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CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY 14, 2005

By Tom Burke

The new digs will not be the same without Marge Ward, a “friend to all” who retired from her
Chancery receptionist post at the end of the year. Marge has been a “first impression” of the
Church for almost 20 years starting at the “old digs” on Church St. and for the last several years at
the new Peter Yorke Way address. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” she told me while taking some
final calls at her desk in the Pastoral Center’s front lobby just before the Christmas break. Marge
and her husband, Joe, a retired City firefighter, took their vows at St. Emydius Church on
September 19, 1959. For the last “many, many years” they have been members of St. Finn Barr’s.
The good news is that Marge will be back “in a relief capacity” at least several days during the
year!!!…

Prayers please for the continued recovery of Father Kieran McCormick now undergoing treatment
for lymphoma and his brother Msgr. Mickey McCormick who has recently undergone heart by-pass
surgery. Father Kieran, former pastor of St. James, San Francisco; St. Timothy, San Mateo and St.
Charles in San Carlos, was ordained in 1964 and lives now at Serra Clergy House, 455 W. 20th
Ave., San Mateo 94403. Msgr. Mickey, former pastor of St. John of God, Good Shepherd and
Mission Dolores, where he currently resides, was ordained in 1958. The Mission Dolores address is
3321 16th St., San Francisco, 94114….

“All in all it was one of our best meetings ever,” said Denis Ragan of the Catholic Marin Breakfast
Club on the occasion of the group’s 10th anniversary in November. Guest speaker was Yakima
Bishop Carlos A. Sevilla, S.J., who, as an auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco, was CMBC’s first
speaker 10 years ago. Denis, Wayne Batmale and Jim Mahoney are the group’s founding members.
Board members have included Nick Allen, Sandy Hufford, Sharon Leveque, Veronica MacDonald,
Christine Mibach, Jan Pasha, Jack Purl, Judy Stranzl, Joyce Thornton, Barry Wester, and the late
Marianne Lashua. Chaplains have included Father Al Vucinovich, pastor, St. Catherine of Siena in
Burlingame, Father Tom Parenti, pastor, St. Brendan’s in San Francisco, and Father Ken Westray,
pastor, St. Sebastian’s in Greenbrae where CMBC is based. According to Denis, more than 60
people attended the first meeting in 1994 with many attending the recent milestone meeting which
hosted more than double that number. During the club’s first decade speakers have included six
bishops, five judges, four college presidents, political heavyweights, and entertainers..…

Jeanne and Bill Barulich of Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame were honored with the Frank Brennan
Award of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco in November. The honorees are “both
very active in the community,” SVDP said. “Bill and Jeanne have continued their faithful support of
the St Vincent de Paul Society over many years. We are honoring a very worthy couple.” Jeanne is
a graduate of the much missed and revered St. Rose Academy and Bill is an alum of Sacred Heart
Cathedral Preparatory. Both hold undergraduate degrees from USF. The award’s namesake, Frank
Brennan, found refuge in the works of SVDP as a young man and later was among its principal
supporters. He died in 2003….

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County held its annual awards brunch November 6.
Recognized with the group’s highest honor – The Ozanam Service Medallion - were Richard M.
Cabrera, Gretchen L. Lott and Deborah Payne.

Additional honors were presented to individuals including Presentation Sister Ita Cleary, Sister Julie
O’Neill, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jodi Weidler, Tricia Reilly, Graciela Guerrero,
Tyler Turdici, Jim and Anne Allio, Paul Trahan, Joan Lopiccolo, Carolynn Ghiorso, Blanche Sanchez;
Judy King and Barbara Penner. In San Mateo County more than 1,000 men and women serve in

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the society as members or volunteers to its many programs….It only takes a moment to let us
know about a birthday, anniversary, special achievement, or special happening in your life. Just jot
down the basics and send with a follow-up phone number to On the Street Where You Live, One
Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. You can also fax to (415) 614-5633 or e-mail, do not send
attachments - except photos and those in jpeg please - to tburke@catholic-sf.org. You can reach
Tom Burke at (415) 614-5634.

Old St. Mary’s begins year of celebration to mark 150 years in San Francisco

By Jack Smith

San Francisco’s Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception kicked off a year-long
celebration of its 150th anniversary with a Christmas Eve Mass celebrated by Archbishop William J.
Levada and Paulist Father Charles Kullman, pastor. The celebration recalled the Christmas Eve
Mass at which San Francisco’s first archbishop, Joseph Sadoc Alemany, dedicated this first
cathedral in the new state of California 150 years ago.

Archbishop Alemany dedicated the church to Our Lady under the title of the Immaculate
Conception just 16 days after Pope Pius IX formally defined the doctrine making his cathedral the
first church in the world so dedicated.

