tvc.dsj.org | May 21, 2019
COMMUNITY
11
Catholic Cemeteries…Celebrates Memorial Day with Veterans Tributes and Masses
By Kathy Fanger
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay
down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13
You are invited on Memorial Day,
May 27, 10:30 a.m. to the Annual Veter-
ans Tributes and Masses at Calvary and
Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemeteries.
We are proud to join more than 1,000
Catholic Cemeteries, large and small,
across our nation participating in the
celebration, “Serving God and Country:
A Memorial Day Salute to Our Heroes,”
developed by the Catholic Cemetery
Conference five years ago.
Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese
of San Jose is honored to participate in
this program and blessed to have the
opportunity to celebrate the men and
women who have sacrificed in order
to defend the rights of all to freedom,
justice and peace.
Our prayers will include those who
have served in the military, particularly
those who gave their lives in sacrifice
for our country, current active military,
and all our deceased loved ones. We will
pray to God for the end to all violence
and hostility so true peace may come
into our world.
The Veterans Tributes will feature
The National Anthem, prayer, speeches,
lowering of the flag, wreath presenta-
tion at the Military Branch Flags, taps,
and a tribute wall. Catholic Cemeteries
is grateful to the many organizations
who participate in the tributes and
Masses: members of the Armed Ser-
vices, Wreaths Across America, the
American Legion, San Jose Veterans
Center, Knights of Columbus, Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts, Mt. Pleasant
High School JROTC, Melody Pipes,
Cherryland Flowers, CISCO volunteers
with Memorial Day Flowers Federa-
tion, Schola Cantorum and local par-
ish choirs, lay ministers, and diocesan
youth and young adults.
Gate of Heaven Memorial Day
Event: Veterans Tribute: 10:30 a.m.
Outdoor Pavilion Area; Mass 11 a.m.
Celebrant: Bishop Oscar Cantú.
Calvary Memorial Day Event: Vet-
erans Tribute: 10:30 a.m. Main Parking
Lot; Mass 11 a.m. Celebrant: Reverend
Michael Hendrickson.
At Both Cemeteries: Please allow
time to park. Tents and chairs will be
provided.
Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese
of San Jose would like to express our
sincere gratitude to all the men and
women of the United States Armed
Forces for their service, their sacrifice,
and their courage.
For more information, see our add on
the back page or contact (650)549-6056
or visit www.catholiccemeteriesdsj.org/
events/memorial-day.
Upcoming Workshops
Estate Planning Workshop
June 29, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
10110 N. De Anza Blvd. Cupertino.
Estate Planning is a comprehensive
process involving many components.
The workshop will cover Living Trust;
charitable and legacy planning; lifetime
gifting program; medical care planning
(Advance Health Care Directive); plan-
ning for incapacity (durable financial
power of attorney); burial and funeral
planning. Come with your questions.
Dia de Portugal Festival
June 8, 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
1650 Senter Rd., San José.
Catholic Cemeteries proudly spon-
sors this event hosted by Portuguese
Heritage Society of California. A day
of cultural food, crafts, entertainment,
exhibits and novelties. Stop by our loca-
tion and mention you saw this notice to
receive a gift.
Death Café
June 19, 7 – 9 p.m. (3rd Wednesday each
month) 890 Benton Street, Santa Clara
(off Lafayette). Facilitator: Candee Lucas,
M.A. Pastoral Ministries
Want a safe place to talk about death
and dying and what it means? How do
we participate or incorporate dying
into our lives as we come upon that
experience? Space provided by Santa
Clara University Graduate Program in
Pastoral Ministries. For more informa-
tion: www.deathcafe.com/deathcafe.
Endorsed by Catholic Cemeteries.
Rest in Peace
Stephen Russell, the
Director of Altar Serv-
ers at Saint Justin in
Santa Clara and an ac-
countant for the Diocese
of San Jose, entered into
eternal rest on April 28.
