Pickford-Dodd

Regarding my posts on Mary Pickford and her relationship to St Mary of the Angels, a visitor comments,

As far as I know, Mary Pickford's devotion was to Fr Dodd, whom she called "the sweetest old sourpuss..." rather than to the parish itself, much less to "Episcopalianism," -- which I doubt ever existed. I think her hosting the "garden party" at Pickfair was to support HIM by such a fund-raising effort.

Despite any sojourn into the Baker-Patterson-Glover-Eddy Cult, I think she basically considered herself a 'divorced Catholic' - (and rejected by the Roman Catholic Church because of her marital history). Fr Dodd continued to provide some emotional & spiritual support to her, such that in the mid-1950s, she pulled whatever strings were necessary (and she still could) to ensure that Fr Dodd received some sort of award, presented in Glendale, with clergy reps of many sorts in attendance. . . . I'm curious about your remark about Fr Dodd asking her not to come to St Mary's any longer. His stand against divorce is understandable, as a good churchman at the time. We had photos of him with the group at a private wedding for Mary's brother Jack's wedding. I know that marriage also ended in divorce; but I do not know Jack's marital status at the time.

There's a great deal of urban myth surrounding the parish's history -- but of course, it's Hollywood. Many thanks for the clarifications.