Wednesday this week was both a wonderful and sad day in the Diocese of San Jose. Early in the morning, after my Holy Hour (@6:00 a.m.), I checked twitter to find the announcement that Bishop Oscar Cantú had been appointed Coadjutor to the Diocese by our Holy Father, Pope Francis. It was exciting news. I then went off to my morning exercise and Mass with the MESST(Eucharistic Missionaries of the Most Holy Trinity) sisters as I normally would. We prayed for Bishop Oscar and our Bishop Patrick at Mass and shared stories of blessing as we waited for the 10:00 a.m. introduction streamed over the internet. (you can watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KORRSPoaj0s )

When the introduction of our new Coadjutor was over I returned back to work and as I opened my email, the sadness came into the day. It was announced that Bishop Richard Garcia had died early that morning from complications of Alzheimers. It hit close to home because Bishop Richard was a priest of the Diocese of San Jose.
I first encountered Bishop Richard when I was in my first year of seminary formation at St. Patrick. He at the time was the Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento. I was walking through the library in one direction and he going in the other. I greeted him and then to my surprise he stopped, greeted me and engaged me in conversation. Nothing grand, just my name and where I was from. Just some basic conversation facts that I forgot very quickly as I continued on my way. Fast forward one year and I saw Bishop Richard again, only this time he greeted me by name, asked how my mom in Idaho was doing with a warmth that was both memorable and filled with grace.
My knowing Bishop Rich continued to grow as I went to St. Catherine of Alexandria parish for my pastoral year. It was a parish Fr. Rich had served at early in his priesthood with Msgr. Joe Milani as his pastor. Even though decades had passed since his serving at the parish the stories abounded of his kindness, gentleness and care for his people in healing the parish community.
But, perhaps, it is Bishop Rich’s memory and his remembering that is so clear in my mind and what made his illness much greater. Deacon Rick, one of the deacons at St. Catherine, tells the story of how he and his wife arrived at the parish with his family. Moving from the Midwest to San Jose to work and how after purchasing their home in Morgan Hill went down the hill to visit the parish. As they were walking towards the church a young priest comes out to greet them (see the pattern) and begins to talk with them and inquire about the family and life in general. Fast forward many years and without fail, when they would meet, Bishop Rich would ask about Rick’s wife Rosemary, his family, his work—never forgetting and always being present with the same grace and generosity of time that marked Bishop Rich’s ministry to God’s people.
Lastly, when I was installed as pastor at St. Catherine 7 years later, to my surprise, Bishop Rich came to celebrate with the community the installation of their new pastor as the parish celebrated 100 years of serving Morgan Hill.
During breakfast after Mass Wednesday morning as we waited for the introduction of Bishop Cantú, we spoke about Bishop Garcia and how he had been such a good friend to many of the MESST sisters who had served the diocese of San Jose and how he continued to bless the sisters with prayers and presence even when he was assigned faraway in Sacramento and then Monterey. It seemed God was blessing us with the goodness of the man even as he was being called home to the eternal banquet of the Eucharist.

Let us pray for Bishop Richard, his family, his flock in the Diocese of Monterey and for all who loved this wonderful and holy man. Let us also pray for my Diocese of San Jose as we move towards the gift of a new shepherd to lead us into the future.

God bless,
Fr. Mark