CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 15, 2005
Archbishop ordains two men to
priesthood at St. Mary’s Cathedral
By Maurice Healy
Before a throng of nearly 2,000 faithful, scores of priests and deacons, Auxiliary Bishops John Wester and Ignatius Wang, and many women and men religious, Archbishop William J. Levada ordained transitional deacons Mark Reburiano and John Sakowski to the priesthood at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco Saturday, June 25.
Archbishop Levada welcomed the faithful to the cathedral and said “We give thanks to God for this occasion.” He said the priestly ordination of the two deacons was a memorable occasion for the people and the priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Archdiocesan and Cathedral Choirs combined to provide what one observer called “beautiful and inspiring” music, under the direction of Dr. Christoph Tietze. Cantors for the Mass were Stephen Walsh and Mimi Ruiz.
In his homily, Archbishop Levada said it was a special providence that the two men are ordained in the Year of the Eucharist. He said the Eucharist is the source of all power and grace to the Church.
The Archbishop recalled that many times Pope John Paul II reflected upon the
relationship between Eucharist and priesthood, and he noted Pope Benedict XVI words, which connect Ecclesia — Church, to the Eucharist.
Archbishop Levada said, “The link of Priesthood, Eucharist and Church define the mission to which Mark and John are called.”
He added that in their mission of building up the Church, the newly ordained men become one with their fellow priests.
Fr. Mark Reburiano, a native of the Philippines, is the youngest of five children. His parents, Vicente (now deceased) and Josefina, and extended family have been active at St. Andrew, St. Augustine and Our Lady of Mercy parishes in San Mateo County.
He celebrated his first Mass June 26 at St. Cecilia Church in San Francisco. Fr. Reburiano will complete his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome this fall, after a brief assignment at St. Augustine Church in South San Francisco.
Fr. John Sakowski, a native of New Jersey, earned a degree in engineering and worked as a structural engineer before fulfilling a long-held call to the priesthood. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral June 26, and his first assignment as a priest will be at St. Gabriel Church in San Francisco.
Fr. Sakowski’s mother, Mrs. Gert Sakowski, called the ordination “wonderful.” A resident of New Jersey, she said this was her first time in San Francisco. “And I can only spend a few days here because John will celebrate a thanksgiving Mass in New Jersey on July 17th.”
Fr. Mark Reburiano’s mother, Mrs. Josefina Polo-Reburiano, said she was “overjoyed.” She said the day of her son’s ordination also was her 39th wedding anniversary.
Sulpician Father Eugene Konkel, a priest for 48 years and former head of the Vatican II Institute at St. Patrick Seminary, said, “For a priest, an ordination is like a retreat, it carries you back to your own ordination.”
Father Ken Weare, newly appointed pastor of St. Rita parish in Fairfax, said he was excited for the two new priests. “They will have long and rewarding lives by serving the people, and I hope their ministries are a prophetic witness to the Gospel.”
At a reception following the ordination Mass, Fr. Sakowski and Fr. Reburiano patiently and lovingly bestowed blessings on many people who formed long lines to greet the newly ordained priests.
‘Archbishop Farewell Gala’ to benefit Catholic Schools
The civic farewell dinner honoring Archbishop William J. Levada will take place on Saturday, August 13, with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by a dinner at 7:30 p.m. The gala will be held at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel at Fourth and Mission Streets.
The Archbishop Farewell Gala is being planned by Honorary Chairs, Auxiliary Bishops Ignatius C. Wang and John C. Wester, Monsignor Harry Schlitt and Co-Chairs Janet and Clint Reilly. Mr. Reilly is Chairman of Catholic Charities CYO.
At the request of Archbishop Levada, all the proceeds of the Archbishop Farewell Gala will benefit school children through the Alliance of Mission District Catholic schools.
Among the participants, the event will feature His Eminence Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles and the Most Reverend George Niederauer, Bishop of Salt Lake City, as speakers. The dinner is expected to draw Catholics and community leaders from throughout the western United States according to organizers.
“Archbishop Levada will assume a position of global leadership in the Catholic Church,” says Clint Reilly. “The appointment of Archbishop Levada to succeed Pope Benedict as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is the first time in the 2000 year history of the Church that an American has ever been selected for such a position. It is truly an honor for our Archdiocese and the San Francisco community.”
Sponsors may purchase tickets for the event at the $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000 level with tables seating 10 people. In addition, parishes will be participating with $1500 tables.
“The enthusiasm for this event has been overwhelming,” says Maryanne Murray, Chair of the Gala Planning Committee. “Parishes, universities, high schools, lay and clerical organizations and individual members of the community, both Catholic and non-Catholic have all committed to participate. We look forward to an evening filled with warmth and good wishes for our departing Archbishop.”
The attire is business and reservations will be held at the door.
For further information, please contact Joanne Maher or Maryanne Murray at the Archbishop Levada Farewell Gala Office. Email archbishopfarewellgala@clintonreilly.com or call 415-397-0431, extension 313. Fax number is 415-397-1904.
On the Street Where You Live
Congratulations to Jim Miscoll, a parishioner of St. Anselm’s in Ross and member of the Archdiocesan Finance Council, who has been named vice governor general of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Jim, a retired vice chairman of Bank of America, has been a member of the Equestrian Order since 1986. His wife Ingeburg is also a member. Jim’s appointment to the new post assures that the Order’s more than 12,000 United States members are represented in Rome. “We are honored by the decision of the Cardinal Grand Master to appoint our own Sir James Miscoll as Vice Governor General of the Order,” said John H. McGuckin, Jr., who heads the Northwestern Lieutenancy of the group. The Equestrian Order was established in Jerusalem in 1099 to maintain the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and to protect pilgrims to the holy sites. Reconstituted in 1847 by Pope Pius IX, the Order now focuses on the personal sanctification of its members and support for the Christian Community in the Holy Land. The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem today has more than 24,000 active Knights and Ladies of the Order in 31 countries…. The creative writing of San Domenico School’s 5th grader, Renuka Lovett took her to 3rd place in last month’s American Immigration Law Foundation’s Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest. Also honored was her teacher, Nicole Schuler. The young writer’s poem, “Why I Am Glad That America Is a Nation of Immigrants,” will be published in the forthcoming A Celebration of Young Poets. Renuka herself is an immigrant having spent her early years in Bombay, India. Megan Kallstrom, a San Domenico 6th grader spelled her way to 6th place in recent California State Elementary Spelling Championships. Hats off, too, to classmate, Aleena Patel who placed 33rd among the more than 50 contenders….
