tvc . dsj . org | December 13 , 2016 in the diocese 3
Chief Financial Officer Brian Mooney Settling in at the Diocese of San Jose
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By Liz Sullivan
Life is a journey and for Brian Mooney that journey has brought him to the Diocese of San Jose and his position as Chief Financial Officer ( CFO ). Mooney , who joined the Diocese in late October , replaces the late Bob Serventi , who served the Diocese exceptionally well for more than a decade before his unexpected passing in late June .
“ I am really impressed with Brian ’ s enthusiasm ,” said Bishop Patrick J . McGrath . “ He is well spoken , a good listener and processes information very well . I think he ’ ll be very fine . He seems like a fast learner .”
Mooney came to the Diocese after working for five-and-a-half years as the Vice President / Chief Financial Officer at the Ohio Catholic Federal Credit Union in Garfield Heights , Ohio .
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“ I basically put myself out of a job because I had trained my staff so well ,” said Mooney , who is married with four daughters . “ The day I spoke to my boss about that , I saw the listing for this job ( in San Jose ) and thought I should apply .”
Mooney ’ s calling wasn ’ t always in the Church . He thought the journey would involve engineering . He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor ’ s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and he has a Master ’ s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan .
“ I was miserable as an engineer ,” he said . “ I was working on roller coasters and the Space Shuttle , but I was miserable . It ’ s wasn ’ t what I was made to do . Ever since I made the transition to the Church I have always been excited to come to work .”
Mooney stepped away from his engineering career , went back to school
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Brian Mooney
at the prestigious Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and received an MBA in Management in 2008 .
From there the journey included time as a Staff Accountant in the Diocese of Phoenix , CFO at John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido , California and finally back in Ohio .
“ One of the biggest reasons I took this job was because my engineering friends told me a lot of people in the Bay Area have lost their faith and I felt like
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I could help with that . I want to get as many souls to Heaven as I can .”
Interestingly , Mooney ’ s wife Elizabeth was born in San Jose and lived here until she was 6 . Her father was in the Navy , working at Moffitt Field , and was then transferred to San Diego where she grew up and her parents still live . In addition , Mooney ’ s college roommate lives down the street from Saint Christopher Church in San Jose .
Mooney realizes he has some pretty big shoes to fill replacing Bob Serventi .
“ The challenge for me is that I am not Bob Serventi ,” said Mooney . “ I am just trying to be myself . I feel honored that I get to stand on Bob ’ s shoulders . He left the Diocese in great shape .”
Mooney ’ s immediate goals for the Diocese of San Jose are pretty basic .
“ I want to make us more efficient as a Diocesan office and provide more resources to the parishes ,” he said .
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Born ~ April 29 , 1959 Ordained a Priest ~ June 4 , 2005 Born to Eternal Life ~ November 28 , 2016
Andrés Abel Parra Balderrama was born in Chihuahua , Mexico , on April 29 , 1959 , one of three children of Refugio Parra Romero and Josefina Balderrama Ochoa .
Father Parra attended elementary and high schools in Mexico . He completed paramedic school in Chihuahua , Mexico at Tecnico Radiologo and studied at the Xaverian Missionaries ’ seminary in Guadalajara and at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio . Before his entrance into the seminary , he had worked at Teleconstructora as a telephone line installer .
Rest in Peace , Reverend Father Andrés Abel Parra Balderrama Priest of the Diocese of San Jose
Father Andrés Abel Parra Balderrama
As a seminarian studying for the Diocese of San Jose , Father Parra served his pastoral year at Sacred Heart Parish , Saratoga . At that time , he noted that “ Becoming a priest is the fulfillment of the greatest longing of my life . The priesthood is a calling from God . It is an opportunity to share with Jesus Christ the mission He established .” He chose to serve in San Jose because “ the Diocese of San Jose gave me the opportunity to be a seminarian and to serve Latino people , as well as the Anglo people .” Father Parra credited his parents ’ example of unity in the family , which gave him the principles of faith , which guided his entire life .
Father Parra was ordained by Bishop Patrick J . McGrath on June 4 , 2005 . His assignments as a priest included service at the following San Jose parishes : Saint John Vianney , Our Lady of La Vang , Our Lady of Guadalupe , Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and Saint Julie , with the majority of his ministry at Sacred Heart of Jesus in a number of different assignments . It was at Sacred Heart ( Sagrado Corazón de Jesús ) that he made most of his friends in San Jose .
Parishioners and friends remember him as a humble priest always ready to serve the community with generosity and compassion .
On July 1 , 2016 , Father Parra began a medical leave .
He died in Guadalajara , Mexico , on Monday , November 28 , and his Funeral Mass was celebrated at Santa Margarita Reyna Parish . Burial followed at the cemetery of Altagracia in Zapopan . Father Parra is survived by his sister , Manuela , his brother José Refugio , his cousin , Carmen , and other family members .
A diocesan Memorial Mass was celebrated at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish on December 10 .
Presents the Fall Speaker Series with Father Dave Mercer , Pastor
Pope Francis and how he is changing the Church . December 20 , 2016
Saint Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church 1522 McCoy Ave , San Jose , CA 95130
Monthly talks September-December | 3 rd Tuesdays | 7 p . m . - 8:30 p . m . For more information please visit : stcsj . org .
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Presents
Father Kevin Joyce Ph . D . Chaplain , Presentation Retreat and Conference Center
" Eastern Meditation and Christian Contemplation Compared "
LAW OFFICE OF PAUL A . PELOSI
Thursday , January 12 , 2017 Monthly Speaker Series | September – June
Join us for Morning Mass & special Speaker Presentations the second Thursday of each month . Mass : 7:00am | Speaker Presentation : 7:30am Members : $ 15 | Non-Members : $ 20 Three Flames Restaurant – 1547 Meridian Avenue , San Jose RSVP for events at : www . sjcatholicprofessionals . com