Behind the Scenes of the Controversy at Star of the Sea School: 2014-2016
February – August 2014
Fr. Illo uses his blog to raise nearly $300,000 for his venture into a “savagely distorted” city:
“We need lots of support—financial support has come and will come—but mostly we need your daily prayers as we prepare to enter the beautiful but savagely distorted cultural maelstrom that is the ‘Baghdad by the Bay.’”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/sf-oratory-pledge-drive.html
July 2014
San Francisco is a sinful place. Fr. Illo and Fr. Driscoll will arrive as sanctified combatants in the culture wars:
“In a few weeks I will begin priestly ministry at a parish in the City of San Francisco, along with my dear brother priest Fr. Patrick Driscoll. This beautiful city has been a war zone between the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, and the angelic and the demonic for many years. I know that much good and much bad awaits us at this parish and in this city. In San Francisco we will renew old friendships, forge new ones, but also suffer misunderstandings, disappointments, and failures. I anticipate not a few sleepless nights! And I know there will be demonic attacks against our persons and our priesthood. Perhaps I should be afraid, but I am not. (Perhaps I should heed Yoda, who said to Luke Skywalker’s bold statement that he was not afraid: ‘You will be… you will be’).”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/category/angels
November 2014
New Parish Administrator Fr. Illo finds that San Francisco is a Godless place, and concludes that his parish ministry is doomed to unpopularity (3 months after arriving):
“…kneeling in this vast empty church, I get the feeling that it is humility time. I begin to see that nothing I do will double the number of Catholics coming to this parish. There’s too much competition for their time and money in this city; secularism has devastated family life in San Francisco. I can’t drive success here like I did in Modesto.”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/from-the-pastors-laptop-sitting-in-an-empty-church
November 2014
Fr. Illo’s first policy change is to exclude girls from serving at the altar during Mass. The Pope approved girl altar servers in 1994 and girls had been performing admirably for many years at this parish. Most were students at the attached Star of the Sea School:
Story broadly covered in local and national media.
See local CBS TV coverage: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/01/23/peeved-parishioners-leaving-sf-church-over-ban-on-girls-as-altar-servers-san-francisco-catholic/
Fr. Illo’s official statement Jan 26, 2015 (since removed): http://www.starparish.com/news/official-statement-on-altar-boy-policy
But re-produced here and elsewhere: http://www.newemangelization.com/uncategorized/father-joseph-illo-statement-on-altar-boys/
Influential local priests disagree with the change and lament the resulting “P.R. disaster”: http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/san-francisco-priests-council-debates-pr-disaster-parish
November 2014
Fr. Illo refuses to bless non-Catholic children at Communion, and excludes non-Catholic children from reading at school Mass:
These unwelcome changes contradict the long-standing tradition at the parish and school of involving all children in Mass. After complaints, blessings were reintroduced, and non-Catholic children will be allowed to read at Mass during this school year.
December 2014
Parochial Vicar Fr. Patrick Driscoll distributes inappropriate materials to students. An Examination of Conscience brochure asked children as young as seven about their involvement with sodomy, masturbation, contraception, euthanasia and other adult topics:
See article on this controversy: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Pamphlet-about-morals-upsets-parents-at-SF-6086741.php
See local ABC TV coverage: http://abc7news.com/education/sf-catholic-school-pamphlet-about-sexuality-upsets-parents/523654
See the pamphlet: http://www.newmanconnection.com/ccwatershed/Examination.pdf
December 2014
Students segregated by faith as never before at Reconciliation.
Prior to the arrival of Fr. Illo, all students participated in this event. Catholic students, of course, received the sacrament, but non-Catholic children were also welcome to meet individually with the priest near the altar to ask for advice or to receive a blessing. Now, only Catholic children are instructed to enter a confessional, while non-Catholic children are told to sit elsewhere to receive a group blessing.
