On December 7, 8, and 9, Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio will lead an Advent Parish Mission at San Francisco’s Star of the Sea Church. The mission’s general theme will be “entering more fully into the Advent mysteries with the liturgy,” and Father Fessio will “present and comment on what [he believes] is the most profound book on the Mass ever written: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s The Spirit of the Liturgy.”
The mission marks a rare public appearance for Fessio. Although he is widely quoted in print media and on television — especially when a faithful voice is needed when controversial religious questions arise — events such as his leading the Star Advent mission are unusual.
Father Fessio is best known as the founder and editor of Ignatius Press, widely recognized as the most important Catholic publisher in the English language, and as one of the most important in any language.
Born in Alameda, California in 1941, Fessio’s accomplishments are legendary. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1961 and was ordained in 1972. Prior to his ordination he earned a B.A. and an M.A. from Gonzaga, and an M.A in Theology. In 1975, he earned his doctorate in Theology from the University of Regensburg, West Germany. The subject was The Ecclesiology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, and his thesis director was Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI.
In 1976, seeing the imperative to rescue and reanimate Catholic higher education, Fessio, with Father Cornelius Buckley, Professors John Galton, Raymond Dennehy, and others, founded the St. Ignatius Institute at the University of San Francisco. The Institute introduced USF students to classical education as guided by the Ratio Studiorum, a Jesuit document specifying the classics as the primary texts grounding liberal education and developing cultured persons. The difference between the St. Ignatius Institute and the larger, more liberal Jesuit institution was epitomized by the Institute staff’s eagerness to sign the mandatum specified by Ex Corde Ecclesia (From the Heart of the Church) and the refusal by the members of USF’s Department of Theology’s to do so. Since the mandatum was a pledge of fidelity to the teaching of the Church, the refusal amply justified Fessio’s perception of a rottenness in Catholic higher education.
In 1978 Father Fessio founded Ignatius Press with the objective of supporting the teachings of the Church. In addition to publishing works by Catholic authors from all ages, Ignatius took the lead in promoting the works of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI to the English speaking world. Ignatius Press also introduced the English speaking world to the thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar, the “theologian of beauty.” In addition to all this, Father Fessio serves as the Chaplain of the Walk for Life West Coast, one of the two largest pro-life events in the country.
Never one to shy away from controversy, in 2014 Fessio published Remaining in the Truth of Christ–a collection of nine essays by Catholic Cardinals and other scholars . The book’s publication, on the eve of the Synod on the Family, did much to preempt the Synod’s hijacking by those intent on repudiating Jesus Christ’s definition of marriage. Fessio and Ignatius Press did not stop there: Remaining in the Truth of Christ was followed by the 2015 publication of Cardinal Robert Sarah’s God or Nothing. God or Nothing provided a timely introduction to the thinking and faith of the African Cardinal at the precise moment he was emerging as one of the most articulate apologists of Catholic teaching on faith and the family, as well as one of the most discerning prophets of the current battle in the Church between those following Christ and those succumbing to “the temptation to yield to the mentality of the secularized world and individualistic West.”
Father Fessio will lead the Star of the Sea Advent Mission on December 7, 8, & 9 at 7:30 PM. For more information, visit www.starparish.com
[update, December 2 9:15pm: the time the retreat begins has been changed to 7:30pm]
Praying for a packed house.
Also, Cal-Catholic is too polite to say it, but after founding Ignatius Press and the Ignatius Institute, Fr. Fessio was driven out of USF in 1987 (along with the later expulsion in 1998 by the then-USF president of Fr. Cornelius M. Buckley, SJ, both of whom had tenure at the university) over completely phony issues: the real issue of which was that they were both traditional Catholic priests, and friends of Card. Ratzinger. After their departure (count in also Fr. James V. Schall, SJ), you can see the turn USF has made as a “Catholic” university.
Fr. Buckley is now at Thomas Aquinas College, former home of Star of the Sea’s pastor, Fr. Illo. Kudos to him for bringing in Fr. Fessio for the parish mission!
Ah, yes, the feisty Father Illo, who declared that he had to “purge the sanctuary of altar girls.”
I have always greatly admired Fr. Fessio! I wish his retreat could have been at a different date, because on Tuesday, Dec. 8th, we will have a beautiful Latin Tridentine High Mass, at 7 p.m., in honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception– so I will have to miss the second day of Fr. Fessio’s retreat! That is too bad!