Migden pushes ahead with landmarking bill
By Jack Smith
State Senator Carole Migden (D – San Francisco) has backed out of a verbal commitment to withdraw her bill granting significant control over the property of the former St. Brigid Church to the City of San Francisco.
In a surprise statement faxed to the media July 11 Migden announced that her accord with the Archdiocese of San Francisco regarding the removal of her bill had fallen apart “due to church official’s failure to follow through on agreed upon commitments.”
Senate Bill 169, which would exempt St. Brigid Church from a State law forbidding landmarking of religiously owned property without the owner’s consent, has already passed through the State Senate and the Assembly Local Government Committee. It is scheduled to be voted on by the full Assembly July 14.
On June 28, Archbishop William J. Levada announced in a statement to pastors and the press his commitment not to seek a demolition permit on the structure of the former church. He also said that any sale of the property would include a requirement that the purchaser not seek demolition of the property for at least ten years. “This should allow more than ample time for any buyer and the City’s preservationists to formulate a mutually agreeable use and preservation plan,” the Archbishop wrote.
While Senator Migden had agreed to remove her bill if the Archdiocese committed to block demolition for ten years, according to George Wesolek, the agreement was “not a quid pro quo,” the director of the Archdiocese’ Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns said. The Archdiocese will not seek a demolition permit and it has legally bound the property from demolition for ten years Wesolek said. “Finding an adaptive reuse for St. Brigid is the commitment of the Archbishop whether or not Senator Migden follows through on removing SB 169,” he said.
Migden’s statement said that the Archdiocese’ legal and verbal commitments contained “significant loopholes that further imperils St. Brigid.” Wesolek said the Archdiocese had acted in good faith. “We would love to talk to Senator Migden about this,” Wesolek said, “but she went to the press before we could discuss any misunderstanding.”
Wesolek said, “We’ll fight 169 no matter what happens and we’ll keep our commitment about St. Brigid Church.”
Religious congregations across the state who had originally formed to help pass legislation exempting religious buildings from mandatory landmarking are reforming to fight Migden’s bill. “SB 169 threatens the hard fought status quo of the law which all churches and religious congregations are concerned about,” Wesolek said. Already, San Francisco Interfaith Council Chairman Rev. James DeLange of St. Francis Lutheran Church and Bishop Jerry Lamb of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California have taken active roles in the campaign to defeat SB 169.
St. Brigid Church was closed 11 years ago. The current cost of retrofitting the church would be five to seven million dollars. Regardless of the disposition of the property, Archbishop Levada has stated the building will not be reopened as a church.
Archbishop’s statement on St. Brigid Church
Following is a statement by Archbishop William J. Levada on the Archdiocese’ determination regarding the disposition of the church building at the former parish of St. Brigid. The statement was released to pastors and the press June 28.
It is always the desire of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and for more than a century and a half it has been the work of the Archdiocese, to preserve, whenever practical and feasible, its significant and historic structures. Indeed, perhaps no private organization in the City, or even the State, has devoted greater effort and expense to the preservation of such buildings. The Archdiocese and its parishes have, for example, already invested more than forty million dollars and dedicated almost twenty million more to performing the necessary seismic retrofitting at more than ten parishes and schools.
Four of the first five historic landmarks designated by the City were and are churches of the Archdiocese. While our proven preference has been to preserve the beautiful and tradition-rich buildings located throughout the Archdiocese, there have been occasions when changing ministerial and liturgical needs and priorities and/or building code costs have made that impossible. When changes have been made and parishes closed, the Archdiocese has made every effort to preserve the integrity of the worshipping community along with its music, art, religious artifacts and its traditions.
In regard to St. Brigid church, which was closed in 1994 in view of declining attendance and the City’s multimillion dollar structural retrofit requirement on the building, it was initially hoped that the Archdiocese could ease its varied and well-known financial needs by selling the property to a developer for much needed housing stock. However, in recent months it has become abundantly clear to me that there is a significant sentiment in the geographically small and unique city of San Francisco to maintain this particular structure as a visible sign of our past and to preserve the beauty that was created by those who have gone before us.
After further review of all the pertinent factors, I wish to announce that the Archdiocese will not seek a demolition permit. While the building will not be reopened as a parish, I am committed to finding a use that will allow this structure to remain in place. I am encouraged by recent overtures from prospective buyers who have expressed an unequivocal interest in promptly reaching an agreement that will preserve the building. Indeed, any purchase and sale agreement will include a provision requiring the recording of a deed restriction prohibiting the buyer, or the church on behalf of the buyer, from even applying for a demolition permit for a period of ten years. This should allow more than ample time for any buyer and the City’s preservationists to formulate a mutually agreeable use and preservation plan.
I am delighted that in the case of St. Brigid, a solution has been achieved, which maintains the integrity of the laws respecting the autonomy of religious organizations such as the Archdiocese, but also responds to the call of this fine city’s history. My successor will review other property issues in the light of the same objectives, as conditions require.
LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF
Archdiocese settles 12 abuse cases
Former San Francisco clerics dismissed by Vatican
Farewell Mass for Archbishop Levada
Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Levada and priests of the Archdiocese are invited to concelebrate.
