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People and Faces in the Archives
The records in the archives are grouped around the province entities
that created them. The province entities are either province level
offices like the provincial’s office, local community offices like St.
Francis School, Watsonville or province members like Fr. Louis
Galli’s personal diaries. Only the first two types of province entities
are dealt with here.
Local communities are divided into those that we still operate today
(May 2020) like St. Francis School, Watsonville and those that we no
longer operate like St. Mary’s, Edmonton.
Below you will find these entities named and numbered and each
represented by one of the many individuals who were assigned to
them at one time or another.
A photo and a personal interest note are added for each to try to
provide some small insight into just a few of the many fascinating
persons who, in carrying out their assignments, are together
responsible for all the records we now have in the archives. NB: For the
significance of the numbers preceding titles below contact this archivist. [email protected].
God-Gifted, Fallible, Fascinating People
(Province Assembly Days 1998)
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People and Faces in the Archives
Province Level Entities
1:0 – Provincial’s Office (Provincial) www.donboscowest.org
1:1 – Province Administration (Provincial)
1:2 – Province Animation (Provincial)
2:0 – Provincial Secretary’s Office (Secretary)
3:0 – Province Finance Office (Treasurer)
Fr. Orestes Trinchieri,
our first Provincial but
just Fr. “Trinc” to the
kids who surrounded
him, held this office
from 1927 to 1934.
Fr. Arnold Buja proudly
chauffeured the Provincial (Fr. E. Tozzi)
around in a green 1947 Hudson Commodore
and held this office from 1947 to 1949.
.
Fr. Gabriel Zavattaro
who could pinch a penny better
than most (and could sing while
Venerable Vincent Cimatti played
organ) and who signed us up for
Social Security held this office
from 1962 to 1980
.
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4:0 – Formation Office (Delegate)
5:0 – Youth Ministry Office (Delegate) www.salesianym.org
6:0 – Vocation Office (Delegate) www.salesianvocation.org
Fr. Arthur Lenti,
though never Formation Office
Delegate, was celebrated author,
professor and gourmet chef at Don
Bosco Hall (post-graduate
formation community), Berkeley
from 1984 to 2016.
.
Fr. Thomas “Tom” Prendiville,
in the first class at St. John
Bosco, Bellflower (1940),
twelfth Provincial and cool-
handed even with popes, held
this office from 1981 to 1985.
Fr. W. L. “Larry” Byrne,
confidant of the Minneapolis
Lakers, US Marine chaplain
in WWII at Iwo Jima,
held this office from 1951 to
1979.
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7:0 – Mission Animation Services (Delegate)
www.salesianvolunteers.org
8:0 – Care Ministry Department (Delegate)
9:0 – Social Communications Services (Delegate)
Mr. Juan Carlos “JC”
Montenegro,
at times a missionary
taking volunteers to
Tijuana, Mexico,
held this office
from 2009 to 2020 …
Sheila & Louis Kun, Care Coordinators since 2012.
Sheila, RN, is named the first Delegate of Care Ministry
in the 2013-2014 North American Directory.
See Sheila’s many INTOUCH articles on the
Province website, www.donboscowest.org
Fr. Thien Nguyen,
accomplished and
spell-binding
magician,
held this office
from 2015 to 2018.
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10:0 – Education Office (Coordinator)
11:0 – Salesian Family Commission (Delegate)
www.donboscowest.org/salesianfamily
[12:0 – [There is no 12:0 Group]
13:0 – Archives Office (Archivist) www.donboscowest.org
Mr. Bill Goodman,
longtime (1964) friend of St.
John Bosco High School,
was teacher, athletic director,
principal and president there
then headed the Province
Education Office
from 1985 to 2016.
Fr. Chris Woerz,
puppeteer and ventriloquist
extraordinaire
(Linus-the-Lizard!),
held this office
from 2010 to 2016.
Br. Larry King,
born the eighth of ten
children (thanks, mom),
held this office
from 2010 to 2020 …
As a young Athletic
Director (1967) at SJB
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People and Faces in the Archives Local Level Entities We Presently Operate
L1: – Provincial Residence, San Francisco (Director)
L2: – San Luis Rey Church, Laredo (Pastor) www.sanluisreychurchlaredo.org
L3: – St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower (Director)
L3:1 – Salesian Religious Community
L3:2 – St. John Bosco School www.bosco.org
Fr. Tom Juarez,
six years in frigid
Canada followed by
six years in balmy
Peru to thaw out,
held this offce
from 1987 to 1989.