January 2015
Fr. Illo interviewed by Catholic World Report, in which he:
- Minimizes his altar service policy as a “poke in the eye of the liberal culture of San Francisco”
- Impugns the Star of the Sea school as “lacking in Catholic identity”
- Says that Archbishop Cordileone supports his approach and expects this controversy to be “a flash in the pan”
- States his desire to bring teaching sisters (nuns) to the school, who could be housed at the “big empty convent” on the property (which is actually occupied by homeless mothers and children at the Star Community Home, a partnership of Catholic Charities and the -Salesforce Foundation)
- Says that his actions have led to a “necessary purging” at Star of the Sea
See: http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/3659/fr_joseph_illo_explains_altar_boysonly_policy_at_san_francisco_parish.aspx
February 2015
Extremists rally around Fr. Illo’s “traditional” implementation of Catholic practices. They send over $50,000 to the parish in support of his exclusionary and regressive stance:
See: ChurchMilitant.TV - https://www.facebook.com/ChurchMilitant.TV/posts/854324617958019
See: ChuchMilitant.TV interview with Fr. Illo on Feb 3, 2015 in which Fr. Illo thanks the organization for contributing to the parish and “balancing our budget”: http://www.churchmilitant.tv/platform/index.php?vidID=vort-2015-02-03&ssnID=320
See: Go Fund Me Campaign: http://www.gofundme.com/kvc80g
February 2015
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone introduces a morality clause for inclusion in SF Catholic high school teacher contracts, along with changes to high school handbooks focused on “sexual morality and religious practice.” Fr. Illo calls the Catholics who are upset by these changes “dysfunctional and disobedient” and compares them to Nazis:
“These protests are generated by the secular media, of course, but what surprised me was how quickly and cruelly our own parishioners joined in. For CBS to belittle Catholic belief and practice is understandable; for a Catholic to do so is dysfunctional and disobedient. If Catholics side with the media against their own archbishop, then we must say that the Church in our city has somehow failed. In 1939 France and Germany were still ‘accommodating’ the National Socialists in Germany even as the Reich’s armies overran Poland; our Church has also been complicit to some degree in the rise of the increasingly militant ‘dictatorship of relativism’ in this country.”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/homily-ora-et-labora
February 2015
Fr. Illo attends a Parent Club meeting at the school to address the growing crisis that he has caused. He apologizes for his hurtful words, but also re-states his desire for a higher percentage of obedient Catholics at the school. He says that the curriculum needs revision to spend more time on religion, with perhaps less time for other academic subjects. He also says that families who disagree with his vision are welcome to leave the school:
The reality is that the content and volume of religious education are governed by the Department of Catholic School’s Religion Handbook, which states that “The Department of Catholic Schools Elementary Schools Religion Curriculum Guidelines are to serve as the basis for all local Catholic schools’ Religion curriculums.” Star of the Sea School is WCEA accredited, and follows all the guidelines set by the Department of Catholic Schools. A Parish Administrator has little to no authority to change the curricular requirements at an individual school. It is important to note that Fr. Illo has never before managed an elementary school.
March 2015
Over 70 Star of the Sea School families write letters of protest to Archdiocesan authorities, including Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General William Justice, and Vicar for Clergy Raymund Reyes.
Bishop Justice and Fr. Reyes have agreed to meet with parents on March 25. Parents also requested a meeting with Archbishop Cordileone in February but have not yet received a response.
March 2015
Over 70 Star of the Sea School families write letters of protest to Archdiocesan authorities, including Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General William Justice, and Vicar for Clergy Raymund Reyes.
Bishop Justice and Fr. Reyes came to Star of the Sea School on March 25. Over 100 concerned parents attended, along with the faculty and staff. Sixteen parents spoke, describing the crisis at the school and its negative impact on the children, the parents, and the teachers. Uninvited members of the media also attended and filed the following reports about this emotional meeting:
See: http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/parents-ask-san-francisco-archdiocese-remove-controversial-parish-priests
See: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Angry-parents-ask-SF-Archdiocese-to-remove-6160961.php
April 2015
More information surfaces about Fr. Illo’s involvement in a disturbing lawsuit
Fr. Illo was found liable in San Joaquin County Superior Court in 2005 of intentionally emotionally abusing an 11-year-old girl who reported to Fr. Illo that a fellow priest had molested her and her sister.
http://archives.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/old-court-case-fuels-calls-for-sf-pastors-ouster/Content?oid=2927614
Archbishop Cordileone orders Fr. Illo to have no further interaction with the school’s faculty, staff, parents, and children. The Archbishop appoints Fr. Vito Perrone as school chaplain, effective May 1.