Archbishop Levada will leave for Rome August 17 to take up his full-time duties as the first American Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
Burlingame Sister
to head Mercys
Sister Waskowiak is a native of San Bruno and has been active in local and national ministry posts. She has taught religion at Mercy High Schools in San Francisco and Burlingame and was Director of Mercy Center in Burlingame from 1987 to 1991. She served as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious from 1996-99 and from 1991 to 1999 on the Leadership Team of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy.
She has a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Russell College in Burlingame and a master’s degree in pastoral theology from the University of San Francisco.
Since 2003, Sister Waskowiak has been president of the Sisters of Mercy regional community in Burlingame. She replaces Sister Marie Chin, who is from Jamaica and was the first non-U.S.-born sister to serve on her community’s leadership team.
The new president said she hopes to serve her community well during what she called “challenging times,” and she expressed a vision for the sisters that involves taking up the mandates of the institute more fully.
“Those mandates include a challenge to claim anew our identity in the church and world communities. We want internationality and nonviolence to mark our perspective for doing the works of Mercy in the beginning of this 21st century,” she said in a statement.
Also elected were Sister Patricia McDermott of the Omaha regional community as vice president, and Sisters Linda Werthman of Detroit, Anne Curtis of Rochester, N.Y., and Eileen Campbell of Merion, Pa., as councilors.
The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy is an international community of sisters who serve people who are poor, sick and uneducated, with a special concern for women and children.
The Sisters of Mercy address human needs through collaborative efforts in education, health care, housing, pastoral and social services, and advocacy. The institute includes 25 regional communities with more than 4,600 members and 2,600 associates who serve in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Guam and the Philippines.
Archbishop toasted by his priests
More than 300 priests gathered June 20, at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University to pray, and celebrate the decade of leadership of Archbishop William J. Levada, newly appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The evening was full of moments both fun and profound including one during a Mass in the seminary chapel where Archbishop Levada presided. “The Archbishop was choking up during his homily,” said Msgr. Floro Arcamo, pastor, Star of the Sea parish in San Francisco and liaison to the Filipino community. “It seems hard to say goodbye.”
Speakers at the dinner, included master of ceremonies, Father Tom Daly, director of vocations; Franciscan Father Louis Vitale, former pastor, St. Boniface Parish; retired Father Kevin Gaffey; Sulpician Father Gerald Brown, president of the seminary; Msgr. Fred Bitanga, pastor, St. Patrick Parish, San Francisco; Bishop John C. Wester, and Msgr. Harry Schlitt, Vicar for Administration for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
“I’ll be losing my roommate,” Msgr. Schlitt, who resides in the Archbishop’s Residence, said to his laughing brother priests. Msgr. Schlitt also presented a $20,000 check to the Archbishop comprised mainly of gifts from those in attendance. Though for use as the Archbishop sees fit, presumption is that it will benefit some educational effort, “a need the Archbishop has shown great dedication to,” Msgr. Schlitt said.
Archbishop Levada said he was grateful for his ten years as spiritual leader of the Archdiocese and that the experience will count greatly in his new work as head of one of the Church’s highest offices.
The Archbishop reciprocated the many mentions of his “friendship and care” for the priests with assurance that their goodness toward him is a gift he will “treasure today and always.”
In attendance was Msgr, John Foudy, retired pastor, St. Anne of the Sunset Parish and at 91 the second oldest priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Unable to attend but remembered was Father Joseph O’Reilly, retired pastor of St. Stephen Parish and at 93 the oldest priest of the Archdiocese.
Father James Tarantino, pastor, St. Hilary Parish in Tiburon, followed a closing prayer by Bishop Wester with the leading of the Salve Regina, a hymn reserved for the commissioning of priests to new posts.
EWTN TV program highlights for July
July specials on EWTN, the 24-hour Catholic TV network, include a look at the Spanish Inquisition based on a review of Inquisition archives, July 12 at 10:00 a.m. and July 23 at 5:00 p.m. “The Hidden Gift: War and Faith in Sudan,” hosted by exiled Catholic Bishop Macram Gassis, shows the resilient Nuba people of central Sudan and the daily role that their faith plays in their besieged lives, July 26 at 10:00 a.m. and July 29 at 8:00 p.m. “Loyola: The Soldiering Saint” sets forth the life of St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. and July 30 at 5:00 p.m.
EWTN is carried on Comcast Digital Channel 229;
RCN Channel 80; DISH Satellite Channel 261; and
Direct TV Channel 422. Comcast airs EWTN on
Channel 54 in Half Moon Bay and on Channel
74 in Southern San Mateo County.
Commentary
The Post-Conciliar Liturgy (of Trent)
Since we are living in a time of significant liturgical changes in the wake of an ecumenical council, we can appreciate something of the era following the Council of Trent. The sixteenth century was a time of tremendous social upheaval: voyages of discovery, advances in science, artistic and literary ferment, and religious revolution across Europe all had a profound impact on the Church. The bishops gathered in council recognized the need for the Church to reform, and in the wake of this council the Pope promulgated a revised Roman Missal. This is the form of the Mass many older Catholics remember from childhood. It is sometimes called the Missal of Pius V, from the name of the Pope who authorized its use, or the Tridentine Mass, from the name of the city where the council met.
Pope Pius V assembled the best historians and liturgical scholars of his day to work on the revision of the Missal. It was his desire that the Missal should be faithful to the earliest models of the Roman liturgy. Rites were simplified and prayers were removed. The calendar of saints was pruned; only saints whose feast had been celebrated as far back as the eleventh century in Rome were retained in the universal calendar.
