CSF January 2023

“With God, all things are possible …”

BY ARCHBISHOP SALVATORE JOSEPH CORDILEONE

When “The Nation’s Report Card” (the National Assessment of Educational Progress) was released in October 2022, it highlighted what we have always known: our Catholic schools excel in just about every aspect of education and provide a vital service for our families and for our country. The challenges of the past two years have shined a spotlight on our Catholic schools’ commitment to our young people. This commitment was demonstrated by the fact that Catholic schools opened for in-person learning during the pandemic at

more than double the rate of public schools and almost triple the rate of charters. That is extraordinary. It was no easy feat to provide a reasonable balance between health and safety measures and academic excellence. I do not tire of reiterating how proud I am of our teachers and school leaders and just how grateful I am for their commitment to serve when things got tough.

On the one hand, the results of the Nation’s Report Card should not come as a surprise. Catholic schools have always faced challenges and have excelled in their mission despite

often being under-resourced and in the face of cultural and political pressure. Historically, the Church and Her saints seem to have flourished when under the greatest pressure. Even the threat of martyrdom in the early Church did not slow the spread of the Gospel. On the contrary, “The blood of Christians .is the seed” of the Church, as the late second-century Christian writer Tertullian once wrote. The witness of the saints is full of examples of people of faith doing the seemingly impossible with next to nothing. How can we account for this mission success time and time again? The answer should not surprise us. Our work is not ours alone. ›

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Our Catholic schools excel in just about every aspect of education and provide a vital service for our families and for our country.”

Photo by Debra Greenblat

The National Benchmarks and Standards for Effective Catholic Schools point out that Catholic schools contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church. Catholic schools carry out a mission that is not merely a human project. They receive their mission and mandate from Jesus Christ, and their good work is animated by the Holy Spirit, who makes possible what is humanly impossible. (Lk 1:37) Catholic education serves the natural order well, forming minds and bodies and forming good citizens, but the means and ends of Catholic education are also supernatural. The formation our young people receive in our schools not only serves them in this world, but it forms them in virtue and prepares them for their eternal destiny. Catholic educators do not carry out their good work alone, but, by virtue of their mission as Catholic educators,

align their gifts and talents with the work of the Holy Spirit. When we recognize that the mission to which we are called is not only dependent on us and on our own efforts, we realize that we can not only do what is difficult, but, with the grace of God, what is seemingly impossible.

Our Catholic schools are effective due to the efforts of our teachers and school leaders—efforts that are multiplied when placed in service of the Gospel. The Catholic identity of our schools is their greatest strength because it is not a merely human strength. As we celebrate our Catholic schools during Catholic Schools Week, we give thanks to God for the great mission entrusted to our Catholic schools to teach and evangelize. May our Catholic schools continue to show us what is possible when we align our work with the grace of God! ■

As we celebrate our Catholic schools during Catholic Schools Week, we give thanks to God for the great mission entrusted to our Catholic schools to teach and evangelize. May our Catholic schools continue to show us what is possible when we align our work with the grace of God!”

Photo by Debra Greenblat

How well do you know the Catholic Faith?

The Ultimate Catholic Quiz by Catholic Answers’

Founder, Karl Keating.

Excerpted with permission and available for purchase from

https://ignatius.com/the-ultimate-catholic-quiz-ucqp/

here are no trick questions, but there are questions that will trip you up if you fail to read carefully. An answer is counted as wrong if any part of it— such as a date or name—is wrong. Your goal is not to find the answer that is least wrong, but the one answer that is wholly correct, which may be “none of the above”. On average, most informed Catholics score 50%. How well did you do?

1. The Catholic Church is

a. one of several churches established by Christ.

b. part of the original Christian Church, the other parts being Eastern Orthodox churches and Protestant churches. c. the only ecclesial body in which the Church founded by Christ subsists. d. closest sacramentally to the Anglican, then to Eastern Orthodox, and lastly to the Protestant churches. e. none of the above.

2. Christ first knew He was God

a. at the presentation in the Temple, when His divinity was recognized by the holy man Simon (Lk 2:29-32).

b. on the cross, when the Father’s purpose was revealed fully as Christ said, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30).

c. at the finding in the Temple, when the 12-year-old Jesus said, “I must be about my Father’s business (Lk 2:49, King James Version).

d. when the apostle Thomas, the doubter, saw the risen Christ and cried out, “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28). e. none of the above.

3. How many miraculous cures at Lourdes has the Church recognized officially?

a. none, since Lourdes is a place of pilgrimage.

b. only the cure of St. Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary at Lourdes. c. more than 800, which is a tiny fraction of the cures claimed by the millions of people who have visited Lourdes. d. fewer than 70. e. none of the above.

4. Which of the following is not a pairing of one of the seven deadly sins with the opposite virtue? a. gluttony and temperance. b. wrath and kindness. c. avarice and charity. d. sloth and diligence. e. none of the above

5. The Communion Host may be received a. on the tongue only if the church has an altar rail. b. either on the tongue or in the hand, as per the preference of the individual communicant. c. whichever way the majority of parishioners may vote. d. only as the pastor determines, after consulting with the parish council. e. none of the above.

6. The Catechism of the Catholic Church a. is intended to be used exclusively by bishops.

b. is intended to be used by bishops, priests and religious educators only.

c. takes effect in a particular country only when that country’ s national bishops’ conference approves it. d. is intended to be used by lay Catholics. e. none of the above.

7. Apologetics

a. is part of evangelization.

b. is a word we no longer use in polite company.

c. means apologizing for the sins Catholics committed against our separated brethren over the centuries.

d. involves using any means necessary to get non-Catholics to admit that they’re wrong. e. none of the above.

8. Women someday will be ordained as priests

a. because in the ancient Church there were women priests.

b. because in the ancient Church there were women deacons.

c. most likely after the next ecumenical council. d. In fact, they won’t be ordained. e. none of the above.

9. Vatican City

a. is a separate country located entirely inside the city of Rome.

b. is part of Italy but has federal administrative status according to the 1929 concordat between the Vatican and the Italian government.

c. may be willed by a Pope to his heirs, even though no Pope has ever used that prerogative.

d. is the third-smallest country in the world. e. none of the above.

10. What is the breviary?

a. an abbreviated form of the New Testament.

b. the Latin-rite variant of an aviary. c. the readings of the Divine Office, all set to music.

d. a book containing prayers, hymns, psalms and readings for the canonical hours. e. none of the above.

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Catholic Elementary Schools of North San Mateo County

All Souls Catholic School (Preschool, K-8th)

479 Miller Avenue So. San Francisco 94080

Phone: (650) 583-3562 Fax: (650) 952-1167 www.ssfallsoulsschool.org Open House Sunday, January 29th from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Applications are now being taken. Email the Admissions Director at info@ssfallsoulsschool.org

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (TK-8th)

80 Wellington Avenue, Daly City www.olphdc.org email: info@olphdc.org

(650) 755-4438 * Fax: (650) 755-7366 Applications now being accepted!

