Star of the Sea School may close after continued dissatisfaction with parish Pastor and “Classic Catholic” curriculum

112 Comments

1. Amazing that someone could so hide-bound as to run the school into the ground, especially as they are not an officer. I wonder what this says about the SF archdiocese.

2. What this says about the diocese is that they have not learned from their past mistakes. They will put politics ahead of safety. They are more to blame than anyone else for allowing this to happen AGAIN. This is specifically Archbishop Cordeliones fault for protecting his longtime friends. SF was a better Catholic city before the outsiders who hate SF arrived and that includes the Archbishop, Fr lllo, and Fr Piderit.

   Missing from the article is that Fr. Illo has returned to banning girls from being alter servers. The curriculum is already being implemented and people are not leaving because of that and instead are leaving because Fr. Illo is incompetent, unhinged, and discriminates against girls. Trying to blame parents for his failures is bs. Funny how the person defending him already removed his kid from the school. Sadly, we are leaving the school ASAP. It was a beautiful thriving place for 110 years and now I doubt it will exist in any form in the near future.

3. This is such a shame and I wonder if the AD sent this clown over to decimate a thriving school so they can sell the land out for development. You have to admit that that spot is a developer’s dream.
   Fr. Illo is delusional. We cannot go back to the stone ages. Progress and time moves on. He should never be allowed to lead a school again.

4. What has been left out is the fact that many families who have chosen to leave are in fact Catholic—just not Illo’s Pre-Vatican II misogynistic and hate-based brand of Catholic. So much for the argument that the Pastor’s “faith” isn’t being respected.

5. The vast majority of parents did not take issue with the curriculum heading in a new direction. It was used as a scapegoat for Illo and his mouthpiece, Quintanilla, to explain away the mass of families fleeing from this monster. Quintanilla’s child no longer attends Star of the Sea and he is an attorney well versed at spinning stories and dealing with the media. The families left, and continue to leave because Illo is a crackpot. He was deemed unfit to be around children in Modesto and was then given a thriving school to destroy. Spend an hour with him and his ten followers and you will understand. This had nothing to do with parents wanting control, simply parents not wanting a wolf in sheeps’ clothing around their children. The Archdiocese is doubling down on this guy and I’m sure, will be profiting from the property value soon enough. Majority of families that left were practicing Catholics and many were multigenerational Star of the Sea alumni. It has been heartbreaking to watch this carpetbagger swoop in and mess up such a beautiful community.

6. Our son attended Star of the Sea School and received a wonderful education, moving on to Sacred Heart from which he graduated. At Star students attended mass every week and began each school day with prayers in the courtyard. Catholic values were advocated and supported. True education in the 3R’s occurred, along with a solid sports program for boys and girls, robust preschool and afterschool programs, and access to the arts within a truly supportive environment of dedicated professional teachers skilled in their subjects and even more skilled in the development of true learners.

   With the help of many dedicated parents, then principal Terry Handley did a remarkable job of increasing enrollment, and improving infrastructure. This included fundraising for a science lab and the replacement of old windows throughout the school, among many other improvements. My wife and I spent many hours happily volunteering our time to making Star a better place, and during our volunteering hours, we met and became very good friends with many other dedicated moms and dads. Parents were proud to send their students to Star and proud to recruit other parents to enroll their children in this gem of a school. That was how our son came to transfer into Star in his fifth grade, and we were so pleased with our son’s education and the environment of the school and parish.

   At that time there was a wonderful collaborative relationship between pastor and principal, and it seemed to me that the church structure supported the school and the school supported the church. Sadly, the sense of shared mission and mutual support came to an end with the appointment of Joseph Illo as pastor.

   At a time when the Catholic Church struggles to be relevant spiritually while combating the scourge of sexual abuse of children by clergy, Star of the Sea Parish and School were a beacon of hope providing moral bearings to hundreds of children who bring the best of Catholic values into their lives and futures.

   The Archdiocese would do well to remove Father Illo and replace him with a compassionate, competent pastor of vision who is willing to rebuild what has been so disturbingly lost over the last five years. I am certain that such an approach would lead many Catholic believers and others seeking excellent education within a spiritual context to return to the fold.

7. The real casualties of all of this are the dedicated teachers and staff—some of whom have served the school community for most of their careers and are close to retirement. Whatever the intent behind the installation of the priest and new curriculum may truly be (I believe it is financial and related to high costs relating to the required seismic retrofit), it could have been handled in a much more civilized and transparent way that would not have jeopardized people’s careers and long-term security.

8. Let me emphasize that many families are leaving because Father Illo’s behavior in that March 7th meeting was deeply disturbing, not because of the curriculum change. I was at that meeting. In the moment, I couldn’t understand why he chose to aim his venom at that certain parent; that parent’s comments and questions were by no means the most critical of Illo. But this parent, a quiet and thoughtful person, is a tiny woman and was clearly in emotional distress. But of course: Bullies always attack the vulnerable. Illo’s attempt to intimidate that concerned mother was an appalling display of contempt, impotent fury, and misogyny. I was sickened by Illo’s behavior and walked out. I couldn’t be happier that my child started attending her new school today, a caring and healthy environment, much like Star was before Illo was imposed on the community.

9. I am saddened and disgusted to hear what’s happened to my alma mater. The school is hurting from the loss of Terry Hanley and I pray this pastor did not contribute to the stress on his heart! The archdiocese has to intervene and bring in a new pastor, who can bring this community together and save this school. This is a toxic situation that must be addressed now!

10. I am a Star of the Sea parent who was present at the March 7 meeting and the portrayal of Father Illo by the “anonymous” group of parents is profoundly inaccurate. The couple referred to in this article, a mother and father of a 7th grader, instigated the hostility and the father initiated the near violent clash, first between him and a first-grade father, and then he turned his aggression toward Father Illo.

    Father Illo responded to the man’s threat of violence by physically positioning himself and posturing in a protective manner. It was the natural response any normal person would have if someone was going to physically attack them. Father Illo also did not “demand” that the woman apologize to him. He simply responded to her husband’s irate demand that Father Illo apologize to his wife. The woman had just spent 10 minutes dominating the open discussion, interrupting others, and verbally attacking Father Illo. Clearly shocked by the unreasonable and irrational demand by the man, Father Illo said something to this effect, “What?!! She should be apologizing to me.” At which point, the man became completely enraged and lunged in the direction of Father Illo pointing and screaming, “Apologize to my wife immediately!” The woman became over-the-top hysterical and begged her husband to stop. Father Illo then said what many people in the room were thinking, “Perhaps right now you should be calming down your wife rather than attacking me.”

    After things settled down, the meeting awkwardly moved forward, and the couple left the room. The woman then proceeded to cry and sob uncontrollably for at least 10-15 minutes outside the meeting room. As she exited the building, her wailing—which echoed down the stairs, through the lobby, and onto 8th Avenue–was very disturbing and distracting to everyone in the meeting. This couple’s abhorrent behavior tipped the scales for several parents to choose not to return to the school. If anyone is to blame for families choosing to leave the school because of the March 7 meeting, the onus should lie on the violent and emotionally unstable couple NOT Father Illo.

11. Parent who was present at the March 7 meeting: I’m curious: why “Anonymous” in quotes? And why did you submit your comment without using your name?

12. Jim–No particular reason why I put “anonymous” in quotes. Just my writing style, I guess. I didn’t use my name because I figured, hey, if the parents who filed the complaint could be anonymous, so could I. Only seems fair.

13. Parent – thank you for your answer. I hope it is clear that I respect others’ anonymity, but I’ve found that not everyone does. That’s why I’ve been willing to be quoted by name, it’s an attempt to deflect any criticism of people remaining anonymous. Totally fair.

14. Everyone misses Mr. Hanley, our beloved Principal, who passed away unexpectedly two years ago, and the joyful community that he created at Star.

    Upon his death, Illo assumed the role of CEO. Here are the facts: Two years ago, 250 students started the year at Star of the Sea. Under Illo’s management, 150 students started this year at Star. There are approximately 60 students remaining at Star going into the end of the school year. Around 15-20 people are confirmed to return to the K-8 school next year. 90% decline in enrollment and a $50,000 monthly operating deficit is quite a managerial achievement.

    March 7 was not even the meeting that started the “run on the bank”. Go back to the Parent’s Club meeting on February 13. When Illo foolishly announced that there was a real possibility of Star of the Sea closing, he set into motion a “run on the bank”, which he could not reverse. When the situation required a leader that inspires and instills confidence, Illo, in his incompetence as a communicator, creates fear and confusion. A true leader and real pastor works with all members of the community to create a consensus, to listen to all stakeholders, and to work towards healing. But see Illo does not truly care about the school or the community. He has a backup plan. When the school closes, he will simply rent the building out and the parish will replenish its coffers. No more parents to deal with ever again. Either this is a HBS case study of managerial incompetence or a diabolical example of immoral brilliance.

15. Fr. Illo was removed when his past came to light. In the sadness and chaos of Terry Hanley’s passing, the Archbishop took advantage of the opportunity to put him back in charge of the school. If you look at the court documents from Modesto, you will see that the archdiocese has a psychological evaluation of him that mentions his temper specifically. The incident as described from March 7 are consistent with a pattern.
    However, the real point for me is his history with handling sexual abuse. There really is no excuse for the Archbishop to put someone with that track record in charge of a school at all, but he was reinstated. It is just shocking.
    http://welovestarsf.com/2/post/2017/02/fr-illo-unfit-to-work-with-schools-then-and-now.html

16. As a former Star of the Sea parent, I’m saddened to see the school on the brink of closure. Although we chose to leave last year, it was a gut wrenching decision, as it was for most of the families that left. To be clear, we left because of Fr Illo, not the curriculum. It should also be noted that most families chose to leave for other Catholic schools, my family included, so this is not a matter of being Catholic. It is a matter of what brand of Catholicism you choose for your children and the kind of values you want to uphold. What I find most disturbing is how our many letters to Archbishop Cordeliones were completely ignored and how he continued to support Fr Illo even though it was clear that most of the parent community had serious concerns. It sheds a serious light on the intentions of the Archbishop and how far he is willing to go.

