St. Patrick’s Seminary Installs Reverend George E. Schultze, SJ, as 17th President-Rector

St. Patrick’s Seminary Installs Reverend George E. Schultze, SJ, as 17th President-Rector

Seminary begins school year with 20 new seminarians, the largest class since 2013

Pictured (L to R.): Most Rev. William Justice, Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco, Most Rev. Daniel Walsh, Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Santa Rosa, Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, Rev. George E. Schultze, S.J., President-Rector, Most Rev. Michael Barber, SJ, Bishop of the Diocese of Oakland, Most Rev. Myron Cotta, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento.

MENLO PARK, CA. August 24, 2017 – On Monday, August 21, 2017, St. Patrick’s Seminary & University celebrated the installation of Reverend George E. Schultze, SJ, as the institution’s 17th President-Rector. The Mass was celebrated by The Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, who also delivered the homily and performed the Rite of Installation before a gathering of an estimated 200 seminarians, bishops, priests, family members of Fr. Schultze, benefactors and friends of St. Patrick’s.

Held in the seminary’s historic chapel, the Mass also marked the beginning of the new academic year at the 118-year-old Seminary. St. Patrick’s has an entering class of 20, which is the largest since 2013 and includes seminarians from eight dioceses across the west coast and Pacific region, as well as two seminarians from Korea, a first for the institution. In all, St. Patrick’s has seminarians from 11 dioceses.

Speaking to attendees at a dinner following his installation, Fr. Schultze focused on the joy of his role and the importance of callings to the priesthood, noting “We are here because we recognize the importance of St. Patrick’s Seminary & University for Catholics and all men and women of good will… St. Patrick’s has social capital, intellectual capital and above all else, spiritual capital to share with those who are near or far from us,” he said referring to the seminary’s location in Menlo Park, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

He spoke directly to the seminarians present saying, “There is no better time than this moment in history to be a Catholic priest. Our world needs you.” He added, “I look forward to working closely with sending bishops and vocations directors throughout the Western U.S. to support the formation of priests and recruit more outstanding men to the vocation to the priesthood.”

A native of Mountain View (CA), Fr. Schultze has been on the faculty and served as a spiritual director at St. Patrick’s for more than a decade. Previously, he served on the faculty and staff of the University of San Francisco, and holds a degree from Cornell University in Industrial and Labor Relations and a PhD from the University of Southern California in philosophy, theology, and ethics. A Jesuit, Fr. Schultze currently serves on the board of Catholic Charities of the East Bay and is an advisor to Catholics for the Common Good.

St. Patrick’s previously announced a number of additions to the faculty for this year, including both prominent academicians and Diocesan priests. Seminarians attending are from the Archdiocese of Agaña in Guam, and the dioceses of Honolulu, Oakland, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Spokane and Suwon in South Korea, along with the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The new class will maintain St. Patrick’s enrollment at 56 seminarians.

About St. Patrick’s Seminary & University

St. Patrick’s Seminary & University was established in 1889 by then San Francisco Archbishop Riordan. The Seminary sits on 40-acres in the heart of the Bay Area’s Silicon Valley. Its expansive park-like grounds, historic chapel and classroom space provide an ideal environment for prayer, meditation, and study within close proximity to major urban centers. The Seminary currently has seminarians in formation from throughout California, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii.

The mission of this venerable institution has remained constant over the course of its history; namely, to form priests according to the heart of Jesus Christ and worthy of God’s Holy Church. The Seminary is governed by the Archdiocese of San Francisco in association with its other sponsoring western and Pacific Rim dioceses. For more information about St. Patrick’s Seminary & University, please visit our website, https://www.stpsu.edu/. You can also follow St. Patrick’s on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

For Media Inquiries, Contact:

St. Patrick’s Seminary & University

(650) 279-1054

leelamma.sebastian@stpsu.edu

Ross Coyle

Harden Communications Partners

(510) 635-4150

rcoyle@hardenpartners.com

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