CALL or EMAIL US FOR PRIVATE TOUR

St. Robert Catholic School (K-8th)

High Performing Students Who Are Engaged and Resilient! Strong English, Math, and Science Departments That Create High Achievers in Life! 345 Oak Avenue San Bruno 94066

(650) 583-5065 Fax: (650) 583-1418 www.saintrobert-school.org e-mail: strobertsoffice@gmail.com

Holy Angels School (Preschool, TK-8th)

20 Reiner Street, Colma 94014

(650)755-0220 Fax: (650) 755-0258 www.holyangelscolma.org Email: office@holyangelscolma.org

Open House: Sunday, January 29th Visit our website for more information. Schedule an in-person tour. Applications are now being accepted! Go Angels!

Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School (Pre-School, TK - 8th)

7 Elmwood Drive, Daly City, 94015

Tel: (650)756-3395 www.olmbulldogs.com

We invite you to visit our website for our virtual school tour or contact the office to schedule an in-person tour and orientation with us. Applications are now being accepted!

St. Dunstan Catholic School (K-8th)

1150 Magnolia Avenue Millbrae, CA 94030 (650)697-8119 www.st-dunstan.org Applications now being accepted for 2023!

Please join us for our Open House: Sunday, January 29th

Contact the office for more information or for private tours

St. Veronica Catholic School (K-8th)

434 Alida Way South San Francisco, CA 94080 www.saintveronicassf.org (650) 589-3909

Please call to schedule a tour. Join us for Open House: January 29, 2023. Applications are now being accepted!

Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith and Resilience

Many thanks to the faculties, parents, and students in all of our schools for making our Catholic schools institutions of excellence, faith, and family.

Setting the standard

BY PAMELA LYONS Superintendent of the Department of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco

On Oct. 24, the National Assessment of Educational Progress released its test results for 2022. Often called the “Nation’s Report Card,” the NAEP assessment is taken by a random sampling of fourth and eighth grade students across the United States in public, charter, private and Catholic schools. In all, 224,000 students and 5,700 schools in Grade 4 and 222,000 students and 5,100 schools in Grade 8 participated in the assessment. The overall results saw a significant drop in sc ores for both fourth and eighth grade students. Fourth grade students dropped 5 points in math and 3 points in reading, while eighth grade students dropped 8 points in math and 3 points in reading. Ten points are considered one year of growth or loss, so as a country our students experienced significant learning loss.

However, the news for our Catholic schools across the nation was significantly better. Fourth grade Catholic school students’ average scores in math remained 11 points higher than the average scores of their fourth grade public school peers and 19 points higher in reading. Eighth grade Catholic school students scored 15 points higher in math and 19 points in reading.

For fourth graders in Catholic school, math scores remained the same, while eighth graders saw a 1-point increase. Scores in reading were even more impressive, with fourth and eighth graders in Catholic schools experiencing a 1-point gain.

For me, these results were not surprising. In the Archdiocese of San Francisco, we have seen no significant learning loss in math or reading in our Renaissance STAR

data throughout the pandemic. These results reflect the hard work that Catholic school teachers and leaders have demonstrated throughout the pandemic by showing up for students and families and opening our schools months before our public-school counterparts. They also reflect what is at the heart of Catholic education. By educating the whole child, with Jesus at the center of all we do, the students and families we serve are part of our own family of faith, where students are and will always remain our top priority.

In this issue of the Catholic San Francisco magazine, we have prepared articles for you that reflect the four pillars of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools. The standards and benchmarks were published in 2012 as a guide and assessment tool for PK-12 Catholic school effectiveness and sustainability. They include researchbased school effectiveness criteria, as well as criteria unique to Catholic school mission and identity. The schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco are fully implementing the standards and benchmarks to align with our new accreditation protocol that will be released by the Western Catholic Educational Association next school year. In this magazine, you will find articles on mission & Catholic identity, governance & leadership, academic excellence and operational vitality.

For those reading this magazine who are already part of our Catholic school community, I hope you can join us in celebrating the great achievements of our schools and students during this Catholic Schools Week. For those of you who are not yet a part of our Catholic school family, I invite you to visit a Catholic school and experience for yourself all they have to offer. We are dedicated in our mission to grow our students’ understanding that they are God’s beloved so they may fully realize God’s plan for themselves. Come partner with us in bestowing on your childen a gift that will be invaluable throughout their lives, the gift of faith. ■

The soul of Catholic education

BY RYAN MAYER Director of Office of Catholic Identity Formation & Assessment, Archdiocese of San Francisco

Catholic schools have a reputation for excellence in all facets of formation.

We know that Catholic schools excel in many areas — academics, athletics, dedication to service — the list goes on. This was reaffirmed in the recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress, also referred to as the Nation’s Report Card. Catholic schools continue to outperform their public counterparts in nearly every measurable area, and this was especially true throughout the past two years when 92% of Catholic schools opened for in-person learning ›

The Catholic school loses its purpose without constant reference to the Gospel and a frequent encounter with Christ.”

“THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL” FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION (1977)

A young student in prayer at St. Finn Barr School in San Francisco.

Photo by Debra Greenblat

during the pandemic as opposed to only 43% of public schools.

What makes Catholic schools truly unique?

What gives Catholic schools their unique identity and what does Catholic identity look and sound like in a Catholic school?

In the four benchmarks and 21 standards of the “Mission and Catholic Identity” domain, the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools reference what we might expect to see in a Catholic school, such as a stated commitment to the Catholic mission, opportunities for prayer and service, and catechesis and formation in knowledge of the Catholic faith. A Catholic school that excels in the mission and Catholic identity domain will have an inspiring and clearly articulated mission statement that identifies the school as a Catholic school. It will offer faithful an excellent formation in knowledge of the Catholic faith and provide frequent opportunities for prayer and participation in the sacraments, especially the Mass. An excellent Catholic school will be a center of formation not only for young people, but for the adults in the community as well: for teachers as formators in need of ongoing formation and for parents insofar as the school is

Jesuit Institute for Family Life

Marriage Counseling Family Counseling Individual Counseling

Is your marriage what you want it to be? Are you struggling to express your need for your spouse? Are your children suffering from lack of communication with your partner? Has your spouse left you emotionally? Have you tried to solve problems like these and found you could not do it alone? This need has given rise to the Jesuit Institute for Family Life; a staff of competently prepared and professionally skilled marriage counselors who are Catholic in religious orientation perceiving marriage as a sacrament and whose training and interest is in dealing with the above questions and areas of growth in family living.

The Jesuit Institute for Family Life provides marriage counseling, individual and couples, family counseling, and group counseling for married couples as a means to meet the need within families to value the presence of individual family members and to improve the quality of intra-family relationships. To want to value one’s spouse and family members is often quite different from actually performing in a way that effectually expresses such value. We find that new skills are often needed and old obstacles to growth must be understood and worked through before effective human relating can be realized. When we do this we relate to Christ as He said, “In you give to these brothers and sisters of mine you give to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

STAFF:

Robert Fabing, S.J., D. Mn., M.F.T., Director

Michael Neri, Ph.D., M.F.T.

Ann Rooney, S.M., M.A., M.F.T. Marilyn Neri, M.A., M.F.T.

FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Phone 650/948-4854

Jesuit Institute for Family Life Jesuit Retreat Center

300 Manresa Way, Los Altos, California 94022 www.jiflinet.com

Students at St. Finn Barr School in San Francisco.

a partner with parents as primary educators. These are essential and indispensable elements of excellent Catholic schools, and a Catholic school could hardly be called “Catholic” without them. But the distinctiveness of Catholic schools does not only come from the fact that there are crucifixes on the walls or that students take religion classes, or that students participate in service projects. What makes Catholic schools truly unique is that their Catholic identity permeates everything that they do.