July 2015
Fr. Illo works to have one of the rectory’s “Brothers” installed as a teacher for the fall term. The man has applied for but not yet attended the seminary. He has no teaching experience, but it is later learned that he does have an arrest record.
December 2015
Fr. Illo has parking lines painted over the children’s play area (violating ADA regulations in the process).
Fr. Illo uses his blog to raise nearly $300,000 for his venture into a “savagely distorted” city:
“We need lots of support—financial support has come and will come—but mostly we need your daily prayers as we prepare to enter the beautiful but savagely distorted cultural maelstrom that is the ‘Baghdad by the Bay.’”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/sf-oratory-pledge-drive.html
July 2014
San Francisco is a sinful place. Fr. Illo and Fr. Driscoll will arrive as sanctified combatants in the culture wars:
“In a few weeks I will begin priestly ministry at a parish in the City of San Francisco, along with my dear brother priest Fr. Patrick Driscoll. This beautiful city has been a war zone between the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, and the angelic and the demonic for many years. I know that much good and much bad awaits us at this parish and in this city. In San Francisco we will renew old friendships, forge new ones, but also suffer misunderstandings, disappointments, and failures. I anticipate not a few sleepless nights! And I know there will be demonic attacks against our persons and our priesthood. Perhaps I should be afraid, but I am not. (Perhaps I should heed Yoda, who said to Luke Skywalker’s bold statement that he was not afraid: ‘You will be… you will be’).”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/category/angels
November 2014
New Parish Administrator Fr. Illo finds that San Francisco is a Godless place, and concludes that his parish ministry is doomed to unpopularity (3 months after arriving):
“…kneeling in this vast empty church, I get the feeling that it is humility time. I begin to see that nothing I do will double the number of Catholics coming to this parish. There’s too much competition for their time and money in this city; secularism has devastated family life in San Francisco. I can’t drive success here like I did in Modesto.”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/from-the-pastors-laptop-sitting-in-an-empty-church
November 2014
Fr. Illo’s first policy change is to exclude girls from serving at the altar during Mass. The Pope approved girl altar servers in 1994 and girls had been performing admirably for many years at this parish. Most were students at the attached Star of the Sea School:
Story broadly covered in local and national media.
See local CBS TV coverage: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/01/23/peeved-parishioners-leaving-sf-church-over-ban-on-girls-as-altar-servers-san-francisco-catholic/
Fr. Illo’s official statement Jan 26, 2015 (since removed): http://www.starparish.com/news/official-statement-on-altar-boy-policy
But re-produced here and elsewhere: http://www.newemangelization.com/uncategorized/father-joseph-illo-statement-on-altar-boys/
Influential local priests disagree with the change and lament the resulting “P.R. disaster”: http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/san-francisco-priests-council-debates-pr-disaster-parish
November 2014
Fr. Illo refuses to bless non-Catholic children at Communion, and excludes non-Catholic children from reading at school Mass:
These unwelcome changes contradict the long-standing tradition at the parish and school of involving all children in Mass. After complaints, blessings were reintroduced, and non-Catholic children will be allowed to read at Mass during this school year.
December 2014
Parochial Vicar Fr. Patrick Driscoll distributes inappropriate materials to students. An Examination of Conscience brochure asked children as young as seven about their involvement with sodomy, masturbation, contraception, euthanasia and other adult topics:
See article on this controversy: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Pamphlet-about-morals-upsets-parents-at-SF-6086741.php
See local ABC TV coverage: http://abc7news.com/education/sf-catholic-school-pamphlet-about-sexuality-upsets-parents/523654
See the pamphlet: http://www.newmanconnection.com/ccwatershed/Examination.pdf
December 2014
Students segregated by faith as never before at Reconciliation.
