The Valley Catholic September 10, 2019 | страница 4

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September 10, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
IN THE DIOCESE
“Stay with Us” – Diocese Hosts Annual Welcoming and Commissioning Day
By Liz Sullivan
A long-standing tradition in the
Diocese of San José took place on Sep-
tember 5 when the annual Welcoming
and Commissioning Day was held at
the Church of the Transfiguration.
This year’s theme was “Stay with
Us.” The day-long event offered an
opportunity for pastoral ministry lead-
ers to renew friendships and welcome
newcomers.
Bishop Oscar Cantú was the key-
note speaker and celebrated the Mass
where new ministers are commis-
sioned. The event is sponsored by the
departments of Faith Formation, His-
panic Apostolate and Youth & Young
Adults.
More than 90 catechetical leaders
from across the Diocese attended.
On August 19, Bishop Oscar Cantú
and the Diocese of San José honored
two retiring religious sisters with a
Mass and potluck luncheon at the
Chancery.
Sister Rosalie Pizzo, SNDdN, who
spent nine years serving as the Bishop’s
Delegate to Religious, received the
Saint Joseph Award, presented to the
person who shows wise and faithful
service to the Diocese of San José.
Sister Maryann Cantlon, CSJ was
presented with The Pro Ecclesia et Pon-
tifice Award bestowed upon her by the
Holy Father for her dedication to the
mission of the Church and the Pope
through her ministry.
One of the first things you notice
about Sister Maryann Cantlon when
you meet her is her beautiful voice.
She can sing with the angels, yet she
also knows how to use that voice to
command respect, from the prisoners
she visits, to the officials at the jails and
prisons where she ministers.
A member of the Sisters of Saint
Joseph of Chambéry, for over 350
years, their charism has been to help
people facing challenges of violence
and abuse, oppression, conflict, and
homelessness, among others. As As-
sociate Director of Restorative Justice
for nine years in the Diocese of San
José, working in the jails of Santa Clara
County, Sister Maryann has lived this
mantra in her daily life.
During that time, she has advocated
tirelessly for the rights of prisoners and
trained countless priests, religious, and
lay volunteers to minister to them, so
“that all may be one” with God and
one another. Sister Maryann has di-
Bishop Oscar Cantú was the keynote speaker at the event held on September 5 at the
Church of Transfiguration in San José.
“We must ref lect on our ow n
experience on the Road to Emmaus
and have Christ walk with us,” said
Bishop Cantú, referring to one of the
earliest resurrection appearances of
Jesus after his crucifixion and the
discovery of the empty tomb.
The Bishop added: “that moment of
transfiguration plants seeds of hope
and seeds of joy in us. We must now
go out with hope and joy and share our
own experience.”
Diocese Honors Two Retiring Religious
Bishop Cantú presents Sister Maryann
Cantlon, CSJ with The Pro Ecclesia et
Pontifice Award. Bishop Cantú presents Sister Rosalie Pizzo,
SNDdN with the Saint Joseph Award.
rected Scripture studies for volunteers
and offenders, facilitated communion
services for inmates in the men’s and
women’s jails, and formed them to re-
ceive the sacraments of initiation.
Ever inclusive, Sister extended her
ministry to serve not just the incarcer-
ated but also their families, victims
of violence, support groups, and the
community. She has incorporated the
elements of healing and reconciliation
into her work by establishing twice
yearly Masses of Remembrance for
victims of violence and bringing of-
fenders and victims together to share
their experiences and the consequences
violence has had on their lives and to
build relationships, so they can move
forward with their lives.
Prior to arriving in San José, Sister
Maryann taught music to high school-
ers for ten years, but once she entered
the ministry of restorative justice,
there was no going back. She served
as a teacher and chaplain at state and
federal prisons in Connecticut, Florida,
and California for 32 years. She also
founded an educational mission for the
indigenous Maya people in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, where she
worked for two years.
“Her ministry calls on her to be
strong and tough at times, yet Sister
Maryann also brings great courage,
grace, and deep faith to her work and
all she encounters,” said Bishop Cantú.
A member of the order of Sisters of
Notre Dame de Namur, Sister Rosalie
comes from a large Italian-American
family with a long history in San José.
She could easily have made a difference
through a life of public service, becom-
ing one of the movers and shakers of
San José…maybe even its mayor. In-
stead, she chose a different path: while
attending Notre Dame San José High
School downtown, she was called to
a life of service to the Gospel through
religious life and entered the convent
right after graduation.
Sister Rosalie taught elementary and
high school in California and Washing-
ton and was a principal and superior
for much of that time.
At one of her assignments in the
days after Vatican II, the Sisters re-
turned to school after Easter break
with a shorter veil that revealed their
Robert Rodrigues, Director of Faith
Formation for the Diocese, opened
the day by reminding everyone of its
purpose.
“We gather to reflect, to pray and to
pause,” he said. “We look at intrinsi-
cally at what we do.”
Among those receiving Master Cat-
echist Certificates were: Sister Maria de
Foy, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Gladys Leon,
Patricia Berrios, Juan A. Berrios, and
Maria Miranda.
“Each of us has a story to tell,” said
Bishop Cantú. “As we tell our story we
learn something about ourselves. We
learn how we connect with the world
and how God is involved in the story.
The Bishop also added: “the trans-
figuration (where Jesus becomes radi-
ant in glory upon a mountain) can’t
only happen once; it has to happen over
and over again.”
hair. Sister Rosalie had not made the
change yet, and a very puzzled little
boy went up to her and asked, “how
come you didn’t get a hat with hair on
it like everybody else?”
After her teaching career, Sister
Rosalie spent three years in Rome
for the Sisters of Notre Dame at their
Generalate as hospitality coordinator,
welcoming visitors from all over the
world. This might explain her great
attention to detail and creativity at
the many events she sponsored for the
Bishop as Delegate to Religious.
Upon returning to the U.S., Sister
Rosalie worked with refugees, teaching
them English and helping them resettle
and transition to jobs. She later served
as pastoral associate at Saint Lucy Par-
ish for 19 years.
In 2011, when she decided to retire
(the first time), Bishop Patrick J. Mc-
Grath asked her to accept a position as
Delegate to Religious. We are so glad
she said, “yes.” What a way to spend
your first nine years of retirement, or
as she called it, her “transition.”
Aside from her many accomplish-
ments, the thing that stands out most
about Sister Rosalie is that she cares
deeply for people. Throughout her life
as a Sister of Notre Dame and even now
in her “second act” of retirement, she
accompanies people in their journey.
Said Bishop Cantú, “she remembers
the names of your family and those
who are dear to you and never fails to
ask how they are doing. And they usu-
ally end up on her very long prayer list.
Her life of service is an inspiration to
all of us as one who lives the message
of the Gospel to love unconditionally.”