As the document “The Catholic School” from the Congregation for Catholic Education (1977) observes, “The Catholic school loses its purpose without constant reference to the Gospel and a frequent encounter with Christ. It derives all the energy necessary for its educational work from Christ and thus creates in the school community an atmosphere permeated with the Gospel spirit of freedom and love.” (55) How does Catholic identity inform and “permeate” the other domain areas?

The document, “The Catholic School,” goes on to state that the Catholic school is a place “in which a specific concept of the world, of man and of history is developed and conveyed.” This means that Catholic identity will also touch on academic excellence and on disciplines outside theology ›

Photo by Debra Greenblat

RYAN

and religion since, as the Second Vatican Council proclaimed, “The truth is that only in the mystery of the incarnate Word (Jesus) does the mystery of man take on light.”(22)

The study of history becomes not just a list of dates but an opportunity to be inspired by the way the saints transformed the world in which they lived and the study of God’s action and providence in human history. Math can be studied not only for utilitarian purposes, but because geometry is beautiful and because math is, as Galileo put it, “the mind of God.”

Athletics are not only extracurriculars or opportunities to earn college scholarships, but schools of excellence whereby young people practice fortitude, perseverance and the other virtues. Excellence in the domain of operational vitality takes on the dimension of grateful stewardship over the material resources entrusted to us and partnership in mission with stakeholders and benefactors. Governance and leadership in a Catholic

FORMATION

school is an exercise in missionary discipleship and lived vocation.

While mission and Catholic identity is the first of four domain areas in the benchmarks and standards, it is not merely one domain area among others. It serves as the foundation of all other domain areas and is what makes the other domain areas unique and our schools unique.

Commitment to mission and Catholic identity amplifies and elevates every aspect of a Catholic school as grace elevates nature. It is the soul of Catholic education and of all the benchmarks and standards in the document. ■

SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CATHOLIC IDENTITY IN OUR SCHOOLS. Or visit http://bit.ly/3GFUNJk

Teachers explore Catholic social teaching in catechetical workshops

Every Catholic elementary school teacher in the Archdiocese attended one of four catechetical workshops on Catholic social teaching this past fall presented by the Sophia Institute for Teachers.

The daylong event held at St. Hilary Church in Tiburon, St. Anne of the Sunset and St. Pius Churches in San Francisco and Our Lady of Mercy Church in Daly City was made possible through the gift of a local donor who wished to fund the continuing catechetical education of archdiocesan teachers.

The Sophia Institute for Teachers was founded in 2013 by Catholic teachers who wanted to help renew and rebuild Catholic culture through Catholic education.

The institute offers professional development programs, curriculum and teaching tools and an online resource library.

Catholic school teachers must be certified in the faith at the time of hire, according to Carol Grewal, associate superintendent of faith formation and leadership. She said teachers are recertified every three years on nine Catholic topics, including prayer and liturgy, pedagogy, Scripture, Catholic social teaching, Christology, Church, morality and sacraments.

The 2022 workshop on Catholic social teaching included two speakers at each location who provided a theological overview of the topic and practical and engaging application strategies for teaching it.

Grewal had teachers complete a survey after the workshop, and 86% said they learned new content, 88% gained new teaching strategies and 83% said they felt more confident teaching the faith after the program. ■

Commitment to mission and Catholic identity amplifies and elevates every aspect of a Catholic school as grace elevates nature.”

MAYER, DIRECTOR OF CATHOLIC IDENTITY ASSESSMENT &

St. AnthonyImmaculate Conception School

Preparing students for the future through prayer, study, service & community.

Preparing students for the future through prayer, study, service & community.

Preparing students for the future through prayer, study, service & community.

Blended Learning Personalized Instruction

Blended Learning Personalized Instruction

Blended Learning Personalized Instruction

World Language, PE, Technology, Fine Arts

World Language, PE, Technology, Fine Arts Creative thinking through STEM

Creative thinking through STEM

Tuition is based on income

World Language, PE, Technology, Fine Arts

Extended care available until 6:00pm

Creative thinking through STEM

Tuition is based on income

Extended care available until 6:00pm

Tuition is based on income

TAKE A TOUR AND EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

Extended care available until 6:00pm

TAKE A TOUR AND EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

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299 Precita Avenue 415-648-2008 www.saicsf.org info@saicsf.org

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299 Precita Avenue 415-648-2008 www.saicsf.org info@saicsf.org

299 Precita Avenue 415-648-2008 www.saicsf.org info@saicsf.org

Third grade teacher Shirley Ordona of Sts. Peter and Paul School in San Francisco shows three students what she expects from them after their classroom activity.

‘Visible Learning’ is an intentional teaching method bringing clarity and confidence to both teachers and students

BY SUSANA LAPEYRADE-DRUMMOND Associate superintendent for curriculum & instruction

At a recent professional development course for all our K-8 teachers, the keynote speaker announced that “every student deserves a great teacher, not by chance, but by design.”

The “design” referenced was Visible Learning, a methodology and mindset introduced to our 55 archdiocesan elementary schools four years ago and implemented over the past two to three years. Our goal then and now is to improve and accelerate student learning outcomes systemwide.

Visible Learning is based on the groundbreaking research of educational researcher John Hattie of the University of Melbourne, Australia. It synthesizes what he learned from studying 80 million students about what works best to optimize classroom learning.

Students need a clearly articulated purpose about what they are learning and why they are learning it, Hattie explains at visible-learning.com. They also must be able to measure their own achievement.

“You need learning intentions and success criteria,” he said. “Those two things go together.”

He uses the analogy of video games, which have proven to be highly successful at motivating kids to advance their skills.

“They (the students) know exactly what it means to be successful: to get to the next level. And they’re prepared to invest an incredible number of hours to get to that next level. The games give them many cues to measuring and understanding their achievement.”

Visible Learning levels the playing field by telling students exactly what they are going to learn, why they should learn it and how they will recognize when they have succeeded in learning.

“Learning Intentions” are presented directly to students by the teacher at the outset of any lesson, clearly stating what the teacher expects a student to know and/or be able to do at the end of teaching activities.

“Success Criteria” help students measure their success by identifying and expressing ›

Photo courtesy of Shirley Ordona

In the past, we teachers have held all the cards. We knew what the lesson was and where it was going. We knew what we wanted from our students and why. But our students didn’t necessarily know. Visible Learning is putting all the cards on the table in the classroom for everyone to see.”

- LYDIA COLLINS, PRINCIPAL OF ST. RAPHAEL SCHOOL, SAN RAFAEL

exactly what the student needs to know or do to achieve mastery.

Teacher clarity brings forthrightness and fairness to the classroom for all learners.

St. Raphael School principal Lydia Collins, an educator for more than 30 years, committed her faculty and staff to Visible Learning when the Archdiocese offered the training.

“In the past, we teachers have held all the cards. We knew what the lesson was and where it was going. We knew what we wanted from our students and why,” she said. “But our students didn’t necessarily know. Visible Learning is putting all the cards on the table in the classroom for everyone to see.”

