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From A History of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Msgr. Francis J. Weber
and Sister Joanne Wittenburg, S.N.D.

"Until the late 1920's the community familiarly known as Westchester could still be described as "rural." In 1930, however, Mines Field became Los Angeles Municipal Airport and aircraft companies began moving into the area. With the advent of World War II, the growth of the airport due to the movement of military aircraft and cargo through Westchester coupled with the tremendous influx of people needed in the aircraft plants led Archbishop John J. Cantwell to establish Visitation Parish in 1943.

Father Thomas O'Sullivan, from Ireland, bought four acres near Sepulveda and Manchester Boulevards in the middle of an empty field in 1943 and celebrated Mass in a garage until a frame building could be erected. In just four years he completed the school, convent and rectory. In 1950 a church was erected in a modern adaptation of Italian Renaissance architecture and a solemn Mass was celebrated on Christmas morning. Monsignor O'Sullivan directed the parish for forty-five of the sixty-nine years of his priesthood and fifteen years as pastor emeritus. He died in 1997 at age ninety-two. From Visitation parish were formed the parishes of Saint Jerome and Saint Anastasia. From 1980 to 1999 Father James O'Grady, also from Ireland, served as pastor of the church on 88th Street and retired as pastor emeritus in 1999 when Monsignor Timothy O'Connell became pastor."