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CURRENT
ISSUE: March 20, 2006
VOL.
44, NO. 6Oakland,
CA
Two Oakland parishes to merge
into Christ the Light community
Forty years
after two Oakland churches were joined into St. Andrew-St. Joseph Parish,
the parish is again being merged, this time with St. Mary-St. Francis
de Sales to become part of the founding community of the new Cathedral
of Christ the Light.
Bishop Allen Vigneron told parishioners of the decision in a letter read
at Masses the weekend of March 11-12, but it came as no surprise. About
eight months ago, Bishop Vigneron invited them to consider becoming part
of the cathedral parish and they met with him a couple of months ago to
express their support and concerns about the prospect.
The parish had been in dialog with the diocese for nearly a year, exploring
ways to maintain their facilities and support essential ministries under
serious financial limitations.
In his letter, the bishop said he is convinced the merger is the “best
way for the people of St. Andrew-St. Joseph Parish to receive pastoral
care and be supported in living out their Baptismal call.” He acknowledged
that the decision might be difficult for some.
Father John Direen, parochial administrator at St. Andrew-St. Joseph,
expects the majority of his 300 parishioners to make the move to St. Mary-St.
Francis de Sales, but said that not all members are happy with the decision.
“This is a difficult thing for people, especially those who live
nearest the church.”
He said some parishioners have told him they will transfer to parishes
other than St. Mary-St. Francis de Sales. The merged parish will be known
as Christ the Light community.
St. Andrew-St. Joseph Church is located on San Pablo Avenue about two
miles from St. Mary-St. Francis de Sales at Seventh and Jefferson. The
church is also less than two miles from the site of the new cathedral
at Harrison Street and Grand Avenue.
The St. Andrew-St. Joseph church will close, Father Direen said, but no
decision has yet been made about what will happen to the property. The
diocese is hoping the buildings “will continue to be used for the
benefit of the community,” Bishop Vigneron said in his letter to
parishioners.
Father Direen said the parish’s soup kitchen will continue at the
present site, at least for now.
Father Quang Dong, pastor of St. Mary-St. Francis de Sales and rector
of the new cathedral, welcomed the merger decision. “I am happy,
optimistic and excited,” he said.
His 700 parishioners are ready and eager to help the two communities “become
one family,” he said. The parish is a diverse one, with many Vietnamese
and Filipino members as well as African Americans and Caucasians who were
members of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral when it merged with St. Mary’s
after the 1989 earthquake left the cathedral building unusable.
Eighty-five percent of the St. Andrew-St. Joseph community is Hispanic
with the remainder mostly African American. The ethnic mix will create
a truly multi-cultural parish, Father Direen said of the new community.
Spanish Masses will be added to the liturgy schedule at St. Mary-St. Francis
de Sales church and there is discussion about adding a parish van or organizing
car pools to bring parishioners from the St. Andrew-St. Joseph neighborhood.
The merger will also strengthen parish ministries, said Father Direen.
Lay leadership is “well established” among his parishioners,
and they will bring those skills to their new parish.
Both parish councils will meet on March 21 to discuss sharing responsibilities
and planning for the future. The merger is expected to be completed by
August.
Father Direen said he is concerned that people living in the neighborhood
around St. Andrew-St. Joseph Church remain a pastoral priority.
“We don’t want people falling through the cracks in a kind
of out-of-sight/out-of-mind situation,” he said. In particular,
he cited the growing problem of prostitution, saying he hopes to be able
to continue to reach out to the prostitutes and to mobilize forces to
“put a stop to this.”
Father John Direen
Father Quang Dong