This was to be a truly Roman liturgy. The Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer) had spread throughout Catholic Europe and was at the heart of every western rite. Almost all of the saints in the Tridentine calendar were Roman, and the Missal even noted at which Roman church the Pope was accustomed to celebrate Mass on a given day in the Middle Ages. But if the liturgy was to be Roman, it was also to be universal. The Pope decreed that this Missal should be used everywhere in the Latin rite, with one significant exception: religious orders and dioceses could retain their distinctive rite if it was at least two hundred years old. The printing press made it possible to disseminate the new Roman Missal all over the world. From the jungles of South America to the palaces of Europe the same form for the celebration of the Eucharist was used.
The bishops at the Council of Trent discussed the possibility of allowing the liturgy in the vernacular and of restoring the practice of the laity receiving from the chalice, but in the polarized world of the Reformation it was decided that such changes would confuse people. The Council urged the faithful to receive Holy Communion every time they attended Mass, although the practice did not take hold. In the years after the Council the interiors of many churches were drastically altered to allow the laity an unimpeded view of the altar. The importance of preaching and catechesis was emphasized: clergy were to be educated about the ceremonies of the Mass and explain them to their people.
This form of the Mass remained virtually unchanged for the next four hundred years. The Tridentine reform had cut back the tangle wood of local variations which tended to confuse people, and emphasized the importance of understanding the meaning of the Mass. It is not surprising that, given the polemical atmosphere of the time, several liturgical changes which would have been good in themselves were not enacted. There was a certain strength in having a uniform Mass, both in terms of Catholic self-identity and for fostering a sense of unity in the Latin rite throughout the world. At the same time, such an unchanging rite was an anomaly: for more than a thousand years the churches of the west had combined the basic structure of the Roman Mass with the customs, feasts and prayers of their diverse regions. Four hundred years after the promulgation of the Missal of Pius V, another Pope in the wake of another Council would promulgate a new Missal. What were the principles of liturgical renewal employed by the Second Vatican Council? The next article in our series will explore what has shaped the Mass as we know it today.
Part of a series presented by the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
A tribute to Cardinal Sin and his people
By Bill Applegate
On June 21, 2005, the Philippines, and indeed humanity, lost a great champion of peace, justice, and of life itself. A staunch defender of the faith and steadfast advocate for the poor, migrants and the unborn, he was a true servant of all.
Jaime Cardinal Sin was born the seventh of nine children in Aklan, Philippines, August 21 1928.
He served as Archbishop of Manila from 1974 to 2003, when he retired from active ministry at the age of 75. This courageous prince of the Church and acknowledged world leader has been described as a patriot, prophet, prelate, and politician. But mostly he personified the Good Shepherd, tending his flock, living the Christian message of love and forgiveness, and serving as a moral compass to all.
He was a man of deep faith and confident prayer, and was especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And when needed he took decisive action, knowing that God would also do his part to make up for human imperfection. As the world watched, he played a historic role in bringing about peaceful changes of government in the Philippines, twice in the span of 15 years, averting bloody civil strife through a call to prayer and non-violent action that resulted in the now famous “people power” phenomenon.
He loved life and humankind with great doses of charity, wit and humor, and he laughed with hearty joyful exuberance. He always had a good joke for his many visitors. “Welcome to the House of Sin” was a favorite greeting he boomed with a great grin as he welcomed guests to his villa.
On a personal note, he never failed to ask me how my parents were, and he was always prompt in replying to correspondence, even the hand written birthday cards of my children.
Cardinal Sin was courageous in his pursuit of justice, persevering in promoting peace, and humble in embracing God’s will, especially in his long suffering illness. His charismatic and joyful persona touched people of all faiths, rich and poor, the powerful and the marginalized. All knew where he stood on matters of faith and morals, and his fraternal corrections were direct, yet spoken in a spirit of charity.
When the millions of victims of communism in Southeast Asia fled their ravaged countries in the 1970’s and 80’s, it was Cardinal Sin who encouraged his government to respond humanely and provide safe-haven to thousands of Vietnamese boat people arriving on Philippine shores, setting an example for the entire region.
He was also resolute in confronting dangers to his people from the outside, especially the more subtle life-threatening designs of the world’s social engineers who foisted roughshod upon the Philippines programs of population control. Their agenda still includes plans for abortion that not only contravenes the moral teachings of the Catholic Church on the sanctity of life, but would subvert the Philippines Constitution’s declared protection of the unborn.
The irony here is while the Philippines is becoming a major supplier of workers to nations that are facing aging populations, and thereby are supporting their economies and social security systems, the eugenicists want to diminish the number of Filipinos at home and, in effect, abroad.
Today there are an estimated 8 million overseas Filipinos, many of them migrant workers, in 193 countries, with some 1.5 million in the Middle East. There are more than 2 million Filipinos, including numerous accomplished professionals, who have made the United States their permanent home.
This populous Filipino diaspora is revitalizing many of their host countries’ faith communities. This is especially true in the spiritually poor countries of the West, but also very evident in places where Christians are a minority, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.
Filipinos started migrating to the U.S. in large numbers after World War II but their impact on the Catholic Church here is fairly recent, and is now acknowledged with great enthusiasm by Church leaders. The resulting fusion is a Church enriched by Filipino devotional practices, strong support for 24 hour Eucharistic adoration, joyful charismatic witness, vibrant music liturgy, outreach and pro-life work, and active participation in organizations such as the Knights of Columbus. Their living faith permeates many professions with genuine caring. Hospital patients and the aged, for example, know the compassion and tenderness of Filipino nurses and care-givers.
Literally hundreds of Filipino priests, deacons, brothers and sisters are in the U. S. Some are pastors and numerous religious have been appointed Catholic school principals. Many Filipinos have responsible positions in parishes and diocesan chanceries. In the San Francisco Archdiocese over 20 per cent of the faithful are of Filipino origin.
