St . John Vianney students team up with CityTeam Ministries
The Valley Catholic in our community
April 23 , 2013 17
Father John H . Olivier , SS remembered for music talent , seminary career
By Gerald D . Coleman , SS
When John Olivier taught chant to high school , college and theology seminarians , the last question in every exam was the same : what is the best class of the week ? The answer , of course , was chant . This reply came easily and truthfully as the teacher himself had nothing but an abundance of class .
He was truly a gentleman of St . Sulpice and virtually no one else came close to him in this regard . He was a teacher par excellence whether the subject was music , speech , Latin , English or French .
He was a pedagogue in so many other ways , especially evidenced in the reverent way he celebrated the Eucharist , made more memorable by his personal and reverential style marked by solemnity and exquisite vestments . He never “ said Mass .” He always celebrated the Eucharist .
He served in many parishes in the Bay Area and forged lasting friendships . He enlivened liturgy and demonstrated his unique ability to create a singing community . He formed a friendship with Sister Suzanne Toolan , RSM and often celebrated Masses worthy of a cathedral at the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse in Burlingame .
He wrote special music for the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of San Jose which is still used . He was one of only a few musicians invited to play the organ at Memorial Church on the Stanford University campus . He preached
Father John Olivier , SS dies in Maryland
Father John Henry Olivier , SS , 93 , died April 12 in Catonsville , Maryland where he had been in retirement at St . Charles Villa since 2000 .
Born in Marquette , Michigan Feb . 17 , 1920 , he was ordained to the priesthood in Detroit for the Diocese of Marquette on May 31 , 1947 , and was admitted to the Society of St . Sulpice in 1952 .
He studied at St . Mary Seminary in Baltimore , Maryland , 1944-1947 , where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology ( STB ) degree . He joined the faculty of St . Joseph College , Mtn . View , CA where he taught and then became vice president .
In 1965 , Father Olivier joined the faculty of St . Patrick Seminary and University in Menlo Park , CA followed by serving as associate pastor at a number of parishes including , in the Diocese of San Jose , St . Martin in Sunnyvale , St . Joseph of Cupertino , St . William in Los Altos , St . Albert the Great and St . Thomas Aquinas in Palo Alto , and Santa Teresa in San Jose .
In early 1983 he was named Associate Director for Worship for the Diocese of San Jose with primary responsibility for the planning and preparation of all diocesan-sponsored liturgical events . Father Olivier continued to compose and perform music and also was an instructor in homiletics at St . Patrick Seminary .
He began retirement in 1993 in California and then moved to the Sul-
Father John H . Olivier , SS
frequently at Presbyterian churches in Palo Alto and Menlo Park where he forged a lasting friendship with Robert McAfee Brown .
He possessed appreciation of all types of music , including musical settings in numerous languages . At St . Joseph College , he introduced “ concerts ” after Vespers during the winter months where he explained classical music and Broadway scores .
He seemed to sing more than he talked , often creating lyrics that captured specific characteristics of people . He was an accomplished pianist and organist but could modify any moment by singing , “ I ’ m an Oscar Myer Wiener !” His innate humor overflowed in delightful iconoclastic insights .
He would occasionally speak of his childhood upbringing and mention ways that darkness and depression
pician retirement home in Maryland . A Memorial Mass was celebrated April 20 at St . Martin ’ s Home for the Aged in Catonsville ; interment at the Sulpician Cemetery Columbarium in Catonsville .
entered his life , creating insecurity . Everyone around him knew better , and once in a while he did , too . These times of brightness helped balance an inner critic that hammered messages of unworthiness and inadequacy . At the end , John was peaceful , but he might never have grasped fully how much people truly loved him .
He stands tall in the memory and heart of everyone he met including those enlivened by his music , liturgies and homilies . He was a marvelous man and priest . While he was forced to deal with physical blindness and an inability to walk well in the last few years of his life , his indomitable spirit and interest in listening to music and books on tape helped him to override these debilitating handicaps .
His favorite musical arrangement is his testimony to all of us in this Easter season : O sacrum convivium : In quo Christo sumitur / Recolitur memoria / Passionus ejus / Mens impletur gracia / Et futurae gloriae . AMEN . ALLELUIA !
• Father Gerald D . Coleman , SS is a Sulpician priest and former Rector of St . Patrick Seminary and University in Menlo Park and the former St . Joseph College .
St . John Vianney students team up with CityTeam Ministries
Throughout the year , students at St . John Vianney School in San Jose have participated with various organizations to develop their call to serving others .
Recently , first and fifth grade “ Buddies ” worked together to create nonsewing blankets to donate to CityTeam Ministries of San Jose .
CityTeam Ministries is a local
First and fifth grade students at St . John Vianney School made blankets to donate to CityTeam Ministries .
service organization that provides hope and tools to help make positive changes in the lives of poor people in the community . These kinds of service projects not only promote awareness of those who need assistance , but also challenge students to become part of the solution to improve the lives of others . www . dsj . org