St Augustine’s 55th Anniversary: SF Archbishop Cordileone, Principal Celebrant

Which church ranks number one in church attendance in the San Francisco Archdiocese? It’s St Augustine’s in South San Francisco. Current Pope Leo XIV is an Agustinian religious missionary from St Augustine’s order.

For nine days from August 19 to 28 2025, a novena for its patron saint, St Augustine Church at Callan and Glendale Streets in South San Francisco has nine festivities for each day to coincide with 55th Emerald Anniversary . St Augustine was known to be wild and delinquent in his behavior in a book he had written “Confessions of St. Augustine”. His mother St Monica never ceased to pray for his conversion to goodness. He later became a bishop and a saint.

The festivities include masses, prayers, food concessions, bingo, games and comedy shows, dance party with free dance instructions, paint and sip night, family movie nights, cultural night. Each night has a free drawing raffle event where you can win prizes, but you must be present to win.

Usually festivals and fiesta in a parish last for 2 days but St Augustine has enough energy to celebrate for nine days. Each day a priest from another parish comes to celebrate mass.

St. Augustine was on their best display for the feast— the choir wore uniforms and rendered amazing songs; the smiling ushers wore uniforms, the Knights of Columbus wore their uniforms, young girls acted as angels wore white dresses. Outside, the church was decorated with colorful balloons, streamers and banners. Even the restroom smelled nice with perfume like Febreze , the floors and toilet bowls and sinks were scrubbed clean.

On August 23, Saturday , Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was the principal celebrant in the Mass with several priests assisting in the altar. The Archbishop wore his Bishop regalia with mitre hat, white robe with gold designs and a staff. When I arrived, the man on the gate said , “You can’t come in. Find a parking spot on the streets. The parking lot is full since 9:00 am .” though mass starts at 10:30 am.

My first time to see the Archbishop in person though I watched him in tv news, read in newspapers, or listen in YouTube interviews. When he was first assigned in San Francisco, I thought he has the name of mobster Corleone like in the movie and novel “The Godfather”. I heard it incorrectly, it’s Cordileone, not Corleone. He’s actually a conservative Bishop with a Ph.D. in canon law. Archbishop Corleone has persevered a lot of criticism because he’s a conservative in a liberal setting. Well, he has grit and resilience for he’s still standing. The summary of his message:

“Authority of the church must be exercised for the good of the community,
education of the community, Gospel for the community; Parishioners must work for the good of the community for they are members of the Body of Christ . Charity is through the church and its members. All gifts come from God, gifts must be useful for the good of the community.”

Archbishop Corleone is internationally and nationally famous in the news for banning his well known parishioner Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from receiving Holy Communion or the Eucharist per Canon Law due to Pelosi stance on abortion.

After the mass, Archbishop Corleone held the Blessed Sacrament , a golden circle with golden rays , protected under a golden canopy carried by men, followed by priests, young angels, the choir, Knight of Columbus soldiers, parishioners; the crowd walked around the grounds , surrounded by cars of attendees.

After the procession, free lunch was served inside a big tent, with entertainment. The menu was mostly Filipino food like palabok, rice, dinuguan, lechon, fish, chicken. Majority of the parishioners were Pinoys and Pinays(shortcut for Filipino or Filipina). It feels like you’re in the Philippines enjoying a fiesta. Some said “Masaya at Magulo parang sa Pinas”(It’s happy and noisy like home) . In the Philippines, each town has a patron Saint, when it’s the Saint feast day, each house prays the novena , prepares food , and guests from other town are welcomed to eat without invitations.

I attended the anniversary mass because I was asked to donate a painting as a prize for the free raffle. I chose the painting “I Love You More”. I painted it after Easter because I said “ Thank you Jesus for redeeming the world and me. I love you.” I heard a deep voice “I love you more.” I needed to paint the saying of the voice. The painting was already exhibited at San Mateo Fair last June 2025 under the religious and spiritual category.

I received a text that a St Augustine’s parishioner named Lolita won the “I Love You More” painting on the final evening of raffles drawing. Lolita is very happy to win painting and promises to place painting on her altar.