A 2015 study by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment showed that Visible Learning improves a student’s ability to focus for longer periods of time, stay motivated and active in the learning process, and take responsibility for their own learning.

Visible Learning is also making teachers better, and students more active and responsible shepherds of their own education.

“Visible Learning says, show the kids what score they got and ask them what their goal is for the next test,” Collins said.

Sts. Peter and Paul School sixth grade teacher Lisa Perez said her consistent use of Visible Learning has improved student growth in her classroom.

“Rubrics, success criteria and clear and concise directions guide students to know exactly what their teachers want them to understand and be able to accomplish,” she said.

“Nothing that we teach should be ambiguous to the students,” said Katie Kyne, sixth grade teacher at St. Raphael School. “Knowing what is ahead of them and what they need to do to achieve success creates a clear pathway for personal goal setting.”

Learning intentions work equally well at all grade levels. Sts. Peter and Paul third grade teacher Shirley Ordona described teaching her young students how to write a friendly letter.

“First, we talked about the parts of the letter,” she said. “Then, I showed them an example of a well-written letter.”

The students worked on their own letters, then teamed up with a partner to evaluate their letters for all five elements spelled out in the lesson’s “Success Criteria.”

“All students want to be successful,” said Ordona. “If it is clear to them how to be successful, they can focus and work toward the goal.” ■

SCAN CODE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE VALUE OF VISIBLE LEARNING or visit https://sfarchdiocese. org/visible-learningacademic-excellence/

Photo by Christina Gray

Notre Dame Elementary School

Learning that lights the way

Independent, co-ed Catholic school located in Belmont, California, serving students in preschool-8th grade. Space available in most grades.

Contact Director of Admissions, Maureen Smith to schedule a school tour, (650) 591-2209 or msmith@nde.org.

Mercy High School is a leading Catholic all girls’ school on the Peninsula that fosters a strong community where students are known and encouraged as individuals and challenged to reach their unique potential. Visit www.mercyhsb.com to learn more about Mercy’s All Girls’ Advantage and NEW Pathways Program (Fields of Study: Biotechnology, Creative Arts and Design, Engineering, Global Scholars, Leadership Education and Development, and Women’s Studies)

Principals of Faith: Catholic schools invest in their own future with leadership program

BY CHRISTINA GRAY Lead writer, Catholic San Francisco grayc@sfarch.org

This June, the first wave of locally trained and certified Catholic school principals will be prepared to start K-8 school leadership positions in the fall.

These are individuals with years of service in our Catholic school system who have discerned that the next step for them professionally will be to take on a principal position in a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

“Being a leader of a Catholic school is very different than being a leader of a public school,” said Tara Rolle, associate superintendent for Continuous School Improvement and director of the St. Clare Initiative of Leading and Learning. “Catholic school leadership means loving and living your faith in addition to having all the standards and expectations of administrative service.”

Local Catholic school leaders say they have dealt with a scarcity of candidates who are fully and faithfully prepared for Catholic school leadership.

That’s why the Department of Catholic Schools decided to take charge of the formation of its future leaders by creating the Catholic Administrative Services Certificate Program. Focused on Catholic K-8 leadership, the program was specifically designed for archdiocesan educators who feel called to serve as a Catholic elementary school principal.

It is one of the linchpins of the St. Clare Initiative for Leading and Learning (schools. sfarch.org/stclare-leadlearn), a proprietary professional development program developed in 2019 by the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Department of Catholic Schools.

The two-year Catholic Administrative Services Certificate Program is built on the standards for the state’s Administrative Services Credential offered by colleges and universities but with modifications and additions for proper preparation of leaders in a Catholic school context.

“It is important that our candidates receive everything that they would have had if they had gone through an external program, but in a really special way that emphasizes Catholic identity and Catholic leadership,” said Rolle.

Currently, there are seven candidates in the program. Applicants must have served five or more years in Catholic education, with a minimum of three years at a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Their principal must recommend them, and they must be an active and practicing Catholic in good standing.

Candidates spend 80 hours in their first year, split between coursework and in-class practice. Major projects include building budgets, a case study portfolio and a formation program. ›

Roderick Harrison, fifth-grade teacher and vice principal of St. Raymond Catholic School in Menlo Park, graduates this year from the Archdiocese’s Catholic Administrative Services Certificate Program. The program prepares educators with the knowledge and experience to become principals of K-8 Catholic schools.

Photo courtesy of Roderick Harrison

A distinguishing feature of the Catholic Administrative Services Certificate Program is the focus on administrative issues uniquely important to Catholic school administration. This includes maintaining Catholic identity, managing the parishschool relationship and budgeting and managing tuition-based institutions.

Fieldwork is the priority in the second year. Candidates move into mentored assistant principal roles at their respective schools and also shadow other local principals to observe a variety of different leadership styles.

Roderick Harrison, now completing his final year in the program at St. Raymond Catholic School in Menlo Park, commented about the value of observing seasoned Catholic principals in their day-to-day jobs.

“I find this really fascinating and helpful as I am able to see many different styles of leadership while molding my own,” he said. “I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to be a Catholic school principal.” ■

SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE TRAIN OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS or visit http://bit.ly/3vJSnTQ

Serra High School is an exceptional Catholic college preparatory for boys. A rich and rigorous academic curriculum, a wide range of extracurricular activities and an environment of compassion and mutual respect are hallmarks of Serra. Students of all faiths and backgrounds bring their gifts and talents to campus and enrich the diversity of the school community. Serra’s faculty and staff are deeply committed to mentoring their students, providing a framework for young men to grow in faith, intellect and character.

Catholic school leadership means loving and living your faith in addition to having all the standards and expectations of administrative service.”

TARA

ROLLE, ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT FOR GOVERNANCE / DIRECTOR, ST. CLARE

GOOD THINK

Empathy at the heart of high school’s Design Thinking curriculum

BY CHRISTINA GRAY Lead writer, Catholic San Francisco grayc@sfarch.org

Imagine a world where empathy was a superpower that generated creative and successful solutions to human problems.

Junipero Serra High School students can not only imagine that world but are invited into it with the Design-Led Innovation Program. The interdisciplinary course of study within the Innovation, Information and Technology department introduces students to the foundational principles of “Design Thinking.” The concept is a human-centered approach to innovation that starts with gaining empathy for another’s needs.

“Oftentimes, when we talk about creative problem-solving, we start by thinking about ourselves,” said Rita Lee, assistant principal of academic administration. “We tend to think about what we are going to do to solve a problem, what would I want or need. But here, it’s not about us; it’s about the person you’re trying to help.”

Lee is the architect of the Design Thinking process central to the course introduced six years ago at the all-boys San Mateo high school. Her students have an opportunity to become innovators, to find

solutions to real-world problems that draw on logic, imagination, intuition and systematic reason and to explore possibilities that improve the lives of others.

Other courses in the DesignLed Innovation Program include business and marketing, computer programming, app development and virtual enterprise.

Design Thinking expressly fits Serra’s mission as a Catholic school.

“The idea is that kids will set in motion a project of their own design, combining things that fascinate them with feelings about their capabilities to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Rushton Hurley, a consultant with a passion for digital media in the classroom and Lee’s co-teaching partner for Design Thinking courses.