Steve began serving as an altar boy
at Saint Justin when he was 9 years old
and served as the Director of the Altar
Servers of Saint Justin Parish in Santa
Clara from 1980 to 2019. As director,
Steve trained all the altar servers,
scheduled them and kept track of how
many Masses they served so they could
receive certificates at their 100th Mass,
Monsignor James
Walsh, a priest of the Di-
ocese of San Jose, died
after a brief illness on
May 4, 2019, in County
Kilkenny, Ireland.
James Walsh was born in Kilkenny
on August 20, 1944, the son of Edward
Walsh and Elizabeth O’Shea. He at-
tended Saint Kieran’s College and Saint
Kieran’s Seminary in Kilkenny, and was
ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of
San Francisco at Saint Mary’s Cathedral
in Kilkenny on June 8, 1969. His uncle,
Stephen Russell
and encouraged his altar servers to
participate in many activities including
fund-raisers, trips to Disneyland and
other places, supervising the parking
lot on the 4th of July every year, and
having fellowship parties and fun ac-
tivities, such as Altar Server Jeopardy
Tournaments.
In addition, Steve was known for
his seriousness about the liturgy and
altar service and spirituality and for
his wit and humor. Steve was awarded
the Saint Pius X award in for service to
Saint Justin and the Diocese of San Jose.
He was an accountant at the Diocese of
San Jose and a tax accountant at H & R
Block’s Rivermark Office.
Steve was a graduate of Santa Clara
University, a graduate of Bellarmine
Preparatory School in San Jose, and
Saint Justin School in Santa Clara. Steve
completed the three-year Institute for
Leadership in Ministry in the Diocese of
San Jose in 2004 and was an active leader
in the Parish of Saint Justin (member of
the Church Council and Stablemates)
and for the Diocese of San Jose. Steve
mentored leaders in other parishes in
the diocese in revitalizing their altar
server programs.
Many people have said that Steve
was the nicest and kindest person they
Reverend Monsignor James Walsh
Father John Walsh, was also a priest of
the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
In the Archdiocese, Father Walsh
served in the following assignments:
Assistant Pastor at Saint Matthias Par-
ish in Redwood City, Associate Pastor
at Saint Christopher Parish in San Jose,
Saint Joseph of Cupertino Parish in
Cupertino and Saint Simon Parish in
Los Altos. In 1981, he was appointed as
Pastor of Saint Cyprian Parish in Sunny-
vale, in the newly-created Diocese of San
Jose. Returning to Saint Christopher
Parish, he was Pastor there from 1989
until his retirement to Ireland in 2010.
Recognizing his exemplary service
as a priest, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
nominated Father Walsh as a Prelate
of Honor, with the title of Monsignor,
an honor granted to him by Pope John
Paul II in 2000.
Monsignor Walsh will be remem-
bered for his love of the people whom he
was sent to serve – in each of his assign-
ments. He was particularly beloved by
the parishioners of Saint Cyprian Parish
and Saint Christopher Parish, where he
ministered for a total of 27 years, both as
have ever met. He is cherished and
greatly missed by his family, many
friends, coworkers, and the altar servers
at Saint Justin.
Steve is the beloved father of Justin
Russell, Alan Zabala, and Harry Zabala;
the brother of Mary Russell Nuttall; the
nephew of Jane Russell; the uncle of
Sabrina Nuttall and Sean Nuttall; and
the grandfather of Tai, Hailee, Alex,
and Noah Zabala; and fiancé of Doreen
Sasser Van Tuyl.
In lieu of flowers, the members of his
family request donations to Saint Justin
Parish with a notation: Stephen Russell
Fund for Saint Justin Altar Servers.
Associate Pastor and as Pastor.
Monsignor Walsh is survived by
sisters, Annie Drea and Margret Phelan
and by brothers William, Edward and
Martin Walsh, and by many nephew
and nieces.
The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated
at Holy Trinity Parish, Hugginstown,
Kilkenny, on May 8. Father Christopher
Bennett, Pastor of Saint Christopher Par-
ish, represented the Diocese of San Jose.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated
on Thursday, May 30 at 5 p.m. at Saint
Christopher Parish in San Jose.