The building was designed by architects William Craine and Thomas England to resemble a gothic
church in Alemany’s Spanish hometown. When completed, Alemany’s cathedral was the largest
brick building in San Francisco and was the seat of a bishop whose territory stretched from San
Jose to the Oregon Border and including all of the territory north of the Colorado River and west of
the Rockies.

San Francisco underwent rapid changes during its early years and by 1881, Archbishop Alemany
felt that the area around St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception was no longer suitable for a
cathedral. Alemany purchased property for a new cathedral on Van Ness and O’Farrell, but it would
be up to his successor, Archbishop Patrick Riordan, to oversee its construction. When Riordan
dedicated the new Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in 1891, the original Cathedral became
a parish church thereafter known as Old St. Mary’s. On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in
1894, Archbishop Riordan entrusted Old St. Mary’s to the care of the Missionary Society of St. Paul
the Apostle (Paulists) who have administered the parish and its many outreach programs and
ministries for 110 years.

The walls of Old St. Mary’s survived the 1906 earthquake, but its roof and interior were burnt out
by the subsequent fire. A renovated Old St. Mary’s was rededicated by Archbishop Riordan in 1909.
The age, beauty and central role of Old St. Mary’s in San Francisco life is recognized by its
designation as the City’s second Registered Historical Landmark, behind only Mission Dolores.

The ministry of the Paulist Fathers has always responded to the changing landscape of San
Francisco, from establishing a mission to poor Chinese near the turn of the 20th century to its
current care of a congregation composed of many tourists and weekday parishioners from
downtown financial district businesses. That care involves numerous ministries including the Paulist
Center Bookstore, Adult Education Classes, popular weekday Masses and confessions, several 12-
step programs, and outreach to those returning to the practice of the faith or inquiring about it for
the first time. Old Saint Mary’s also has hosted a popular free noontime concert series which will
begin again February 1 running the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 12:30 p.m.

A four day series of events honoring Old St. Mary’s history and celebrating its anniversary is
scheduled to begin January 20. Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, will be signing
copies of her latest book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions,

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on Jan. 20 at 12:30 p.m. in the Paulist Center Bookstore at 614 Grant Avenue.

On Jan. 21, Old St. Mary’s will celebrate “My Other Parish Day,” recognizing the parish’s special
relationship with business and neighborhood communities. After a noontime celebration Mass, the
event proceeds with 12:45 p.m. remarks by San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron
Peskin and special honors for San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong who is an alumna of the
Paulists’ St. Mary’s Chinese School. That is followed by a 1:00 p.m. “Taste of San Francisco”
luncheon with food by the California Culinary Academy and wine from Buena Vista Winery. An Old
St. Mary’s birthday celebration will begin at 2:00 p.m. which includes raffle. This event is free, but
tickets are required by visiting the Paulist Center Bookstore or calling 415-228-3800. A Gala
Celebration of Old St. Mary’s 150th Anniversary begins on Saturday, Jan. 22 with 5:00 p.m. Mass
offered by Archbishop William J. Levada. That is followed by a sold-out Gala Dinner Celebration,
however, all are invited to a 9:00 p.m. concert by the New Century Chamber Orchestra followed by
Champagne and Dessert. Cost for the concert and dessert is $50 and tickets are available by
visiting Old St. Mary’s, the Paulist Center or calling New Century Chamber Orchestra at 415-357-
1111. The Gala Celebration is in honor of the Paulist Fathers and Catherine Farreley Sullivan and is
also held in memory of deceased longtime parishioner and benefactor Alberta Brasati. Catherine
Sullivan was the wife of 19th century Irish businessman John Sullivan who donated the property
for Old St. Mary’s. According to pastor Fr. Charles Kullman, Catherine is being honored at this
event, because Sullivan family records indicate that the property was in fact part of Catherine’s
dowry.

The final event is a carnival day for parishioners and the community including games, music, raffle,
blessing of the Sesquicentennial Tree and barbecue lunch provided by California Culinary Academy
and Buena Vista Winery on Sunday, Jan. 23. The day begins with 11:00 a.m. Mass celebrated by
San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius C. Wang and Fr. Kullman as homilist. The four day series of
events is intended in part to raise funds for Old St. Mary’s significant seismic retrofit and
renovation costs according to Fr. Kullman. The events have been underwritten by generous donors,
so all donations and proceeds will go toward Old. St. Mary’s remaining $8 million in planned retrofit
and renovation which includes $2.1 million to retrofit the church tower and $1.2 million for required
fire safety and disability access upgrades. Old St. Mary’s has already completed $7 million in major
seismic upgrading due to the requirement of building codes passed following the 1989 Loma Prieta
Earthquake.

For more information on Old St. Mary’s Sesquicentennial events or to support their retrofit and
renovation campaign, visit website www.oldsaintmarys.org or call 415-288-3800.

LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF

School of Pastoral Leadership now the “Catholic Studies Institute”

David McCutchen

The School of Pastoral Leadership began offering classes in the fall of 1995, and since that time,
more than 4,000 students have attended its various offerings in theology, and lay leadership and
ministry.

Since its inauguration, the school has had four directors: Father David Pettingill, who currently
oversees the formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate, and serves as Secretary to the
Priests’ Personnel Board; Father Kenneth Weare, now serving as Administrator of St. Rita Church in
Fairfax; Father Michael Barber, S.J., now teaching theology at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park;
and myself as of the fall of 2001.

Originally founded to provide training in lay leadership in the parish, the structure of SPL also

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proved to be quite conducive to adult faith formation. Many lay adults desire to deepen their
understanding of Catholicism, but are not necessarily intending to pursue parish leadership
positions. Over the years, the program naturally evolved in order to serve both groups of students:
those pursuing training in lay ministry, as well as those desiring simply to study their Catholic Faith
for its own sake, and learn how to apply it in their daily lives.

In order for the program’s name to more accurately reflect its current state of development, as
well as encompass any future developments, the School of Pastoral Leadership now is called the
Catholic Studies Institute.

As for the immediate future of the Catholic Studies Institute, we will continue to offer our courses
in Catholic theology and lay ministry. As well, beginning in September of 2005, we will begin two
new certificate programs: an Archdiocesan Certificate in Theological Studies, and an Archdiocesan
Certificate in Theology and Lay Ministry.

The first two years of the curriculum will be the same for both certificate programs, and will consist
of an in-depth, systematic, and practical formation in Sacred Scripture and Catholic theology. In
the third year, students will choose an area of concentration: either further biblical and theological
studies, or course work and training specific to lay ecclesial ministry.

A solid foundation in Biblical theology, the documents of Vatican II and other key documents,
Catholic ecclesiology, and the mission of the laity will be some of the hallmarks of the course of
studies of the new Certificate programs. As well, retreats will be sponsored each year to provide
opportunities for students to deepen their roots in the Catholic spiritual tradition.

Of course, as in the past, one will not have to be pursuing an Archdiocesan Certificate to take many
of our courses — but we will encourage students to consider completing an entire program for the
best formation. And those that do complete one of the new Certificate programs will receive a
formation rivaling some college-level degree programs — at a small fraction of the cost! For more
information, contact the Catholic Studies Institute at 415-614-5546, or visit our new website to be
launched in January 2005, www.catholicstudies.org.

Msgr. Arcamo named Episcopal Vicar for Filipinos

Archbishop William J. Levada has appointed Msgr. Floro Arcamo Episcopal Vicar for Filipinos. Msgr.
Arcamo will continue as pastor of Star of the Sea Parish in San Francisco where he has served
since 2002.

“I am apprehensive but happy to work for the Filipinos,” Msgr. Arcamo said from his second floor
office in the Pastoral Center. “I always wanted to help and now I can. I am grateful and
overwhelmed by the Archbishop’s confidence in me.”

Msgr. Arcamo will serve as representative of the Archbishop to the Filipino people in the
Archdiocese. Among his other responsibilities is reaching out and ministering to Filipino priests and
deacons, especially in issues that need an understanding of Filipino spirituality, church life, culture
and practices.

A native of the Province of Bohol in the Philippines, Msgr. Arcamo was ordained there in 1965 and
began service in the Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1976. He comes from a family of 10 children
with all but two of his siblings living in the United States in locations including Sunnyvale and
Orlando, Florida. He is former pastor of St. Augustine Parish in South San Francisco and St. Mark
Parish in Belmont.

Catholic Radio Hour Week of January 17-21

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Weeknights at 7:30 p.m. – KVTO 1400 AM Radio

Pray the Rosary – hosted by Fr. Tom Daly

One half-hour of prayers, reflections and music

Monday: Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary; Sunday Soundbite; Fr. Aldelmo Dunghee reflection.

Tuesday: Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary; Fact of Faith; Saint of Day: St. Angela Merici;
Exploring our Faith: Finding a new language of faith.

Wednesday: Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary; Ask a Franciscan; Minute Meditation; Catholic
Treasure: Divine Revelation.

Thursday: Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary; Devotions.

Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary; Office of Film and Broadcasting; Rome Report.

Prayers requests are welcome. You can help keep the rosary on the air by sending a donation to
Catholic Radio Hour, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109.

St. Paul of the Shipwreck Mass honors memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Gospel Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday Jan. 16 at San Francisco’s St. Paul of the Shipwreck
Church will honor the memory of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Former pastor Father
Jim Goode will speak on the theme, “The Dream still lives: Somebody ought to tell it.” Father
Goode is a Conventual Franciscan priest and a noted preacher and evangelist.

