As a baby boomer, I am first in line to celebrate Catholic schools that were established during those years to accommodate us many millions of students. Hats off this week to San Francisco’s St. Gabriel School celebrating 70 years in 2018. Father Tom Hamilton has been pastor of St. Gabe’s for more than a decade. “So many times in traveling the world I’ve introduced myself as a priest from St. Gabe’s in San Francisco and I have encountered the response ‘I went to school at St Gabe’s,’” Father Tom told me. “St Gabriel’s has been a place of wonder for 70 years now, may God’s grace continue to bless those open to the gift of the Spirit.”

As we move hurriedly into a new school year, let’s take a moment to remember the many educators who have served in our Catholic schools and have now gone to God.

Paul Iwai, now a physician at a community hospital in the Northern California foothills, recently enjoyed a reunion with his former Marin Catholic High School English teacher Tom Lippi who retired just a few months ago after more than 40 years at MC, and who chatted with me about it in this column April 12. Paul, a 1985 MC alum, said he was spurred to communicate with Tom by the April 12 column.

Christian Clifford’s miles to go on the California Mission Trail are growing fewer by the day and every step is a prayer. Christian and I spoke via email.

Out of his and his wife’s inability to find resources “designed to take healthy couples and lead them more deeply into a shared encounter with Christ,” Chris Stravitsch decided to help fill that need. He is a co-founder of the St. John Paul II Foundation, offering “formation and education in the areas of life and family,” and its “Together in Holiness” program, dedicated to “forming spouses so that they can form their families.”