17. HE IS BANNING GIRLS FROM BEING ALTAR SERVERS AGAIN !?! He will be the only Priest in the SF Archdiocese to do so and I assume he has the blessing of the Archbishop. Good luck trying to hire a decent teacher for your new curriculum. Anyone who works at Star next year will never get hired in SF with a discriminating school on their resume.

18. Look at this article. http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/magazine-article-how-to-revive-a-parish It’s all blame, sick praise, and twisting reality.
    He blames low attendance on the neighborhoods change in demographics? He is a racist. The Italians and Irish he misses have record low numbers of attending mass as does pretty much every other demographic. Why not own up to the fact people have been abused by the Church, the Church has lost touch with reality, and is driving itself into extinction. By the way, I am a practicing Catholic and that is what hear from people who have stopped participating.

    Nice propaganda too as he brags about the parish doing better, which it truly is, but for every extra penny the parish has brought in he has bled dollars out of the school. Using rough estimates, he leaves out the facts that the school had a budget of over 2-3 million in income before he arrived and next year the tuition income will most likely be below $200,000. So the parish income grows by 12% each year and the school income will be down by 95%. Losses over 2 million but his generous 250k pledge which will barely cover anything next year.
    Pre-Illo, the school enrollment was over 250 and next year will be well under 50 if not 0. At least one grade is completely wiped out if not more. The cash strapped Diocese may bail him out for next year or two just so he can save face. Too bad they let their other schools drown and ignored their needs while they instead supported a mean destructive person.

    Despite all of his destruction and inappropriate behavior, he will continue to lead the school because of his personal relationship and aligned political agenda with Archbishop Cordelione. He is getting Archdiocesan money to support the school as it is supposedly bleeding losses of over $50,000 each month while the schools who are thriving and are fiscally responsible do not get any assistance even if in crisis.

    The widely publicized March 11th report of an incident has not been yet acknowledged to the school community by any school official or Archdiocese representative. Obviously, Fr. Illo was able to hand-pick a few of his close followers to make him look in positive favor instead of asking everyone who was at the meeting for their feedback. Before the meeting over 50 people said they wanted to return to Star and after the meeting, it was under 20. And no, I was not intimidated or frightened by a 90lb woman who called Illo out on his failures or her very nice husband who defended her from being insulted by another parent. I was disgusted by Illo’s unprofessional behavior and his obvious incompetence. He shouldn’t have called a meeting if he didn’t know how to run one, let alone run a school. Shame on him and shame on the Diocese. He should be a real man and own up to his failures, apologize to the community, step down, and move back to modesthole. And I sorry to his loyal parishioners who love his work in the church but that can not buy him a pass for what he has done to a school.

    I challenge any one of his supporters to publish a copy of any statement he has made to the community that shows any empathy or care for the people he has hurt or chased away. Has he ever tried to mend fences or acknowledge the fact that children are victims to his flawed execution of a new curriculum? Instead, I can easily copy and paste all of his failures and efforts to divide the community and his attempts to play the part of the victim. Jesus would pull his kids out of Star of the Sea too.

19. I’m troubled to read what is happening. My daughter and I had the most wonderful, growth in many levels, 4 year experience at St. Anne of the Sunset, thanks to the strong collaboration between the parish, Pastor Dan Nascimento & school’s leadership, Principal Tom White, and their staff.

20. We are leaving and should have left sooner. We are going to be attending St Anne’s, along with a few other families. They have a wonderful progressive parent community along with a kind priest Father Dan. Wish we would have attended there earlier!

21. To Racist Hater,

    Please support your claim, “He is getting Archdiocesan money to support the school as it is supposedly bleeding losses of over $50,000 each month while the schools who are thriving and are fiscally responsible do not get any assistance even if in crisis.”

    Are you in a position with the school or parish administration to know this as a fact? Or, is this pure conjecture? (i.e., school yard gossip)

22. ILLO somewhat resembles Mike Pence. Similarities are astounding, just noticing it now.

23. This is really nothing new… the Catholic Church, as an organization, is on a self destruction course.

24. Fr. Illo announced to the community that the school was losing money each month and that the parish and archdiocese were covering it. He said that he would ask in a survey for how much extra people were willing to pay to save the school from closing. People were asked by him to pay more and accept less as there were going to be a lot of cuts. From people on the finance committee and just using simple math it is clear that the losses are over 50k per month. The school started out operating with pretty much the same amount of staff for 150 kids compared to 250 kids. Just with that number alone you are looking at 70k per month deficit. Now add to that the 150 kids number this year is dropping every week and the school population getting close to going below 100, you can add those losses to the grand total. There is no way that the teachers are getting paid without the support of the Archdiocese that Fr. Illo announced. I estimate that the school will lose around half a million to a million this year alone. 250k pledged by the parish will not do much to balance a budget next year either, even with a stripped down school missing many basic services.

25. To Real Facts,
    I was also at the school community meeting, and Illo said he would also be withdrawing money from the school’s scholarship fund to meet operating expenses. Dire straits.

26. I have a question. When I read this quote in the National Catholic Reporter, regarding Illo, from the school board president and parish council member Marcus Quintanilla, I was repulsed: “The conflict and personal attacks he has taken in connection with the school have been a Calvary for the man … yet he has persevered.” Is that okay? Is it okay to say Illo, or anyone, is a Christ-like figure in that way? I’m guessing it’s not sacrilegious, but at the very least it seems super-cult-y (new word?). I’ve been reading people’s comments and I’m trying to get a handle on some POV’s I just don’t understand. This has been an education.

27. Also, I freely admit I am deeply opposed to Illo ever having any influence on any school or any child, ever, so it just may be that I was repulsed by the image of Illo as a Christ-like figure.

28. To Racist Hater:
    So, just to be clear, the source for your assertion that the Archdiocese (not the parish) is subsidizing the school $50k per month derives from a statement made by Father Illo? Do you have it in writing or in the minutes from a meeting? You also sourced members of the school’s finance committee but you are not a member of the committee, correct? Did the finance committee provide you with documentation to support this $50k per month subsidy from the Archdiocese? Please note, members of the school finance committee do not have access to the finances of the parish and they do not know how much money the parish has in it’s coffers (remember, the parish has been around 125 years and has made wise investments).
    There seems to be a lot of conjecture out there not based on real numbers or facts. Just trying to sifts through it all. Thanks.

29. By measure of the Prayer of St. Francis patron Saint of this city, Fr. Illo has missed/ failed on all counts.
    “Lord make me an instrument of your peace
    Where there is hatred let me sow love
    Where there is injury, pardon
    Where there is doubt, faith
    Where there is despair, hope
    Where there is darkness, light
    And where there is sadness, joy
    O divine master grant that I may
    not so much seek to be consoled as to console
    to be understood as to understand
    To be loved as to love
    For it is in giving that we receive
    it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
    And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life
    Amen”
    Shame on you for your lack of humility!
    And shame on the Archbishop for choosing this ministry for Illo. You would best serve him to minister to those incarcerated in the prison system where I guarantee he will find humility.

30. This is what happens when “leadership” prioritizes its own agenda ahead of its constituents – in this case: wonderful children, parents, faculty and staff. I could write a long screed on the harms that Fr. Illo (courtesy of the Archbishop) inflicted on our lovely community, but they are well documented.

    Pope Francis tells it better than me, of course. This is the sad story of Star of the Sea School:

    “There is that spirit of clericalism in the Church, that we feel: clerics feel superior; clerics distance themselves from the people. Clerics always say: ‘this should be done like this, like this, like this, and you – go away!’ It happens when the cleric doesn’t have time to listen to those who are suffering, the poor, the sick, the imprisoned: the evil of clericalism is a really awful thing; it is a new edition of this ancient evil [of the religious ‘authorities’ lording it over others]. But the victim is the same: the poor and humble people, who await the Lord.”
    ~ Homily in Casa Santa Marta, December 13, 2016

    https://aleteia.org/2018/08/23/5-of-the-many-times-pope-francis-has-railed-against-clericalism/

31. The teachers at Star of the Sea have provided my children with a strong academic and moral education. They have followed the true philosophy of Star of the Sea School and in the educational tradition of the founding Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet:

    1. serve an ethnically and spiritually diverse community,
    2. honor our Catholic identity by living respectfully in community,
    3. educating in love and mercy, and
    4. welcoming all who wish to share this vision.

    The community at Star was once built on these principles and is what made the school strong and active. Due to the incompetence of one man, a once vibrant Catholic school, that promoted Catholic values, will be closed. In its place, I predict that a secular private school will lease the building. But, hey, at least the parish income will continue to increase.

32. I attended SOTS K-8 in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and lived 2 blocks away growing up.

    Very sad to hear about the current state of the school and parish.

33. Real facts please – get the school balance sheet and see for yourself or just calculate using the public stats. 50k per month is a conservative guestimate. The finance committee publically announced at a parent meeting years ago that we were finishing the year on a tight budget and fundraising was being used to balance the budget. That’s with 250 plus families paying tuition and working on fundraising drives. Add that loss to this years deficit in which the fundraising has dropped off dramatically. FACT- The same amount of expenses exist today if not more for salary increases but the income is clearly decreased by looking at the enrollment numbers. Do the math yourself. Fr. Illo has destroyed the school’s finances. Obvious Fact- Nine families leaving this week alone is an additional 50k per month being lost for the next two months. The school can not fiscally exist on its own and the parish can not sustain it without outside help and that’s a FACT. The school should be shut down and the 250k pledge should go to toward repaying the archdiocese for money lost.

34. Correction $5,000 more per month extra lost at a minimum. Also, fact checker should be checking Fr. Illo’s facts not mine if you are concerned about the school or children’s well being.

