Priest returns to Gilroy’s St. Mary Church

Each spring, Bishop Patrick McGrath formulates a list of priests who will be assigned to different churches in the Diocese of San Jose. Then in July these priests must pull up stakes and move to a new parish. The process may be painful, as they leave behind familiar surroundings, friends and colleagues to face the unknown in a new rectory, church and community.
But as he moved his many boxes of books and artwork created by friends, the Rev. Jose Rubio experienced a feeling of satisfaction, for he returned as parochial vicar to the church he served more than 30 years ago at the beginning of his ordained ministry.
Father Rubio was born in San Francisco and lived there until his family moved to Orange County when he was 10. He attended Catholic schools and enjoyed being involved in the life of his church through activities such as serving at the altar, being the master of ceremonies at Holy Week services and helping count the weekly collection.
When it came time for college, Rubio returned to the Bay Area to study comparative literature at the University of California. The ’60s was a tumultuous time in Berkeley, and he had many formative experiences at Cal, including experimental liturgies held at the Newman Center and seeing the collaboration among clergy of different denominations.
He personally participated in two demonstrations: One at the Oakland Army Induction Center and another at the docks to protest non-union grapes being shipped to Vietnam. At another protest, he was impressed as he witnessed clergy form a line between police and demonstrators to prevent violence.
After graduation from Cal, Rubio began to study for ordination at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. Ordained to the priesthood in 1980, his first assignment was to Gilroy’s St. Mary, where he spent four years. This was followed by stints in San Jose at St. Patrick Protocathedral and St. John Vianney Church.
Always fond of studying, the new priest took fencing and sign language classes at Gavilan College. He has done graduate studies at Catholic University of America, Santa Clara University and Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union, accumulating a licentiate, master’s and doctorate degrees along the way.
Besides his studies in liturgy and systematic theology, Rubio’s career featured assignments as chaplain at the San Jose State University’s Newman Center and teaching at St. Patrick’s Seminary.
In addition, he has been a monthly celebrant of the Mass St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Palo Alto and Sacred Heart Church in San Jose. He feels a particular affection for Sacred Heart because he lived in that rectory during the years of his San Jose ministry.
Father Rubio is the Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese, responsible for cultivating relationships with local leaders of other faiths. As part of this assignment he represented the Bishop last week at the Eid al-Fatar celebration culminating the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan.
Although he has been out of the regular parish ministry for some time, the priest is looking forward to joining in the life of St. Mary’s parishioners. He “thoroughly enjoys saying Mass for the community.”
Since he has been gone from St. Mary for such a long time, he says he has no expectations, just an openness to meet the needs of the congregation. However, he isn’t surprised at Gilroy’s growth because he has kept in touch with friends from his earlier assignment who still live there.
Father Rubio mentioned St. Augustine’s three rules for preaching: Instruct, please and inspire. He hopes each of his homilies “offers a word of hope that will help the listener get through the next week.”
Chuck Flagg is a retired teacher with a passion for religion. Reach him at

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