OUR NOVEMBER MONTH OF REMEMBRANCE INCLUDES DEPARTED PRIESTS OF JESUS CHRIST.........

Today is the twentieth anniversary of the death of Rev. Msgr, Eymard Gallager, a native diocesan priestly vocation, ordained for the Sacramento Diocese in 1951. A learned scholar, preacher, and writer, Msgr. Gallagher was not only successful at his priestly ministry and pastoring of souls, but was a renowned Editor of the Catholic Herald diocesan newspaper for many years. His Herald editorials were some of most outstanding and prophetic offerings of opinion on pertinent issues of the day ever authored in our diocesan history. During the last two decades of his life and ministry, Msgr. Gallagher brought that same outstanding leadership and service to the pastorates of Our Lady of Grace Parish, West Sacramento, 1968-1975; and Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in northeast Sacramento, 1975-1989; where I have been assigned and resided for the past three and a half years. In his fourteen years as Pastor of Presentation Parish, Msgr. Gallagher fully emulated the teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council,developing a collegial, collaborative, consensus building, model of church with the parishioners. He placed the great focus of his parish ministry on Liturgy and Worship and powerfully and ever prophetically, Preaching the Word of God to the faithful, in season and out of season. He is rightfully, fondly remembered and recalled with esteem by the People of God he served as Pastor. The third anniversary of his predecessor as Pastor at Presentation, Rev. Msgr. Patrick Nolan also occurs in December, just as the eighth anniversary of Presentation's founding Pastor, Rev. Msgr. Cornelius Higgins occured in May. It is also less than two and a half years since the passing of Rev. Fr. Anthony Gurnell, for whom Presentation was his first assignment as a priest in 1964, and was his final residence in 2007, when he returned to reside with us here for the last three months of his life. As we pray for the Holy Souls, we commend the souls of these and other priests we have also known in November remembrance. May their souls and the holy souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.........Alleluia ! Amen !! Fr. Troy