“As I see it, we have this really nice intersection of self-directed learning, and valuing the potential that each of us has to serve others,” said Hurley.

The one-semester class is an elective that introduces students to the five stages of the design thinking process — empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. With the emphasis on empathy, students ›

Junipero Serra High School senior Michael Khoury is shown teaching an after-school chess class to underserved students at Fiesta Gardens International School in San Mateo.

Photo courtesy of Rita Lee

THINKING COURSES

observe how different perspectives may lead to very different design problems and solutions. Design Thinking students often go on to take Creative Solutions for the Global Good, an associated yearlong course culminating in a project of the student’s choice that is focused on service and community.

Students are supported by mentors, overcome challenges and learn to tell their “story” as they showcase their work to an international audience at the end of the school year.

Advanced Solutions for the Global Good is a second yearlong course that allows students who took the Creative Solutions class to continue developing their project or to apply their skills to a new project.

Serra senior Michael Khoury’s project was sparked during the pandemic. He learned chess in the early stages of the lockdown, developing a passion and proficiency for the game.

WE SUPPORT OUR CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN CELEBRATING Catholic Schools Week

Outstanding students are admitted every year to Marin Catholic from each of our Catholic elementary schools. These students are wellrounded, faith-filled, and service-oriented. They excel in academics, arts, music, athletics, and more. It is on the solid foundation established in our parochial schools that we build our legacy at Marin Catholic.

Sarah Naser - St. Isabella, David Gilgallon - St. Patrick, Cece Hachman - St. Hilary, Sophia White - St. Anselm, Yael Carranza - St. Raphael, Conor Doherty - Our Lady of Loretto

The idea is that kids will set in motion a project of their own design, combining things that fascinate them with feelings about their capabilities to make a difference in the lives of others.”

RUSHTON HURLEY, CO-INSTRUCTOR FOR SERRA’S INNOVATIVE DESIGN

Rushton Hurley, left, co-instructor of Junipero Serra High School’s Design Thinking courses, is pictured in a classroom discussion with students.

He soon began thinking about how to share chess with kids in high-need communities. Among other things, chess helps players develop strategic thinking and patience when faced with a challenge instead of just reacting.

He packed up his board and brought it to a youth center in the Tenderloin. Last year, he began teaching chess to students at Fiesta Gardens International School in San Mateo.

Class of 2021 graduate Matt Cerza presented his project to an audience of thousands at the annual conference of the International Society for Technology in Education in 2021. He was one of three students in the country invited to speak.

Cerza was volunteering at a senior center in Half Moon Bay, teaching the elderly how to send an email and avoid malware attacks when COVID-19 hit. Suddenly, the seniors were home, and many were alone. Cerza sought used laptop donations through social media, refurbished them to be “Zoom-ready” and delivered them to isolated and lonely elders.

Hurley said Cerza’s parents came up to him and Lee after the presentation and said, “He got this opportunity because of you.” No, Hurley said, “he learned to tell a story, which is a big part of Creative Solutions for the Global Good.” ■

SCAN CODE TO HEAR SERRA HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS DISCUSS THE DESIGN-LED INNOVATION or visit

https://youtu.be/OErn2uZsTl8

Photo courtesy of Junipero Serra High School

Perspectives from Catholic School students on topics of faith

Journalists look to St. Titus as co-patron saint

BY JAMESON DATOC

Editor

On May 15, 2022, Pope Francis canonized Blessed Titus Brandsma as a saint, and shortly after, supporters asked that he be named as a patron saint of journalists alongside St. Francis de Sales, who has been the patron of journalists and writers since 1923.

“It’s a good step forward for the Church and writers alike,” said The Crusader’s Religion Editor Alex Robinson, ’23. “It brings a sense of community no matter what religion you believe in.”

Anno Sjoerd Brandsma was born on Feb. 23, 1881, in the village of Oegeklooster in Friesland, Netherlands. His family were devoted Catholics in a predominantly Calvinist region. On Sept. 17, he entered the Carmelite Friars in Boxmeer as a

Photo

for Archbishop Riordan High School Newspaper, The Crusader

OUR MISSION

novice and took the religious name Titus in honor of his father. He professed his vows in October 1899.

In 1909, he earned a doctorate in philosophy in Rome and worked in Oss as a writer and a teacher. He became a founder of the Catholic University of Nijmegen (Radboud University), worked as a journalist, and was the ecclesiastical adviser to Catholic journalists by 1935, while he stayed at the friary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Kinsale, Ireland.

After the Invasion of the Netherlands by the Third Reich, Brandsma strongly opposed the spread of the Nazi ideology and pushed for educational and press freedom. In January 1942, he handdelivered a letter from the Conference of Dutch Bishops to the editors of Catholic newspapers in which the bishops ordered all Catholic newspapers to not print official Nazi documents even though it was required under the new law by the German occupiers. This made him a target of the Nazis.

“His actions reminded me of the Blessed Father Chaminade, just how he had the courage to give Communion in secret in Spain “ despite the government’s prohibitions against religion.”

commented Deacon Chris Mariano. “In the same respect, St. Titus had the courage to oppose the German occupiers for the greater good of the Catholic community.”

Brandsma visited 14 of editors before being arrested on Jan. 19, 1942. He was held prisoner in several locations until he was transferred to Dachau concentration camp. Upon arrival, his health deteriorated, and eventually he was transferred into the camp hospital. There, he died on July 26 due to lethal injection administered by a nurse as a part of the Nazi program of medical experimentation on the prisoners.

“St. Titus is a prime example of what journalists are tasked with in regard to shining a light on truth, and in this case, a grave evil,” said journalism teacher Susan Sutton. “In addition, he exemplifies what Catholics are called to do – speak out for those in need, for those in peril, and to constantly strive for peace.”

She added, “I fully support naming him as a patron saint of journalists in addition to St. Francis de Sales as he is a symbol for truth and peace, and a reminder that we should all value life and defend against injustices everywhere.” ■

St. Titus is a prime example of what journalists are tasked with in regard to shining a light on truth, and in this case, a grave evil.”

SUSAN SUTTON, JOURNALISM TEACHER

St. Titus

What can we learn about the Eucharist from a 6-year-old boy?

Servant of God Manuel Fodera: The Warrior of Light

Editor’s Note: This article is one of many articles by Catholic authors and saints that will be published by Catholic San Francisco Magazine as part of the U.S. Catholic Church’s Eucharistic Revival (eucharisticrevival.org) that began on June 19, 2022, on the feast of Corpus Christi, and continues through Pentecost 2025.

BY SR. MARIA CARMEN CHECA, SHM

Manuel was born to Beppe and Enza Fodera on June 21, 2001, in Calatafimi, a town with 6,000 inhabitants situated in Trapani, Sicily. Francesco and Stefania were already teenagers when their newborn brother Manuel arrived, and they welcomed him with great affection. Manuel received a Christian education in the heart of a joyful and lively family, where everything seemed to go smoothly until July 2005. At the age of 4, Manuel complained about a strong pain in his right leg as well as a terrible fever and loss of appetite. A few days later, he was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Palermo. Doctors diagnosed him with “a massive

infiltration of stage IV neuroblastoma that [spread] to the iliac crest of the pelvis.” At that moment, his “Way of the Cross” began, and it was to last five years. Little Manuel was going to suffer several operations, 30 chemotherapy cycles, a transplant, blood transfusions, and indescribable pain. It was the beginning of a unique, painful, yet very joyful journey for this little one who eventually felt the presence of Jesus speaking to him like a close friend.