Current pastor of St. Paul of the Shipwreck Parish, Conventual Franciscan Father John Heinz, said
the parish’s annual celebration has been extended to include the entire archdiocese. A reception
will follow the 10:30 a.m. Gospel Mass in the Parish Center. The church is located at Third Street
and Jamestown Avenue in San Francisco. For more information, call the church office at (415) 468-
3434.

Local Catholic groups plan execution vigils

Donald Beardslee is scheduled to be executed at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at San

Catholics and others wishing to make a prayerful witness for life and against the death penalty are
invited to participate in a number of vigils at parishes throughout the archdiocese. The vigils are all
on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 18.

A 7:30 p.m. Mass will be celebrated by Jesuit Father Joseph Eagan followed by Eucharistic
Adoration at St. Sebastian Church in Greenbrae.

A prayer vigil will be held at St. Matthias in the meeting room near the rectory garage at 7:30 p.m.
Deacon George Salinger who has worked as a chaplain at San Quentin will give a reflection. A San
Francisco vigil is tentatively scheduled for 8:00 p.m. at St. Dominic Church at Bush and Steiner
Streets.

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The Dominican Sisters of San Rafael also invite concerned Marin residents to join them for a vigil of
prayer and reflection from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Dominican Sisters’ Center, in San Rafael.
Carpooling will be available at 10:30 p.m. for those who wish to participate in the vigil at San
Quentin Prison.

Father William Flanagan

A funeral Mass for Father William Flanagan was celebrated at St. Mark Church in Belmont on
December 20, with San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada presiding. Auxiliary Bishop John C.
Wester and fellow priests concelebrated. Father Domingo Orimaco, pastor of Our Lady of the Pillar
Parish in Half Moon Bay where Father Flanagan was a longtime guest presider, gave the homily.
Father Flanagan, the founding pastor of St. Mark Parish, died December 16, 2004, at Seton Medical
Center in Daly City. He was 84 years of age and had been suffering from throat cancer.

A native San Franciscan, Father Flanagan began seminary studies in 1937 and was ordained from
Saint Patrick Seminary on June 15, 1946. A priest for many years in an era when the Archdiocese
stretched well beyond its current three-county size, Father Flanagan served as a parochial vicar at
Saint Basil Church in Vallejo for four years and then at Saint Patrick Church in San Jose for 11
years.

Father Flanagan served at Saint Monica Church in San Francisco from 1961-65 when he was
named founding pastor of St. Mark’s. In 1969, he returned to Saint Patrick Church in San Jose as
pastor, and in 1978, was assigned as Treasurer to Saint Patrick Seminary, where he served for two
years.

In January, 1980, Father Flanagan returned to St. Mark’s as co-pastor where he served with the
now late Father David Walsh until 1989 when he was named pastor. Father Flanagan served in this
capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1993, remaining in residence at the parish as Pastor
Emeritus.

Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. Remembrances may be made to the Priests’
Retirement Fund, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109.

EWTN-TV to air March for Life

EWTN, the 24-hour Catholic television network, will feature live coverage of the annual March for
Life in Washington, D.C. Jan. 24. Coverage begins at 8 a.m. local time.

EWTN’s youth program, “Life on the Rock,” which will feature highlights of the West Coast Walk for
Life, airs Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Also, an EWTN special, “Door to Hope,” about women learning to accept
the emotional and spiritual effects of abortion airs Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. and Jan. 23 at 7 a.m.

EWTN is carried on Comcast Digital Channel 229; RCN Channel 80; DISH Satellite Channel 261;
and Direct TV Channel 422. Comcast airs EWTN in the Half Moon Bay area on Channel 54 and in
southern San Mateo County on Channel 74.

Father Gerald Brown

Rector at St. Patrick’s Seminary speaks of new evangelization challenges

By Patrick Joyce

Responding to Pope John Paul II’s call for a “new evangelization” and developing priests who share

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the pope’s eagerness to dialogue with the world are top priorities for Sulpician Father Gerald
Brown, rector of St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park.

“One of the great challenges for today’s seminaries is how to come to terms with the kind of
evangelization that is needed in contemporary times,” Father Brown said. “How do we tap into the
hunger that’s there and, at the same time, encourage the value of coming together as church?”

Those are questions Pope John Paul works to answer on the world stage, he said. “The pope is
willing to talk to anyone, provided it leads to progress together. He prays with the Buddhists, the
Hindus and other religions. He speaks at the United Nations about the dignity of the human person.
He uses language people can understand. He’s trying to bring them a step further in facing the
issues of the day.”

“He’s had a profound impact on today’s culture. He tries to generate mutual understanding, but
that doesn’t mean that he has no convictions. He’s one of the most committed people in modern
time. We need leaders like that. Many of our local bishops have that spirit. It’s not easy to be in
that level of leadership these days. It takes courage and a willingness to suffer.” At St. Patrick’s,
Father Brown is on a mission not only to help future priests follow the pope’s lead but to follow it
himself. Seminary leaders must learn new ways of reaching out to people, many of them young
and even older adults, who may have vocations, not only to the priesthood but also to the religious
life and lay ministry, he stated.

