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Vida Cortes and Theresa Yang from the Saint Victor Development Office sat down with Chief Eddie Garcia on a busy September morning to talk about how his years at Saint Victor impacted his life .
He was delighted to walk down memory lane . Chief Eddie Garcia grew up in the Berryessa neighborhood that surrounds Saint Victor School and church . The community of children and parents was tight knit . Chief Garcia remembers his childhood as “ innocent times when everything was a big deal .” Garcia recalled and then asked with a smile , “ Do they still do Field Day ?” He was reassured that Field Day is an annual springtime tradition . He recalls winning the Altar Server of the Year Award , playing at recess and lunch , and eating special hot lunches . He remembers when the original church burned down in 1980
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and the congregation met for Mass in the Hall until it was rebuilt . This was when it struck him that a church was more than just a building – it was the people that made the church .
Chief Garcia still keeps in regular touch with the members of the Class of 1985 . This past summer they met in downtown Campbell to reminisce and recall their a dventures as adolescents . While Chief Garcia has moved out of the Berryessa area , he still remains committed to Catholic education . His oldest son graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory High School and his other son is currently a student there . His youngest child , a daughter , is a current student at Saint Frances Cabrini . Chief Garcia also remains committed to Saint Victor Parish . At the time of the interview , Chief Garcia was looking forward to possibly
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San Jose Chief of Police Eddie Garcia ‘ 85 , laughs as he recalls fond memories of Saint Victor School .
serving as a volunteer officer at Saint Victor ’ s annual Parish Festival .
Laughing and sharing memories with the Chief was delightful . Chief Garcia learned about some of the recent changes and improvements that have taken place--two years ago Saint Victor
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opened a Preschool , the junior high has 1:1 Chromebooks for assignments , and that the school is aiming to build an outdoor classroom at the garden .
The Chief reflected on how his education at Saint Victor impacted his life choices . “ My education at Saint Victor instilled in me a strong work ethic . The teachers were great and provided structure . The teachers infused everything with spirituality .” Chief Garcia credits Saint Victor and his family for his moral foundation . “ We were taught to ask what is the right thing to do ?” As a police chief for a large city like San Jose he says that this moral compass forces him to think about policies and see if they are in line with human values . He feels it is important for people to live a life of compassion especially for the disadvantaged . “ We should all be people for others .”
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Each year Saint Catherine School hosts an Alumni Mass to reconnect with past graduates . Alums are invited to attend the Sunday 10:30 a . m . Mass and participate in the liturgy in a variety of roles .
When they arrived , alumni and parishioners were greeted by current Student Council members , who also served as ushers . This year the alumni choir for the liturgy consisted of alums
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from the 1980s , 1990s , and both decades of the 2000s . Alumni from 1986 and 2016 served as lectors , while current school staff , parents and alums were Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharis t . An alumnus from the class of 1985 and his family presented the gifts at the Offertory . Both current students and alums were altar servers . Samantha Lee , class of 2015 and current junior at Notre Dame High School San Jose , |
presented a reflection on her years at Saint Catherine School .
Saint Catherine School opened in 1963 . This year graduates and their families from the 1970s through 2010s were in attendance at this annual liturgy , along with current students and families . A reception was held after Mass , so alums , students and families could reminisce and catch up . It was a wonderful day for everyone in attendance .
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Samantha Lee , class of 2015 and current junior at Notre Dame High School San Jose , refl ected on her years at Saint Catherine School . |
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St . Christopher School Kindergarten through 8th Grade |
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Join Us for Open House November 8 and December 6 8:30am - 10:30am |