Fr. Rafael Sanchez, a Salesian
from Spain, barred from Mexico,
detoured to Santo Domingo then
spent ten years in Cuba until,
expelled by Fidel Castro, he settled
in Laredo where to him the church
“looked like a ranch (house)”. He
completely renovated it.
Pastor from 1981 to 1990.
Fr. Ernest. Giovannini,
first Director of SJB,
affable, enterprising, down-to-earth,
held this office from 1940 to 1944 and
then became Provincial of the Eastern
Province from 1944 to 1958.
May 23, 1990 blessing
of the renovated church
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L4: – St. Dominic Savio Church, Bellflower (Pastor) www.saintdominicsavio.org
L5: – Don Bosco Hall, Berkeley (Director) www.salesianstudies.org
L7: – Salesian High School, Los Angeles (Director)
www.mustangsla.org
Fr. Dave Zunino,
who as a boy learned to
play basketball at
SS. Peter & Paul Boys
Club, SF,
held this office
from 1960 to1970
Fr. Jim Collins,
a double bass player from
Oakland with an Irish brogue,
held this office (when it was
at St. Paul’s Parish, SF)
from 1972 to1973
Fr. Roger Luna,
musician and choir
director, (Junior
Seminary choir,
Watsonville 1967),
held this office
from 1969 to1972
1933 SS. PP. Boys Club team
with Joe Aliotto, future SF
Mayor, standing 3rd from left.
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L8: – Salesian Boys & Girls Club, Los Angeles (Director)
www.mustangsla.org
L9: – St. Bridget’s Church, Los Angeles (Pastor)
www.stbridgetccc.com
Fr. Charles
“Charlie” Farina,
“They picked me up
in a yellow
Cadillac”, first to
hold this office
(informally),
from 1958 to 1959.
Fr. Joseph Cheng,
from Hong Kong,
first Salesian at St. Bridget he
produced the “Warm Front”
a substantial parish newsletter.
He held this office from 1994
to 2006 and formed its first
Cooperator group in 2003.
“Charlie’s” first ride
to the club, 1958.
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L10: – St. Mary’s Church, Los Angeles (Pastor)
www.stmaryschurchla.com
L11: – Salesian High School, Richmond (Director)
L11:1 - Salesian Seminary, Richmond
L11:2 - Salesian All-boys High School, Richmond
L11:3 - Salesian Co-ed. High School, Richmond
www.salesian.com
L12: – Salesian Boys & Girls Club, Richmond (Director) www.wccsbgc.org
Fr. Albert Negri,
off to the missions in India at
the young age of 15. Spoke 8
languages including 3 Indian.
First Salesian pastor at St.
Mary’s he held this office
from1965 to 1968. In photo
on Cardinal Raul Silva’s left.
Fr. Alfred Broccardo,
the fatherly type (with
a newly baptized) and
“Fr. Brooks” to most,
held this office
from 1946 to 1951.
Fr. Frank Vranjos,
always a gentleman’s
gentleman even at the
beach,
held this office
from 1971 to 1974.
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L13: – Don Bosco Technical Institute, Rosemead (Director)
www.boscotech.edu
L14: – St. Joseph’s Renewal Center, Rosemead (Director)
L15: – St. Joseph Novitiate, Rosemead (Director)
Fr. Felix Penna,
a boy from the Bronx,
ready to sail even very young,
brilliant mind and dynamic,
founder of Don Bosco Tech,
Rosemead,
held this office
from 1955 to 1958
Fr. Paul Maniscalco,
a kind infirmarian,
prayerful priest,
indefatigable hiker,
meticulous always,
held this office
from 1958 to 1959.
Fr. Harry Rasmussen,
the Dane from Minnesota
“I betcha”, tall man in the
quartet (booming voice),
Provincial (1973-1979),
held this office
from 1992 to 1998.
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L16: – Corpus Christi Church, San Francisco (Director/Pastor)
www.corpuschristi.org
L17: – Saints Peter and Paul Church, San Francisco (Director/Pastor)
www.salesiansspp.org
L18: – Salesian Boys & Girls Club, S. F. (Director)
www.salesianclub.org
Fr. Thomas De Matei,
second SDB vocation from
SS. P&P. after Louis Galli,
first Salesian ordained at SS.
P&P. (Bishop Ernest Coppo,
SDB - 1923), held this office
from 1935 to 1941.
.
Fr. Raphael Piperni,
founder at San Francisco of the first SDB
presence in the United States (1897),
held the office of pastor at SS. P&P
from 1899 to 1928. Thank you, Fr.
Raphael. You deserve two photos!
Mr. Russell “Russ” Gumina,
who played basketball for the USF “Dons”
as a 6ft. 2in. guard 1962-1966, co-captain,
inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, was
Executive Director of the club for 28 years
holding that office from 1988 to 2016.
