in the diocese
May 27, 2014
2
T
he Valley Catholic
Two men to be ordained to priesthood for Diocese of San Jose
Two men will be ordained to the priesthood for ministry in the Diocese of San
Jose, Sat., June 7, 9:30 am in St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath. The two seminarians, who have been studying at St. Patrick Seminary and
University in Menlo Park, are Jeff Joven Fernandez and Reynaldo P. Sarmiento.
The men are both natives of Manila, the Philippines and received primary
education in their homeland, followed by advanced education and special studies
when they immigrated to the United States.
Jeff Joven Fernandez
Jeff Joven Fernandez, eldest of five children of Sesinando
Q. and Janet J. Fernnadez, was born Jan. 10, 1973 in Manila,
Philippines; and attended primary and secondary school at
St. Joseph’s Academy, Las Pinas City, Philippines.
He pursued general education at De LaSalle University
in Dasmarinas City, Philippines; and earned an Associate
Arts degree at Mission College, Santa Clara, CA in 1999. He
then joined the inaugural class of the Diocese of San Jose’s
Institute for Leadership in Ministry, 1998-2000. He became
a Master Catechist.
He worked in the semi-conductor industry at Metelics Corporation in Sunnyvale,
at Komag in San Jose, and at Linear Corporation in Milpitas.
In the Philippines he served as a high school liturgy coordinator and in youth
ministry. In the Diocese of San Jose, he served as a member of the liturgy team
and altar server coordinator at St. John the Baptist Parish in Milpitas; as Director of
Catechetical Ministry at St. Elizabeth, Milpitas, 2001-2008; and has been episcopal
Master of Ceremonies since 1998.
Fernandez entered St. Patrick Seminary and University in 2008, earning a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, Master in Divinity, and Bachelor in Sacred Theology.
Why does he want to become a priest?
“When I was in first grade, I wanted to help and serve people. Now, my
answer remains the same but with much more understanding of why and how
to help and serve my neighbor with a concrete commitment to offer my life for
the people of God,” he said.
He chose to serve as a diocesan priest in the Diocese of San Jose because, after having considered becoming a Franciscan Capuchin, he
took advice from “a wise and good bishop who asked me to reconsider and think about my home diocese. He advice was that I could
always serve as a diocesan priest with a Religious heart and zeal.”
Any significant events in life which shaped his faith and vocation?
“There is no specific event but rather each moment of my life within my family, with friends and the people I meet have made my faith stronger and made
my vocation deeply rooted to Jesus the Priest,” he said.
“It is through the people I serve that I continuously get my inspiration, my
desire and perseverance, and it is through their love and shared prayer that I
get every grace and blessing from the Lord.”
Calling all Volunteers
for DISC 2014!
Come join DISC 2014 and lend a hand as
a hospitality volunteer to welcome and meet
diocesan IT professionals, technical staff
and their peers from throughout the United
States and Canada during this three-day conference. For more information
about volunteer opportunities, please email Charles Kanavel at [email protected].
The
Valley Catholic
Vol. 32 | No. 6
•
May 27, 2014
Publisher
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
Director of Communications
Bernadette Luongo-Hoye
[email protected]
Executive Editor
Roberta M. Ward
[email protected]
Communications
Production Manager
Yesenia Cabrera Hall
[email protected]
Communications
Business Manager
Mario Peña
[email protected]
Advisory Board
Kelly Barbazette, Jeannine Leichner, Father Brendan McGuire,
Amy Pizarro, Father Michael Russo, Sandra Torres, Penny Warne
www.valleycatholiconline.com
Reynaldo P. Sarmiento
Reynaldo P. Sarmiento, the youngest of five children
of Conrado and Encarnacion Sarmiento, was born in Manila, Oct. 4, 1967, attended Espiritu Santo elementary and
high school and San Beda College, 1986-1990, earning a
Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce with a major in
management.
He has served as a lector-commentator, 1986 -1994, at
Espiritu Santo Parish in Manila and at Mary Mother of
the Church, Las Pinas City. In the Diocese of San Jose, he
has served as a volunteer catechist at St. Elizabeth Parish,
Milpitas, with RCIA at St. Joseph of Cupertino Parish, youth ministry at Holy Family Parish, San Jose, and served his pastoral year at St. Catherine of Alexandria
in Morgan Hill.
From 1992 to 2004 his work experience has included being concierge supervi ͽ