“A lot of people in this generation are looking for something very meaningful in their lives,” Father
Brown said. “They’re searching. They want to stand for something, they want to make good,
healthy decisions. Sometimes they feel let down by the previous generation for not passing on a
strong set of values and a rationale for living well.”

“The question is: how do we create opportunities for people in those age groups to reflect on the
possibility of a vocation, how do we tap into their lives at that moment when they’re about ready to
make a major life decision?”

“The task for the Church, and for all of us, is to find out where these folks are and how to make
contact with them. There aren’t many structures we can plug into. We do well with people as they
prepare for Communion and Confirmation but then what happens to them after that? We have lost
many young adults. We have to find a way of reaching out, because many of them are concerned
about questions of faith and the meaning of life.”

Candidates for the priesthood at St. Patrick’s generally range in age from the late 20s to their 50s.
“They come because they have had this hunger but also because of the people they have
encountered – intensely committed Catholic lay people or priests or religious. Very often a really
solid priest who is interested in conversation recognizes the potential of a person and asks the right
questions.”

Many of the seminarians have had those experiences but Father Brown asks: “What about all the
others who aren’t here, simply because nobody knows where to find them?”

Finding these vocations is the first challenge but certainly not the last for the seminary. It must
develop programs that match the needs of students who arrive later in life.

“The older students come with tremendous experience,” Father Brown noted. “The danger is to
deal with them as if they were just beginning students. We’ve had to learn how to benefit from
their experience. We need to take that into account, in the classroom and spiritual direction and
counseling and in our academic program.”

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“The same can be said for candidates who come from other countries such as Mexico and other
Latin countries, Vietnam, the Philippines, the Pacific Rim and other Asian countries and from Africa.
This is a great strength – a blessing to have international students,” Father Brown said. “A few of
them have family members here but many are leaving their families. There’s a sense of promise in
coming to the United States, but often they come because of a strong missionary impulse.”

With students from other countries, adaptation is a two-way street. Not only must students learn
to deal with a different culture, but “We who are the host culture need to understand what makes
us distinct as a culture,” Father Brown says. “How do we transmit that knowledge so the
international student can be effective here. We also need to be open to learning from the
experience of other cultures.”

Diversity needs to be a reality in the faculty and staff as well as the student body. “All of us have
to understand how to learn from each other and how not to offend, which we can do quite by
accident. We all need to learn how to meet the needs of various cultures. For many it means
learning English. For the English speaking it means learning Spanish because that’s a major need
in California. Of special importance is the need for men and women on the faculty and staff who
themselves represent the diversity of cultures at the seminary, including the deaf community.”

In addition, the seminary emphasizes the need for priests to collaborate with lay people and
permanent deacons. “All of us must work together, with mutual respect, to bring the gospel to
people. Each of us needs to know what responsibilities belong to our ministry. How do priests
provide spiritual leadership today? These are big questions we are working hard on here.” “There
are ten times as many people studying for fulltime lay ministry in the church than there are
seminarians,” Father Brown said. “On the graduate level in the United States there are 3,500
seminarians and 35,000 lay people. And of course the number of permanent deacons is growing.”

Money is another fact of seminary life. Nationally, seminaries are struggling under the burden of
rising costs and smaller student bodies. “The numbers of candidates, although somewhat steady
now, is still declining a bit,” Father Brown said. “Whether you have 20 students or 200 students,
you have to have a faculty large enough to do a decent job in the various subject areas.”

“At St. Patrick’s we’re holding our own,” Father Brown said. “Our endowment keeps us going. As
for enrollment, our numbers are not too bad but we could do better. We have a solid faculty. If we
had more numbers we would add faculty.”

“When I started this work as a Sulpician 40 years ago,” he said, “we didn’t have development
directors. Now you have to have development offices with major fund raising. Now seminary
rectors have to spend a good deal of time at that kind of work. We see ourselves here for the long
haul but it’s taking a lot of energy to maintain and keep on top of new needs ministerially.”

“Preaching has always been taught at seminaries,” said Father Brown, “but the need for good
preaching has heightened. When you survey lay people they often say they wish they had a better
quality of preaching. Years ago they wouldn’t have thought of saying that. Now people more and
more are coming not just to celebrate Eucharist together and build community but, in a special
way, also to be fed with inspiration and motivation and a deeper understanding of the scriptures.
When they don’t get that in a particular parish, they find themselves looking around for a place
where they can get it. It would be better if all of our priests coming out of the seminary had good
preaching skills.” Father Brown has been impressed with the spirit of the community at St.
Patrick’s. “Seminarians show a tremendous willingness to volunteer, to take initiative and
responsibility, to work to integrate a total community of many cultures and different ages and
different ways of thinking,” he stated..

