Some Reflections on Being
at St. Joe's and/or St.Pat's
and/or Updated
News in your Life Now
My stay at St. Joe's and St. Pat's from when I was 14 until I was 22,
definitely made a positive impression on me. I loved the training and
education I received, even though I struggled. Learning how to study,
to think, to write, and to get along with peers and profs was very
exciting, challenging, and rewarding. My stay at St.Joe's and St.
Pat's formed the foundation on which I was to live my life. Certain
profs I had there became the guiding forces in my life: Fathers
Gregoire and Calegari gave me a love of history, Latin, and hard work
(I read Time mag. and books on US history.) Father Giaquinto taught
me gentleness and patience. Fathers Olivier and Becker taught me the
power of being upbeat in the classes I was destined to teach in later
years. These truly were wonderful years for me--mistakes, struggles,
and all. --Joe Barile, Nov. 28, 2005
Last weekend my youngest daughter, Cara, AP's government class
won the "We the People" competition in Las Vegas and will represent
Nv. in Washington D.C. against 49 other schools from all the states.
I was there and it was so encouraging to see 17-18 year old kids
talking about the US Constitution and fielding questions from Supreme
Court and Appeals Court judges, quoting from Jefferson, Brown versus
board of education, Madison, etc.. Though we didn't have that kind of
course in the seminary--the common thread that I saw was there
ability to think on the fly and express themselves coherently from
all the knowledge they have learned. She is fortunate to have a
knowledgeable and passionate teacher--much like many of the
Sulpicians we had. I guess I rambling, stream of consciousness
kind of stuff; in the end it gave me hope for the future as kids
embrace the importance of thinking. --Tucker, Feb. 10, 2006.
While our days together at SJC are receding in the rear view mirror,
who can say how different, and probably worse, our lives would be
today if we had not spent some of our formative years under the
direction of such men as Frs. Olivier, Calegari, Lavelle, Rock,
Giaquinto, etc. We were a good group of boys, and I'm sure we ended
up as good men. As for me, I have a reminder of my days at SJC that I
see almost every day: in my backyard is Station of the Cross number
XII, which I rescued from the grotto when the property was sold to a
developer. --Dave Donovan, Feb. 26, 2006
Since receiving the first e-mail from Joe I have thought often of my
years in the sem and the guys I spent those years with, you
guys. I was so very lucky to receive the education that I
received, to meet, live with and grow up with a wonderful group
of guys and receive a moral basis at a young age that has lasted
me a life time. Although I have not kept in contact
with any of you it is a real thrill to see the pictures and read
the bios concerning the past years. I hope to see all
of you in the future. If you are ever in north west
Montana we have plenty of room for you. --Jack Quatman, Feb 27, 2006
Being in the far north of California, I haven't seen or spoken to
many of you over these 40 years. (Jack Hyland lives in
Redding, too, and I never see him). But there isn't a day that
I don't think about one of you, or our experiences, or what a
darn word means which brings me back to Latin, Greek, or Spanish
classes. The good Lord designed the outline of each of our
pathways. I am grateful for that big early circle in the Venn
diagram of my life that includes all of you and all that we lived,
enjoyed, and endured together. It makes today real, wonderful,
and livable. Steve Essig March 23, 2006
MORE ABOUT JOHN LESLIE: About 3 years ago, well 4 now, John got
renal(kidney) cancer. He had surgery and probably some chemo and was
"cured" as much as anyone is from CA. It is unpredictable as to who
will survive any cancer. The medical community talks about 5yr
survivors, 10yr survivors, etc.. Last May he started coughing, an
xray of his chest showed metastasis. There are not very many good
options for that type of Ca. He needed some treatments that were
thought to be experimental and couldn't meet the criteria for the
different programs(Stanford, UCSF,UCLA) because he was too sick.
Places doing research are very protective of their success rates so
they don't want the sickest patients. By the time John began a
treatment the cancer was in his brain and everywhere. He died of
multiple strokes and respiratory failure caused by the cancer. That's
it. You can put it on the site. If anybody wants to contact me That's
fine but there ain't no more to tell. I'm sure Sherry his wife would
be happy to hear from people if they wanted to send a card or note:
125 Hollycrest Dr., Los Gatos, Calif. 95032 --Buz (Other bits of
information, thoughts, memories about John are welcome.)
