VOL. 57, NO. 6 DIOCESE OF OAKLAND MARCH 18, 2019 www.catholicvoiceoakland.org Serving the East Bay Catholic Community since 1963 Copyright 2019 Sisters leaving El Cerrito after 63 years By Michele Jurich Staff writer Sisters of Mercy Father Michael Ryan faced quite a dilemma: He had built a brand-new school Celebration! at St John the Baptist Parish in El Cerrito When: June 15 but he had no Sisters to run it In 1955, this was a big problem No Where: St John the Baptist Church Sisters, no school 11150 San Pablo Ave , El Cerrito No nearby order could take on another Reception follows in School Gym school Resourceful Father Ryan wrote to every convent in the Catholic directory in Ireland, asking if they could send Sisters their children, but from the Sisters at His mailbox sat empty in reply nearby St Jerome School Mother Gertrude, of the Sisters of Just about 63 years after the Irish Mercy convent in Carrick on Suir, Ireland, Sisters saved the day and opened a school sent her reply to him at the Archdiocese that is thriving just a few steps from their of San Francisco’s schools department convent door, the last three Sisters are She was very sorry, she wrote, but she preparing to go home didn’t have anybody It’s their choice They always knew they In that summer of 1956, Father Ryan would go back to Ireland It’s home was visiting Ireland He paid a personal While Catholic education may have their call on Carrick on Suir, in County Tipperary primary ministry, their work has embraced After that, six Sisters of Mercy were dis- the needs not just of the parish they were patched to El Cerrito Leaving their convent called to serve, but a much wider community in August, they traveled by ocean liner and Of the three, Sister Angela O’Donoghue, cross-country train to open St John the RSM, was the first to arrive She came in Baptist School, grades first through fourth, 1959 She was the last religious Sister to PHOTO COURTESY just after Labor Day 1956 serve as principal Her term as principal Sisters Francis Brennan, Declan Murphy, Baptist Halpin, Gertrude Hayes, Joseph The Sisters got some kind assistance may have ended in 1990, but she was a McCarthy and Agatha Walsh were photographed at the Sisters of Mercy convent not only from the parents who had been volunteer math teacher until just a few in Carrick on Suir, Ireland, before they left in 1956 to open St. John the Baptist eagerly awaiting Catholic education for (Continued on Page 12.) School in El Cerrito. Faithful come to pray, confess Catholic faithful from throughout the East Bay came to churches to spend time with the Lord in Adoration and confession for 24 solid hours, from 5 p.m., March 8 to 5 p.m. March 9 to observe 24 Hours for the Lord. The 24-hour event was started by Pope Francis during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015-2016. It has continued every year since. Select churches, such as St. Patrick’s in Rodeo, left, opened for 24 continuous hours offering Confessions and Eucharistic Adoration. Related Lenten news on Page 15. PACCIORINI/THE CATHOLIC VOICE CATHOLIC PACCIORINI/THE ALBERT C ALBERT On our cover Pupils from St. Perpetua School in Help the diocese’s ministries this month Lafayette hold placards describing some of the activities they will be Staff report collect commitments from the faithful ful through your generous gifts,” Miller said able to do in the parish’s soon-to- The 2019 Bishop’s Appeal is rolling out according to the schedule that best worked As explained by Bishop Michael C be-completed community center. this month for it In addition, the timeline to com- Barber, SJ, this year’s theme, Rebuild My With them are diocesan school The appeal is the annual fundraising plete pledges, normally 10 months, was Church, was the message Jesus Christ Superintendent Kathleen Radecke effort to assist with ministries in and the extended into early 2020 if donors wish spoke to St Francis At first, Francis took and Principal Karen Goodshaw. overall mission of the Diocese of Oakland The goal for 2019 is the same as 2018, the assignment literally, physically restoring More on Page 13. The funds it raises augment diocesan to raise $3 million Each parish has been the abandoned chapel at San Damiano, funds to aid specific ministries of the dio- assigned a goal Italy Later, he came to understand his Death penalty 5 cese — needy schools, priest retirement For those parishes that surpass their mission in a more spiritual sense: to return Classifieds 16 and care, seminarians, religious education goal, 100 percent of the excess funds is the church to the radical simplicity of the Datelines 17 and pastoral services Together, these returned to them for their use Gospel, the spirit of poverty and the image Forum 18, 19 services cost the diocese approximately “Every gift is important and helps us of Christ in the poor Soon other people Lent 15 $7 8 million The appeal, which last year build Christ’s church in our parishes and in joined Francis in his life of poverty, dedicat- News in Brief 4 raised $3 2 million, helps offset the cost of the Diocese of Oakland,” said Giles Miller, ing their lives to the teachings of Christ and Obituaries 16 these ministries director of Major Gifts and Campaigns in by doing so, “Rebuilding Christ’s Church ” Senior Living 9-12 The appeal got off to a later start the Office of Mission Advancement For more information, contact Miller The Church 2 this year, so the Office for Mission “Bishop Barber, the Office for Mission at 510-628-2156 or gmiller@oakdiocese Travel 7, 8 Advancement gave each parish permis- Advancement, and all of us at the chancery org, or go to https://www oakdiocese org/ sion to announce, educate and pledge/ are very grateful for the support of the faith- giving/bishops-appeal 2 — THE CATHOLIC VOICE THE CHURCH MARCH 18, 2019 BISHOP BARBER’S SCHEDULE THE VATICAN March 19: Office meetings, Chancery, March 24-26: Episcopal ordination, Oakland Archdiocese for the Military Services, Basilica of the National Shrine, March 20: Office meetings, Chancery, Washington, DC Oakland, including: Rev Tim Kesicki, SJ, president of the Jesuit Conference of March 27: Office meetings, Chancery, Canada and the United States Oakland Diocesan Review Board March 28: Office meetings, Chancery, Oakland, including: College of March 21: Office meetings, Chancery, Consultors Oakland, including: Priest Personnel Board, Presbyteral Council April 3-5: US bishops’ Doctrine Committee Meeting, Washington, DC THE DIOCESE Suitability reminder the receiving diocese — the celebration of sacraments, a retreat, a presentation, MEDIA/CNS VATICAN Article 13 of the Charter for the etc These letters must come directly from Protection of Children and Young People the major superior or bishop They cannot Pope Pius XII archives states that “When a priest or deacon, not be carried by the visiting clergy, nor can Pope Francis speaks during an audience with officials of the Vatican Secret incardinated in the diocese/eparchy, is to the Diocese of Oakland accept “celebret” Archives at the Vatican March 4. Declaring that the Catholic Church is engage in ministry in the diocese/eparchy, cards sent or carried by the visiting clergy unafraid of history, Pope Francis announced that documents in the Vatican regardless of the length of time, the evalu- The letter of suitability for ministry should Secret Archives relating to the wartime pontificate of Pope Pius XII will be ation of his background may be satisfied be sent to Chancellor Steve Wilcox, 2121 open to scholars starting March 2, 2020. Researchers, particularly those through a written attestation of suitability Harrison St , Oakland 94612 If schedules interested in Catholic-Jewish relations, have pressed the Vatican to open the for ministry supplied by his proper ordinary/ do not allow the letter to be sent via postal archives and allow a full study of Pope Pius’ actions during the war, includ- major superior to the diocese/eparchy ” The mail, please email to swilcox@oakdiocese ing what he did or failed to do for Jews during the Holocaust. letter is specific to the event happening in org or dial 510-267-8334 U.S. BISHOPS Priests decline Lenten retreat The percentage of Catholics in the When Pope Francis asked 50-year-old of Christ the Light in Oakland — comes world has remained steady, while the Benedictine Abbot Bernardo Gianni to Blessing holy oils the publication of a new book titled “The number of priests has decreased for the lead his Lenten retreat, the abbot said WASHINGTON — The preparation, Order of Blessing the Oil of Catechumens first time in almost a decade, accord- he told the pope he felt “very inadequate blessing and distribution of oils are cen- and of the Sick and of Consecrating the ing to Vatican statistics Meanwhile, the The pope responded to me that that was tral to the Catholic Church’s sacraments Chrism” by the U S Conference of Catholic numbers of bishops, permanent deacons, a great precondition for doing it well,” the and rites — and are among some of the Bishops The book has an updated English lay missionaries and catechists have all abbot of Florence’s Abbey of San Miniato church’s most ancient traditions and ritu- translation that the Vatican approved in increased, it said At the end of 2017, the al Monte told the Vatican newspaper, als witnessed during Holy Week Ahead of 2017 Beginning on Ash Wednesday, worldwide Catholic population exceeded L’Osservatore Romano Pope Francis and this annual ritual — which takes place at a which was March 6 this year, this text 1 3 billion, which continued to be about