Cardinal Sin’s positive influence reverberates today both in his homeland and abroad. Mother Teresa once said that at the end of our lives God will not ask us if we were successful but if we were faithful. Cardinal Sin was both, but he was, before all, faithful. And, as he would put it, the success is God’s. He was truly a Man for All Seasons: “The King’s good servant, but God’s First.”
Bill Applegate spent over 20 years in the Philippines during which time he came to personally know Cardinal Sin through Catholic Church programs he helped manage for Indochinese refugees and Filipino migrants. He is a parishioner at St. Stephen in San Francisco.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Open Letter to Archbishop Levada
Tom, my husband, and I came into full communion in the Catholic Church in 2004. You were our first Archbishop. We are so grateful to God that you were here during this most important time in our lives. You have been a gift from God for us. We have worshiped at the Cathedral, which has meant that we have had the joy of experiencing worshiping with you on many occasions. Tom and I will always love you.
Although we have a wealth of memories, because of your presence at the Cathedral, here are a few things that will always stir our hearts as we remember you after you have gone to Rome.
•Your dignity, your softness and your love as we shook your hand and kissed your ring.
• Your listening to us, and your caring, when we asked for your prayers during the process of the Tribunal.
• Seeing you stand, Archbishop Levada, at the Ambo speaking God’s Truths boldly, in the name of His Son, while at the same time over your right shoulder the dome of the City Hall, sparkled in the sun, where God’s truths were not recognized. You were equal to the task! You stood straight and tall - speaking of Holy Truths to your flock. We were blessed to be sheep of His pasture, as you spoke!
• Seeing you walk in the Procession the weeks you were present to celebrate the Mass - always honoring the Mother of God as you stopped, without fail, and bowed at Our Lady of Guadalupe - honoring the Son as you honored His Mother.
• On Holy Thursday, after bringing the Blessed Sacrament to the Repository, your returning in your street clothes, sitting with all of us, praying, worshiping our Savior. Because you sat by us, we experienced the joy of seeing you read from the same Magnificat we had with us for our prayers. May I say, Archbishop Levada, you were just one of His sheep that night. The Holy Father was about to be taken home the next week and your life was going to be changed forever.
• On Good Friday, kissing the feet of the Lord Jesus . . . one of us and one of His.
A friend from the Cathedral said recently after shaking your hand for the first time, “He has a firm handshake and I like that. His hand has the feel of a laborer’s hand: a longshoreman’s hand, or, better yet, a fisherman’s hand.”
Thank you, Archbishop Levada, for answering the Call of God, for being who you are for Him and who you have been for us.
SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY
By
Father Raymund M. Reyes
God takes time, better wait!
I’ve always been thrilled and moved every time I watch the Emmy Award nominated television show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. There are many episodes being shown and each episode presents a race against time on a project that would usually take about four months to finish. But what is moving about each episode is the extreme joy and happiness it gives to the deserving family whose lives are forever changed when they get to see an entirely new home sitting on their property only after seven days! It’d truly move you to tears when you see the dreams of these lucky families come true in just seven days!
Maybe many of us would love to be in these families’ shoes. But what happens when life goes back to normal? Is it somehow easier now? I wonder. The show has not indicated any conditions attached to this sudden and extreme change in their lives. Having not to worry about the mortgage for instance, are they able to keep their rights before the makeover? What will happen to the house in case something happens to them? We can speculate further, but I certainly see a shaky foundation to this very interesting, attractive, and hasty transformation - better known as a makeover or instant gratification.
We find ourselves in a world that highlights life long dreams, fairy tales and fantasies, but wants them delivered like a Dominoes Pizza - in 30 minutes or less. We are in a world that encourages speed and promptness: computers, microwaves, fast Internet connections, instant jackpots, mega lotteries, and get rich quick schemes. We work hard and resort to lots of time saving devices to get things done in the shortest time possible. Yet through all these, life seems more challenging, more stressful and feels less fulfilling.
This Sunday’s parables bring about the Lord’s alternatives to living our present life, and how this impacts our journey to the Kingdom of Heaven. Although saving time has its value, scriptures teach us that our patience and willingness to wait like God offer far greater rewards - rewards that lead to greater fulfillment and happiness.
In the first parable, the slaves of the householder come to him and ask, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from? Do you want us to go and pull them up?” And the master replied, “No. Wait and let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time, pull them up, tie them in bundles for burning and gather the wheat into my barn.” The householder did not tolerate an immediate action. Rather, he proposed a period of waiting until the certainty of harvest time comes.
God affirms this lesson from the first reading in the book of Wisdom, “Who can judge with clemency and with much lenience,” in governing His people. It reflects what the Bible says about our God who treats those who do evil with His attitude of “waiting.” Psalm 103 has always proclaimed Him as, “Loving and forgiving, slow to anger and rich in kindness.”
The other parables in the gospel also describe the value of waiting. The mustard seed for instance is the smallest of all seeds. But over the appropriate amount of time from being planted, it becomes one of the strongest and largest plants. In the same way, the yeast mixed into the wheat flour also rises with time. But when it does, it provides whole leavened bread.
None of these parables are finished products: each needs time to reach their potential and desired ends. More importantly, they reveal the certainty of the coming of God’s kingdom at a given time: the wheat will be gathered into the barn at harvest time; the mustard seed will grow and the dough will rise to become bread. With these parables, Jesus tells us that God always takes his time with us. He is always patient in spite of the evil we sometimes choose to do. With His patience, we realize along the way His tremendous love that is enough to transform us gradually and help us become more committed and faithful in loving Him in the end.
My dear friends, it’s only when we learn how to be patient that we can understand the way God deals with us. Unfortunately, our culture teaches us to respond quickly and apply instant solutions to every problem we face. We may get easily impatient on the road and drive too fast to save a few minutes and without any idea why we need to save them. Many spend their money on expensive food supplements available that promise quick results and hasty changes in their bodies. We can easily turn down people, become indifferent and break a wonderful relationship, yet we find it so difficult to forgive and mend a broken friendship.
