The Valley Catholic November 29, 2016 | Page 4

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November 29 , 2016 | The Valley Catholic

Bishop Carlos A . Sevilla , S . J ., Returns Home to the Bay Area

By Liz Sullivan
After more than 19 years away , Bishop Carlos A . Sevilla , S . J ., has returned home to the Bay Area and is continuing his ministry in the Diocese of San Jose .
A Jesuit , Bishop Sevilla , 81 , is the Bishop Emeritus of Yakima , WA . Late this summer , Sevilla left Yakima where he had served as Bishop for 14 years and Bishop Emeritus for five years and moved into the Jesuit House at Bellarmine College Preparatory School . Bishop Sevilla spends several days a week in the Diocese of San Jose assisting his long-time friend , Bishop Patrick J . McGrath .
“ I am delighted to have him back in the Bay Area ,” said Bishop McGrath . “ It is a great privilege to have him here assisting
me , especially with the Hispanic community .”
McGrath and Sevilla first met in 1988 when Pope John Paul II appointed both of them Auxiliary Bishops in the Archdiocese of San Francisco . The pair were ordained together in 1989 and a friendship ensued . In 2015 , Bishop Sevilla spent two weeks in the Spring in the Diocese of San Jose assisting Bishop McGrath with the Sacrament of Confirmation .
“ It is good to live in a Jesuit community and be close to home ,” said Bishop Sevilla , a native of San Francisco , who has a Master ’ s Degree in Theology from Santa Clara University along with a Master ’ s Degree in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in Spokane , WA . “ I am really happy to be here and helping Bishop McGrath . I am very grateful for his friendship .”
Bishop Sevilla entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Los Gatos in August of 1953 after graduating from Saint Ignatius High School in San Francisco . On June 3 , 1966 , Bishop Sevilla was ordained a Jesuit Priest .
“ I always wanted to be a Jesuit ,” said Bishop Sevilla . “ I wasn ’ t sure I wanted to be a priest . I thought I would give it a try . There is a real sense of being a part of serving God and serving the Church .”
In addition to his work with the Diocese of San Jose , Bishop Sevilla is very active as a spiritual director , director of retreats and conferences , as well the Episcopal Advisor for the National Cursillo Movement . According to its website , “ Cursillos in Christianity is a Movement which , by its own Method , attempts from within the Church , to give life to the essential Christian truths in the singularity , originality and creativity of the person .”
Since 2004 , Bishop Sevilla has been a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ( USCCB ) Sub- Committee for Worship in Spanish .
And Bishop Sevilla has no plans for slowing down .
“ I have had a blessed life ,” he said . “ It certainly has had its challenges . I think this is where God wants me to be .”

The Kindness of Strangers

By Gregory Kepferle
CEO , Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and President , Charities Housing Development Corporation
Years ago when I was in college , a friend and I decided we would take a couple of weeks during summer break and make a hitchhiking pilgrimage through the eastern United States based on the Gospel story of Jesus sending his disciples out in pairs to spread the Good News dependent on the goodwill of the people they met for room and board .
Of course , as idealistic college kids we called it a pilgrimage , intending on visiting various shrines . The journey was actually part pilgrimage and part bumming around ( much like the pilgrimages of the Middle Ages ). In the era before cell phones , we did have emergency phone numbers and addresses of friends on a piece of paper . We took pocket New Testaments and Psalms and made prayer a regular part of our daily routine . For emergencies we had
only a few coins . We mainly relied on the kindness of strangers to give us rides , to share a meal or a drink of water and to put us up for a night . It was an adventure : scary , exciting , humbling , and filled with moments of peace and grace . We didn ’ t know where our next meal was coming from or where we would sleep each night ( in a barn , on a porch , or in a convent ), but we trusted we would survive . Along the way we encountered some suspicion and rejection , but mainly we met many very generous people . Over and over again we received the gift of mercy , the gift of encountering Good Samaritans .
The grace I experienced so many years ago reminds me to follow Jesus ’ call to be like the Good Samaritan , to “ go and do likewise ,” to be neighbor to those in need on the Jericho Road ( Luke 10:25-37 ).
My journey along “ the Jericho Road ” years ago gave me a small taste of what many of the people we serve at Catholic Charities have experienced : hunger , homelessness , loneliness , danger , despair or rejection . I also know the feeling of relief of being welcomed and fed , the joy of drinking clear cool water , and the comfort of a safe place to stay . I am inspired when I see people walk through our doors and know they will find a welcoming caring community , and find food , housing , jobs , a sense of belonging , a place to learn , and healing and hope . This is the gift of mercy the church offers through Catholic Charities and through our parishes and other service organizations . I invite you to join us at Catholic Charities by sharing the mercy you have received with others in need .
To donate , volunteer or to learn more , go to www . CatholicCharitiesSCC . org .

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