St. Jude:
SVdP:
Clericus:
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Pilgrims carry saint’s promise of hope
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CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Serving San Francisco, Marin & San Mateo Counties
www.catholic-sf.org
November 3, 2016
$1.00 | VOL. 18 NO. 24
Archdiocese honors retired priests Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco
(Photos courtesy Martin Delfino)
Mary Schembri, who is retiring as longtime archdiocesan case manager for retired priests, and Msgr. Harry Schlitt received special recognition Oct. 28 at the Sixth Annual St. John Vianney Luncheon for retired priests.
Every year the archdiocese honors its retired priests with a special luncheon, and this year the woman who has taken care of those priests since 2002 was singled out too. Honoring Mary Schembri at the Sixth Annual St. John Vianney Luncheon to honor retired priests was a cause for “grateful sadness” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said because Schembri recently announced she will retire at the end of this year. When Schembri was hired to take care of retired priests in 2002, a case management system for retired priests was an innovation and she was met with some suspicion. “You talk to that girl, she will take away your car keys and put you in a home,” was the word after her first couple of cases, Schembri said. However, today the case management system is one other dioceses look to for advice. Schembri “so exudes what it means to accomsee priests, page 24
Sulpician order to depart St. Patrick’s Seminary after 118 years Valerie Schmalz Catholic San Francisco
After 118 years, the society of diocesan priests who have administered and taught at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University will withdraw completely from the seminary at the end of this academic year. The abrupt Oct. 21 announcement by the U.S. provincial of the Sulpicians Father John C. Kemper to Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone will sever a relationship with the Society of Priests of St. Sulpice that began with the seminary’s founding in 1898. The Sulpicians are a society of apostolic life, composed of diocesan priests who serve as educators of seminarians and priests. Six Sulpicians teach and work as administrators at St. Patrick’s; they include the president-rector, the vice rector and the dean of spirituality. The province owns and operates St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore; administers Theological College in Washington, which is associated with The Catholic University of America;
and contributes staff to the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s Assumption Seminary. Archbishop Cordileone expressed sadness in an Oct. 23 statement to priests of the archdiocese. He wrote that Father Kemper, a seminary trustee, “informed me of this decision Friday afternoon, about two hours before the commencement of the meeting of the board of trustees. He then stayed for the board meeting and responded to questions and entreaties by board members. The decision, however, remains final.” The archbishop praised the Sulpicians in his statement, noting the society educated many of the archdiocesan priests. “For 118 years, the Sulpicians have formed priests after the heart of Jesus Christ for the work of the Church here in the Bay Area and beyond,” Archbishop Cordileone wrote. “While this moment is an occasion of sadness and challenging transition for all of us, it is also one of gratitude to them for having built up our seminary and contributed see seminary, page 19
St. Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park
Irish Help At Home
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Index On the Street . . . . . . . . 4 National . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 26