needed 3 MILLION DOLLARS for some crap fundraiser. They've only raised a small percentage, and I quote...the man said "If you have not yet donated, go home and pray about it and the Lord will tell you what you must do." Who the hell are they to tell us to pray about giving the church 3 MILLION DOLLARS?!!! This is a joke. I still give them 2 stars only cuz they're a church and I was able to pray and receive the bread and wine. They also kept staring down this bum that came in...yeah she smelled like urine, but hey, at least she still has her faith! Who are you to judge? Isn't it the Lord's job to pass final judgement? You're here preaching this to us, and yet you're doing the complete opposite. I was NOT impressed. I won't be returning. read more

As a visitor to St. Finbar with over 2 score daily Masses experienced therein, my perceptions are 180 degrees diametrically opposed to the 2 previous negative reviews. I found St. Finbar's Masses to be devout and inspirational. Upon first entering the church, one feels the physical warmth, contrasting the early morning cold weather outdoors. Prior to the morning Mass, the cellist is usually playing classical music, softly, mournfully and beautifully. Later, as Cantor, his singing voice is melodious and resonant, as he leads the Congregation in singing. Oftentimes, prior to the Mass, the school children lead us in reciting the Rosary. The Homily of the officiating priest, usually Father Albert, is relevant to the scriptural readings and spiritually uplifting. If the school children are in the front pews, a Socratic questioning truly encourages the children to participate more fully. The demeanor of all the Eucharistic ministers is so respectful and awe-inspiring. The whole church encounter is powerfully moving. The only momentary annoyances (less than a handful in over 40 visits): parishioner cell phones ringing; late-comers noisily walking to the front of the church; elderly gentlemen forgetting (for a time) to remove their head coverings - caps, berets, hats,etc. In comparing this momentary annoyance level (2%) with my home parish (which does not have a baby-crying room as St. Finbar's does), I would rate St. Finbar Church as 10 times more conducive to prayer! At this time, I would like to express my appreciation to all the workers / volunteers who make St. Finbar's such a successful Church! read more