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November 20 , 2006 • VOL. 44, NO. 20 • Oakland, CA
New administrator for St. Anne Parish in Walnut Creek
An East Indian
Salesian gives the Diocese of Oakland a five-star review for its “openness
to all cultures and its welcoming attitude to priests from around the
world.”
Father Joseph Parekkatt, the new parochial administrator at St. Anne Parish
in Walnut Creek who is now serving in his third Oakland assignment since
arriving to the East Bay nearly seven years ago, reports that each parish
“has been very wonderful and welcoming. None of them have had problems
with different cultures.”
Most outstanding about the East Bay Catholic scene, he says, are “the
many possibilities for priestly ministry here.”
A priest friend suggested that Father Parekkatt consider coming to Oakland
when he was making plans to take a sabbatical in 2000. He had been longing
to serve full time in a parish doing nothing but pastoral work, but since
his ordination 32 years ago, had divided his time between teaching high
school students and pastoral administration. For three years, he also
served on his community’s provincial council.
Since relocating to the East Bay, he has had ample opportunity to fulfill
his dream. He especially feels called to visiting the sick and being available
for the sacrament of reconciliation at several area hospitals.
Before coming to St. Anne’s on Oct. 16, he served as parochial vicar
at St. Mary Parish in Walnut Creek for five years, followed by a transfer
to St. Edward Parish in Newark in March of 2005.
Father Joseph Parekkatt
He
reports that his new assignment “is truly a great parish with a
wonderful setup and marvelous staff and people. Obviously the credit goes
to Msgr. John McCracken for his tireless and painstaking effort for the
past 17 years. I have accepted the assignment trusting in God’s
power and providence and the support of the parishioners, to enable me
to carry out this task faithfully and effectively.”
Before moving to Oakland, Father Parekkatt had visited the United States
in 1991 to preach a mission appeal on behalf of his Salesian Congregation.
During his visit, he spoke at all the weekend Masses in 10 parishes in
different states.
A native of Kerala, India, Father Parekkattt was born on March 30, 1946.
“I was the fifth of nine children in a very devout and traditional
Catholic family,” he said. His dad was “a strict disciplinarian,
never missed Mass and was a member of the choir,” he said, recalling
his family gathering each evening for prayers.
“They lasted for more than an hour and most of it was on our knees.”
He owes his vocation to serving as an altar boy. “I was always fascinated
by what the priests did at the altar and that soon developed into an attraction
for the priesthood,” he said.
As a sixth grader, he began attending The Apostolic School run by the
Salesians of Don Bosco. In 1965, he entered the Salesian novitiate in
Shillong, a city in Northeast India, and was ordained on Dec. 21, 1974.
