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COMMUNITY
June 11, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
Bishop Oscar Cantú Celebrates 25 th Anniversary of Priesthood Ordination
By Liz Sullivan
Less than three weeks after taking
over as the third Shepherd of the Dio-
cese of San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú
celebrated the 25 th anniversary of his
ordination to the Priesthood.
A Mass of Thanksgiving was cel-
ebrated on May 21 at the Cathedral
Basilica of Saint Joseph.
Bishop Cantú was ordained a priest
for the Diocese of Houston on May 21,
1994 by then Bishop Joseph Fiorenza.
“I am most grateful today for the
countless companions on the journey
over the past 25 years: lay and clergy,
who have encouraged me, loved me,
guided me, befriended me along the
way,” said Bishop Cantú during his
homily. “From Houston to San Anto-
nio, to Las Cruces, I am most grateful
to those who supported me with love,
friendship and honesty along the way.”
Bishop Cantú was named Coadju-
tor Bishop of San Jose in July 2018
Twenty-five years ago, today, then
Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza ordained me
a priest in Houston, Texas. As I opened
the palms of my hands so that he could
anoint them with the Sacred Chrism, I
couldn’t help but be overwhelmed at
my personal inadequacy for the mag-
nitude of the office I was to undertake,
and the overwhelming and healing
affects of God’s grace in the sacrament.
As I reflect on my humble participation
in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, I have
likened it to a theatre – God’s theatre;
we are able to witness first hand God
acting in so many people’s lives, and
we are not only witnesses to these
miracles, but we priests are sacramental
agents of God’s transformative love and
grace. I am most grateful today for the
countless companions on the journey
over the past 25 years, lay and clergy,
who have encouraged me, loved me,
guided me, befriended me along the
way. From Houston to San Antonio,
to Las Cruces, I am most grateful to
those who supported me with love,
friendship and honesty along the way.
I am especially grateful for the gra-
cious welcome I received in San Jose
from Bishop McGrath and his staff
at the Chancery. I have been over-
whelmed at the kindness and hospital-
ity as I have visited parishes, schools,
agencies and communities across the
diocese. I am grateful for the work of
Bishop Pierre DuMaine and the whole-
Bishop Cantú interacts with priests before
the Mass.
and became Diocesan Bishop when
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath retired on
May 1, 2019.
“I am especially grateful for the
gracious welcome I received in San
Jose from Bishop McGrath and his
staff at the Chancery,” said Bishop
Cantú. “I have been overwhelmed at
the kindness and hospitality as I have
visited parishes, schools, agencies and
communities across the diocese. I am
grateful for the work of (founding)
Bishop Pierre DuMaine and the whole-
some collaboration he received from lay
women and men, religious women and
men, and deacons and priests. Mak-
ing my way across Santa Clara Valley
numerous times over the past several
months, I have been delighted by the
natural beauty that surrounds this val-
ley: I can only imagine what it once was
– ‘the Valley of the Heart’s Delight.’ ”
During his homily the Bishop high-
lighted several areas of focus for him
and the Diocese moving forward.
They are:
• Muliticultural Reality
• Lay Formation
• Catholic Schools
• A Culture of Vocations
• A Culture of Encounter
• Culture of Innovation
(For a full description of these initia-
tives see the Bishop’s Homily below).
“These specific initiatives and pro-
grams are part of a wider concern and
reach of the local church to witness to
Christ in our lives, to preach in season
and out of season,” said the Bishop.
“They are part of a wider effort that
Homily of Bishop Cantú’s 25th Anniversary Mass
May 21 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
some collaboration he received from
lay women and men, religious women
and men, and deacons and priests.
Recently, I had the privilege and op-
portunity to speak with the priests of
the diocese about the history of our
diocese. I stand in humility and respect
at the great work that has taken place
in the almost 40 years of history, and
even before the inception of the Diocese
of San Jose.
Making my way across the Santa
Clara Valley numerous times over
the past several months, I have been
delighted by the natural beauty that
surrounds this valley: I can only imag-
ine what it once was – the Valley of the
Heart’s Delight!
Among the many good works tak-
ing place in the name of the church, I
wish to highlight a few. Others I am
anxious to get to know more intimately.
Muliticultural Reality
As I begin to shepherd the church
of San Jose, I am energized by the mul-
ticultural reality of our local church.
I firmly believe there are treasures
of family values, treasures of faith,
treasures of devotion, treasures of
perseverance and determination, trea-
sures of long-suffering and hope. These
are treasures to be valued, protected,
nourished, and shared. I look forward
to finding creative ways to share the
values of each culture with the wider
Bishop gives his homily during Mass.
community, that we might all benefit
from these human and religious values.
Lay Formation
We have a wonderful treasure in
our lay formation institute. I am grate-
ful for the vision that created it, the
leadership that has guided it, and the
participants that have been enriched
by it. I am grateful to Santa Clara Uni-
versity for the myriad of ways in which
the university has partnered with and
supported various projects and min-
istries in the diocese; I am anxious to
continue a strong partnership into the
future. I hope to continue to strengthen
and support this important ministry
we might encounter Christ anew and
fall in love again with our God. They
are part of larger effort to proclaim the
dignity of the human person from the
womb to the tomb.”
At the conclusion of Mass, Bishop
Cantú addressed the initiative, “Creat-
ing a Culture of Vocations.”
For Bishop Cantú this project begins
with families. Each Parish and School
was given a Crucifix made especially
for this initiative. By encouraging
families to pray together and dialogue
about our faith, his hope is that younger
generations will open their hearts and
minds to God’s plan for them and for
the Church.
The Crucifix is to be passed on from
family to family in each parish (class-
room to classroom in each school) on
a weekly basis. It can be presented to
the new family/classroom at the end of
Sunday (weekly) Mass, providing an
opportunity to keep the topic of voca-
tions front and center.
of formation for our lay faithful. A la-
ity formed in the rich tradition of the
church and one which is engaged in the
life of our parishes and ecclesial proj-
ects – is essential to a vibrant church.
Catholic Schools
My own experience of Catholic
schools in Houston has informed my
vision and support of the mission of
Catholic education. My siblings and
I were children of immigrant parents,
so most of our extended family and
natural support system was far away.
The parish and its school, therefore,
became our de facto extended family.
We shared the same values and ideals.
They prepared my siblings and me for
success as parents, and as community,
industry, and church leaders. As a
working class family, my parents were
not able to afford the full cost of tuition,
certainly not for eight children! Thank-
fully, our family, like many others,
were offered subsidized tuition rates:
they paid what they could afford. My
parents made great sacrifices for my
siblings and me – as they wanted us
to be formed in the heart of the church
and to have doors of opportunity
opened to us into the future. I was
proud to work for my tuition in high
school – painting classrooms and
cutting the grass of the football field.
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