A word from Father Garcia

My name is Father Garcia. As you know, Fr. Gabriel has invited me to substitute for him while he visits family in Nigeria. It seems only right to me that I should thank you as well for receiving me into your parish, which has such a long history in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. If my “bio” interests you, read on.

I was born in Oakland (1944) and raised in San Lorenzo. I first ventured to the West side of The Bay as a seminarian in 1969. “The Summer of Love” was still in the air and I lived with my Redemptorist (CSSR) confreres in “the projects” at Hunters Point by the old ship yards. Ten years later, as a priest, I settled into the Sunnydale neighborhood and served seven years as “House Father” for a group of seminarians who were attending City College and SF State; on weekends I offered the Holy Mass at San Mateo County Jail Saturdays and at St. Andrew’s in Daly City Sundays. In 1989 I incardinated in the Archdiocese of SF and served the next 25 years as a member of the diocesan clergy being a pastor at St. Anthony’s in Redwood City (1996 – 2008) and St. Anthony’s SF (2009 – 2014) retiring at age 70.

From then until now I have had a wonderful time living six months at my now home in Rio Rico, AZ and the other six months of the year on “the mission trail”. Don’t get me wrong: it’s nothing heroic like St. Junipero Serra…I’ve never slept under the stars nor cooked over an open fire; in fact I’m lucky if I get in 10,000 steps a day. But I’ve traveled to Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, and to a few places in the US, trying my best to keep up with the dynamic Missionaries of Charity…the sisterhood established by St Teresa of Calcutta, India in 1950. I first got to know them in San Francisco back in the late ‘80s, and our friendship has endured. I’m so grateful that in my old age they still call upon me to do a little preaching and retreat work, here and there. Next July, God willing, I’ll spend the month of July with them in Cuba. Priests are sometimes hard to find; and the Sacraments are always needed.

Feel free to call upon me during the next 30 days, if there is some way I can be of service to you. Leave a phone number or an email address with the parish office. My cell # is 415-307-1363.