35. To Racist Hater:
    So, help me understand, you are not on the school or parish finance committee (and have zero knowledge of the amount in the parish coffers), yet you say with certainty, “The school can not fiscally exist on its own and the parish can not sustain it without outside help and that’s a FACT. The school should be shut down and the 250k pledge should go to toward repaying the archdiocese for money lost.”

    I agree, the school cannot fiscally exist on its own. It never has. For decades the school has operated in a deficit and the parish makes up the difference. That’s a FACT.

    The parish pledging $250k next year and committing to soliciting additional outside funds as needed to reach sustainable student enrollment by 2022 seems to me to be a very generous and obtainable goal. I have faith.

36. I have had my fill of listening to all the garbage about this loon. One thing that can be said is the Archdiocese is stupid, Illo is stupid and it’s pathetic that the Arch didn’t have the common sense to care about the mental and physical safety of children after weirdo blamed an 11-year-old victim who was sexually abused by a priest (not to mention Illo’s emotional affair with the child’s mother). Parents should be happy to be gone. They are well rid of him. One thing to keep in mind….this is clearly what he wanted. The Church only has itself to blame for continuing to promote the mean-spirited ignoramus hatefulness the hierarchy imposes. He can’t train altar girls because “the future of the Church is at stake”? Seriously? He expects people to believe this? His position that he’s smarter than everybody else only goes to show how moronic his self-aggrandizement is. Star will collapse and his kind will go the way of the dodo bird. If you want to have a traditional Catholic school, that’s fine…but being an ass every step of the way isn’t. Again….doing the Catholic thing….abuse a kid and just get transferred around.

37. I can understand people’s decisions to have faith in a man of the cloth for religious reasons. However, I would not have faith in a person with no experience in education, no management skills, no communication skills, no financial experience, no administrative experience, and no leadership qualities to be a CEO of a school or of any business. The business facts speaks for themselves. 90% reduction in school enrollment, no business plan, no communication plan, $50,000 monthly operating deficit, and the development of an implementation plan for the curriculum AFTER implementation was already “in progress”. If I were a shareholder of and this was a company, I would dump the stock, vote to fire the CEO, and vote to fire the Board. Families are doing the equivalent-leaving the school and paying tuition at a more stable and better managed Catholic school in the Archdiocese.

38. Real Facts Please – The saddest fact is that just about any other priest could have pulled off the implimentation of the new curriculum without destroying a school community. The community is destroyed because of ONE major factor, Fr Illo. Fact over 200+ out of 250 is not a small group of disgruntled families. Only someone protected by the archbishop is allowed to be destructive and accumulate so much debt. I bet you one month of deficit that you’re wrong about sustainable enrollment by 2022. Joking aside, I do wish I’m wrong because 110 years shouldn’t be destroyed by one man or be allowed to be destroyed by another man. I respect your decision to believe in the schools future. My opinion is that Illo is unfit to run a school and he is responsible for the destruction.

    Facts and my opinions- points from Fr Illos March 2nd Letter to the community that made many families who said yes, reconsider returning to the school including me. I’ll highlight the main issues and then post the letter in its’ entirety below.

    “Initial indications are that about 50 students will be returning next year, “ Not once in the letter does he try to show any empathy for the 100 or 2/3 of the people who have decided to leave.

    “about ten new students who want the Integrated Classical Program will be enrolling.“ This is a pathetic number of “possible” new enrollments and other schools have recently been shut down who weren’t this bad off.

    “Each of you must decide whether to be a part of what is essentially a new school.” No effort to phase in changes as most other schools have done. Still no plan articulated on how he will do this = he is clueless

    If you want to see something like what we will eventually become, I can recommend the websites of Our Lady of Lourdes (Denver), St. Therese Carmelite… None of those schools lost 95% of their population when adapting a new curriculum. He did not follow their implientation plan nor has he ever shown a viable plan to the community. He has no plan.

    “Our priests will be integral to the school at a level not seen before, “ Okay – this is scary to know that he will be asserting himself more. Deal breaker for me.

    “Fr. Mathias will coordinate the boys’ altar server program for school and parish Masses. The Star Girls program will provide fellowship and service opportunities for the girls.” He sneaks in the ban on girls being altar servers again. HORRIBLE

    “Marketing Committee is reaching their stride in reaching the wider community.“ have fun marketing a school that descriminates against girls.

    “We will be partnering with homeschooling students, who will hold their weekly cooperative activities in the gym “. He rather work with homeschoolers than people who have invested in the school ? He should have made some retention efforts which would have been more fiscally rewarding as well as it being the right thing to do as a priest. Goodbye friends and say hello strangers who do not want to be enrolled in a formal school. Yikes!

    “Enrolling in any Catholic school means trusting faculty, principal, and pastor.“ Really? Why doesn’t he try to earn that respect like principals Mr Hanley, Mrs. Poon; and Mr. Gallagher have all done. He demands respect and demands parents apologize to him in chaotic unorganized meetings where he publically admitted not knowing anything about education. The automatic trust and respect he demands because someone is wearing a collar is how so many children have been taken advantage of and have been abused by priests.

    We are sad to leave a school we loved for so long but we are happy to get away from an empowered creep. I only invested time in this email so others can be aware that it’s Star of the Sea now and don’t be surprised if your school is next.

    Dear Parents,
    Mr. Gallagher and I will be leading an open meeting this Thursday, March 7, at 7pm in the St. Francis meeting room in the gym building. Based on enrollment survey we asked to be returned by Feb 27, we will describe the class structure and faculty that we will be able to afford. Initial indications are that about 50 students will be returning next year, and about ten new students who want the Integrated Classical Program will be enrolling. The school will open next year, but our class structure and faculty will accord with the number of students, based on our usual 5% increase in tuition.
    Each of you must decide whether to be a part of what is essentially a new school. Star of the Sea has an exciting future, for those who want what it offers. If most of our current enrollment leaves, we will build up the school from its solid foundations. If you want to see something like what we will eventually become, I can recommend the websites of Our Lady of Lourdes (Denver), St. Therese Carmelite School (Alhambra), and St. Jerome Academy (Hyattsville). If this is the kind of school you want for your children, work with us to build it!
    The greatest advantage to enrolling at Star of the Sea will be the Integrated Classical Program, which will enrich our academic program with critical thinking skills leading to a sense of wonder, based on the Great Books of Western civilization. The school will also draw spiritual strength from our dynamic parish, a growing and supportive faith community. Students will not only learn the humanities and the sciences, but how to pray to God and serve His people as part of a parish family. Our priests will be integral to the school at a level not seen before, assisting families and faculty, guest teaching religion and supporting the community in all activities.
    Fr. Mathias will coordinate the boys’ altar server program for school and parish Masses. The Star Girls program will provide fellowship and service opportunities for the girls. All students will be encouraged to sing in our student choir, read at Mass, feed the homeless, etc. Contributing members of the parish will receive tuition discounts, and all school families will be encouraged to attend parish social events as well as school events. First Sunday parish school Masses will promote friendship and collaboration among Star parishioners and families who are not parishioners.
    Although dormant last year, our Marketing Committee is reaching their stride in reaching the wider community. I especially want to thank the parents who have put so much time into promotion and fundraising. We will be partnering with homeschooling students, who will hold their weekly cooperative activities in the gym complex once a week and be taking some classes with our students. We hope to partner also with an evangelical academy who wish to lease some rooms, if they are available. No students, of course, will be as important as our own full-time school students.
    Enrolling in any Catholic school means trusting faculty, principal, and pastor. I am personally looking forward to working with and for a flourishing school again.
    Yours in Christ,
    Fr. Joseph Illo

39. From when the beloved Monsignor Cornelius Burns passed away (I think 1995) until 2014 when Father Illo and Father Driscoll took over, we didnt have a decent homilist that entire time. That’s 20 years with uninspiring boredom from the pulpit.
    Then we had wonderful and inspiring and thoughtful homilies by both Driscoll and Illo. I felt good a out going back to Star. I have been a parishioner there since I was 5 years old.
    My wife, child, and I made it a point NOT to go to Star until Illo and Driscol showed up. We went to St. Anne’s, st. Dominic’s, St. Monica’s, St. Vincent De Paul, even way out to St. Emedius. We wanted to find the Word of God, but were not inspired until Illo and Driscol.
    These are men. They make mistakes. Fr. Illo makes a lot. And he is not good at taking criticism. I refer to him as the Rogue Priest. But I like the guy. He just needs to take himself down a notch and learn to play better with others.
    In the mass, he is flawless and a true man of God. But he lacks humility, and thinks too highly of himself.
    And if you have never seen Archbishop Coreleone say a mass, please make it a point to do so. He’s very, very good.

40. Is Saint Monica’s taking in some of the refugee students..? I understand they’ve been regaining ground over the last few years…

41. BOB SF – I have relatives in various schools in the Archdiocese. St. Monica has people interested in it. Some of my family put my kids in there – others chose to go elsewhere. The only thing St. Monica has against it is the snake oil principal with the smarmy smile, which is why some family chose to go elsewhere. Also I hear discipline is a joke. Outside of that I hear St. Monica teachers and staff are top notch.

42. http://www.welovestaroftheseasf.com/

43. @ long time parishioner – Wow I see what the marketing team is hard at work at!

    I’m sure the priest is good in church but let’s divorce that from the fact that he ran a thriving business (yes the school is a business) to the ground. As someone else pointed out, if this was a corporation, this guy would be run out of town already. However since he’s a “nepotism hire” I guess he can stay and turn the buildings into something like a “One Night Only” hotel for randoms who have no vested interest in the community.

44. We don’t have any kind of connections to Star of the Sea but this is the kind of neighborhood news we are interested in. Not addressing the issues involved we are thankful for you including this kind of coverage so we are aware of what is impacting our neighbors in the community.

