COMMUNITY
tvc.dsj.org | August 21, 2018
9
Grant Dollars at Work in the Community
By Marie Galetto
Marketing & Grabts Program
Manager, Catholic Community
Foundation of Santa Clara
County
One of the great pleasures of my
job is having the opportunity to visit
parishes I’ve never been to before and
learn about each unique community.
This year, I was able to talk to several
pastors and staff who received a grant
in our Spring Grant Cycle. They told
me about the great things happening
in their communities as well as their
struggles. These meetings help me
learn more about individual communi-
ties, and I bring this knowledge back to
the Grants Committee to help inform
our grantmaking each year. Below are
highlights from a few of the wonderful
communities I was able to visit.
Most Holy Trinity
Father Bob Fambrini, S.J., and Mario
Lucas, accountant for the parish, talked
about their eff orts to use the Deanery
structure as a way to bring their neigh-
bor parishes together for program-
ming and support. They applied to the
Foundation for three Deanery-wide
programs and have done so for many
years. These programs reach beyond
one individual parish’s boundaries
and monetary means to impact people
throughout East San Jose. For example,
the “Deanery 6 Multi-Parish Coop-
erative Summer Literacy Program”
impacted 200 children in East San
Jose last year and proposes to reach
as many this year with the help of the
Foundation’s grant. These Deanery-
wide programs are great examples of
how collaboration among parishes can
benefi t the entire community.
Saint John the Baptist
The parish has a very active and
growing Youth Ministry Program run
by the dedicated and enthusiastic Youth
Coordinator, Ruben Cardenas. The par-
ish’s newly appointed Pastor, Monsignor
Wilfredo Manrique, and Ruben believe
in the importance of involving the
youth in the faith community from a
young age, and the parish’s robust Youth
Ministry Program shows that they are
putting this belief into practice. With
funding help from the Foundation, their
California Catholic Conference (CCC)
Announces New Executive Director
The Most Reverend Jaime Soto,
Bishop of Sacramento and President
of the California Catholic Conference
(CCC), announced the end of June
that Andrew Rivas has been named
Executive Director of the California
Catholic Conference. He will assume
his position in August at the end of the
legislative session.
“Andy stood out in an exception-
ally qualifi ed fi eld of candidates,” said
Bishop Jaime Soto, president of the
California Catholic Conference. “He
knows California politics, he knows
Washington politics and, more im-
portantly, he is devoted to the mission
of the Catholic Church in California.
He will be a valued co-worker for the
special ministry that is the California
Catholic Conference.”
Rivas will replace Edward “Ned”
Dolejsi, who announced his retirement
earlier this year.
Rivas brings more than twenty years
of leadership and ministry experience
to CCC, most recently as the Director,
Offi ce of Government & Community
Relations for the Archdiocese of Los
Angeles. Previously, he served as Ex-
ecutive Director of the Texas Catholic
Conference; Policy Advisor in Domes-
Andrew Rivas has been named Executive
Director of the California Catholic Conference.
tic Social Development with the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops; as an
Advocate for Catholic Charities USA in
Alexandria, VA.
“Andy has been a friend and col-
league for many years, since we served
together in Texas. He has been a bless-
ing to my ministry and to the family of
God here in Los Angeles,” said Los An-
geles Archbishop José H. Gomez. “We
are going to miss him here, but I know
he will do great things in Sacramento
for the whole Church in California.”
Rivas earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from UCLA and a law degree
from Catholic University in Washing-
ton, D.C. He has served on numerous
boards and committees. A photo is
available on request.
Representatives from Saint John the Baptist
(top); Most Holy Trinity (left); Saint Cyprian
(right).
program includes weekly meetings,
monthly leadership trainings, theology
courses, youth socials, adoration nights,
liturgical training, retreats, conferences,
and Diocesan events. By investing in
their youth, Saint John the Baptist is
investing in the future of not only their
parish but the Catholic faith as well.
is passable, he wants to improve his
skills. There is an active Hispanic com-
munity of more than 200 people at his
parish, and since he has no parochial
vicars, he often needs to ask priests
from other parishes to assist him with
Spanish Masses. His desire to learn
Spanish is great, but his time is limited.
His Hispanic parishioners are very open
and encouraging when he practices his
Spanish with them, and he wishes he
had the time to do an immersion trip to
really impro ve his skills. However, due
to his responsibilities at his parish, he is
going to do the next best thing: one-on-
one language coaching. With help from
the Foundation’s grant, Father Vincent is
able to hire a tutor to improve his skills,
so he can eff ectively preach and minister
to his community.
If you would like to support pro-
grams like these, please consider a
donation to our Field of Interest Endow-
ments. Learn more at http://cfoscc.org/
what-we-do/endowments.
Saint Cyprian
Father Vincent Pineda grew up in
the Philippines, and while his Spanish
Join
The Society of
Saint Joseph
Already named the Church
in your will? Please fill out the
confidential Legacy Gift Intention
Form. We want to thank you for
your generosity and welcome you
as a member of the Society of
Saint Joseph. Download the form
on the Foundation’s website or
ask your parish to print one.
SAVE THE DATE: First Annual Legacy Mass & Reception
October 14, 3:00pm Mass with Bishop McGrath
Formal invitation for Society memebers to follow
in partnership with
Remember the Church in your will or trust
visit cfoscc.org/societyofsaintjoseph
To learn more:
call 408.995.5219
email [email protected]