Our Savior Church and USC Caruso Catholic Center. Image via Archinect.
The Grove's Caruso Becomes a Knight
The last time we checked, Rick J. Caruso was honored with the National Retail Federation’s Disruptor award. The 2015 award honored the prominent L.A.-based developer for popularizing lifestyle and outdoor shopping centers - and shaking up ideas on what a mall could be.
Last week, it was the Catholic Church which gave Caruso a big award. This one was the Knight Commander in the Order of the Knights of St. Gregory the Great. A mass was held for the award at downtown Los Angeles’ Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Jan. 14.
The award was bestowed by Pope Francis for service to the wider community, the church and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Among Caruso’s acts, he donated $9 million to the Catholic center at University of Southern California, where he also serves as a trustee. In 2012, doors opened for the Our Savior Church and USC Caruso Catholic Center, which is a block north of campus. The USC Caruso Catholic Center features a church with seating for 350 worshippers.