“We have quite a balanced faculty. They are good role models. You need good role modeling to

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turn out a good priest. Our staff members also have quite an influence. Our lay faculty and staff
witness well with their dedicated lives. That has an influence on the training of a good priest. We
know the saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ It takes a diversity of folks to train a priest.”

For many years, St. Patrick’s has enjoyed “a solid academic reputation.” At the same time, Father
Brown pointed out, human, spiritual and pastoral formation also are top priorities. “We teach
human formation skills. What does it mean to be a really solid human being? How does one
develop a spiritual life that will sustain one through a life of ministry? Do I pray? Do I prepare well
for sacramental life of the Church? How do I sustain myself as a priest? Do I have support systems
that make it possible for me to be effective and happy?”

The formation program at the seminary offers one-on-one spiritual direction and mentoring, as well
as a pastoral year that gives seminarians a chance to test their vocation and develop pastoral skills
working at a parish or in another ministry in their home dioceses.

“The Holy Father in his document after the synod on priestly formation said the first level, the
ground floor of formation is human formation. You have to have a good human being, a solid
human person capable of growing humanly, before you can have a good priest. He talks about
human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation and pastoral formation. Those four
pillars make up the guideposts for the seminarian.

“The biggest challenge is to learn to integrate all of that into one’s person, so we don’t have
somebody who is intellectual one minute, then pastoral another minute. One has to be spiritual in
everything and the intellectual life has to help change what it means to be human and spiritual. All
those things work together. Seminarians – and all of us – have to learn the skill of integrating. That
is not easy.”

“In ministry and priestly leadership we have to be very good at asking the right questions and
engaging in the right kind of dialogue so that people gain deeper insight into where God is calling
them. In communications, we talk about ‘stopping’ behavior. If you don’t get stopped, you’re not
going to have communication. How do we get people to stop long enough to really reflect and to
talk together?”

He added, “In our society today, we don’t see a tremendous opportunity for people just to talk to
each other about fundamental belief – or lack of it. We talk in sound bites. As we saw in the
election campaign, we are willing to condemn each other but unwilling to engage the ideas of each
other.”

Father Brown said, “Some of the conflicts in the Church have to do with a lack of willingness – in
liberals and conservatives alike – to listen to the other. We all have something to teach each other.
We all have something to learn. Unless we are willing to listen and then to share our own
convictions honestly, we will never come together.”

EDITORIAL

Walk for Life is a good idea

We hope that many Catholics in northern California will join in the first annual “Walk for Life – West
Coast,” which will be held Saturday Jan. 22 in San Francisco. This is the West Coast cousin of the
national march held annually in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s
1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Planners of the San Francisco event are urging people to come out and affirm their support for life
in all its stages. The Walk for Life West Coast challenges the idea that abortion is a good choice for

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women.

Walk for Life – West Coast begins at 11 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco, Speakers
include Sally Winn of Feminists for Life and Georgette Forney of Silent No More Awareness. The
Walk for Life commences at 12 noon and participants will walk two scenic miles to Marina Green,
where the Walk for Life concludes with an information faire.

In a letter to parishioners, San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada said, “Please join me and
participants from the Archdiocese, and thousands from all over the West Coast, as we walk along
San Francisco’s historical waterfront in a celebration of life.”

At 8 a.m. Archbishop Levada will celebrate Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, at Gough and Geary, prior
to the Walk for Life-West Coast.

On Friday Jan. 21, the Interfaith Committee for Life will hold an Ecumenical Prayer Service at St.
Mary’s Cathedral at 7:30 p.m. For more information go to www.WalkforLifeWC.com.

The Annual Appeal is worth supporting

As you can see by the supplement to this week’s issue of Catholic San Francisco, the Archbishop’s
Annual Appeal is off and running. This annual appeal is intended to fund the work of various
ministries within the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

In whatever way your parish participates in the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, we urge you to be a
part of this important work of the local Catholic Church. Because the funds raised support ministry
that serves all parishes, this stewardship really is an example of the unity that St. Paul speaks of in
his letter to the Ephesians:

“Brothers and Sisters, … I urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with
all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to
preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, … one Lord,
one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in
all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Participation in the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal demonstrates that the faithful in the local Church of
the Archdiocese of San Francisco care for our brothers and sisters in our neighboring parishes and
counties. Participation says that we are connected one to the other and we want to fulfil our
responsibility to each other.

MEH

God’s party

God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Please, Ms. Rogus (Letters – Dec. 12) and others, do not
claim that the Democratic party no longer reflects Christian morality. It is a terribly arrogant and
incorrect belief, but more importantly, it’s dangerous. It perpetuates the idea that issues, people,
and political parties are good or evil. When we make judgments like these or allow others to make
them for us, we relieve ourselves of the burden of searching for the good in all. This search is
fundamental to our Catholic faith. History is full of countless examples of awful things being done
when people are convinced that the world can be easily divided into good and evil.