He first underwent an operation to remove his tumor, recovered from it, and received his first few cycles of chemotherapy. At first, he wanted to go to school and play with his friends, and he cried because he could not go. Then, after some time, the inexplicable occurred: Manuel accepted his treatment, becoming serene and docile.

Sister Prisca, a Franciscan religious from the hospital, was the first to notice this change and commented: “He was very small, only 4 years old. Before receiving treatment, he always came to me saying, “Sr. Prisca, take me to the chapel because I want to see Jesus!” Very gently, I took him into my arms and brought his little head close to the tabernacle. He was very happy because he wanted to be Jesus’ dearest friend. Afterwards, we prayed the holy rosary together and I was moved as I listened to him reciting the litanies by heart.

At the end of the summer of 2005, Manuel returned home to his family and loved ones. After playing games, he always asked them to pray the rosary because “the Hail Marys make me feel better.” He often asked those near him to recite Hail Marys in moments of pain because “they make it go away,” or when he was afraid because “they give me strength and peace.” As time passed, his relationship with Our Lady intensified and became almost palpable.

In the hospital, the chaplain normally gave Communion to his mother. Manuel also wanted to receive Jesus. Everyone said that he was too small because he was only 6 years old. But because

of his persistence, his maturity in the faith, and his alarming physical condition, he received permission from the Bishop of Trapani.

On October 13, 2007, he received his First Communion. Nevertheless, the long-awaited day did not begin well. When he woke up, he had terrible pains in his leg that impeded him from getting out of bed, and he was afraid that he would not be able to make it to the chapel. At midday, against all odds, the pain disappeared. This is how Manuel explained it: “Our Lady told me, ‘Manuel can’t receive Jesus limping.’ So, she cured me. Thank you, Virgin Mary of my heart.” The Mass for his First Communion was very reverent and full of love. He later wrote on a holy card: “I want to receive Jesus in my heart so that He can become my best friend forever. He will be my strength, my joy, my cure.”

Manuel said to his priest and religious friends: “Do you know why I wanted to receive Communion so young? I wanted so badly to receive Communion in my heart because when I couldn’t receive it, I was very sad, and it made me cry. That day, I was happy.” He later asked the bishop: “Bishop, can you please tell your priests to leave at least five minutes of silence after Communion, so we can talk and listen to Jesus in our heart? Think of the last person who receives Communion—he doesn’t even have time to say ‘hi’ to Jesus!”

In another letter, little Manuel explained why he felt that he urgently needed to write: “Jesus is present in the Eucharist; He lets Himself be seen ›

Bishop, can you please tell your priests to leave at least five minutes of silence after Communion, so we can talk and listen to Jesus in our heart?

SERVANT OF GOD MANUEL FODERA

and felt in Holy Communion. You don’t believe it? Try to concentrate without getting distracted. Close your eyes, pray, and speak because Jesus will listen to you and speak to your heart. Don’t open your eyes right away because this communication will be interrupted, and it won’t come back! Learn to be in silence and something wonderful will happen: a balm of grace!”

One day, after Communion, Manuel shared how he asked Jesus what he could give Him the following Christmas, and Jesus answered, “Always show My joy to others. Be a warrior of light in the midst of darkness.”

There were several priests close to Manuel. Father Ignacio Vazzana was Manuel’s spiritual director from September 2008 on. He visited Manuel every day in the hospital and at home. In March 2009, Manuel asked to go to confession more frequently. “With great emotion I remember the great sense of sin he had, so much so that he burst into tears during confession,” the priest said.

Father Ignacio relates that from the first moment, Manuel spoke to him about his special friend, Jesus. In the chapel, he would lie down on the pew or floor to pray. If he was in the hospital, he went under the sheets, covered his head, and remained in the same position for 10 to 20 minutes in absolute silence. At the most important moment of Communion, he conversed with Jesus as with his closest friend. Father Ignacio explained, “I asked him if he saw Jesus face-to-face, and he answered me by saying that he felt His voice in his heart.”

One day after Communion, Jesus said to him, “Manuel, your heart is not your own; it’s mine and I live in you.” But Manuel did not quite understand, so he asked Father Ignacio, “What does Jesus mean?” The only words that came to the priest’s mind were those of St. Paul: “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

Manuel said to his friends, “Jesus gave me suffering because He needs suffering united to Him to save the world. Jesus called me ‘warrior of light’ to conquer the evil and darkness of the world.”

The little boy saw what his mission was with total clarity: “Mom, are there really people who don’t love Jesus? We should bring the greatest possible number

SERVANT OF GOD MANUEL FODERA

of souls to Him,” he said. Love, sacrifice and gift of self were inseparable realities for Manuel.

Friends gathered around him at home and in the hospital, drawn to the joy and peace that he radiated while his body was slowly giving out. Many priests who visited him heard him say, “I love you. I pray for you. Take Jesus to children, to those who suffer, to the sick. Take Jesus to everyone you meet.”

The bishop of Palermo also went to visit Manuel and heard him say, “I am offering myself for you and for your priests...but give me a gift: Tell your priests to remind the faithful that they always have to receive Jesus in a state of grace without sin, and afterwards to always spend at least 15 minutes giving thanks. Jesus is very great! He’s God and has to be treated like God.”

Toward the end of Manuel’s life in the early summer of 2010, he suffered excruciating headaches. After a test, the doctors found two tumor masses in his head, but his mother decided not to inform Manuel. Father Ignacio recalls, “One day after receiving Communion, Manuel broke down in tears and confided to his mother, and later to me, what Jesus had said to him. We had asked him what was wrong since he was crying, and he told us that Jesus had given him a special gift and that he was crying because he was happy. Jesus gave him two thorns from His crown, and he had them in his head. I was dumbfounded by his words because it was humanly inexplicable. The two things perfectly coincided: two tumor masses and two thorns from the crown of Jesus—as a gift—in his head.”

On June 21, 2010, Manuel celebrated his last birthday and told his friends: “Jesus let me see paradise and it’s a wonderful place, a beautiful banquet prepared by Jesus. Jesus told me that I would die when I was 9 and that now I should suffer a little for Him.”

The last days of his agony arrived. His hemoglobin levels went down to a historical low. The doctors stopped giving him transfusions because there was no hope. To the doctors’ amazement, the heart of this “warrior” continued to beat for four more days. His mother understood immediately. “Manuel, you made another agreement with Jesus, didn’t you?”

The little boy affirmed with a gesture. He clearly offered his last drops of blood for someone whose name will never be known.

Jesus has called me ‘warrior of light’ to conquer the evil and darkness of the world.”

He gave his mother precise instructions for the day of his death: that day he would wear his First Communion suit and instead of a pillow for his head, he would rest on a Bible opened to the passage of Jeremiah 17:14 in which it is written: “Heal me, Lord, that I may be healed; save me, that I may be saved, for you are my praise.” He also said that she shouldn’t cry and that no one should cry, but rather that they should be recollected in prayer so that his funeral could reflect the great feast he was going to live in heaven.

