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Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone presents retired Father John Greene with a gift basket during a virtual luncheon for retired priests held Nov. 19. (Rose Marie Wong/Archdiocese of San Francisco)
Nov. 25, 2020
Nicholas Wolfram Smith
Clergy and laity in the Archdiocese of San Francisco paid tribute to the ministry of retired priests at a virtual luncheon held on Zoom Nov. 19.
Now in its 10th year, the St. John Vianney luncheon annually celebrates the archdiocese’s retired priests and raises funds for them. While an in-person gathering could not occur, the archdiocese held a virtual luncheon featuring several live and pre-recorded speakers who paid tribute to retired priests in general and to this year's luncheon honorees, Father John Greene, who retired this year, and Monsignor Michael Harriman, who retired in 2017.
Father Ulysses D’Aquila and Father Michael Healy also retired this year.
Father Patrick Summerhays, assistant vicar for administration, emceed the virtual event and praised the contributions of retired priests to the local church. He also thanked viewers for their financial support of retired clergy, as this year’s luncheon raised more than $100,000 for their retirement fund.
“It makes a great difference in their lives, as they’ve made a great difference in ours,” he said.
Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone reiterated that retired priests play an instrumental role in the archdiocese’s ministry and said their legacy provides “momentum that keeps our archdiocese going.”
“Our retired priests have given their lives to serving you, God’s people, and now it’s our opportunity to show our gratitude in return,” he said.
The priests retirement fund has raised $2.2 million dollars since 2011 to cover living expenses for retired clergy. At 70 years old, priests start receiving payments from the retirement fund to help cover additional living and medical expenses as they age. The funds supplement Social Security benefits that are typically low for priests because of their sparse lifetime earnings.
Retirement for a priest can be profoundly uncertain, Monsignor Harriman said in a prerecorded video. “He leaves what has been his home, he leaves what has been his office, so there’s a sense of how am I going to be supported as Icontinue on as a retired priest?,” he said.
In a live appearance during the Zoom event, Father Greene said he and other retired priests “are grateful to you for what you’ve done for us in our active ministry and what you’re doing for us in our retired ministry. It’s so important that we have your support, your prayers, your generosity during this time of retirement,” he said.
Prerecorded tributes to this year’s honorees were played during the Zoom meeting. Several firefighters from the San Francisco Fire Department spoke warmly about Father Greene, who was the department chaplain for 37 years.
Lieutenant Steven Maguire said Father Greene has “always been there for me and all of us in the fire department and for that I’m just super grateful.”
Jamie Leanues-McClone praised Monsignor Harriman for his gift for humility and listening well. She first met him at CYO camp and said “Through his direction at camp, young people learned that the church cared for us, that we were important in the eyes of God.”
The archdiocese also paid tribute to 8 priests who died this year: Fathers Bernard F. Brennan, Brian L. Costello, Thomas Joseph Ervin, Gerard O’Rourke, Kirk J. Ullery, Kenneth M. Westray, Jr., and Raymond J. Zohlen and Monsignor Edward P. McTaggart.