In every community, the local Catholic church tends to serve the people within its reach regardless of religious affiliation. Sometimes, however, it is the people of the parish who serve the church and raise its stature to be more than just a place of worship.

For the last 84 years, one small church with a seating capacity of 250, has had a huge impact in one San Diego community. If you let the simple white exterior walls and steel grills covering the windows fool you, you'll miss the centerpiece to San Diego's Little Italy.

Our Lady of the Rosary - Little Italy San Diego

Little Italy is now a slice of urban San Diego. Over the last 13 years, it has gone through a resurgence due to gentrification with glam high-rise condos and a growing number of restaurants and retail. Despite the changes, what comes across whenever one is in Little Italy, is the passion of its residents and business people to retain the cultural authenticity of its past.

At one time, Little Italy was home to a bustling community of fisherman from Genoa, Sicily and Portugal with nearly 6,000 Italian families living within its boundaries. Together, they built San Diego's tuna fishing industry, a community and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church.

At first blush, Our Lady of the Rosary Church seems rather plain. Take a moment, stand still and have a closer look at the exterior detail. Once you walk through the welcoming embrace of its open doors, you'll realize how looks can be deceiving from the outside. Holy smokes! What's inside is simply old-world beauty. The Romantic-Genovese style of the church is stunning. The largesse of the frescoes and the detail throughout the church is simply artistry. We pray that this San Diego religious icon is preserved for decades to come.

A contemplative walk through the church building will reveal more than just the art, the tranquility and the general sense one gets when walking into any house of worship. In Our Lady of the Rosary, you can almost feel the devotion and close-knit family ties that have built and maintained this church for her 84 years. Well-known San Diego Italian-American families have served as the founding members of the church providing Stations of the Cross, gorgeous kaleidoscopes of colored stained glass, statues, and other important elements of this church.

It's fair to say that some churches or any house of worship can often evoke a sense of distance and a coldness by its architecture or interior design, but there is a feeling of something deeply personal about this church when you stand within its four walls. It almost seems like the rest of the world drops away leaving you with just the spiritual silence of the church. In that silence, you can hear your own thoughts and prayers in whatever language or religion you may follow. As you step away from the building, we hope you'll say what we said, "Well, isn't that special."

Catholic churches are more than religious places. To the religious, to the Catholic faithful, the church and its symbols have special meaning. For others, these churches can be viewed as art and a reflection of the surrounding culture of its parishioners. Our Lady of the Rosary is a special place serving and being served by generations of immigrant families that have a deep history in San Diego. Step into Our Lady of the Rosary whenever the spirit moves you. You'll be glad you did.

For heaven's sake, check it out.