July 20 was his last day on earth. He was lying on his bed with his rosary tightly held in his hands. Mass was celebrated in his room. After receiving Communion, he whispered, “I have finished.”

As Bishop Pierino Fragnelli (Diocese of Trapani) observed, “From his bed, the hospital, or at home, Manuel taught us the lesson of trusting in the life that never dies.”

Servant of God, Manuel Fodera, pray for us. ■

Manuel Fodera receives Holy Communion.

Photo courtesy of HM Magazine

Now I rejoice in my sufferings …

This is the first of a series of seven meditations examining the Christian meaning of suffering according to the thought of Pope St. John Paul II in his 1984 Apostolic Letter, “Salvifici Doloris.”

This search is one of the noblest, dignified and responsible endeavors of the rational animal called man.”

BY SIMONE RIZKALLAH Director of Program Growth at Endow Groups

Pope St. John Paul II was no stranger to suffering. Among the challenges he faced in life include living under Nazi and then communist occupation in Poland, attending clandestine seminary, losing both his parents and his brother at a young age, watching his friends, including his fellow seminarians, priests and Jewish friends be murdered during the Second World War, surviving a papal assassination attempt and then spending his last years of life crippled by Parkinson’s disease. These experiences provide enough qualification to be able to speak with credibility on the subject of suffering. John Paul writes, “Suffering seems to belong to man’s transcendence” (Paragraph 2, “Salvifici Doloris”). The pope is making the bold, Christian claim that while suffering belongs to all creatures, it is human suffering that has the possibility of being redeemed precisely because it is human suffering. Put another way, because men and women have dignity, so too does their suffering have dignity. Every creature suffers, but only man (because of his gift of reason) is aware he is suffering and because of this recognition, may ask why. In his foreward for the 1962 edition of Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” (his famous book about why Frankl psychologically survived his time in a concentration camp), Gordon W. Allport wrote: “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.

The idea that suffering, or rather the search for its meaning, belongs to “man’s transcendence,” gives it a vocational quality. John Paul cites the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Colossians (1:24): “In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.” Man is mysteriously called to participate in suffering and therefore to really and truly participate in the salvation offered by the Church for the Church. Furthermore, Paul writes: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.” (Par 1, SD)

John Paul notes that this mature, spiritual judgment and experience of Paul’s (the recognition that suffering is not only vocational, and therefore meaningful but that it can be experienced with joy) is one that seems “to be found at the end of the long road.” (Par 1, SD) Joy is certainly not man’s first reaction to suffering. Moreover, the etymology of the Greek word for “rejoice” has the same root as the Greek word for

In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.”

It is not something that

by human effort even if human effort

patience in long-suffering is the necessary condition

this kind of grace. Is it possible to rejoice like St. Paul? Or hope to at some point in one’s spiritual pilgrimage? The hypothetical Christian response is in the affirmative. In a secular, post-Christian world where spiritual, moral, emotional and psychological suffering is ultimately meaningless and the illusion of control is bound to expire, the Christian claim is one that is singularly dignified and glorious, precisely because it is meaningful and redemptive. ■

Simone Rizkallah is the director of program growth at Endow Groups, a nonprofit organization that creates study guides to help women access the rich theological inheritance of the Church to be used most ideally in a smallgroup community. Endow connects women with rich theological inheritance of the Church.

SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION or visit www.endowgroups. org/study-guide-on-thechristian-meaning-ofsuffering-salvifici-doloris/

Monument

of Pope St. John Paul II in Lubaczow, Poland.

Marin Catholic stained-glass window brings campus together in prayer

BY MARY POWERS Assistant Director of Communications and Media Relations. Office of Communications,

Amid the hustle and bustle of high school life, there is one place on Marin Catholic High School’s campus where students can find solace — in the magnificent St. Francis Chapel.

The chapel is a refuge for the whole community. Spiritual liturgies and activities in this sacred space include Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and prayer and meditation. Sports teams and clubs also gather in prayer throughout the year, including the Marin Catholic football team who have a special Mass together on Fridays in the fall before their games.

The chapel has held important events for the school community and its alumni.

In 2017 when Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone consecrated the Archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he led a special Mass and prayer of consecration for Marin Catholic students. Alumni have also celebrated special occasions in this unique location. Father Cameron Faller, a 2006 alumnus of the school, celebrated his first Mass as a priest in the chapel.

Msgr. Steven Otellini was chaplain of Marin Catholic when construction started on a new project in 2000, necessitating a new location for the chapel on campus. While praying about the best place to build the new chapel, he picked a spot with a beautiful view of Mount Tamalpais. He decided to design the space after St. Francis’ Canticle of Sun,

Archdiocese of San Francisco

celebrating the patron of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, while also honoring the beautiful creation visible from the chapel location.

Perhaps the most striking part of the chapel is the stained-glass window behind the altar. The design works in parts of the Canticle of the Sun and the life of its author while still making visible Mt. Tam and the wetlands below. The window was designed by Virginia artist Brenda Belfield, created by Stanisic Stained-Glass Studio in Naples, Florida, and made possible through the generosity of the Basso Family.

Father Andrew Ginter, current chaplain at Marin Catholic, speaks with joy about the many ways in which the St. Francis Chapel is the center of spiritual life on the campus. The stained-glass window, he says, keeps our mind on Christ, drawing us closer to Him so that like the cross at the center of the window, we may be on fire in spreading the Gospel. ■

Photo courtesy of Marin Catholic High School

SAINT CECILIA SCHOOL

A Parkside Institution Since 1930

Saint Cecilia Students Are:

Active Christians

Lifelong Learners

Socially Responsible Citizens

Effective Communicators Problem Solvers

Saint Cecilia School 660 Vicente Street San Francisco, CA 94116 415-731-8400 Office@St.CeciliaSchool.org www.stceciliaschool.org

Msgr. Harry G. Schlitt, 1939-2022

‘Harry treasured his priesthood’

Mgsr. Harry George Schlitt passed away on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, at age 83.

Father Harry began his vocation in the 1960s as the host of a Top 40s radio call-in show for teenagers. He wove Christian teachings into rock music, earning a large following as “the rock ’n roll priest.”

His gifts in sharing the faith through radio, television and the internet defined his entire priestly ministry of 58 years. His most farreaching pastoral legacy is likely the

“TV Mass,” created long before COVID-19 birthed live-streamed liturgies. He and his production company, God Squad Productions, broadcast the Mass every Sunday morning in the San Francisco and Sacramento markets.

Father John Ryan, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena in Burlingame, said Father Harry had a great capacity to let “the sound and the beat and the magic of music light up the words, especially the holy ones of God.”

Harry Schlitt was born on June 3, 1939, in rural Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He attended Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis, and later, the Pontifical North American College in Rome. On Dec. 16, 1964, he was ordained to the priesthood at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He served the Archdiocese as communications

director, development director, moderator of the curia and vicar general and was on the pastoral staff at eight archdiocesan parishes: Sacred Heart, St. Philip the Apostle, Holy Name of Jesus, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Gabriel, Most Holy Redeemer, St. Veronica and St. Raymond.

In retirement, he was a popular Sunday celebrant at Most Holy Rosary Chapel at the St. Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael.

The author of two books about his unique priestly path, Msgr. Schlitt wrote that “he was nothing without the Mass.”

