Fr. Greg's Pastoral Letter-September 23, 2018

Dear Sisters and Brothers –

We have a few new faces joining us this semester: Father Lourdu Mummadi, Father Vincent Pereppadan, and Deacon Alex Llanera, all of the Society of Jesus.

Father Lourdu is from the Andhra Province in India.  In addition to degrees in philosophy and theology, he has degrees in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and education. He was ordained in 2014, and since then has been his province’s vocation promoter, secretary to his provincial, and a pastoral minister.

Father Vincent is also from India, the Andhra Province.  (There are 18 provinces in India; only five in the U.S.)  He has degrees in psychology and commerce, in addition to those in philosophy and psychology.  Ordained in 2001, Fr. Vincent has done much pastoral ministry but has mostly been involved in publishing values-based magazines for children, including one he founded in 2013.  He has also authored several children’s books.  Understandably, he was the coordinator of his province’s media apostolate for 12 years.

Both of these Jesuits are pursuing yet another degree, in educational administration, in the USF Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership.  While they are in school, they will assist in pastoral ministry at St. Ignatius and St. Agnes Parishes.

Finally, Deacon Alex Llanera has completed his Master of Divinity and is working on a licentiate in sacred theology at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University at Berkeley.  That’s in addition to degrees in political science and ethics.  Most importantly, he is a proud member of the Jesuit High School Sacramento class of 2005.  Alex will be in the preaching rotation only for the next couple of months until his ordination to the priesthood in November, after which he’ll be on his own!

Please welcome my Jesuit brothers to our community.

On another note, in light of the sex abuse crisis in the Church, many of you have expressed desires to speak with one another as a community, to have questions answered, to do something.  While we’re not sure of the way forward on that last one, Fr. Ray at St. Agnes and I want to respond to the first two.  To that end, we are hosting for our parishioners an evening to come together for some prayer, reflection, and sharing.  We will meet this Wednesday, September 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.  As of when this went to print, a suitable location large enough had yet to be determined; we will communicate that to you asap.  I hope that you are able to join us.

If you haven’t yet done so, please be sure to sign up online to join us for our Parish Picnic next Sunday, 30 September.  Note that there will be no 9:30 am or 11:00 am Mass; these Masses are combined into one at 10:00 am.  See you there.

In the meantime,‍

Oremus pro invicem.

Fr. Greg