www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery Our Lady of Fatima Greek Catholic Church SF Nativity Eve 2011

Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Our wonderful clergy after Nativity Eve Vespers, and our Agape room ready for our Holy Supper.

I don't want to boast... hee hee... but in the language of Holy Icons a large forehead is symbolic of great wisdom. Just look at our clergy!

Hmm, ok - but, baldness on top does not factor into forehead dimension (there must be a mathematical formula somewhere to take that into account and give us a true picture of the wisdom factor ). However, I must say that Deacon Kyrill's facial bone structure is in itself remarkably icon-like - so, he gets extra points on that count.

Many years,

Neil

Nice picture of the clergy!
(I am unable though to enlarge the other two images.)

I must admit to being surprised.
I was expecting to see Fr. Eugene in the picture and couldn't find him. Then, when I checked the front page of the OLF website, I saw the name of a different pastor.

Was Fr. Eugene transferred? How long has Fr. Greene been pastor? I see he is dressed in Roman vestments. Does he not have ritual faculties to celebrate Divine Liturgy?

I know Fr. Vito and Fr. Deacon Kyrill, but I have not met Fr. Kevin. Could you provide some info on him?

Thanks.

GC,

That's a problem at present (see thread on the topic - in Town Hall, I think). It probably won't get resolved until John is back on his feet and can deduce what's causing it.

Many years,

Neil

Fr. Eugene continues his teaching as a professor at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology www.dspt.edu [dspt.edu]

Fr. Kevin has a long history of worshiping in Eastern Catholic parishes and Orthodox temples and has been with us concelebrating for the past 8 months for most of our services. He is employed full time as the chaplain for the Archdiocese in two large hospitals in SF. He is the spiritual father for the Discalced Carmelite Nuns [motherofgodcarmel.org] (Cloistered Contemplatives) in San Rafael. Our Fr. Karl Patzelt, SJ, used to celebrate Divine Liturgy for these nuns, and they also would come to OLF to sing in the choir, behind a grate, back in the days when our liturgy was all in Church Slavonic. He offers retreats in the Archdiocese and celebrates the Roman Rite Mass as needed in other parishes in the Archdiocese. Like all our priests in this Archdiocese our clergy are stretched very thin.

Fr. John Greene was assigned as our pastor ie administrator about 8 months ago. He is the pastor and priest of St. Monica's Catholic Church and for over 30 years the the chaplain for the San Francisco Fire Department [catholic-sf.org]. I'm sure he has other jobs as well, which I'm unaware of. (St. Monica's also has a school.) We have not been assigned an administrator perhaps ever. Having one, especially such a skilled and sensitive one, is a huge improvement. While he has happily come and concelebrated with us and shared meals with us he does not have faculties for the Byzantine Rite nor does he seek them. He does have a terrific voice and chants beautifully when he is concelebrating! Fr. Vito and Fr. Kevin are our primary celebrants. Fr. Dn. Kyrill remains our amazing deacon of many hats.

Come visit!

MaryLouise,

On a side note, I notice that the Discalced Carmelite community chapel is Byzantine in its exterior look (loovely blue onion dome). Do you know if they have a Byzantine chapel?

Many years,

Neil

I don't know. I've long wanted to visit them but as yet have not. I will try to remember for ask Fr. Kevin. As I mentioned he serves as their priest. I think he is there a couple of times a week.

Please pray for him. I don't know how these priests keep up their schedules. He lives south of our parish and the nuns are yet further north, over the Golden Gate bridge.

More than you asked for but I thought all of Fr. Kevin's reply was of interest so will include all of it. Fr. Kevin himself was a member of the Order for several years some time back and has been the spiritual director for this community for years.

(A visitor at OLF this past Sunday was certain that the nuns had lived at OLF at one time, which I was sure they hadn't. Father's comment at the end is related to that question.)

Fr. Kevin wrote:
The chapel is very small and is Latin in style, although it has a beautiful icon of the Holy Virgin of Vladimir. It also has an icon of the Resurrection. Throughout the monastery itself there are numerous icons and prints (all Russian); many of them given to the nuns decades ago by Fr. Karl and OLF parish. Fr. Karl used to celebrate the DL at the monastery once a month. In those days the nuns sang the Liturgy in Slavonic which they had all learned. The saintly foundress, Mother Miriam, is buried on the property and established the community as a foundation from the monastery of Carmel by the Sea in 1965. Mother Miriam had a mystical experience and intuition connected with Fatima and the need for intercessory prayer for Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church (including of course those in communion with Rome; a small community of heroic martyrs, exiles and long suffering prisoners who are the ancestors of OLF parish). The goal was to someday make a foundation in Russia. For a variety of reasons, this has not yet been successfully accomplished.
Anyway, the nuns would also occasionally travel to OLF to sing the DL with the parish on Sundays and major Feasts. However,at no time did any of the nuns live on the property. That would not have been possible because of their Rule and Constitutions which require papal enclosure.