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L19: – St. Francis High School, Watsonville (Director)
www.stfrancishigh.net
L20: – Camp St. Francis, Watsonville (Director)
L21: – Help of Christians Church, Watsonville (Pastor)
www.olhcchurch.org
Fr. Louis B. Galli,
mugged by thugs on Christmas
Day 1935 and paralyzed,
held this office (first SDB to do
so) in 1921 (came by train) and
again from 1929 to1932.
Br. Mike Herbers,
a long-time green-thumb
gardener, worked four of the
Province youth clubs including
at San Pablo (see photo)
and was Camp St. Francis
Administrator
from 2002 to 2020 …
Fr. Pasquale Beccaria,
who rebuilt the 1902 church
after it burned down in 1927,
was pastor of Help of
Christians [known as
Immaculate Heart of Mary
until 1928] from 1921to1923
and again from 1926 to1928.
Watsonville train
station, 1921
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L22: – St. Francis De Sales Hall, Bellflower (Director)
L23: – St. Luke’s Church, Stockton (Director/Pastor)
www.stlukestockton.us
Fr. Frank Ribotta,
who could kick a football
a country mile,
held this office
from 1968 to 1971.
Fr. Tuan Nguyen,
a South Vietnam pilot
during the long
Vietnam war,
held the office of
Associate Pastor
from 1992 to 2012.
Frank at 2 years old cares for his
little brother, Mike (Fr. Mike later)
With “Lucky”, a friend in Stockton
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People and Faces in the Archives
Local Level Entities We No Longer Operate
L25: – St. Mary’s School, Edmonton, Alberta
Fr. Louis “King Louie”
Masoero, big hockey fan,
founder of St. Mary’s,
served this ministry
from 1951 to 1957 and was
present at its closing in
1991.
Fr. Ted Montemayor, Provincial.
A Texan from Laredo, Provincial from 2014 to 2020, he
was also Province Vocation Director twice..
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L26: – St. John Bosco Parish, Edmonton, Alberta
L27: – St. Dominic Savio Parish, Edmonton, Alberta
L28: – St. Emeric Parish, Edmonton, Alberta
Fr. Anthony (Tony) Di Falco,
always upbeat/pleasant (even
his admonitions were fun),
trained in drama and music
(played clarinet), held this
office as pastor from 1980
to1983.
Fr. Harold Danielson,
his first time as pastor,
administered the parish
from 1976 to 1978
Fr. Joseph Hamor, an Hungarian who loved his violin and
his countryman composer Franz List, was pastor of this
Hungarian parish 42 years from 1957 to 1999.
Dedicating the new Savio
church with music. (1974).
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L29: – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Surrey, BC
L30: – Sacred Heart Parish, Vancouver
L31: – St. Joseph Parish, Oakland
Fr. John Malloy,
who loved “Zack” (his
lap-dog) and
built the Youth Center
at OLGC (breaking
ground 1997), served
here from 1990 to 2001.
Fr. Joseph (Giuseppe) Della Torre,
also known as “Joe Mac Tower”,
came to our province by way of
Australia, chaplain of the “Alpini”
mountaineers, was pastor of Sacred
Heart parish from 1953 to 1987.
Fr. Henry Ferreira
who spoke Portuguese, Italian,
Spanish, French and English, was
secretary to Don Rua at one point
and later assistant pastor at
St. Joseph’s from 1906 to1934. (“Don Bosco Boys [Scouts] of America”)
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L32: – St. Andrew/St. Joseph Parish, Oakland
L33: – St. Mark Parish, Richmond
L34: – Theology Seminary, Aptos
Fr. Edgar Rocha,
born in Brazil, proficient in
art, music and stage,
spiritual adviser to Carmine
Miranda, the “Brazilian
Bombshell”, was pastor of
this humble parish from
1965 to1969.
Fr. George Hacker,
“one of the most popular priests
ever to head the parish”,
survived being shot by a sniper
on June 4, 1975.
He was pastor from 1970 to 1977.
Fr. Francis Knific,
hunted first by the Nazis and then
by the Communists (Slovenia 1948)
with PhDs in philosophy and in
theology, was Director (Don Bosco
in profile) and professor in Aptos
from 1948 to 1958
Fr. George’s unique punting style
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L35: – St. Patrick Parish, Los Angeles
L36: – St. Peter Parish, Los Angeles
L37: – Angels Flight, Los Angeles
Fr. Rinaldo Bergamo,
a rotund, kind, outgoing man
“This calls for a celebration”,
artillery officer in WWI (1915-
1919) but preferred barbequing,
was pastor of St. Patrick’s
from 1944 to 1950.