45. Terry Hanley was not only my children’s principal, he was a dear friend to me and my family. Terry was first and foremost and educator, not an administrator. In the Spring of 2005, when Terry applied for the Principal position at Star of the Sea, he needed a job. Terry had just completed a one-year contract teaching religion at Archbishop Riordan High School. He was selected as principal over several candidates including the current principal of St. Monica.

    Terry did not enjoy many of the aspects of being a school administrator. The paperwork, parental politics, and balancing the budget among them. Consequently, he relied greatly on the expertise of well-intended parent volunteers. These parents were very eager and willing to lend their expertise in finance, technology, communications, etc. By delegating many administrative aspects of running the school, Terry could focus on what he loved the most about being a principal—educating children. Unfortunately, by forfeiting so much of the administrative control of the school to the parents, he empowered these parents to the point where they honestly thought they were running the school. They also believed they were entitled to run the school.

    When Terry passed away unexpectedly in early September 2017, everyone was in shock. The school community was in mourning for a very long time. Many people are still grieving, which is understandable. Everyone grieves differently. However, rather than advancing through each stage of the grieving process, many parents have remained at the “anger” stage of grief and have channeled their unbridled rage toward Father Illo.

    Yes, we all miss Terry, but it’s time for many in the Star of the Sea community to let go of their anger and move forward.

46. Re: We all miss Terry

    I’m sorry you feel that the parents felt they had too much control. While I can see how one would think that, I find that many successful Catholic schools use parental expertise as an important resource in managing the finances and administration of the school. I also think the generalization that the parents haven’t moved on from the “anger” stage of grief is ridiculous. We all loved Terry deeply, and his absence was felt for a long time. I believe there was a concerted effort to help Mrs. Poon as the interim principal and continue to see the school thrive. HOWEVER, glossing over the fact that Father Illo was deeply disliked prior to Terry’s death is where you make a mistake. Illo took the opportunity to sneak his way back into the school by taking advantage of a grieving community. Prior to Terry’s death the vast majority of the school was adamantly opposed to Illo having anything to do with the school based on well documented issues and his case in Modesto. And if you were such a good friend to Terry you would be remiss not to mention how much Terry fought for the school and the teachers against that man. Pretending there wasn’t an issue and blaming this on “greiving” parents is ridiculous and an affront to Terry’s memory. My child was taken off the school yard by Illo with no teachers present and taken on a private tour of a secret room in the church with three other children. Please tell me how, after hearing about his court documented protection of a sexual predator in Modesto you could possibly be ok with that as a parent? You must be absolutely blind or insane to be ok with a man who, simply by applying a collar, summons the respect you are giving him. He protected a pedophile. He is an egomaniac. This is simple. But what am I saying? The Catholic church has a fantastic record of bringing pedo’s to justice right? I wouldn’t follow this man as a religious leader if you paid me to.

47. In the fall of 2016, Archbishop Cordileone asked for an investigation into two visits (June 28 and July 8) to Star of the Sea Church by students attending Star of the Sea summer school. These children knocked on the sacristy door that faces the parking lot/ playground and asked for permission to enter the church. They were accompanied by one or more playground attendants. Adult female parishioners who were either taking care of flowers or altar supplies, or praying in the adoration chapel showed the children the flower room, the sacristy, the sanctuary, and the adoration chapel. Fr. Joseph Illo was present and answered the children’s questions, but at no time was he alone with any of the children.

    The reason for the investigation into these visits to the church was that some serious allegations were made against Fr. Illo, accusing him of breaking safety rules by approaching children on the playground and taking them without permission into the church. Stories about these charges were circulated among Star of the Sea parents, and some of them interpreted these rumors in the worst possible way. Understandably some parents were upset by these stories. Some wrote letters to the chancery.

    Below is a link with the letter from the superintendent of schools that resulted from the investigation, which proved that Fr. Illo had done nothing wrong.

    http://www.welovestaroftheseasf.com/childrens-visit-to-the-church/

48. So, basically the archbishops subordinate said Illo didn’t do anything wrong.
    Wow, thank goodness, so now I definitely believe it, you know, because, why would we believe the children?

49. Yes there is grieving – not over Terry Hanley. We have had two great principals since he passed. It is grieving over a dead school murdered by Illo. The Churches MO – Blame the victims

50. There’s no question that many parents disliked Father Illo before Terry died, but after his death, their dislike turned into hatred for Father Illo and unbridled rage toward the Catholic Church.

    Terry and Father Illo did not see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but Terry was a man of deep faith and he would never have condoned the hatred being spewed by the parents of the school children that he taught to “love one another as God has loved you.”

51. Sorry that just isn’t true. It’s not hatred. I don’t hate anyone. I deeply dislike and disagree with a man that has no business running a school and has made mistakes and continues to make mistakes to the detriment of our children As we’ve all pointed out from the get go. Inflaming a conversation by saying we are poisoned by hatred is a deflection, again, of the very real issues people have. Multi generational catholic families leaving because of someone is not because they are blindly hating him. Wake up. Why am I even entertaining you? The facts speak for themselves. Illo came, the school folded. Congrats on attempting to win an argument in the comments section of the Richmond Blog. Real Woodward and Bernstein you are. I have an idea. I’m going to make up completely untrue mass generalizations about you now in the same manner of your “angry parents” trope. If you are defending Illo you must be a fanatic. You also are definitely a sheep and have low self esteem. How does it feel to have someone anonymous on the internet tell you how you feel?

52. Dear We All Miss Terry –
    That is a nice technique you use: feigning kindness and concern with some sweet, sorrowful language that invokes the memory of our beloved former principal as you ever-so-gently stick a knife in the backs of all the parents who helped build Star of the Sea School in partnership with Mr. Hanley and those who have come after him. Shame on you for using the memory of Mr. Hanley as a means to air your personal grievances. This is not a time for personal grievances. The families have lost a school and a community that they loved and adored. Our anger is not misplaced. Please. If you’ve read a single thing about Fr. Illo you would know that our anger is fitting and justified. Our deep sadness is fitting and justified, too. We worked tirelessly to make that school what it was. Tirelessly and with the best of intentions. That is how Catholic schools work – parents, teachers, principal and (God-willing if you have a decent one), pastor working together as one for the good of the children. Again, shame on you, “dear friend of Terry’s.”

53. Father illo did NOT run the school into the ground.
    Do any of you remember Star of the Sea High School? It died a slow death in exactly the same way as the current Star school is.
    Now, Star is a small school with parents who feel they can bully Father Illo. They were looking for a fight, and unfortunately, the sex pamphlet was the spark to set them off. This also enboldened them to resolve to get rid of him.
    No, it isn’t the Catholic thing to do, but these parents are mostly not Catholic

54. Re: Parishioner since 1971

    Nice try buddy! My mother WENT to Star of the Sea Academy and it did die a SLOW death in not at all the same manner. And a small reminder of the very first intro to your dear pastor was prior to anyone ever meeting him, writing in his blog that our wonderful school was the “Baghdad by the Bay.” I’ve never had a boss that sent out a memo prior to starting and called my company or employees terrorists. But sure, blame it ALL on a pamphlet sent to way to young children about the dangers of masturbation. For the record, we all liked Father Illo when he began, we ignored the Baghdad comment and gave him the benefit of the doubt, watching him play basketball with the kids and have a good energy about him. Then he banned girls from alter serving, then he handed out the pamphlet, which honestly is just common sense not to do. Add that to the myriad of other small things he did and his offenses in Modesto and here we are. NO ONE WAS LOOKING FOR A FIGHT! Also, these parents ARE CATHOLIC.

55. Parishioner Since 1971,
    Keep in mind that in 2005 a Modesto jury found that Illo had negligently inflicted emotional distress on a child who had turned to him for help. The jury also found that Illo’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the child. The jury found that Illo acted with reckless disregard, and that Illo’s conduct was outrageous. Is that Catholic enough for you? Would you trust your child’s welfare to a man who negligently inflicted emotional distress on a child who had turned to him for help? The sex pamphlet wasn’t the spark, Illo’s previous history was. The classical curriculum didn’t chase parents away, Illo’s unending contempt for the families at Star of the Sea School did. Now the school is closing. Illo should never be allowed any influence over a school, or children, ever.

56. 1971 – A lot of schools closed around that time. In this century there have been several schools who have lost principals and they remained open. A good leader would never let a school fail. This is the biggest collapse in archdiocesan history and it is attributed to one person who is now trying to blame the families for not accepting the curriculum. His minions like yourself are divisive and now without a school. I hope you are happy now. I am sad to see this happen. You and your parish leader both lack any true Christian love and deserve each other.

57. Parishioner 71-

    I doubt the high school had a mass exodus mid year. Two years ago star had a robust headcount. The policies of that incompetent priest and his cronies made people flee to other schools BEFORE the current school year ends. That is simply unheard of but keep stirring the pot marketing team.

58. 1. Bagdad by the bay is not an insult. Either you are too obtuse to know the meaning or you are twisting facts to meet your narrative. Do you work for CNN?
    2 You have in-depth knowledge of Star high school from 40 years ago from your mom? You must be an expert. Lol.
    Etymology

    Coined late 1940s by columnist and mainstay of San Francisco culture Herb Caen, likely reflecting the multiculturalism and exotic character of the city, while also identifying the city with a great historical cultural and intellectual center, as well as possibly implying a moral association with Babylon.

59. Read my comments, then read the comments by those who attacked me. The comments reflect a reality that does not exist, I.e. you people are a little bit nuts.
    I am sure that this kind of thing is also at the bottom of the issue with the school.
    We get it. We get it. You guys don’t like Father Illo. And you are actively trying to get rid of him. If you are, indeed, Catholics, then you should be ashamed.

    Shame on you.

    Forgiveness in the cornerstone of Christianity, and it extends to everyone, even a priest that you hate. Hate. That’s another one. Stop hating a priest. It is wrong.
    You people need confession.