The lure of the instant is powerful, but Jesus has shown us the way. The good news this Sunday tells us that God has always been patient and lenient with us. We expect Him to always treat us this way even if we often sin. Can we be fair with Him by also making a promise to become patient and lenient with others? His way may be difficult, unpopular, and oftentimes contrary to what our culture suggests. God takes time with us; we better wait! But let us be assured that the coming of the Kingdom at the “proper time,” will always be there for those who have lived the ways of patience, faithfulness, and God’s attitude of “waiting.”
Fr. Raymund M. Reyes
is parochial vicar at St. Isabella Parish in San Rafael.
EDITORIAL
Learn about immigration
In light of a conference on migration, sponsored by U.S. and Mexican Catholic bishops three weeks ago in Texas, and the launching in May of a “Justice for Immigrants” campaign by U.S. Bishops and a dozen Catholic organizations, we recall the landmark pastoral letter, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,” which was issued by the Catholic bishops of Mexico and the United States just 18 months ago.
U.S. bishops (www.usccb.org) acknowledge that the current immigration system is badly in need of reform, and they offer a package of recommendations for changing U.S. laws and policies to reflect the principles contained in Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching and to bring about a more humane and just immigration system in the United States.
The reforms called for by the bishops include increased global anti-poverty efforts. Many migrants leave their homes out of economic necessity in order to provide even the most basic of needs for themselves and their families. Trade, international economic aid, debt relief, and other types of economic policies should be pursued that result in people not having to migrate in desperation in order to survive.
The pastoral letter also calls for expanded efforts to reunify families. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents must endure many years of separation from close family members who they want to join them in the United States. Backlogs of available visas for family members result in waits of five, ten, fifteen, and more years of waiting for a visa to become available. The bishops call for a reduction of the backlog and more visas for family reunification purposes.
Another reform requirement cited by the Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States is a temporary worker program. The U.S. economy depends upon the labor provided by migrants – many of whom come to the United States because of this need for workers. The bishops acknowledge this reality and call for a more rational and humane system by which laborers from other countries can enter the country legally to fill positions in the labor force, including on a temporary basis.
Because the U.S. experience with temporary workers programs has been fraught with abuses, the bishops call for a temporary worker program that includes a path to permanent residency; ways to allow immediate family members to join workers; adequate labor protections; wages and benefits that do not undercut domestic workers; mobility between U.S. and homeland and within U.S; and labor-market tests to ensure U.S. workers are not harmed.
For those in this country without proper immigration documentation, the bishops call for opportunities for them to obtain legalization if they can demonstrate good moral character and have built up equities in this country. Such an “earned” legalization should be achievable and independently verifiable.
Also, the bishops call for reforming our system for responding to asylum seekers and considering their claims. Today, asylum seekers must meet a very high bar for demonstrating their claim for asylum and are incarcerated in the meantime. The bishops believe that our nation can both protect its citizens from terrorists and remain a safe haven for legitimate asylum seekers fleeing persecution.
Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, recently spoke of a disturbing trend in public discourse surrounding immigrants, “in which newcomers are characterized as a threat to our nation and not a benefit.” He said those in ministry at parishes, schools, hospitals and social service agencies see the effects of that environment daily — in families kept apart by years of waiting for visas and by deportations or detention policies.
Building on the themes of migration in the Gospels, the church’s teachings on just treatment for migrants and Pope John Paul II’s call for solidarity in “The Church in America,” Cardinal McCarrick offered suggestions for dealing justly with the migrant peoples in the hemisphere.
First, he said, “we must change the minds of people about migrants.” Citing the U.S. bishops’ current “Justice for Immigrants” campaign, he said, “Many of those who are not welcoming come from our own faith. We must try to change their hearts and seek to address their fears.”
Second, “we must ultimately change the laws affecting migrants, immigrants and refugees in both” the U.S. and Mexico, said the cardinal.
“The migration systems in the United States and Mexico have many serious deficiencies and indeed in many areas they are not accomplishing the good for which they were put on the books,” he said. “With our advocacy, constant, respectful and always principled, we must seek to change these.”
We urge local Catholics to learn more about immigration issues and the effects of current policies on individuals and families. Visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org, which provides information and resources for parishes and local organizing.
DATEBOOK
Food and Fun
4th Sat.: Handicapables of Marin meet at noon in the recreation room of the Maria B. Freitas Senior Community adjacent to St. Isabella Church, Terra Linda, for Mass, lunch and entertainment. Call (415) 457-7859.
California Handicapables needs volunteers including drivers, servers, donors, and recruiters of those who might benefit from the experience. Call Jane Cunningham at (415) 585-9085.
TV/Radio
1st Sun, 5 a.m., CBS Channel 5: Mosaic, featuring conversations on current Catholic issues.
3rd Sun, 5:30 a.m., KRON Channel 4: For Heaven’s Sake, featuring conversations about Catholic spirituality.
Reunions
Sept. 17: St. Paul’s Grammar School reunion for class of 1960, 6 p.m. at Irish Cultural Center, San Francisco. Call Liz Hinds Hannan at (650) 342-1759.
Oct. 1: Golden Diploma ceremony for 1955 graduates from Marin Catholic High School beginning with Mass at 4 p.m. in MC’s St. Francis Chapel. Father Tom Daly, school president, will preside. Dinner and dancing follows at Marin Art & Garden Center.
Oct. 1: Calling all Stars who graduated in 1965 from Star of the Academy - a 40th Reunion. Contact Teri Baldocchi at 650-592-6763 or xbaxter11@comcast.net.
Oct. 29: Class of ’55, Immaculate Conception Academy at Embassy Suites in Burlingame. Contact Anne Nolan Dowd at (650) 359-2601 or andown@aol.com.