RE (REV) LEO ROONEY: This is the 10th anniversary
of his death. Developed the big C in the lungs. Suffered greatly
while he was pastor of St. Joseph of Cupertino--never had too many
healthy days there. He had served as pastor of St. Justin's in Santa
Clara--which was his first associate pastor assignment. He was
parochial vicar at St. Catherine and St. Martin of Tours the balance
of his ministry. --Wally
McMahon May 4, 2006 (Other bits of
information, thoughts, memories about Leo are welcome.)
UPDATE ON CHUCK LATHROP (taken from a Sept 26, 2006 email: "I leave
on Wednesday next for Dili, Timor Leste, to take up the Head of
Mission post at the Irish Embassy in Timor and to manage the Irish
bilateral aid programme there. Good challenges and indeed I'll be on
a vertical learning curve for a good while. There has been official
Irish Government representation in Timor for six years now, and I'm
the third representative to serve there. On my last visit, the US
Ambassador was trying to figure out how this Californian, with
neither an Irish surname nor accent, could be the Irish Government
Representative - "It's a long story", said I...! But, I must say too,
the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs is a fierce interesting
employer to work for! The family will be coming out on a regular
basis, and Mary will be able to join me after the first year. It's a
three year posting with the possibility of a fourth year. Will keep
you posted. My work email will be my contact email from Friday next:
charles.lathrop@dfa.ie Go peacefully, go well.U
IN MEMORIAM LYLE PETERSON: Lyle's sister, Mary Jane, informed me (Joe
Barile) via email when we sent him a Christmas card that Lyle died in
February 2006 of heart failure due to renal shutdown. Tucker wrote
saying: "I remember him from St. Pats either junior or senior year
when they were remdeling rooms so many of us were put 4 to room in
the administration center wing. He lived in the 4 some next door.
Very talented artwise and everyone in his family had a VW bug. They
had 6 or 7 bugs total. good caring guy like so many in our class."
(Other bits of information, thoughts, memories about Lyle are
welcome.)
IN MEMORIAM (Rev) Joe Hovarth: Larry Purcell wrote on Dec
30, 2006: "I believe the Alumni Newsletter contained a notice about
Joe Howarth's death. I don't know details. Joe was a priest of the
diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. In 1987 when my wife, Joan, and
I were visiting Washington D.C, we met Joe at Theological College. He
was studying for the priesthood at that time. I think he was a Holy
Cross Brother who was released from his vows so that he could be
ordained a diocesan priest. I think he went on to earn a degree in
Canon Law." Paul Page
shares his memories of Joe via e-mail on
Dec 31, 2006; " Thank you for the info about Joe Howarth. I last saw
him in the Spring of 1972 when he stopped by to chat for a bit at an
office where I was doing civil rights work on 1st and Mission in S.F.
just before heading off to the East Coast in pursuit of his dreams. I
remember we went out for a drink (Hey, it was 1972!) which I paid
for. His last words to me were something to the effect that the next
time we met, the treat was on him. For some odd reason I remember
that random bit of info and have thought about it several times now
and again over the past 35 years. (I also remember that he tried to
teach me to speak some French, but I wasn't a very willing student.)
I remember Joe as a young man who was really in love with the idea of
priesthood. Why he took so long to pursue it or why that wasn't
recognized by the various "authorities" he encountered over the
years, I don't know. But I hope Larry is right in his understanding
that Joe was finally ordained. He was a very generous young man, too,
and spent a great deal of time assisting Bucky O'Connor in his last
days--a challenge, to be sure, but one Joe took upon himself in his
typically gracious manner. Requiescat in pace."
I just got a note from Fr. Gregoire saying he retired after 51
years as an active priest, and that he loves his retirement. His
handwriting seemed a bit shaky so I don't know about his health, but
he's living in an apartment in Manchester, New Hampshire. I don't
know his phone number, but I bet he'd loving hearing from those of
whom would like to write. 377 Wilson Street, Manchester, NH 03103
--Joe 1/13/07