60. Parishioner 71. Thanks for borrowing a page from the Washington DC playbook. Deflect and deny is it?

    Yes the person who posted her mother’s experience can say so because her mother was there when they closed the high school. But sure deny that for “real life” proof. Good work marketing team!

61. Marketing team? Does this mean you think I work for the parish?

62. Yes read the letter from the priest. Someone posted it above. He got a “marketing team” to spread the word. So yes go ahead and disregard the Catholics that bailed out on the school due to their legitimate concerns.

    Denymand deflect right? We got ourselves a bunch of Kellyannes and Sarah’s here

63. You are sounding like a priest ,1971, in good company with illo.

64. 1971 – I was obliquing referring to I’ll-o’s minions who have taken over this comment section not the people who left but #1 bless your heart for the foul language and #2 the imaginative description.

65. Ok…so now we’ve established that I am not working for anyone in the church
    I’m sorry that I wrote that. Maybe I can be forgiven. I pray daily for my faults to diminish. I pray daily that I can grow and become a better person as I grow older. In the confessional, I ask for God’s forgiveness for the things I have done and said, or not done. The priest absolves me of my sins through God’s forgiveness.

    Is their no forgiveness in your hearts for Father illo?

    I’ll tell you who will be on the losing side in your Pyrrhic victory against Father Illo: It is the students who will not be able to transfer to another good school. Students who will be dumped into horrible public schools in the City.
    Selfish.

66. We don’t need to have this dialogue devolve in such a way. Come on people. The teachers are losing their jobs and livelihoods; the students are losing their “second home” and family. This all could have been handled much better—the Superindent in press release even admits that more research and planning should have taken place before they changed the curriculum. This was a botched job on so many levels. And the reasons behind it all will reveal themselves in time.

67. It is very sad to read the story of the demise of Star of the Sea School. I can’t imagine how the closing of a Catholic grade school (going from 250 to 0 in a few short years) could be viewed in a positive light by anyone who purports to embrace and spread the Catholic faith. Any Catholic leader or clergy who orchestrated this should be absolutely ashamed of their clear personal hubris and lack of concern for a faith-based education for ALL children. This is yet another example of how destructive extreme views and philosophies coupled with personal agendas can be for the common good.

68. Haha! Parishioner since 1971 who works at the church it looks like you have been busted. I guess it is true, hateful people never win just like you.

69. No one needs to continue to argue the point…..he said/she said. Who cares. This was an obvious attempt to alienate everyone at Star of the Sea and Illo got his wish. His “hated” Catholic and non-Catholic community are gone now. No one needs to be concerned or debate the issue further. They will sell off the property and sit back on flowery beds of ease toasting each other and drinking brandy, while the profits fill individual priestly wallets.

70. Well it’s all over now – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219267059530575&set=gm.10158045731249368&type=3&sfns=mo

71. To Insider: How dare you vilify the principal of St. Monica School — a man of faith and integrity who did nothing but support Star of the Sea School? Unlike places that seemed to revel in Star’s demise and poach Star students as the enrollment plummeted, the principals at St. Monica and St. Thomas the Apostle helped in every possible way until it was too late. Shame on you.

72. Article in Sf Chron. It’s official

    https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Amid-turmoil-Star-of-the-Sea-grammar-school-in-13740275.php

73. To All,
    Please be as Terry Hanley would ask us to be, kind, peaceful, and find love in our hearts even for those who feel have wronged us. Now that Star has announced the school is closing, I feel the loss like I did when Terry passed. Meeting Star of the Sea School in 2005 when our first daughter joined kindergarten mid year was like an awakening. Feeling what it was like to be part of a vibrant community was new and exciting. The welcome we received was warm and all we wanted to do was reciprocate. I remember the first festival I volunteered (double hours!). We cleared our hours for the year that weekend but only wanted to do more. That event was 50% school and 50% parish and it ran like clockwork due to experienced hands from both sides working together.
    I’ve seen many pastors come and go through the years. The community at Star of the Sea School evolved with new parents but the love and the dedication to the community was always there. Someone asked for Real Facts. Facts are always real. This is a fact. Star of the Sea School was in the black and was self supporting at that time. The community was thriving. This changed in Fr. Ilo’s first year on campus. This was my youngest daughter’s first year in preschool. I was encouraged that Fr. Ilo would visit the preschool in the morning and speak to the children. Mr. Dennis would sing songs and play his guitar. All seemed good. Then just before Easter, Fr. Ilo addressed the preschool children about the meaning of Easter. I took one thing away from his talk. The Jews hated Jesus so they killed him. It struck me as a horrible thing to teach preschoolers and the polar opposite of my understanding of the meaning of Easter as rebirth and forgiveness of sin. Love not hate. I felt that I had to speak to him to clear up what had to be a misunderstanding. That one on one conversation left me with the understanding that Fr. Ilo had his own view of the world and I was one of the problems in it. This to me was the core of why we lost our home and community. He wasn’t there to embrace the existing community but to burn it down and rebuild it in his personal brand of Catholicism.
    Take Fr. Vito who was assigned to be our school pastor after the first blow up. In 5 minutes he had me and my wife feeling safe enough to bear our souls and crying over the feeling of loss of our community Now compare him to Fr. Ilo who makes us want to say only good morning, how’s the weather, then have a nice day. Compare Fr. Ilo to Terry who told me every time I saw him how grateful he was to have us at Star and how much he loved our children. I’m not sure that Fr Ilo even knew any of our children’s names. I invited Fr. Ilo to come and watch our kids play CYO sports in the gym as I had invited other pastors in the past. I may have one seen him once or twice in 5 years.
    I will miss the playoff games where the stands were full and the gym was so loud you couldn’t hear the official’s whistle. I will miss coaching and watching our kids grow in ability from 3rd through 8th grade. I was so looking forward to coaching the 8th grade girls volleyball team next year and sharing our journey at sports awards night next year. This was our year. I can still feel it. I was so looking forward to our youngest child’s graduation where the principle would finally announce how long we had been part of the Star of the Sea family (since my wife went there, it’s been a while…). I still love Star of the Sea. It will always be the place we got married, my kids grew up, and we found our second family. Ilo doesn’t understood how much Star means to so many and how we wanted to fight to keep our second family safe and intact. We are Star. Until he can understand how to become part of an existing, thriving, loving community, he will always be on a rotation.
    Crichton Kittredge
    Star of the Sea Community Member, Parent, Coach, and Gym Director

74. Oh Crichton, what a sad and brave and beautiful letter. I am so sorry. Kathy and I were just talking about how painful this must be for you and Brenda. You’ve done so much for my child, and for so many more. I’m at a loss for words, except to say I am so grateful, and thank you.

75. To Commenter: Don’t blame me because Star made mistakes. Someone asked if St. Monica was taking “refugees”…his words, not mine. Get off your high horse about my alleged “vilifying” of St. Monica’s principal. Just repeating what relatives told me. My opinion stands. “Faith”? “integrity”? And your personal knowledge of any principal anywhere is?? “Poaching?” Sounds like people LEFT. And just WHICH schools are YOU accusing of “poaching”? Families can go where they like. They don’t need YOUR permission OR Star’s. SHAME ON YOU.

76. A letter was sent out by Fr. Illo announcing the official closing of Star of the Sea School at the end the 2019 school year. As a former parent I am deeply saddened by this news. I am not posting this to mourn the loss of a special and unique community of families, students and dedicated teachers. Mr. Hanley, our beloved principal who passed away last fall, created a school where parents WANTED to be here and contribute to the success of the school by: volunteering in the classrooms, setting up and breaking down (and DJ-ing) for all the events including the Stella Marais Gala, Halloween party, Crabfeed, Grandparents’/Special Person’s Day, Easter, Festival, etc…, cleaning out old musty closets, patching, painting and beautifying the cafeteria where the younger students have lunch, installing new lights and water fountains, prepping and painting the hallways, preparing healthy hot lunches, working on the finance committee, being room parents for each grade, driving to and chaperoning fieldtrips and so much more, all with the approval and support from Mr. Hanley. He often bragged to the parents touring our open houses about how dedicated the families were to Star, and how he’d often see us standing in the yard having unofficial meetings about event planning and what contributions we could make to make the school a better place. But most importantly we were forging long lasting friendships that cannot be broken by the hubris of one man. We became more than just parent/student/teacher/principal, we are family forever bonded by heart of one of the most generous people I’ve ever met: Mr. Hanley. So I encourage all of you to close your laptops, step away from your keyboards and stop engaging Illo’s supporters because if they are unwilling to see the truth now, they aren’t going to see it in your next post. It’s just not worth it. What would Mr. Hanley do? He would take a deep breath, share one of his many anecdotes about turning the other cheek and make us all laugh. When they go low we go high.

77. Edit: I *am* posting this to mourn the loss…

78. Ask a Star parent, student, or recent alum, what are their favorite memories of Star. They will tell you stories about the Mr. Hanley’s ties, Miss Conway’s Pennies for Patients, annual Crab Feed, and Mr. Hanley’s story of the 3-legged pig. The fondest memory that my child has of Father Illo was that in his first year as pastor he told the children at mass that if you are Catholic, you will go to heaven. If you are not Catholic, you are going to hell. My child is not Catholic and I had to explain to him that he was not going to hell. Like Crichton said, Illo did not know any of the children nor did he make any true attempt to get to know them. He never cared about the children.

    The parishioners and the Archdiocese don’t truly care about the closure of the school. They know they will soon be collecting the huge rent checks from one of the several secular private schools that are looking for vacant buildings to expand. Anyone holding out hope that the suspension will be lifted and the school will reopen in a year? Ask Illo who will pay for the multi-million dollar retrofit that is legally required for the building. Archdiocese-Absolutely nope. Parents of the School-That is a BIG Nope. Alumni-After this debacle-Negatory. Parish-Highly doubt it. Illo has a plan and agenda. He is just not being transparent and honest. Just read between the lines.