Oct. 8: Class of ’50, Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School. Contact Joe Murray at jdmsail1@cs.com or www.holynamesf.com/alumni. The school is searching for class members from’65. Contact Helen Sigmund Fisicaro at (415) 973-1022.
Nov. 12: Class of ’64 Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School. Contact Kevin Brady at kbrady2626@msn.com or www.holynamesf.com/alumni
Holy Angels Elementary School in Colma is looking for graduates of its class of ’56 with a reunion in mind. Call (65) 755-0220 or email Holyangls@aol.com.
Class of ’65, Our Lady of Mercy, Daly City, reunion. “We are in the process of planning our 40th reunion and are looking for lost classmates,” said Michael Thompson. The reunion will be in September 2005. Contact Pat Lucido Davisson at (415) 457-6544. Email is patdavisson@ctt.com.
Class of ’75 from St. John Ursuline High School is planning a 30th reunion for this fall! Classmates should contact Kathy Grimley at (650) 342-7633 or kathygbnp@aol.com. Archbishop Riordan High School is in search of alumni moms! Call (415) 586-8200, ext. 217.
SF/East Bay Chapter of Kappa Gamma Pi is seeking members with whom it’s lost touch. Call Betty at (925) 284-2028.
We are on a Star Search for graduates of Star of the Sea Academy, Class of ‘55. A 50th Reunion is in the planning stage. Let us know where you are. Contact Patricia Lawless Sack at 415-472-5732.You won’t want to miss this one!
Young Adults
August 11-22: Please pray for our young adults preparing for the pilgrimage to World Youth Day to Cologne, Germany 2005. Financial support is appreciated. For more information, www.sfyam.org.
Sept 24: Fall Fest 2005, 9th Annual Young Adult Conference at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Volunteers needed. Contact Mary, jansenm@sfarchdiocese.org, 415-614-5596. Registration available in June. www.sfyam.org.
Young adults recite the rosary in chapel of St. Dominic Church, 2390 Bush St. at Steiner, SF each Wednesday at 7 p.m. Contact Tony at (415) 387-1654.
2nd and 4th Mon.: St. Vincent de Paul Young Adult Group meets. “Just show up and be part of our community.” Meetings take place at SVDP, Steiner and Green, SF at 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. at 7:30 p.m.: St. Dominic Adult Formation Series in the parish hall 2390 Bush St. at Steiner, SF. Explore the skills needed to understand the bible and help it inform daily life. Join at any time. Contact Scott Moyer at scott@stdominics.org.
3rd/4th Sundays: St. Vincent de Paul YAG provide nourishment for the less fortunate, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Contact Tricia Reilly at (415)505-4313.
Single, Divorced, Separated
Saturdays: Prayer Group, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. at St. Hilary Church 761 Hilary Drive, Tiburon, (415) 756-5505. Father James Tarantino, presides. Call (415) 756-5505. Also at St. Hilary’s, Bible Study beginning Sept. 3. Sign-ups begin August 1st.
Catholic Adult Singles Assoc of Marin meets for support and activities. Call Bob at (415) 897-0639 for information.
Consolation Ministry
San Mateo County: St. Catherine of Siena, Burlingame. Call (650) 344-6884; Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame. Call Louise Nelson at (650) 343-8457 or Barbara Arena at (650) 344-3579. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Redwood City. Call (650) 366-3802; Good Shepherd, Pacifica. Call Sister Carol Fleitz at (650) 355-2593; St. Robert, San Bruno. Call (650) 589-2800. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Belmont. Call Ann Ponty at (650) 598-0658 or Mary Wagner at (650) 591-3850.
Marin County: St. Isabella, San Rafael. Call Pat Sack at (415) 472-5732. Our Lady of Loretto, Novato. Call Sister Jeanette at (415) 897-2171.
San Francisco County: St.Gabriel. Call Barbara Elordi at (415) 564-7882. St. Finn Barr in English and Spanish. Call Carmen Solis at (415) 584-0823; St. Cecilia. Call Peggy Abdo at (415) 564-7882 ext. 3; Epiphany in Spanish. Call Kathryn Keenan at (415) 564-7882. St. Dominic. Call Margaret Passanisi at (415) 931-5241.
Ministry for parents who have lost a child is available from Our Lady of Angels Parish, Burlingame. Call Ina Potter at (650) 347-6971 or Barbara Arena at (650) 344-3579. Young Widow/Widower group meets at St. Gregory, San Mateo. Call Barbara Elordi at (415) 564-7882.
Information about children’s and teen groups is available from Barbara Elordi at (415) 564-7882.
Returning Catholics
San Francisco County: Old St. Mary’s Cathedral, SF, Michael Adams at (415) 695-2707; St. Philip the Apostle, 725 Diamond St. at Elizabeth/24th, SF. Call (415) 282-0141; St. Dominic, SF, Lee Gallery at (415) 221-1288; Holy Name of Jesus, SF, (415) 664-8590.
San Mateo County: St. Bartholomew, San Mateo, Dan Stensen at (650) 344-5665; St. Catherine of Siena, Burlingame, Silvia Chiesa at (650) 685-8336; Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame, Dorothy Heinrichs or Maria Cianci at (650) 347-7768; St. Dunstan, Millbrae, Dianne Johnston at (650) 697-0952; Our Lady of the Pillar, Half Moon Bay, Meghan at (650) 726-4337; St. Peter, Pacifica, Sylvia Miles at (650) 355-6650, Jerry Trecroci at (650) 355-1799, Frank Erbacher at (650) 355-4355; St. Matthew, San Mateo. Jim Shea at (650) 344-7622.
Taize Prayer
1st Fri. at 8 p.m. at Mercy Center, 2300 Adeline Dr., Burlingame with Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan. Call (650) 340-7452; Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park at 7:30 p.m. Call Deacon Dominic Peloso at (650) 322-3013.