“Harry treasured his priesthood,” said Father Ryan. ■

SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY Celebrate 150 Years of Ministry

SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Celebrate 150 Years of Ministry

On Saturday November 5th at St. Joseph’s Church in Fremont, Bishop Michael C. Barber, Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Myron J. Cotta, Diocese of Stockton, and nine other priests honored Sisters of the Holy Family at a special Mass. The homily by Rev. Gerald D. Coleman recalled how the Sister’s Day Homes, one of which is Holy Family Day Home in San Francisco, have provided a safe place for thousands of children of working poor since 1880; and how the Sisters have always exemplified Christ’s love everywhere they went, from San Francisco across California and to many other states.

On Saturday November 5th at St. Joseph’s Church in Fremont, Bishop Michael C. Barber, Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Myron J. Cotta, Diocese of Stockton, and nine other priests honored Sisters of the Holy Family at a special Mass. The homily by Rev. Gerald D. Coleman recalled how the Sister’s Day Homes, one of which is Holy Family Day Home in San Francisco, have provided a safe place for thousands of children of working poor since 1880; and how the Sisters have always exemplified Christ’s love everywhere they went, from San Francisco across California and to many other states.

Sisters of the Holy Family Leadership Team (L to R) Michaela O’Connor, Kathy Littrell, Sandra Ann Silva, and President Gladys Guenther rejoiced with the rest of their Sisters and hundreds of friends and guests, remembering how their founders, Mother Dolores Armer, Sister Teresa O’Connor, Archbishop Alemany and Father Prendergast established their Sisterhood in San Francisco in 1872. For 150 years the Sisters have been known by their ministry…providing care to needy families, teaching Catechism to public school children, seeking out and advocating for neglected groups.

Sisters of the Holy Family Leadership Team (L to R) Michaela O’Connor, Kathy Littrell, Sandra Ann Silva, and President Gladys Guenther rejoiced with the rest of their Sisters and hundreds of friends and guests, remembering how their founders, Mother Dolores Armer, Sister Teresa O’Connor, Archbishop Alemany and Father Prendergast established their Sisterhood in San Francisco in 1872. For 150 years the Sisters have been known by their ministry…providing care to needy families, teaching Catechism to public school children, seeking out and advocating for neglected groups.

Father Piers M. Lahey, 1949-2022

‘A true disciple of Christ’

Father Piers M. Lahey died at the St. Andrew Parish rectory on Nov. 28, 2022, at age 73.

The Bay Area native served his entire priestly life of nearly 40 years as a parish priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He concurrently served as chaplain to the archdiocese’s Restorative Justice Ministry.

Julio Escobar, coordinator of the ministry, called Father Lahey “a true disciple of Christ” who felt a special commitment to those who live on the margins and to all who suffer.

“He wanted to make sure that every person had the dignity of a prayer

service at the end of their life,” said Escobar. Even as his health failed, he showed up to anoint crime scenes and comfort grieving families.

Born on May 2, 1949, Piers Lahey graduated from St. Patrick University & Seminary in Menlo Park and was ordained on Dec. 4, 1982.

Father Lahey’s first parish assignment was Star of the Sea Parish in San Francisco. He served St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Novato, two consecutive terms as pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd in Pacifica, and a year at St. Charles Parish in San Carlos. At the time of his death, he was in his second term as pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Daly City.

Catholic Cemeteries director Monica Williams said Father Lahey was well known by the staff of local

funeral directors and cemeteries for his desire to help families with graveside services who did not have a local parish or who might not be currently practicing their faith.

“He kept folders for each person, researching details and stories so he could give a personal and loving homily at the graveside of even people he didn’t know,” said Williams, regarding the services he conducted at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.

He always ended the service, she said, with the reminder that, “We are an Easter people….That is why we affirm that this life is not ended; this life is changed by the God who makes everything, all things, new again.” ■

In real estate since 1977, Berta is a peninsula native and has lived in the Bay Area all her life. She has served on numerous real estate and community boards and has repeatedly received awards from the San Mateo County Association of Realtors for being a top achiever in sales and listings. Having over 45 years of experience and knowledge has helped make the process of buying and selling a fulfilling and stress-free experience for her clients.

Berta is celebrating her 33 with Marshall Realty. She is a former president of the San Bruno Park School District and served as trustee from 1995 to 1999; past member of the San Bruno Youth committee and Childcare Committee for the City of San Bruno. Member of NAHREP National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Specializes in Property Management and is top achiever in sales and listings.

(650) 873-6844

www.heckerfiduciary.com iris@heckerfiduciary.com

Philippine Consul General in San Francisco

Neil Ferrer attends Filipino Ministry’s 10th annual gala

n October 2022, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, led by Consul General Neil Ferrer, attended the Filipino Ministry’s 10th annual gala. The event was organized by the Filipino Ministry gala committee, led by Ms. Estelle Oloresisimo and Vicar for Filipinos Father Angel Quitalig and took place at the Patrons’ Hall of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco. With the theme “Gifted to Give,” the milestone celebration inspires gratitude for the gift of faith that Filipinos received and the responsibility of sharing the Catholic faith.

Philippine Consul in San Francisco General Neil Ferrer (middle) attended the gala. In photo, Ferrer is flanked by Father Jerald Geronimo, parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral (left) and pastor Father Kevin Kennedy (right).

The gala featured a cultural and musical fundraiser led by the Filipino Ministry and represents the continuation of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. Consuls Jed Martin Llona and Vanessa Bago-Llona also attended the event. ■

Excerpts from a press release by the Philippine Consulate General of San Francisco

Photo courtesy of San Francisco Philippine Consulate General

Menlo Park Nativity school student earns prestigious STEM award

ictoria’s project, “Green Ears,” demonstrates the possibility that plants can communicate their health status through sound emissions

Victoria Harding Bradley, 14, was recognized on Nov. 1 with the first-place Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) award in the science category for her project, Green Ears: A Study of Ultrasonic Acoustic Emissions in Response to Environmental Stressors in Plants. Her project, developed during her 8th-grade year at Nativity Catholic School in Menlo Park, measured the extent that plants “signal” if they are under pressure from their environment, eco-system or the care they receive.

The Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars), a program of Society for Science, is the nation’s premier science and engineering competition for middle school students. The program awards middle-school students for their STEM passions, with the goal of inspiring them to continue their pursuit of science and engineering. Thirty finalists, including Victoria, collectively took home more than $100,000 in awards.

“Humans and animals communicate their needs through sound, and I wondered if plants could do the same. If they can, that information could be used to better understand and optimize how we care for plants, both in commercial farming and in our own gardens,” said Bradley.

Using bat ultrasonic detectors, tested and analyzed the sound profiles of more than 1,000 hours of plant recordings, with 20 different experiments based on five specific stressors (drought, adverse sounds, pruning, contaminated water and bug attack) for six plant species.

Bradley explained, “Plants communicate louder, more often and more urgently in stressful environments. They communicate at different frequencies.…By tracking the sound emissions of different species of plants, growers can respond more efficiently and sustainably to identify and manage plants failing due to stressors from within large fields of plants. This information can revolutionize plant growth efficiency.”

Bradley’s project and was first presented at the school science fair before being entered in the national competition. ■

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