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May 23, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 11Oakland,
CA
Father Daniel Cardelli, 75, will retire from active
priestly ministry on July 1 after 27 years as pastor at St. Isidore Parish
in Danville and 48 years in the priesthood. A native of Fall River, Mass.,
he moved to South San Francisco when he was a teenager. He was ordained
for the Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1957 and served his first two
parish assignments in San Jose. He was then assigned as associate pastor
at parishes in Orinda, Hayward, and Oakland. He spent eight years as pastor
at St. Peter Martyr in Pittsburg (1970-78) before his appointment as pastor
at St. Isidore Parish in 1978.
A liturgy to honor Father Cardelli is planned for June 5 at 12:15 p.m.
A reception will follow.
When did you first realize that you had a calling to religious
life?
Right from my youngest years I had an attraction to the priesthood. I
can remember a vivid experience with the only grandmother I knew. My widowed
grandmother lived down the street from us in Fall River, Mass. I was about
six or seven years old. My mother encouraged me to visit my grandmother
who was living alone. She could not speak English. She asked me in Italian
the question that all grandmothers ask, “What do you want to be
when you grow up?” I answered, “A priest!” She gave
me such a big hug that I can still feel it today.
How did other family members and friends react when you told them
about becoming a priest?
My family was aware of my wishes to be a priest. They didn’t make
a big deal of it at the time. I think they do now. If you were to meet
my father after I was ordained, you would know two facts in five minutes.
First, that he had five sons and second that one of them was a priest.
I remember, however, when I was little that on a Sunday family drive we
passed a seminary in Bristol, Mass. My father turned into the grounds,
rang the doorbell and said, “My son wants to be a priest.”
I couldn’t get away fast enough. First, I wasn’t sure I really
wanted to be a priest at that time and I definitely knew I didn’t
want to be a missionary. I found out later the seminary was a Columban
Fathers Seminary. Even then my attraction was to be a parish priest.
After I graduated from the eighth grade in public school, I asked my mother
to send me to a Catholic high school so that I could discern whether I
had a vocation. I enrolled into Msgr. James E. Coyle High School in Taunton,
Mass., which was staffed by the Holy Cross Brothers. It was a good experience
and helped in my journey towards the priesthood. I did consider, briefly,
the vocation to the Brotherhood but circumstances changed that.
My father moved us to California. We settled in South San Francisco and
I found myself enrolled in Serra High School. Serra was staffed by diocesan
priests and I felt very much at home. It was their example and guidance
that helped me make my decision during my junior year to enter the seminary.
I have the proud distinction of being the very first
vocation from Serra High School ever to be ordained. A classmate of mine,
Mark Calegari, entered the Jesuits at the same time, but he was ordained
two years after me.
When I entered St. Joseph’s College in Mountain View in September
1948, all I could think of was “Wow! Nine years to go before my
ordination.” Those years seemed like they would never go by. The
goal seemed such a long, long time away. After 48 years in the priesthood,
those nine years seem like a month in comparison.
What does being a priest mean to you?
The priesthood is the most exciting, diverse, life-giving experience imaginable.
No way can it be boring. I deal with real people, sharing their life experiences.
I am enmeshed in their happy times, sad times, turbulent times, and grieving
times. I deal with them from the day they are born to the day they die.
I am for them an instrument of Christ. My goal is to bring Jesus to them
through the Word and Sacraments. I serve the Lord by helping men, women
and children alike develop their personal relationship with Christ and
their fellow human beings.
What moments as a priest brought you the most joy or meaning
or satisfaction?
The greatest joy in my life is ministering to people, helping them on
their journey through life towards God. Sometimes the journey is difficult
and painful. I try to help people grow and mature in the knowledge and
love of Christ. I learned early on that I as a priest, do not save souls.
People save their own souls. I only try to point the way.
What were the biggest challenges you faced as a priest?
Some of the biggest challenges as a human being are to have my motives
impugned. This happened to Jesus and I turn to him to help me when it
happens to me.
Looking back at your life in ministry is there anything you would
do over again if you could? Why? Why not?
Definitely yes, I cannot think of anything else that I would rather be
than a priest of Jesus Christ. If I knew at the time what I know now,
I would have reacted to some experiences in a different way. On the other
hand, the painful experiences I had in my early years were a preparation
for difficult times in the future. I found I could handle them better.
How has St. Isidore Parish changed during your years as pastor?
St. Isidore Parish has been a wonderful and beautiful experience for me.
What made it so are the people who shared their faith, trust and love
with me. Our parish grew in the last 27 years in membership and ministries.
In 1979 we divided our parish and gave birth to our daughter parish, St.
Joan of Arc. We went from 2300 families to 1200. Today we have almost
5,000 families.
We have a very active and diverse parish, with over 70 ministries. I am
thrilled that evangelization is alive and well in our parish. People ministering
to people. We can’t have it better than that.
The expansion of our facilities, doubling our school and building a huge
gym and ministry center have made it possible for people in our parish
to meet Jesus in Sacrament, in Word and in each other. The parishioners
are to be complimented in their efforts to bring this to completion.
What have learned from your parishioners?
I have learned that people of faith are loyal and trusting in Jesus no
matter what bad press the Church may receive. To judge by what a few do
and apply it to all is not in our people’s experience. They know
our faith is a treasure given us from Christ, to cherish, protect and
share. I hope that I was able to lead people to Jesus and Jesus to people.
I hope I was a worthy instrument of the Lord. I tried to help people reach
their potential and grow in their personal relationship with Jesus and
their fellow human beings.
What are you plans for the future?
I will be living in Danville. I want to continue my priestly ministry
in whatever capacity fits the parish and the new pastor. My first goal
is to get myself into reasonably good physical condition with rest, exercise
and whatever else is necessary.
Other comments or reflections?
I wish to thank all the people who have helped me throughout the years.
There are way too many to name here. I have made very good friends and
I feel very much loved. No greater gift can I expect than that. I ask
God’s blessing on them in a special way.
Father Daniel Cardelli