Cristine Dewey San Rafael

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Faithful citizenship

My hat is off to Pope John Paul II for remarks he made Dec. 4 to a group of U.S. Bishops. The Pope
said “for the faithful Christian there can be no separation between the faith which is to be believed
and put into practice and a commitment to full and responsible participation in professional,
political and cultural life.” Thomas Jefferson, when president, went to church services every Sunday
– in the House of Representatives! He and the other Founding Fathers would applaud the spirit of
the pope as he calls for religion and public life to be merged into an integrated, faith-filled whole.
The left in America, if it really knew Jefferson, would find him the worst nightmare.

Let’s study more history of our founding era and put the ACLU and others out of business.

Julian Hartzell San Francisco

Another defection

I was struck by George Wesolek’s excellent column, “How the Democratic Party left me” (CSF –
Dec. 10).

It was as if I heard myself explaining why I am not a Democrat anymore. I too felt that, after 30
years of being a Democrat, the party has left me. I too felt alienated by the party’s 1992 platform.

But, as with Mr. Wesolek, I too will continue, as a Vincentian, to fight for the unborn, and work for
justice for the poor, the immigrant and the marginalized - but not as a Democrat.

August.C.Pijma Redwood City

Just one problem

With interest I read an article entitled, “Archdiocese sponsors criminal justice film; debut at USF
Dec 15,” (CSF – Dec. 10). At the top of the third column of the article there are comments and a
quotation attributable to “San Mateo County District Attorney Tom Fox.” If those are the comments
of the long-time elected very popular district attorney, his name is Jim Fox rather than Tom.
Regardless of the accuracy of the reference, the Restorative Justice Project does seem very much
worthwhile and a holistic approach to the often more silent aspect, and sociological side, of our
justice system. I found the article informative and appreciate the information concerning both the
film and the website.

Tom Maloney Redwood City

Peterson jury

I understand that there were nine Catholics on the Scott Peterson Jury.

It is obvious that they had no understanding of the Church’s position on the Death Penalty. We
need to educate our brothers and sisters about the immorality of the Death Penalty. Pope John
Paul II has made it clear that with security at top levels, there is no need for the Death Penalty.

The greatest fear of inmates is to die alone in prison. A sentence of life without parole is far more
frightening to inmates than the Death Penalty. It is all about revenge and does nothing to bring
closure to victims. I feel badly for the Laci’s family and pray for them.

Deacon George Salinger Former Assistant Catholic Chaplain San Quentin

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Scripture Commentary

Father Donald B. Sharp, S.J.

God’s Faithfulness is Forever

In the recent weeks we have been celebrating the glorious mysteries of our faith: the birth of
Jesus, the motherhood of the Virgin Mary, the epiphany of Christ. Now, as we continue the cycle of
liturgical readings, we celebrate the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.

Some time ago, I heard a homilist say that there are times when we need to know the background
of the selected readings in their original setting before we can more fully enjoy the spiritual fruits
of their messages. I think that this is one of those times.

The setting for the first reading from the book of Isaiah is to be found at the very end of the
Babylonian Exile. The exiles see light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Cyrus the Great of
Persia, a gentile, who will liberate them and return God’s people to their land. This is the fulfillment
of a promise made by God: the anointed of the Lord would liberate his people. It witnesses that his
hesed, his faithfulness to the covenant relationship with the Chosen People is forever.

The first reading is part of one of the famed “Servant Songs.” The identity of the Servant is not
known, but one aspect of him is constant: he exists for others; he is a servant. In fact, in the
fourth song (Is 52:13-53:12) he is described as suffering and dying for the sins of others. Needless
to say, the early Christians saw Jesus as fulfilling this role.

In our reading the role of the Servant is not simply to restore the “survivors of Israel,” i.e., at the
end of the Babylonian exile, but the Servant is also portrayed as being “a light for the nations that
my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Salvation is universal, extending to all peoples,
not just the returned exiles.

In light of this historical setting, perhaps the Gospel reading for this Sunday may come into sharper
focus. The author John records the Baptist’s recognition of Jesus as “God’s chosen one.” Many
startling statements are made in this short passage. One of the more startling is in the Baptist’s
affirmation that Jesus “is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” One might ask,
“Why ‘Lamb of God’?” Many have suggested that there is possibly a reference to the Pascal lamb
sacrificed on the eve of the Passover. The purpose, however, of the paschal lamb was not to take
away sins of the people, but to afford them protection from God’s wrath against the Egyptians: the
death of the first born. Perhaps a better solution to this question is that the early Church may have
thought of the “Servant of Yahweh” who is described in the fourth song as “a lamb led to the
slaughter” (Is 53:7), who gave his life to save his people. This could be the reason why we have a
Servant song in the first reading.