79. It goes without saying that the Archbishop should have intervened early on and reassigned Fr. Illo to a different school/church. You don’t keep someone on who is bleeding the school out and has demonstrated himself not to be a compatible fit for this particular community. It is shocking that this has happened and allowing a prestigious school with an illustrious past and history to be shut down like this is completely outrageous. Terry Hanley’s untimely death which many believe to be due to the stress he dealt with by having this unpopular priest in his midst, escalated this unthinkable outcome. Very sad!!!

80. Everyone loses. I won the bet already with Real Facts Please, but it’s not a victory. The school is closed. The children and families who wanted to return are now also refugees. The teachers and administrators are all refugees. The Archbishop loses as he is exposed for allowing this to happen a second time. The Archdiocese loses a lot of money from the enormous deficit run up this year. The people who hate Illo and the Archbishop, including myself, have allowed a priest to trigger this ugly anger as we react to seeing our community pulled apart. The parish loses as they no longer have a school connected to their church. The vocal fans of his are victims of his propaganda and although they may bestow Christian love and care to the homeless, their Catholic values are lost when addressing the homeless children and parents of the star community. Catholics like myself are embarrassed to see non-Catholics treated as dispensible second class citizens. Many children (including Catholics) will not enroll in another Catholic school ever again and have lost their respect for the church.

    It’s sad to see that Illo has tried again to deflect this and try to make it about the curriculum. Banning girls from Altar serving is his right (approved by the Archbishop), but the consequences are that even those who wanted to return will not have the opportunity because that decision cost him the enrollment he needed to make it viable. He needs to own that, but we all know he never will. His outrageous behavior, his lack of ability to plan and implement, and finally his lack of care and respect for the community are the reason why most people have fled or are were preparing to escape.

    Blaming the victims is how the church has destroyed its’ own reputation and trust. It’s sad to see that the victims of the school closure are being blamed by Illo and the blame is being supported by the Archdiocese news release.

    My prediction only (some sarcasm included), and I am not going to debate it because after this post I’m done, and my focus will be on looking at new schools. Illo believes the school is suspended and he will move forward thinking that it is suspended. He will create committees with his minions who believe that it is only suspended. They will have these beautiful plans all drawn up of a new school building, create a new school model that doesn’t include just a Classical Curriculum, it will have 30 minutes of Vespers each morning, only boys Altar serving while the girls are doing janitorial work and are not allowed to take math or science, only Opus Dei Corporal Mortification practicers applications accepted, and everyone will get a full scholarship.

    As much as the Archbishop loves the plan and the financial support from the Nights of Malt rolls in to support it, the reality hits that over 25 million will be needed to retrofit and finance this beautiful model. The plan dies just like Illo’s plan to have an Oratory at Star of the Sea died. His dream to have a cult-like commune where everyone stays at the same place for the rest of their lives dies. He sees it when the cranes arrive to retrofit the school for a new high school campus for Stradford is being erected. Now his parish will have to fight for parking amongst all the teslas in the parking lot for the new elite independent school. His narcissism now hits a reality point that he isn’t able to handle it anymore and Illo leaves the diocese to find another Star of the Sea (because he loves that name) and a diocese with an even worst Archbishop who will allow him to have his way. But, it will never work as he has proven he can’t fulfill his grand plans.

    So now I’m done hating, and I’m done teasing, I’m done complaining, and I’m moving on. I’m formally going to register at another parish as I do not want to have any associations with Illo at all. I stopped referring to him as Fr. Illo because I don’t consider him a real priest. I wish Ilo’s parish the best, and I am happy for those who feel fulfilled by his masses, church activities, and homilies. I also respect your decision to believe in him and accept his flaws. Maybe I’m wrong, and he gets his school and then good for him and those who end up going there. In the meantime, we can all maybe mourn together that 110 years comes to a tragic end. I will cherish my families fond memories at Star while forgiving and praying for those who lead to the demise.

81. Thank you, Crichton and What Would Terry Do. Perfectly, truthfully and beautifully said. Mary, Star of the Sea, Pray for us…

82. ILLO=CORDILEONE
    please remember that.
    complicit.

83. Crichton, my apologies! I forgot to mention sports, the volunteer coaches, and especially you and Brenda being the Sports Coordinators!

84. I remarked last year when there were first rumors that Star might close, that I believed Fr. Illo was actually looking to kill the school. It’s payback for being forced out, just like he reinserted himself into the school after Terry’s death. He’ll rent the building to German School or Presidio Hill or one of the other uber-expensive private schools, or sell some of it for condos, and take credit for finally turning a profit. Evil man in Modesto, evil man here.

85. I’m a Star parishioner who’s attended the church on and off since 1994. I’m not connected to the school, but I’m saddened to read about its closure. There have been many negative comments of Fr Illo above, and I wanted to offer another perspective. Fr Illo has been a good pastor for the parish church. Sunday Mass attendance is much higher than before he arrived. Under Fr Illo’s leadership, the parish has become a magnet for SF-area Catholics who take the faith seriously. I’ve been impressed to see many young people, predominantly tech workers in their 20s & 30s, become involved in the parish, something that didn’t exist under his predecessors and doesn’t exist at many parishes. Star had a huge presence at the recent Walk for Life, probably the best of any SF parish. At the church level, Fr Illo’s approach is working very well. Obviously, though, things have gone poorly with the school. I don’t know exactly why that is, and I will not argue about it, because I’m not involved with the school. But perhaps that is part of the problem. There’s little overlap between the school community and the church community, and maybe the two have become alienated from each other. Some of you may try to blame that on Fr Illo, but even before he arrived I rarely saw school-age children at Sunday mass. Thinking back to pre-Fr Illo days of 2015 and earlier, I could probably count on one hand the times I ever saw a child wearing a Star school sweatshirt or team uniform at Mass on Sunday. It’s obvious to me as a parishioner in the pews on Sunday that Star school families have had minimal involvement with the parish church for a long, long time. And again, don’t blame Fr Illo for that because it was just as bad under previous pastors for the past two decades. So why don’t Star school families go to the church? Is it because many Star school families, like many Catholic school families, just want a “Catholic light” sort of experience, i.e., a nice, safe, nominally Catholic school that doesn’t actually expect anyone to take seriously the harder teachings of the Catholic Church? Fr Illo isn’t a “Catholic light” type, and, at the parish church level, that’s fine because “Catholic light” people long ago stopped showing up most Sundays.

86. Liza, one of the issues, of which there were many, was Illo’s failure to work collaboratively to bridge the school community and the church community. Collaboration is a slow, and sometimes messy, process that requires patience, honesty, and trust. Collaboration is only effective when there is an open dialogue with all stakeholders. Mistrust and animosity occurs whenever decisions are made in isolation. Unfortunately, Illo is an authoritarian-type leader, preferring to issue directives (i.e., boys-only altar servers) rather than to have an open discussion with stakeholders. I can respect those who may consider him a good pastor. And he may be truly good as a pastor. But I think it is fairly evident that he lacks the patience, empathy, and humility to ever be an effective leader. The Archdiocese never should have allowed a person with no managerial skills or the administrative experience to be the CEO of a school. The outcome is the closure a once thriving school. Maybe the Archdiocese will learn from this debacle. I doubt it.

87. I ask people to read Illo’s letter announcing the closure of the school. In what will probably be his final communication to the parents and staff of Star of the Sea, he still demonstrates no accountability for the closure of the school. We may all debate whether the blame should be placed on Illo, the parents, somewhere in between. I will argue that a true leader must be held accountable and must be willing to be held accountable. Yet nowhere in his letter does he accept any responsibility. Further, it id disappointing that not once does he offer to personally assist with the placement of children in other Catholic schools, not once does he offer to personally assist “our beloved faculty” with securing teaching positions at other schools, not once does he offer to speak with families that are upset with the suspension of classes. I find it ironic that the children who are now requiring placement are from families that believed in his promises to keep the school open and had faith in the words of the pastor. He cannot even muster the energy to work on their behalf, instead deferring to the Department of Catholic Schools and the will of God. A true leader and any pastor would willingly come to the aid of those in most need. My child is going to a new school and I will leave Star of the Sea behind forever. But if I was a parishioner, I would expect my pastor to have decency, empathy, and compassion, particularly for those in need and in grief. In recent days as the school was on its death bed, Illo demonstrated none of these traits. To me, that is unforgiveable. I hope he listens to the play and laughter of the children in the school yard over the next couple of weeks. In June, the school yard will be forever silent. May he be forever haunted by the sounds of our children enjoying their last days together as friends at Star.

88. Let’s face it Fr. Illo’s presence is part of the problem not the solution. Here is an excerpt from an article written a few years ago: “In November, Illo stopped blessing non-Catholic children at Communion and barred non-Catholic students from reading at school Mass, although he later reinstated these practices.

    The same month, Illo no longer included non-Catholic children in reconciliation by meeting with them and giving them a blessing; those students now sit elsewhere while Catholic students take part in confession.”
    Imagine how the Non-Catholic students felt, very damaging psychologically to them making them feel less or like second class citizens. Horrible!! Most Catholic Churches bless Non-Catholics by asking them to cross their arms over their chest.
    Here is the link to that article: https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/parents-ask-san-francisco-archdiocese-remove-controversial-parish-priests

89. Firstly, Why does people put their children in a Catholic school if they are not even Catholic?
    Of course these Leftist progressive parents are going to complain on the traditional curriculum, but if they do, just leave. Seriously. Let the Catholics have their own school and let them be.

    Imagine non Jewish parents enrolling their kid at a Jewish school.
    No way in a million years would the parents be allowed to complain on the curriculum like this. They would be called antisemites.
    If a non muslim family would send their kid to an Islamic school – They would be called Islamophobes, or even stranger – Racists (Because when you criticizes Islam apparently you are a racist for some strange reason)
    Just let the Catholics be. Let them have their curriculum. If you place your child in a catholic school, dont complain that they teach Catholicism.
    Also, if you are a Catholic who has a problem with these things, its even stranger that you are opposed to a traditional curriculum.

