Colleges & Festivals inside VOL. 55, NO. 15 DIOCESE OF OAKLAND SEPTEMBER 4, 2017 www.catholicvoiceoakland.org Serving the East Bay Catholic Community since 1963 Copyright 2017 In ‘hope and joy,’ educators begin school year By Michele Jurich Staff writer More than 900 teachers, administrators and staff members filled the Cathedral of Christ the Light Aug. 14 for the annual Elementary Staff Day Celebration. Father Larry Young, the pastor of St. Patrick School in Rodeo, who also served as interim superintendent during the past year, celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit. “Our children are facing so many critical issues,” Father Young said in his homily. “You are there to shape and form those young lives.” He encouraged the educators: “Love one another. Be happy.” New Superintendent Kathleen Radecke told the gathering, “I know the difference Catholic education makes. It is what we do. It is who we are.” In expanding on the theme of hope and joy, she said, “I see joy as a conscious choice, how we choose to live our lives, how we minister to our VOICE HOLIC T students and each other.” The superintendent unfurled an altar HE CA cloth made for her as an end-of-the-year T ICH/ gift from her first class — second grad- R ers at Holy Spirit School in Fremont, 25 years ago. The cloth features the children’s hand- ICHELE JU drawn images of themselves. She has M carried it with her, she said, to all her Joining 50-year honoree Kathryn Culp, of St. Joseph Elementary School in Alameda, center, are Father Larry Young; teaching assignments. It has a place of Marquita Yriarte, the new principal at the Alameda school; Father George Alengadan, pastor of the basilica parish; and (Continued on Page 9.) Kathleen Radecke, superintendent. For health care Thanksgiving Mass for Health Care Providers ‘Catholics Care’ — diocese providers, an When: Sept. 30, 10 a.m. opportunity for Where: Cathedral of Christ the launches new initiative Light, 2121 Harrison St., Oakland By Michele Jurich a website offering additional information for faith and fellowship • Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, Staff writer those who seek, and those who give, care. By Michele Jurich presiding From the pulpits across the diocese A committee of parishioners, many Staff writer of Oakland on Sept. 9 and 10, Catholics of them professionals in the health care • Reception to follow As the Diocese of Oakland prepares for will hear from priests and deacons about field, has been looking at ways to help its Second Annual Mass of Thanksgiving Information: Sandra Martinez, an initiative launching: Catholics Care. spread the message. The committee for Health Care Providers at the end of Diocese of Oakland, smartinez@ The message is clear: Spiritual, Physical began meeting in April. the month, a fair amount of community oakdiocese.org, 510-267-8371 and Mental. We care. Catholics care. The effort is across the life spectrum, building has already taken place. Under the auspices of the Marriage including physical, mental and spiritual Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, will and Family Life division of the Department care. It seeks to answer the question: celebrate the Mass at 10 a.m. Sept. 30, to ministry,” Father Kappler said. of Evangelization and Catechesis, the ini- How can we better accompany people thank and honor those in physical, mental “Alone” is how many health care work- tiative seeks to provide avenues toward in their life journey? and spiritual health care professions. ers can feel. whole-person care, from conception to The concept of accompaniment is “My biggest hope is that this Mass “Many times health care workers are natural death. critical. Rev. Stephan Kappler, pastor of would offer them a sacred space, a under a tremendous amount of stress,” “Whole-life care is attractive,” said St. Jarlath Church in Oakland, is also a moment of healing, a moment of refueling he said. “They work hard. They work long Mimi Streett, who is spearheading the psychologist at Kairos Psychology group themselves with the sense of the divine on hours,” he said. diocese’s efforts. in Oakland. their lives, the sense of God’s presence “Just like first responders, you come Through the California Catholic “There is a tendency these days to act in their lives,” said Rev. Stephan Kappler, home and people don’t really want to Conference, parishioners throughout the as if human frailty, human suffering and pastor of St. Jarlath Church, who is orga- hear about your stresses, or it’s hard to state will be engaging in these efforts. pain that comes with it,” he said, “there’s nizing the Mass. Father Kappler is also a understand,” he said. The annual Respect Life gathering, which no space for that. We act as if that can psychologist at Kairos Psychology Group. Conversations with health care pro- will be held Sept. 16 in Oakland, will fea- be fully controlled and