By Mary Powers
On Sunday, July 27, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone installed Father Andrew Spyrow as the 12th pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in San Francisco. This special event included Mass celebrated by the Archbishop followed by a reception.
As part of the Rite of Installation, Father Patrick Summerhays, vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, read the Archbishop’s letter of appointment for Father Spyrow. Father Spyrow also greeted members of the parish staff and parish council.
In his homily, Archbishop Cordileone thanked Father Spyrow for assuming the role of pastor at the parish in addition to taking on a second term as the Vicar for Clergy.
Father Spyrow thanked the parishioners of St. Patrick’s, saying that he was warmly welcomed when he arrived on July 1, and he now feels like part of the family.
“It’s great to be here,” Father Spyrow said. “I look forward to shepherding the parish.”
St. Patrick Catholic Church predates the establishment of the Archdiocese and is the No. 4 landmark in the city of San Francisco. St. Patrick’s began on June 9, 1851, and from there, the parish rapidly developed. In 1872, it was estimated that the parish had close to 30,000 parishioners.
In 1906, the church was destroyed. The parish delayed reconstruction and turned its efforts to serving those displaced by the earthquake. “[Serving] human beings was now the more urgent need,” wrote Mill Hill Missionary Father John Daly in a 1976 history of the parish. This effort also launched the many social works and outreach at the parish including the St. Patrick’s Men’s Shelter.
When the church was rebuilt, it was a testament to the history of Catholicism in Ireland. Above the altar, St. Patrick is portrayed in Tiffany glass with the symbol of Ireland, the harp, above him. Four stained-glass windows depicting scenes from his life, including the founding of the diocese in Armagh and the fire on the Hill of Slane, are found in the front and rear of the church. Saints of Ireland are displayed around the perimeter with each of the counties of Ireland represented.
St. Patrick’s has been home to many in San Francisco. According to the parish, the shifts in parishioners reflect the population changes of the South-of-Market neighborhood over the years. The Irish faithful transitioned to the Spanish community, which then, in turn, gave way to the Filipino community.
Photos: Angelica Tubig