Anyone who can get to San Francisco’s ‘Star of the Sea Church’ on Dec 7, 8, 9 should attend.
It will be very worthwhile.
We very much would like to attend this retreat. Checked on church’s website, no info was available. What time does it start in the morning? same hours all three days?? Please advise.
The retreat is on the evenings of December 7th (Monday), 8th (Tuesday, and 9th (Wednesday) at 7:30pm at Star of the Sea Church. It was originally scheduled for 7:00pm, but has been changed to 7:30pm. Free parking is available on 8th Ave in the school lot. Here is the link.
The Latin Tridentine Mass, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, has been moved to 6:30p.m., on Tuesday, Dec. 8th! I am thrilled! Now, I hope I can go to Fr. Fessio’s retreat, after Mass, at 7:30p.m.!
“The difference between the St. Ignatius Institute and the larger, more liberal Jesuit institution was epitomized by the Institute staff’s eagerness to sign the mandatum specified by Ex Corde Ecclesia (From the Heart of the Church) and the refusal by the members of USF’s Department of Theology’s to do so.”
Some Difference – Btecha already know who claims to be the ‘tolerance’ police here, although just how USF got rid of Outstanding Professors with Tenure might make an interesting story,
Speaking of the Church’s liturgy, and Pope (emeritis) Benedict’s “Spirit of the Liturgy,” Star of the Sea has a good semi-professional Choir, which I sing in, and the Director has a specialty, in Gregorian Chant and early sacred choral music of our Church! Anyone want to audition, and join us?? Just call Star of the Sea! We would love to have you!
“…choral music of our Church! Anyone want to audition, and join us??” LM
I am honored to be able to serve as a Lector during the Mass, but by contrast could not carry a tune even using a backpack. Fortunately, Proclaiming the Word requires a different skill set than singing along with others.
By the very nature of the process Lectors must fill the room with a single voice that carries The Word to all who are present; whereas one can subordinate a singing voice to the lead of those with some talent for it.
Hence – While I certainly appreciate some of the fine music that properly accompanies Mass, I do wish that those inclined more towards hollyweird show tunes and karaoke contests would seek a different venue to garner their…
To Michael McDermott– The Choir, in the Catholic Church, is traditionally based totally on monastic Choirs, which traditionally sings all of the Divine Office, Mass parts, and sings for other devotions (such as at Adoration). Ancients believed that singing was closer to God than speaking, so they would chant (sing) for all religious services, particularly in the Jewish services, in which the rabbis chanted in Hebrew. Speaking was considered too worldly and profane. A traditional Catholic Choir is a religious function of the Church, just as in monks’ and nuns’ monastic Choirs. It is religious in character and all of the music is composed for the particular day or Feast, on the old Roman calendar (pre-Vatican II). Also, the Mass…
I will continue… All of the Mass Propers, which were originally in Latin, are sung by our Choir– the Mass Propers for the Novus Ordo Mass, are often read today, by a Lector– and it is a gift, to be a good Lector! That too, is an ancient and sacred role, in the traditional monastic Church! It is one of the seven traditional steps, to priestly ordination, one of the Minor Orders, to become a Lector. Our Choir is ONLY a traditional, monastic-style, pre-Vatican II Choir!! No modern secular music “baloney!”
To Michael McDermott– As you might already know, to be a Lector, is one of the traditional Church’s Minor Orders. There are seven steps, traditionally, to Holy Orders, on the pathway to the sacred Priesthood, in the traditional, pre-Vatican II Church.
When I started many years ago the title was Lector, then in another Parish it became Gospel Reader and a third Proclaimer of the Word…
It matters little to me what title I use, so long as I do justice to the passage by subordinating my own personal identity and simply focus on being as good a conduit as possible. The Words are not mine, just the duty to proclaim them properly.
As for being a lousy singer – this too is a gift; just one I try not to share too much.
To Michael McDermott– Sorry, but I typed fast, and the two above posts were a little mixed up, on the computer! The second post, of so-called “Anonymous,” was from me! It was a mistake! We are now allotted very little time to try to type these posts, so it can be vey hard for me! Anyway— if you like the Tridentine Mass, maybe you would also enjoy serving at the altar, for the priests!
Father Fessio has given the Catholic Church great service with Ignatius Press. I did not know he was a Ratzinger student. We are so lucky to have priests like Fr. Fessio in California. It seems to me that our state is having a great impact in the preservation of the Liturgy.
Amen. Can’t wait to meet and hear Fr. Fessio speak. Will be coming from afar.