eliminated from “They’re not alone in this. This is a viders in anticipation of the Mass have ture a keynote address by Ned Dolejsi, our lives. That is not true.” loving community. revealed a proposal to help counter that executive director of the conference, on Think of the wide gate and the narrow “Here’s an opportunity to thank those loneliness, Father Kappler said. statewide initiatives. gate, he suggested. engaged in this caring, compassionate (Continued on Page 14.) Locally, the initiative leaders will launch (Continued on Page 14.) On our cover Help our retired diocesan priests in coming collection Our Lady Queen of the World Parish in Bay Point Staff report do, like housing and transportation. celebrated its 55th anniversary and the feast of A second collection specifically to help retired priests The average annual retirement income benefit per the Queenship of Mary, patroness of the Diocese of is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 9 and 10. priest is about $23,700. Health care and other benefits, Oakland, with a large procession, Mass and festi- “The priests of the diocese have taken care of our like dental and long-term care, are funded separately. val on Aug. 20. More on Page 15. parishioners, providing pastoral and spiritual care and “It ensures priests who have worked for the dio- the Sacraments. Help me in taking care of these priests cese will have money to live on when they retire,” said Bishop’s Column . 3 Forum . 18, 19 in their retirement as they have provided for you,” asked Rev. Paul Vassar, who retired last year after a long Classified. 16 Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ. career as a pastor and diocesan administrator, includ- News in Brief . .4 College Information The collection benefits the Priest Retirement Benefit ing serving as chancellor. Father Vassar is also on Obituaries . 16 Trust of the Diocese of Oakland — diocesan priests; the advisory board of the retirement fund. “They have Guide . 10-12 religious order priests are provided for separately by their given their lives to the diocese and we want to make Datelines . 17 Seniors . 14. 15 respective congregations. sure they have sufficient funds to cover essential and Fall Festivals . 7-9 The Church. .2 Retired priests face many of the same costs lay people basic needs.” 2 — THE CATHOLIC VOICE THE CHURCH SEPTEMBER 4, 2017 BISHOP BARBer’s scheDULE Sept. 5: 6 p.m., Mass, celebration of Sept. 9: 5 p.m., seminarian gala Taking a stand for peace Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Mark Parish, celebration, St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo By Carrie McClish Richmond Park Staff writer Bishop Barber responds Sept. 6: Noon, retired priests’ lunch, St. Sept. 10-13: U.S. bishops’ committee Very Rev. James Matthews, rector of Isidore Parish, Danville meetings, Washington D.C. Oakland’s Cathedral of Christ the Light, to hate marches joined more than a dozen faith leaders Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, Sept. 7: 9 a.m., Catholic Charities of the Sept. 15: 9:30 a.m., Mass with students representing various denominations and joins other local faith leaders in East Bay appreciation breakfast, Cathedral and faculty, Moreau Catholic High School, communities in the encouraging acts of kindness and of Christ the Light, Oakland Hayward East Bay, Aug. 26 in peace in response to recent violent 10:30 a.m., Priest Personnel Board, Sept. 17: 4 p.m., Mass, dinner, Italian standing up for peace protests, including the tragedy in Chancery, Oakland Catholic Federation Bishop’s Day, St. during a weekend Charlottesville, Cornelius Parish, Richmond dominated by protests Virginia, on Aug. Sept. 8: 7:45 a.m., Mass and visitation, the and counter-protests 11-12 and in the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Carmel in the San Francisco Bay Area on Aug. of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Kensington Bay Area. 26-27. He thanked orga- He issued the nizers of the event, following state- Rabbi Bloom held at Temple ment: THE DIOCESE Beth Abraham near “Hatred has Oakland’s Lake no place in the Bishop Barber Merritt, for bringing hearts and minds communities of faith of Christians. Our love of Christ com- Voice collection coming up together and for pro- pels us to treat people of all races and Staff report in the Oakland diocese — about half of viding an opportunity nationalities as our brothers and sisters, The annual collection to support the all East Bay Catholics. El Heraldo Católico of helping find com- with generous kindness and sincere publication of The Catholic Voice, El is available monthly at all parishes where mon ground with one love. I ask all Catholics in the Diocese of Heraldo Católico, the annual Diocesan Mass is said in Spanish and select retail another. Oakland to join me in praying for those Directory and affiliated websites will take outlets.