Newsroom

Archbishop Cordileone Appoints New Leadership
for St. Patrick’s Seminary & University
 

San Francisco, August 13, 2019 - Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco announces the appointment of Rev. Daniel B. Donohoo as President-Rector of St. Patrick Seminary & University, and Rev. Anthony Stoeppel as its Vice-Rector. Both appointments are for five-year terms and effective August 15, 2019.

“Fr. Donohoo has served the seminary with dedication for more than six years, most recently as Vice-Rector and Dean of Men. He has a keen understanding of the challenges of diocesan priesthood and the spiritual and human formation required for a successful vocation,” Archbishop Cordileone noted. “Fr. Donohoo is uniquely prepared and qualified to take on the leadership of this important institution at this time.”

Fr. Donohoo’s previous positions at the seminary include terms as Dean of Students and Vice President of Administration. In addition, in his home Archdiocese of Indianapolis he served as a judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal and led a successful program for continuing education for clergy. He also served as pastor of a number of parishes in the Indianapolis Archdiocese, including the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. He was educated at the University of San Diego; Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium; and St. Patrick’s Seminary & University. He holds an MS in Marital and Family Therapy.

Upon being named President-Rector, Fr. Donohoo said, “I am grateful to the Archbishop and Board for their confidence in appointing me to serve in this role for my beloved Alma Mater. I hope, in collaboration with my current colleagues, to help form men of compassionate pastoral presence; men illuminated by sound Theology, inspired by a continued deep personal encounter with Jesus Christ, issuing forth in generous service to all people.”

Fr. Anthony Stoeppel joins St. Patrick’s Seminary as a faculty member and as its new Vice-Rector. He brings significant diocesan experience to the Seminary. He was most recently Vicar General of the Diocese of Tyler and also served as Chairman of the Parish & Mission Assistance Program and President of Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic Schools, as well as pastor of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, a largely Spanish-speaking parish in the Diocese of Tyler. Fr. Stoeppel attended Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut, and holds a Doctorate of Sacred Theology in the field of bioethics from Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

These appointments became necessary upon the untimely passing of Most Reverend Robert F. Christian, O.P., in July. Bishop Christian was President-Rector of the Seminary from January 14, 2019 until his death.

St. Patrick’s Seminary has been forming priests for the West Coast region of the United States and the Pacific Islands since 1898.  The seminary is committed to a second century of forming priests after Christ’s own heart.

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Announcement from Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone
 July 11, 2019 
 
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Christian has died unexpectedly at his residence at St. Patrick Seminary and University in Menlo Park.  Bishop Christian was appointed rector of the Seminary on January 14 of this year.
 
I was deeply saddened to learn this morning of his passing.  The Archdiocese was greatly blessed to have his wisdom and leadership even if for so brief a time as auxiliary bishop and even briefer time as rector of the Seminary.  We join with the Dominican community in praying for the repose of his soul and for peace and comfort for his wonderful family in their time of mourning.
 
Robert Francis Christian was born in San Francisco in 1948 to Robert Francis and Gloria Jean Christian. He was raised in San Francisco, where he attended St. Brendan and St. Vincent de Paul grammar schools and St. Ignatius High School. In 1970, after graduating from Santa Clara University, he entered the Dominican Order in Oakland.
 
Fr. Robert was ordained in 1976, and in 1977 he began teaching at Dominican College of San Rafael. He went to Rome in 1979 for doctoral studies, and upon completion of his doctorate, ministered at the Newman Centers at the University of California in Riverside and the University of Washington in Seattle.
 
Fr. Robert was assigned to the faculty of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome in 1985. Except for the years 1997-1999, when he was vicar provincial of the Western Dominican Province headquartered in Oakland, Fr. Robert taught theology, ministered to the Dominican community in Rome, held administrative offices at the Angelicum, and offered occasional assistance to various Vatican bureaus, until 2014.
 
Prior to becoming bishop he was the Student Master at St. Albert Priory in Oakland. At the time of his death he was a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission and a consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.
 
On March 28, 2018, he was named an auxiliary bishop by Pope Francis.  On June 5, 2018, he was ordained a bishop at St. Mary’s Cathedral.  Shortly thereafter, on January 14, 2019, he became rector of St. Patrick’s Seminary and University.
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Archdiocese Statement on California Attorney General Requests

San Francisco, May 6, 2019 - The California Attorney General’s Office has asked all 12 Catholic dioceses around the state to preserve files and documents that concern their compliance as mandatory reporters of child abuse to local law enforcement. In addition, the Attorney General’s Office has asked that 6 of the 12 dioceses, including the Archdiocese of San Francisco, voluntarily produce these same documents so that the AG’s Office can monitor their compliance with the letter and spirit of the law.  
 
The Archdiocese regularly trains all mandated reporters about their obligations to report to law enforcement.  Even those who are not mandated reporters are reminded of the moral obligation to be aware of the signs of child abuse and to report it when there is a reasonable suspicion an abuse has occurred.  A detailed explanation of the systems in place to protect children can be found at www.sfarch.org/protecting-children.
 
As is our policy, we intend to cooperate with the Attorney General’s request and will work out the details with them directly.

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PDF Statement
PDF Attorney General Letter

Update: Star of the Sea School

STAR OF THE SEA SCHOOL
TO SUSPEND CLASSES IN JUNE
 

San Francisco, April 3, 2019 – Fr. Joseph Illo, pastor of Star of the Sea Parish and School in San Francisco and the Archdiocese of San Francisco, announced that the K-8 elementary school will suspend classes at the end of the current school year in June. The school will continue its preschool classes uninterrupted and will build greater collaboration between the fully-enrolled preschool and the elementary school. After much consultation, the decision has been made to take the necessary time to develop an Integrated Classical Program, including curriculum development, marketing strategy, and effective business model. Fr. Illo issued this statement to parents today:

“Star of the Sea Parish and School has done everything possible to maintain classes uninterrupted during this time of transition into an Integrated Classical Program. Due to unforeseen challenges, however, we now see that it is wiser to take additional time to properly study, design, market and fund this new model at Star of the Sea School. We regret that we must suspend classes because of projected low enrollment for the upcoming school year. 
 
“This has been a difficult and uncertain period for many school parents, some of whom have strongly expressed their concerns and reluctance to this development. There has also been a good deal of positive interest in moving forward with this new model. I am looking forward to working with people who are eager to develop this kind of school in San Francisco. I am most grateful to our faculty and staff, who have been working so hard along with parish staff, to develop the Integrated Classical Program. I also continue to be grateful to the Department of Catholic Schools for the expertise they bring to help us develop this exciting education format.”
 
Pamela Lyons, Superintendent of Catholic Schools said, “While I am saddened by the suspension of classes at Star of the Sea School, I agree that moving to a new model of education takes careful strategic planning in order to offer a quality Catholic program that benefits our students and families. It would have been ideal if this transition to an Integrated Classical Program could have taken place with enough students to financially sustain the school; however that just isn’t the case. Star of the Sea School has a rich history of educating the Catholic children of San Francisco and I see no reason why that history will not continue in the near future.”

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PDF Announcement

Media Inquiries

Mike Brown
Director of Communication
Archdiocese of San Francisco
One Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco, CA 94109
(cell) 650-387-1160
(desk) 415-614-5636
brownm@sfarch.org