Father Oliver Ortese: A Joyful Blessing Departs

I said in a celebration card for 30 year as priest I first encountered his last name “Ortese” as a character in a novel. No Ortese(original Ortez, italicized to Ortese), was not a character ; she was an Italian author Anna Maria Ortese, who lived in Africa Tripoli, then later came back to Italy where she wrote novels like The Iguana, magical realism stories, poetry.

On August 4, 2024, the parishioners of St. Veronica and St. Gregory celebrated his 30th anniversary as a priest with big luncheon party and musical presentations. Fr Ortese came to South San Francisco St Veronica’s parish on July 2023 to replace Fr Cameron Pollete who was assigned to another parish.

Aside from his duties, Fr. Ortese led Bible studies every Monday with many attendees and youth ministry. He loves children because after mass, children approached him to sign some papers. Parishioners ask him to pose with families for photoshoots.

Educated in the prestigious Pontifical Gregorian University where students are “smart and honest”. I’m reminded of two alumni , Fr. Edward Catich, renowned and world class calligrapher as seminarian in Rome studied Roman Capitals origins and its serif and published many books on the subject; Reverend Antonio Rey, former pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help who had several Ph.D’s on canon law, qualified him as canon lawyer of the SF Archdiocese. Both studied in the same university as Fr. Ortese.

His stay on permit or visa expired, his form is still in a queue because thousands of applicants for visas and green cards for Homeland Security processing . This leaves thousands of Religious Workers such as nuns and priests to return home.

He thanks SF Archdiocese Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone who assigned him to two incredible pastors St. Gregory’s Fr. Mark Reburiano who “took him under his wings and made him feel at home.” and St Veronica’s pastor Fr Patrick Driscoll, “passionate and full of high-voltage energy” where he “experienced the best of America.”

Thank you too Fr. Ortese for I’d read in social media comments— San Francisco Bay Area is a bastion of Sodom and Gomorrah, where a politician spreads messages a politician “destroyed San Francisco”, but San Francisco is a saint who cannot be destroyed, you can destroy an area, a city, a location but not a Saint.

Incidentally, let us remind the nation California has the most saints in USA such as San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Santa Ana, St. Helena, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, San Carlos, San Rafael, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, San Jose, San Bruno, San Ramon, San Jacinto,San Anselmo, San Clemente, San Bernardino, San Joaquin Valley,San Buenaventura , including angels, Los Angeles. I only had 10 saints in memory, but I found there is a lot. No wonder with so many saints, California ,if it were a country is the number 5 economy in the world, with so many blessings, not as a politician stated CA is getting “destroyed”.

• His heartfelt message in the newsletter and on his last Sunday mass October 13, 2024:

“And to you good people both at Saint Gregory's in San Mateo and Saint Veronica's in South City ... I will not call out names. You have given me good and sweet memories that will last me a lifetime. The staff both at Saint Gregory's and Saint Veronica's have all been exceedingly supportive of me to facilitate my work. If I have offended anyone during my stay, please forgive me.” In spite of the racism discussion in politics, he didn’t experience discrimination from any person.

On his 30th celebration, I gave him a calligraphed certificate as “God’s Special Agent” for 30 years, a card, and a golden Pineapple. I forgot to tell him its a reminder of my Pineapple Principle, “ When it comes to pineapples, the BOTTOM is the TOP”, the Dole commercial used it, because the sweetest and juiciest part of the pineapple is the bottom. The Catholic Church is the biggest bureaucracy in the world ; it’s not the top hierarchy of cardinals, bishops that make a church thrive and alive, it’s the local priest who mingle with the people. As in many organizations, the noname bottom folks keep an organization growing.

Emmy awardee Fr. Don Calloway jokingly said, “If you’re scared of confessions, find a Nigerian priest who doesn’t speak any English, tell all your sins since he’s going to leave and won’t remember them.” But Fr. Ortese speaks English and writes very well in English.

He said God may have sent him to other parts of USA but God sent him here in San Mateo County. I think it’s because I can write an article (ha, ha) about him and remind us the many saints and blessings that surround us.

May the Good Lord Bless and Keep you, Fr. Ortese.