    Im not Catholic.
    -But my husband is. I attend mass sometimes and LOVE that Father Illo implemented a more traditional mass. We always attend the latin mass because of this.
    We have attended mass sometimes in other churches where it doesn’t feel “real” because the mass is non traditional.

    I also love the fact that its Altar boys only, and not altar girls. Because, in Catholicism, there is no such things as altar girls.
    It doesn’t make any sense to have altar girls, since from my understanding, it is supposed to prepare boys for priesthood. Can people just accept the rules? WHO gets offended by the fact that their daughter cannot be an “altar girl”? Simply explain to your daughter?
    I mean, Its not difficult to explain to your daughter that this is something that is for boys only. If they get upset or feel excluded, how about you teach them to not be offended by everything, you cant always get what you want, and just accept that some things are traditions and not to be changed. Its as simple as to explain to a boy who thinks he is a girl that he is in fact, a boy. Or, to explain to a child who wants to run around naked in public that this is not Okay and not something that we do.

    Why are people scared of telling their kids no??

    Our culture is so messed up. Leave the traditional Catholics alone.

    Again Im so confused as to why this is hard to grasp for these so called “Catholics” who are against this. I mean, you are either Catholic or not. You cant pick and choose like an A La Carte menu of what traditions you want to follow. Just join the protestants and all the 100 different branches of that belief if you want progressiveness and non traditional ideas instead.

90. Jo – thanks for a perfect summarization of the exclusive discriminating philosophy of your parish. Now you just need to open a school and see if you can get families to pay tuition and have their children programmed to hate and discriminate just like you. Don’t let a Jew in like Jesus to you masses either. That would be a perfect world that you and Illo could be proud of. 235 kids out of 250 said no thanks so enjoy what you have left.

91. Jo – Wow…Just…Wow.

92. To Racist Hater:

    Couple questions…

    Are you Catholic?

    Did you ever attend Catholic School?

    Are you from San Francisco or did you move here from somewhere else?

    If you are not originally from San Francisco, what region of the country (or world) are you from?

    Just trying to understand where you’re coming from, thanks!

    Out of Curiosity

93. Wow Jo (or Hi Fr Ill-o!). If you haven’t noticed, the Catholic population has been dwindling since the molestation scandals and various other things. So if you are looking for pure 100% Catholics to go to your precious school, you probably won’t find enough of them to make the business solvent. Those “non-Catholics” have been propping up the majority of the schools in the City for many years now.

    Way to be inclusive! I’m sure that’s not what Jesus taught.

94. Jo – you sound crazy. Pope Francis is the highest Catholic and he blesses everyone and promotes love and acceptance across all religions and race. He does not display prejudice. This polarizing view of humanity is what’s wrong in the world today (and I can guess your politics). He’d be horrified to see what happened here.

    With Vatican II Pope John Paul opened the door for girls to serve at the altar, fyi. That’s why nearly every parish allows that. It’s actually a practice supported nationwide! So welcome to the 21st century!

    I know there’s a very alt-right movement in the church. If you like your Catholicism from the dark ages, there’s a place for that. No one is stopping you from practicing it. It was just a bad idea to impose a Catholic-dark priest in a Catholic-light school. And I’d rather be a loving & inclusive Catholic any day. If you call that Catholic light, fine. That’s what Jesus was.

    Every Catholic practices Catholicism in their own personal way. We should never judge. Some like it light, some like it dark. Let’s coexist.

    Unfortunately it was a terrible placement of a priest with very different views on what being Catholic means. He left out the love, inclusion, and lightness of our beautiful religion. This is what drew these families, Catholic & non-Catholics. The LOVE and INCLUSION. They participated in mass, some converted to Catholicism. This is what spreading the word was about. There’s plenty of fire and brimstone for those who want it, but why force it on a happy school full of happy people. A literal bull in a china shop. He utterly destroyed the joy of this little school and hurt so many people.

    Next time keep your mean comments and your angry brand of religion to yourself. Practice a little more love and inclusion.

95. Bravo, Vatican II! A brilliant distinction: Catholic Light vs. Catholic Dark. And on that perfectly put and positive note, I say: “This little LIGHT of mine…”

96. The school is closed. It is over. You people won. I hope you get your sick sarisfaction from displacing children and disrupting their lives, not to mention horribly economicaly and emotionally impacting administration, staff, and teachers who need to scramble for a new position.
    The death blow was complaining about catholic education in a catholic school. That was your false flag fight.
    Father illo now has nothing to do with the closing school. Please let the entire parish now have our priest back and stop the hatred against him. Robust attendance and robust Sunday collections show that we parishioners like our Father Illo….faults and all.
    If you dont like Father Illo, go to St. Anne’s. It is lovely. The parking lot is huge. St Dominiics is lovely. The masses get a little long. St. Monica’s has that small church mood to it, much like Star does.

97. Yes, I said some nasty things to prove that I am not working for your pretend shadow network of Illo’s “minions,” as it were.
    Good. I am glad your Catholicism looks nothing like that at Star of Sea parish. I hope you find peace and strength through the way you seek out God.
    I like the tranditional mass. I like Latin heard in the mass. I appreciate the Oratory’s focus on confession and the homily. With all his faults, I still believe Father Illo can reconcile me to Christ and bring me closer to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a good thing.

    I pray you all to forgive the aggressive and sometimes nasty way I posed my opinion.

    And think of it this way: if I was a member of another religion, and this was about that religion, I would have cut some of your heads off in the Star parking lot

98. Oh, how bad you want to make this about Catholics vs. Non-Catholics and not about the failure of a school leader. Ok, I’ll go there for a moment. Yes, yes, yes. Born in SF Catholic hospital. All my sacraments in SF including some at Star. Diplomas from 2 different Catholic Schools in SF. You can say I’m in the group that Illo says that left the neighborhood, but I did not. I just left the parish after he arrived. I admit the parish wan’t great before he arrived and that seems to be the general norm. I go to a Catholic parish that is more inclusive and inspiring FOR ME. Not to knock the current parishioners but it’s not my thing. Some great folks there but there are too many Jo’s including Joseph Illo. I don’t like divisive homilies, staring at a priest’s back, kneeling at the front of the church for communion, the music is lame, the Latin puts me to sleep, and I can keep going. That’s just my opinion and my preference. Glad that there are enough people there who enjoy it, but it should grow organically and not be forced onto others just as I would not put you down for not liking my Catholic Churches electric guitar music. If the Jo’s had it their way, then all the churches and schools would be closed except Star because that’s the only way it’s done right, but the Jo’s don’t have it. The hardcore Catholic genocide against the non-Catholics and the Vatican II Catholics? A new wave of Crusades? The Jo’s wish that war existed, but it doesn’t because most Catholics and non-Catholics are good people.

    Funny how at every monthly parent meeting this year, not once was the curriculum challenged or questioned. All the sessions were collaborative and productive. The curriculum is lame but tolerable and some people including non-catholics liked it. Parents valued the community above all else, so we went along with it to try to make it work. Illo had to further create division in the same manner as disciple Jo so beautifully demonstrated. Or, like the former Star groundskeeper’s foul email who now works for the archdiocese. The diocese supports illo by releasing propaganda that says there was a battle and resistance to the curriculum. They paste the principal’s picture all over the place as they try to get the focus off the failed priest and throw a good guy under the bus. The diocese wants to make this about a holy war and not about incompetence.

    Bottom line – this is not about how we choose to worship. Even if I appreciated the Ratzinger approach to being a Catholic, I wouldn’t appreciate Illo as a school leader. Active parishioners pulled out of the school too before it closed. The school under Illos leadership was a pile of crap, and he couldn’t even host a meeting with a clear presentation. His only accomplishment was a lame video with his mug all over it that cures insomnia and constipation. This is about failure and hate certified by the Archbishop. Illo may have the ability to run a parish very well, but he single-handedly killed “his” school. He’s all yours.

    No more hate.
    Jo Lover aka illo hater

    PS. Let me know if you want to break bread together at a neutral parish, say Holy Redeamer this Sunday first mass?

99. Parishioner Since 1971, you could have your priest back at anytime and kept him at the parish and trust me, EVERYONE would have been happy.

    I find Illo’s recent comment to the Catholic SF so disingenuous.
    In response to a request for comment from Catholic San Francisco, Father Illo said, “Much of what has been posted on social media, especially about the March 7 parents’ meeting, is inaccurate, out of context, or simply false, and much of it from anonymous sources. I WAS AT THE MEETING, EVERYTHING THAT WAS POSTED WAS TRUE. SINCE HE HAS DOCUMENTED ANGER ISSUES, ILLO DOES NOT REALIZE OR RECOGNIZE THAT HIS BEHAVIOR WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND UNBECOMING OF A PASTOR.

    “Many parishioners and other parents eagerly want what the parish has to offer in the way of Catholic education,” he added. “They are expressing hurt and frustration over the negativity that has led to the suspension of classes.” IF SO MANY PARISHIONERS AND OTHER PARENTS WANT THIS WAY OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION, WHY DIDN’T THE PARISHIONERS COME TO THE SCHOOL’S AND THE PASTOR’S RESCUE AND ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL? WE HEAR FROM ALL OF THE PARISHIONERS THAT ILLO IS A SWELL GUY, BUT HOW MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOL. IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT IF YOU LIVE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, I GUESS. I WILL BET ANYTHING THAT EVEN AFTER THIS YEAR’S SUSPENSION AND THE CREATION OF A MORE “THOUGHTFUL” PLAN, THAT THERE WILL STILL NOT BE ENOUGH INTEREST IN THE SCHOOL TO EVER REOPEN.