Fr. Robert Wieczorek,
born in Poland, missionary to
Mexico in 1897at age 20,
contributed in major ways to many
SDB works in the USA including the
Stations of the Cross in Richmond
(1934) and was pastor of St. Peter’s
from 1926 to 1930.
Br. Phil Mandile,
at the request of the
Archdiocese of Los
Angeles,
directed Angels Flight
for street kids,
from 1984 to 1990.
For angels who couldn’t fly yet
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L38: – Rupertswood/Sunbury, Australia
L39: – Lungi, Sierra Leone
L40: – Mary Help of Christians Parish, Los Angeles
Fr. Alfred Cogliandro, as
Provincial (1950 to 1963), sent
several young Salesian Brothers to
Sunbury for practical training.
“Australian wool” at Rubertswood, 1929.
Br. Bill Regner,
with little regard for personal pain,
could build/fix most anything and
served in Sierra Leone, Africa
from 2000 to 2010.
Fr. Frederick Barni
made his perpetual vows into the
hands of Don Bosco himself at the
end of his Novitiate year, six years
earlier than present practice!
Ordained at 23 he was pastor of
this church from 1926 to 1930.
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L41: – St. Mary’s Parish, Sacramento
L42: – Mary Help of Christians Parish, Oakland
L43: – San José Parish, Albuquerque, NM
Fr. Mathew Cravero,
escaping both firing
squad and gallows in a
Mexican prison (1914),
lived to later serve at
St. Mary’s Parish
from 1930 to 1935.
Fr. Anthony Ragogna,
to the Bororo natives of the
jungles of Brazil “Capitao
Grande” (in Portuguese),
served this parish
from 1919 to 1923.
Fr. Joseph Farias,
a barber and the son of a
big-hearted barber, pastor
of five Province parishes,
was pastor of this parish
from 1997 to 2001.
Fr. Joe’s barber dad.
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L44: – Our Lady of Fatima, Edmonton
L45: – St. Patrick’s Church Chinese Community, Edmonton
L46: - Camp Don Bosco, Arrowbear.
Fr. Arduino Antonello,
a gentle soul from Moto Grosso, Brazil (raised canaries)
was pastor of this Portuguese parish from 1972 to 1982.
Fr. Mario Rosso,
after serving the Chinese
people in China for 42 years
(1939-1981), claimed to be
“white on the outside but
yellow on the inside”.
(Sounds a lot better in Chinese)
He served the Chinese in
Edmonton from 1991to 1994.
Fr. Carmine Vairo,
was Camp Director in 1972
with five councilors and 100
campers. Carmine’s mother’s
vocabulary was, like the lady
herself, devilishly colorful.
Provincial from 1979 to 1985.
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L47: - Camp Salesian, Middletown
L48: - Camp Bonny Doon, Bonny Doon
L49: - Camp Pala Rey, Pala Rey
Fr. John Roche,
who was a “vocation from among
those we serve”,
while a student of theology in
Ohio, 1982-1986,
returned each summer to direct
Camp Salesian.
Fr. Mirko Flac.
Communist Marshal Josip Tito
of Yugoslavia had thirteen of
Brother Mirko’s fourteen
Salesian classmates executed.
Mirko escaped and spent 24
years as a Salesian Priest
serving the poorest of kids at
Camp Pala Rey 1967-1991
Boney Doon began operating as a
camp for junior seminarians in
1956. Fr. Mike Ribotta then
operated it from 1966 to 1968 for
grammar school boys. He loved
sports, a great coach. His 1943-
1944 basketball team won six
games and lost only one.
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L50: - Mary Help of Christians Chinese Church, Edmonton
L6: – St. Ambrose Church, Berkeley (Pastor)
Fr. Francis Lau,
born in Macao, Salesian in
Hong Kong, won an architect’s
award for remodeling MHC
and was pastor of this Chinese
Parish from 1987 to 1991.
Fr. Joseph Paradayil,
from Bangalore, India to
Berkeley, CA, with a
master’s in counseling
psychology, was pastor
of St. Ambrose Church
from 2006 to 2009
Don Michael Rua, Don Bosco’s First Successor.
Don Rua, “Don Bosco’s double”, sent the first four Salesians
to San Francisco in 1897 at the request of
Archbishop Michael Riordan of San Francisco.
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.
Yes, Some Very Fascinating People
Have Served the Youth
Of our Province
St. Francis School, Watsonville Band
Mr. Gothier was the band director.
They marched in the 1922 Watsonville 4th of July parade.
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