1st Sat. at 8:30 p.m. at SF Presidio Main Post Chapel, 130 Fisher Loop. Call Catherine Rondainaro at (415) 713-0225.
Volunteer Opportunities
St. Anthony Padua Dining Room in Menlo Park needs volunteers Wed., Thurs, and Sat. from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help prepare and serve noon meals. More than 500 people daily are helped by the program. Call (650) 365-9664.
St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco needs your help at its Help Desk. Service includes sorting donations and helping clients. If anyone would like to volunteer - also small groups of volunteers one Saturday a month - they should call (415) 202-9955.”
Notre Dame Elementary School in Belmont has been honored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society for service to the community including its gathering 10,000 ounces – more than 600 one-pound jars – of peanut butter for the poor. Entering winning work in an SVDP art contest were students including 4th graders, Kelly Kmak, Karenna Meredith, and Brooke Natenson. An SVDP essay contest drew winning entries from Notre Dame students including Dominic Ferrario, Robert Smith, Taylor Chung, Lauren Moissiy, Michelle Parcell and Amanda Deering. Proud parents of the budding artists and scribes are Marie Griffith and Bruce Ferrario, Gerald and Deborah Smith, Marianne and George Chung, Alex and Carmen Moissiy and Tom and Jolanta Neuert, Frank and Cheryl Parcell, Carol and Kurt Lindorfer and Steven and Irma Deering, Tom and Mary Kmak, Anthony and Khristine Meredith, Glenn and Sharon Natenson. Thanks to school publicity person, Cynthia Tognotti, for the good news.
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…Remember this is an empty space without ya’!! The email address for Street is burket@sfarchdiocese.org. Mailed items should be sent to “Street,” One Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. Pix should be hard copy or electronic jpeg at 300 dpi. Don’t forget to include a follow-up phone number. You can reach me at (415) 614-5634.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco announced July 8 the settlement of a group of lawsuits stemming from claims of clergy sex abuse dating back several decades ago. All of the twelve cases involved claims pertaining to deceased clergyman Joseph Pritchard. The total settlement is approximately $16 million. The allocation of insurance in this settlement is related to certain future contingencies, so no specific dollar figures concerning the Archdiocese’s contribution were disclosed at the time, other than to confirm that the contribution is in the millions. No parish or school assets were used in the funding of the settlement. The Archdiocese has now resolved approximately one half of the cases in which it is named as the primary defendant. Archbishop William J. Levada said in the statement, “I continue to hope and pray that these settlements will facilitate a prompt and just resolution of the remaining cases.”
The Archdiocese of San Francisco has been informed by the Vatican that prior to his death, Pope John Paul II signed official documents which dismissed from the clerical state Patrick J. O’Shea and Guy A. Murnig, former priests of the Archdiocese who had been named in allegations of sexual abuse against minors.
All are invited to a special Archdiocesan-wide farewell Mass for Archbishop William J. Levada 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 7 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. A reception will follow in Patron’s Hall below the Cathedral.
LAREDO, Texas (CNS) — More than 300 representatives of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have elected Sister Mary Waskowiak as their president for the next six years.
The women religious elected their new leader during their congregational meeting, called a chapter, held June 20-30 in Laredo.
By Tom Burke
You are a much-loved man of God, you are a much-loved Archbishop and you will be a much-loved Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. I know there are many who will sing this farewell love song to you, Archbishop Levada!
Terry Fenwick-
Half Moon Bay
MEH
3rd Sat.: Handicapables gather for Mass and lunch at St. Mary Cathedral, Gough and Geary St., SF, at noon. Volunteer drivers always needed. Call (415) 585-9085.
Sunday 6 a.m., WB Channel 20/Cable 13 and KTSF Channel 26/Cable 8: TV Mass with Msgr. Harry Schlitt presiding.
Aug. 14: Reunion of former members and friends of the now closed Blessed Sacrament Parish, San Rafael at China Camp Miwok Meadows Picnic Grounds from noon – 5 p.m. Bring your own picnic. Contact Joan Powers 479-9482 or Chuck Chiapellone 479-3921 for additional information.
Office of Young Adult Ministry and Campus Ministry: Connecting late teens, 20s and 30s, single and married to the Catholic Church. Contact Mary Jansen, 415-614-5596, jansenm@sfarchdiocese.org. Check out our Web site for a list of events around the Bay Area and download our Newsletter at www.sfyam.org. We publish a quarterly newsletter to connect college students and young adults to the Catholic Church.
Separated and Divorced support group meets 1st and 3rd Wed. at 7:30 p.m. at St. Stephen Parish Center, SF, call Gail at (650) 591-8452.
Groups meet at the following parishes. Please call numbers shown for more information.
Programs for Catholics interested in returning to the Church, have been established at the following parishes:
Marin County: St. Hilary, Tiburon, Mary Musalo, (415) 435-2775; St. Anselm, Ross, call (415) 453-2342; St. Sebastian, Greenbrae, Jean Mariani at (415) 461-7060; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Mill Valley, Rick Dullea at (415) 388-4190; St. Mary Star of the Sea, Sausalito, Lloyd Dulbecco at (415) 331-7949.
3rd Wed. at 7:30 p.m. with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in their Province Center Chapel, 1520 Ralston Ave., Belmont across from Ralston Hall on the campus of their Notre Dame de Namur University. Call (650) 593-2045, ext. 350 or www.SistersofNotreDameCa.org.
Do you have a few hours each week to spare? St. Anthony Foundation can use your help. For more than 54 years, St. Anthony Foundation has worked to provide for the physical and emotional needs of the poor and homeless. A staple of its12 programs is the support of more than 300 volunteers. If you are interested in sharing the gift of time with St. Anthony Foundation in its free Dining Room or other programs, please call (415) 241- 2600 for more information. Weekday volunteers are especially needed - www.stanthonysf.org.