grief ministry:
tolerance:
Jubilarians:
PAGE 8
PAGE 12
PAGE 18
Support for loved ones of those who have ‘died by suicide’
Pope urges religious fraternity at mosque visit
Celebrating long-serving women religious
CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Serving San Francisco, Marin & San Mateo Counties
www.catholic-sf.org
Ocotber 6, 2016
$1.00 | VOL. 18 NO. 22
Pray and vote your conscience, pope says Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM AZERBAIJAN – Catholics facing difficult political choices must study the issues, pray about the election and then vote according to their consciences, Pope Francis said. Flying back to Rome from Azerbaijan Oct. 2, the pope was asked by a reporter what U.S. Catholics should do in a presidential election where both candidates hold some positions contrary to church teaching. Although he was in a relaxed mood and welcomed reporters’ questions for almost an hour, Pope Francis said he would never comment on a specific electoral campaign. “The people are sovereign,” he said. “Study the see pope, page 11 (Photo by Christina Gray Catholic San Francisco)
With his own sheepdog Timo at his side, St. Mary’s Cathedral rector Father Arturo Albano said that animals are blessings to human beings. They can soothe our anger and sadness and bring out the best in us. See Page 3 for more photos of the annual Blessing of the Animals marking the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Blessing: ‘Animals bring out what is good in us’ Christina Gray Catholic San Francisco
A parade of beloved dogs, cats, birds, horses, rabbits and even hamsters with their human companions gathered in the plaza in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral on Oct. 1 to receive a blessing during the annual Blessing of the Animals. The popular event observed in many parishes coincides with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on Oct. 4. “It is but fitting that we praise God and thank him for blessing us with our pets,” said cathedral rector Father Arturo Albano in a ceremony on the steps of the cathedral that included readings from Deacon Christoph Sandoval, music from the St. Mary’s children’s choir and a symphony of barks, chirps and meows. With his own sheepdog Timo at his side, Father Albano said that animals are blessings to human
Speaker: Death penalty ‘ultimate insult to human dignity’ Christina Gray Catholic San Francisco
beings. They can soothe our anger and sadness and bring out the best in us. “Animals bring out what is good in us, what is good and beautiful,” he said, showing us what we are capable of. “They bring out our human-ness and the humane feelings we have for one another in how we treat each other.” The Knights of St. Francis, co-sponsors of the event, brought each pet owner and pet forward to Father Albano and Deacon Sandoval for their individual blessing. Shirley Costello, a resident of one of the apartment towers across from the cathedral brought Cubby Cat Costello, a mellow tabby, after seeing a flyer in the lobby. None of the neighbors she came with are Catholic, she said, but they didn’t think that mattered.
Anti-death-penalty activist and actor Mike Farrell opened up the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Reentry Conference and Resource Fair on Oct. 1, telling his audience why he considers the death penalty “the ultimate insult to human dignity.” “I’ve come to see the death penalty as the lid on the garbage can of the criminal justice system,” he said. “Once we take that lid off Mike Farrell people will have to look into this rotten, stinking, maggot-infested mess that is this system and do something about it.” The one-day conference hosted by the archdiocese’s restorative justice office included a series
see blessing, page 24
see speaker, page 21
Duggan’s Serra Catholic Family Mortuaries Duggan’s Serra Mortuary Driscoll’s Valencia Street Serra Mortuary Sullivan’s Funeral Home & Cremation
650/756-4500 415/970-8801 415/621-4567
www.duggansserra.com
Index On the Street . . . . . . . . 4 National . . . . . . . . . . . .10 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 27