4 ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE
CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO | APRIL 4, 2019
‘Catholic cemeteries extensions of our parishes,’ director says TOM BURKE CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO
Monica Williams, director of cemeteries for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, has been appointed president of the Catholic Cemetery Conference, a national organization founded in 1949 to support leadership of Monica Williams Catholic cemeteries around the nation. “I’m very honored to have the trust and support of my peers in being named to this position,” Monica told me via email. “One of the great values of an organization like this is the networking and educational opportunities it provides to Catholic cemeterians. Through the CCC, we are able to reach out to discuss issues of concern, best practices, and modern developments in our cemeteries. I am happy to be able to provide to the conference a perspective from the West: the vibrant, diverse communities we serve, the emergence of the Catholic Cremation Tradition, and the personalized options that have become popular here.” Monica is a born-and-raised growing up in the Sunset District and attending St. Cecilia School and St. Rose Academy before earning a degree focused on Latin, classical humanities, philosophy and history at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In fact, Monica spent college summers working at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma where she now sits as director. Masses for the repose of souls of those interred at the cemeteries are celebrated every first Saturday of the month at Holy Cross in Colma. The Mass, which usually takes place in the All Saints Mausoleum Chapel,
HARMONY: In a boost for the New Year in January, Mercy High School Burlingame’s chorale joined several other schools for Santa Clara University’s High School Choral Festival. “It was the second occurrence of this festival, and is designed to bring high school singers together for workshops and performance experiences,” Mercy said. “SCU plans to make it a yearly event to support and encourage music education in Catholic schools.” Additional schools lending a voice included Notre Dame Belmont and Woodside Priory. Mercy’s singers are pictured at the event that included each group singing a song or two alone and then a number featuring the entire ensemble. Mercy music teacher Pam Matthews coordinated the young women’s appearance at the musicale. Singers’ families were among those enjoying the entertainment. will take place in the larger Holy Cross Mausoleum April 6. Father Vito Perrone of the Contemplatives of St. Joseph will be principal celebrant and homilist. “Father Vito asked if he could offer one of our monthly Masses and combine it with a healing service,” Monica said. “He felt that the Lenten season was the perfect time to combine these two purposes: to pray for our dead and to seek the Lord’s healing in our lives.” The Masses held at All Saints chapel are always at capacity so the larger assembly expected for the healing Mass will be better served in the larger Holy Cross chapel, Monica said. The first Saturday liturgies are tradition of decades at Holy Cross. “Although I don’t know if the Masses have been offered every year consecutively since our foundation, we do know that Archbishop Alemany would offer Mass once a month at Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco, thus establishing this practice,” Monica said. “Personally, I remember these Masses being offered when
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I was growing up in the 1970s - so there’s at least a 50 year modern tradition.” Monica is grateful to all the priests who help with the Masses. “The priests who celebrate are encouraged to invite their parishioners to attend and to participate as lectors, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, and music ministers if able. This all reminds us that the Catholic cemeteries are extensions of our own parishes, the places where we are reminded of the beautiful reality of the communion of saints.” www.holycrosscemeteries. com. ALWAYS REMEMBERED: Alumnae from St. John Ursuline High School gather for their all class reunion April 14 at St. John the Evangelist Church followed by a luncheon at Patio Espanol. “We expect 120 graduates including Ursuline Sisters Shirley Garibaldi, Lillian Repak, and Michelle Domecus,” Theresa Keane of the Class of ’77 and president of the
school’s San Francisco alumnae arm told me. Sister Shirley is currently the principal at St. John’s School, Sister Lil is the eighth grade teacher and vice-principal and Sister Michelle is student affairs director. “We’re always looking for volunteers to help us organize and plan,” Theresa said. “We hold a raffle each year and donate proceeds to the parish, the school and the Ursuline Sisters who have served us all so well all these years. Last year we were blessed to make an extra donation to the Ursulines in Santa Rosa to help with costs related to the Tubbs fire.” Reservations can be made online at www.sjualumnae.com. For more information, (415) 867-3575. Email items and electronic pictures – hi-res jpegs - to burket@sfarch.org or mail to Street, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109. Include a follow-up phone number. Street is toll-free. Reach me at (415) 614-5634; email burket@sfarch.org.
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