These observations made, what message is there in these readings for us in today’s world? I would
hope that we could reflect on three points, which would stir up in each of us questions to be asked,
an examination of conscience, so to speak, to help us better focus on our commitment to following
in the footsteps of Christ.

I began this reflection by using the term “mystery.” It is important to understand that in the
Scriptures, mystery is not simply an incomprehensible reality, but it is also God’s saving plan that
is gradually unfolded in the course of time and history. God’s chosen people did not always fully
understand their God’s plan: being liberated by a Gentile, salvation for all peoples, a messiah who
would inaugurate a spiritual kingdom. And, quite honestly, God’s ways are often unintelligible to us
as individuals. This is the first point on which we can reflect: God works in mysterious ways, ways
that are divine and not human. Although the purpose of God’s plans is not evident to us, each of us

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is called to trust in his word and ask: “Do I truly put my trust in God’s plan for me?”

Secondly, the realization that God’s word is fulfilled witnesses to us that his hesed (faithfulness,
loyalty) is always present and is seen in particular in Jesus’ commitment to our salvation. This
should call us to examine our lives and ask: “How faithful and committed am I in my relationship
with God and others?” The final point of reflection is found in the role of the Servant: to serve
others. Like the Servant in Isaiah, like Jesus, each one of us is called to serve in the kingdom of
God in one way or another. This point of reflection should make us ask: “How well do I serve
others in God’s name?”

Jesuit Father Donald B. Sharp is a Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Patrick’s Seminary and
University.

One Bread, One Body?

Next Tuesday we begin the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which culminates in the
feast of the conversion of St. Paul on January 25th. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic
Church has been firmly committed to deepening the unity between Christian Churches. Pope John
Paul II has repeatedly stressed that ecumenism is an integral part of our Catholic identity. The
annual celebration of commitment to Christian unity in the Year of the Eucharist challenges us to
look at the thorny question of Christians receiving Holy Communion in one another’s churches.

While various denominations have diverse regulations regarding Eucharistic sharing, these
approaches tend to cluster around two poles: intercommunion can be understood as an expression
of shared unity in essential matters of faith, or it can be seen as an incentive to attaining unity.
The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches and some Protestant Churches hold to the first
position, and thus do not ordinarily allow intercommunion. The Anglican Communion and many
Protestant Churches permit intercommunion in varying degrees.

We live in a society which celebrates diversity and honors tolerance. For this reason some people
find the Catholic position on intercommunion offensive; and in families where one member is
Catholic and another is not, exclusion from sharing the Eucharist is painful. As sad as this situation
is, from the Catholic perspective – one, it should be noted, which is shared by many other
Churches – the Eucharist must be understood in relation to the overall faith of each Church. The
scandal is deeper than the inability to welcome one another to the Eucharistic Table; the true
scandal is that Christians are so divided about the faith which the Eucharist expresses. Where there
are significant disagreements on essential matters, to share in the Eucharist would be dishonest:
doing so proclaims a unity which does not exist.

Of course, the key question here, as in much ecumenical dialog, is, “What is essential?” Some of
these issues are: the nature of the Eucharist itself; the nature of ordained ministry; the very
nature of the Church. These are very significant questions, and until there is fundamental
agreement on them between Christian communities, it is not appropriate to share Holy
Communion. The Catholic stance today is the same as the directive given by St. Justin the second
century: “No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true.”
The pain of separation must be faced, not ignored.

How fruitful is the alternative approach? Intercommunion has been practiced by those churches
which allow it for a hundred years or less, but while this has created an atmosphere of cordiality (a
good thing), it has not produced a common understanding of essential articles of the faith. Rather,
agreement on these matters is held to be less important than the fact that we all share
Communion, regardless of what we believe. Taken to an extreme, Christian faith itself is
compromised: there are churches which now invite everyone to receive Holy Communion, even if
they are not Christian.

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The Catholic position allows for exceptions under certain circumstances. A non-Catholic who
believes that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, and who is unable to receive Holy
Communion in their own Church (as, for example, someone in an area where there is no Protestant
or Orthodox community) may receive the Eucharist in a Catholic church. Similarly, a Catholic in
such circumstances may receive Communion at a non-Catholic liturgy, provided that the
community shares our understanding of the Eucharist, has validly ordained priests, and permits the
exception. In such situations, the issue is not intercommunion between Churches, but the grave
spiritual need of an individual recipient who would otherwise be deprived of the Eucharist.

As Catholics, we believe that by virtue of baptism we share a real but imperfect communion of faith
with all other Christians. We rejoice that walls of mutual animosity and suspicion are crumbling. At
the same time, we recognize that there are serious divisions among the followers of Christ, and
Eucharistic fellowship will have meaning only when there is unity of faith.

Part of a series presented by the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

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