    Father Illo also said that many parents were excited about a classical curriculum “but what some could simply not accept was reintegrating the school as a ministry of the parish.” ILLO’S LOGIC ESCAPES ME. A SCHOOL ENROLLMENT OF 250 IN 2017 DOWN TO 30 REGISTERED FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR. SO ILLO WANTS EVERYONE TO BELIEVE THAT 220 CHILDREN LEFT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT ACCEPT REINTEGRATION WITH THE PARISH? OR THE OTHER NARRATIVE THAT THE ARCHDIOCESE WANTS PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IS THAT IT WAS THE CURRICULUM. AGAIN, 220 CHILDREN LEFT BECAUSE OF THE CURRICULUM? REALLY??
    It was never the curriculum nor about the ministry of the parish. There is only one constant in all of this and if you read the comments carefully, it is because of the deceit, arrogance, incompetence, and ego of one man-Illo.

    If Illo exalts himself, he will be humbled, and if Illo humbles himself, he will be exalted.

    I think Illo has always exalted himself. God has humbled him. Illo will never be exalted. He lacks any humility

100. Star parent is right: “If Illo exalts himself, he will be humbled, and if Illo humbles himself, he will be exalted. I think Illo has always exalted himself. God has humbled him. Illo will never be exalted. He lacks any humility.”
     I think he is arrogant. I think he swaggers around the church like it’s his show. I think at the end if mass when he makes everyone sit so he can read the announcements is ILLO TIME, as it were. I think he calls attention to himself.
     I think in mass, he should apologize for his faults and for his tone, and all he has wronged by prostrating himself in front of the alter and the congregation. I think he needs to beg our forgiveness.
     Father, if you are reading this. Make it more about the mass and less about yourself. And move forward after praying on what has happened. God loves you.

101. Leave a personal message for Joseph Illo at dearjoseph.home.blog

102. Question to all SF Catholics in this group. Does Pope Francis know how ill the SF church is? Because he should. Who are the SF ‘Church doctors’, or rather, who SHOULD BE today’s Church doctors? I would expect priests, nuns, and any Catholic. I’ve been dwelling on this disturbing situation for a few days now. St Francis and many of his contemporaries, St Clare, St Vincent stepped forward when the church was sick. It was the saints who made the difference, when things were dark.
     At the very least, should Pope Francis be aware, in the absence of no living saints stepping forward. I would happily write to Pope Francis and hand deliver to the Vatican post. I was planning a trip this summer and could go during Easter season. The letter could come from family members of the San Francisco Archdiocese, with a message that our Church is ill and needs help.

103. I’m trying to leave this same message on ‘dearjoseph.home.blog’ but not happening..will keep trying

104. Great idea, Rachel! Pope Francis, a.k.a. Santa Claus in the Vatican, can wave his magic wand and make all the systemic problems and challenges of the Catholic Church in San Francisco go away. Newsflash… other than a few places like subsaharan Africa where it is growing, the Catholic Church is tanking in most places for a lot of reasons. Schools closing, churches closing, religious orders withering for lack of vocations, sexual abuse and financial scandals, parishioners quitting for various reasons. I’ll let you in on an open secret… Pope Francis ain’t losing any sleep over any of this. He said it himself last December regarding church closings: Don’t worry about it. And I quote: “The observation that many churches, which until a few years ago were necessary, are now no longer thus, due to a lack of faithful and clergy, or a different distribution of the population between cities and rural areas, should be welcomed in the Church not with anxiety, but as a sign of the times that invites us to reflection and requires us to adapt.”

105. I am a single person stepping forward to write to Pope Francis about our sick Church in San Francisco. If anyone wants to help communicate to Pope Francis, the stronger the message. We don’t have St. Francis, St. Jude or other Church doctors on Earth. I plan to reach out to Jesuits for any input on any action that anyone can do to make a difference. My 14 year old who actively serves at mass needs to learn by our example. I encourage anyone who needs hope in being Catholic to speak out, and share what Pope Francis should know. I, for example, have spoken out that ‘Spiritually, I’m still feeling betrayed by the boys club
     who don’t have any experience with their own families and their own children, yet they take strong actions that effect the Catholic family who’s made up of parents with children. At the very least, SF Catholics shud be standing in solidarity with Star.’

106. In the gulags of the Soviet Union in the 1930s-’50s a common phrase was “If only Stalin knew.” The prisoners’ pathetic, misguided idea was that if their beloved, grandfatherly leader faraway knew what was really going on, he’d surely never put up with it and would fix things. I’m seeing a little bit of that mentality here.

107. Mahatma Gandhi — ‘I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ
     Mother Teresa — ‘Gandhi felt fascinated at knowing Christ. He met Christians, and felt let down.’
     Pope John Paul II — Gandhi was much more Christian than many people who say they are Christians.

108. It would be a good project to do in depth research on “Integrated Catholic Classical Education”.

     Who are the persons who came up with this?
     What is their background?
     What political and ideological beliefs do they hold?
     What are their political agendas?
     What other groups are they associated with?

     Just now I went online to look for some information.

     There is an organization called Circe Institute that is linked to a Classical Education movement.

     circeinstitute.org

     Whether Circe is linked to the Integrated Catholic Classical Education program remains to be seen. Go on the Circe Institute website and it appears they do support homeschooling programs, rather intriguing as Illo speaks of linking up with homeschooling families.

     Digging a little bit further, I found an item on the Circe blog referring to a religious esoteric philospher few Americans know about – Rene Guenon.
     Here is the link.
     https://www.circeinstitute.org/blog/rene-guenon-and-reign-quantity

     Rene Guenon’s doctrine is much loved by elitist right wingers. Guenon left the Catholic church, was an avid participant in esoteric lodges in France and then went on to create his own philosophy. Decades before Vatican II, Guenon regarded Roman Catholicism as corrupted by the Renaissance. Guenon believed that only a small, educated initated elite could rescue Western civilization from the corruptions of modernity. Hence the interest Guenonian
     traditionalists have in education.

     Here is a brief summary of Guenon’s doctrine.
     “René Guénon (1886-1951), born in Blois, France, to Catholic parents, had been a student of mathematics but soon turned to theosophy, Masonry, medieval Christianity, Hinduism and, finally, Islam. Guénon moved to Cairo and later seemed to retreat into solitude, fearing evil sorcery.

     His philosophy was, as Mr. Sedgwick acknowledges, ”not especially original.” But he had a charismatic impact. In the 1920’s, Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, the curator of the Department of Indian Art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, wrote that ”no living writer in modern Europe is more significant” than Guénon. In the 1940’s, André Gide believed that if he had read Guénon earlier, his life would have been changed.

     Guénon’s argument was that the 20th-century West represented the final stage of a final age, the apotheosis of worldly decadence, in which materialism was emphasized over the spirit, individuality over community. The Renaissance, he proposes, was not a rebirth but a death; science, rationality and humanism were products of delusion. A cure — or at any rate, a refuge — could be found in the primordial truths that underlay all religions before modernity’s distortions. Guénon scorned democracy; he believed in a hierarchical religious elite and saw himself as one of its elect.”

     Again, it would be a very worthy project to do some deep digging and research who created this integrated catholic classical education movement. What are the actual beliefs and political agendas behind this movement, eh?

109. The material quoted above can be found here:

     https://www.google.com/search?ei=P_W8XJ-oA83AsAW7vovgCw&q=%22His+philosophy+was%2C+as+Mr.+Sedgwick+acknowledges%2C+%E2%80%9Dnot+especially+original.%E2%80%9D+But+he+had+a+charismatic+impact.%22&oq=%22His+philosophy+was%2C+as+Mr.+Sedgwick+acknowledges%2C+%E2%80%9Dnot+especially+original.%E2%80%9D+But+he+had+a+charismatic+impact.%22&gs_l=psy-ab.12…71164.71164..72960…0.0..0.0.0…….1….2j1..gws-wiz.fFSnSZvwXmo

110. Before complaining, please start from yourself first. Remember the Catholic school is catholic. Many yours complains are not competent. NO altar girls on Altar, that is not catholic. Boys need to be at the altar and learn that they may be candidates for the priesthood. Grils…laugh there no such a future..sorry. Need to know first traditional catholic faith. F. Illo brought old Holy Mass to the CHurch. The only real true Holy Mass. You are a bunch of liberal which want to destroy the church. Before complaining ask yourself: How much I pray for my priests, whole rosary a day. When NOT, then shut up and go to protestant churches. Archbishop Cordelione fully supports the true Catholic Church and traditional priests. Thank God for that all.

111. Archbishop Cordelione is a person, just like us all, he puts on his pants one leg at a time, he’s arrested for DUI, learns from mistakes and successes. Please don’t write, shut up. There are many problems with all organizations, leadership is key. Poor leadership creates division, destroys. Good leadership inspires, gives life. The Catholic Church is in desperate need for a renaissance. Continued leadership by men who have no first hand knowledge of daily life issues of parents and children if an obvious gap. Yes, priest are competent, steller spiritual leaders. Yes, many priests need to open their ears to God’s message spoken through their brothers and sisters in Christ, and there are many more siblings in Christ than priests. All voices bless. Encourage nurturing the Catholic worldwide family. Stop trying to ‘be right’ with angry words, seek justice with mercy, spread the positive points about the Catholic family by setting good examples, for His greater glory. Amen

112. The classical curriculum failed because Fr. Illo is an idiot. Fr. Veto could have gotten the buy-in easily as he was a person who listened and inspired others. Illo admitted to everyone that he didn’t know anything about education, yet at the same time he micromanaged his principals to the point of failure instead of letting the educators take the lead on education. It was all about his ego and no care for the kids. He is an embarrassment to the Catholic Church and now he has a parish without a school and his Oratory has been scrapped too. As soon as this Archbishop is gone he will be toast in San Francisco with no one to protect him. He will be transferred or he will run away. Unfortunately, this Archbishop is never going to be promoted or moved to another diocese as no one wants him.

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