Prior to the arrival of Fr. Illo, all students participated in this event. Catholic students, of course, received the sacrament, but non-Catholic children were also welcome to meet individually with the priest near the altar to ask for advice or to receive a blessing. Now, only Catholic children are instructed to enter a confessional, while non-Catholic children are told to sit elsewhere to receive a group blessing.
January 2015
Fr. Illo interviewed by Catholic World Report, in which he:
- Minimizes his altar service policy as a “poke in the eye of the liberal culture of San Francisco”
- Impugns the Star of the Sea school as “lacking in Catholic identity”
- Says that Archbishop Cordileone supports his approach and expects this controversy to be “a flash in the pan”
- States his desire to bring teaching sisters (nuns) to the school, who could be housed at the “big empty convent” on the property (which is actually occupied by homeless mothers and children at the Star Community Home, a partnership of Catholic Charities and the -Salesforce Foundation)
- Says that his actions have led to a “necessary purging” at Star of the Sea
See: http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/3659/fr_joseph_illo_explains_altar_boysonly_policy_at_san_francisco_parish.aspx
February 2015
Extremists rally around Fr. Illo’s “traditional” implementation of Catholic practices. They send over $50,000 to the parish in support of his exclusionary and regressive stance:
See: ChurchMilitant.TV - https://www.facebook.com/ChurchMilitant.TV/posts/854324617958019
See: ChuchMilitant.TV interview with Fr. Illo on Feb 3, 2015 in which Fr. Illo thanks the organization for contributing to the parish and “balancing our budget”: http://www.churchmilitant.tv/platform/index.php?vidID=vort-2015-02-03&ssnID=320
See: Go Fund Me Campaign: http://www.gofundme.com/kvc80g
February 2015
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone introduces a morality clause for inclusion in SF Catholic high school teacher contracts, along with changes to high school handbooks focused on “sexual morality and religious practice.” Fr. Illo calls the Catholics who are upset by these changes “dysfunctional and disobedient” and compares them to Nazis:
“These protests are generated by the secular media, of course, but what surprised me was how quickly and cruelly our own parishioners joined in. For CBS to belittle Catholic belief and practice is understandable; for a Catholic to do so is dysfunctional and disobedient. If Catholics side with the media against their own archbishop, then we must say that the Church in our city has somehow failed. In 1939 France and Germany were still ‘accommodating’ the National Socialists in Germany even as the Reich’s armies overran Poland; our Church has also been complicit to some degree in the rise of the increasingly militant ‘dictatorship of relativism’ in this country.”
See: http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/homily-ora-et-labora
February 2015
Fr. Illo attends a Parent Club meeting at the school to address the growing crisis that he has caused. He apologizes for his hurtful words, but also re-states his desire for a higher percentage of obedient Catholics at the school. He says that the curriculum needs revision to spend more time on religion, with perhaps less time for other academic subjects. He also says that families who disagree with his vision are welcome to leave the school:
The reality is that the content and volume of religious education are governed by the Department of Catholic School’s Religion Handbook, which states that “The Department of Catholic Schools Elementary Schools Religion Curriculum Guidelines are to serve as the basis for all local Catholic schools’ Religion curriculums.” Star of the Sea School is WCEA accredited, and follows all the guidelines set by the Department of Catholic Schools. A Parish Administrator has little to no authority to change the curricular requirements at an individual school. It is important to note that Fr. Illo has never before managed an elementary school.
March 2015
Over 70 Star of the Sea School families write letters of protest to Archdiocesan authorities, including Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General William Justice, and Vicar for Clergy Raymund Reyes.
Bishop Justice and Fr. Reyes have agreed to meet with parents on March 25. Parents also requested a meeting with Archbishop Cordileone in February but have not yet received a response.
March 2015
Over 70 Star of the Sea School families write letters of protest to Archdiocesan authorities, including Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General William Justice, and Vicar for Clergy Raymund Reyes.
Bishop Justice and Fr. Reyes came to Star of the Sea School on March 25. Over 100 concerned parents attended, along with the faculty and staff. Sixteen parents spoke, describing the crisis at the school and its negative impact on the children, the parents, and the teachers. Uninvited members of the media also attended and filed the following reports about this emotional meeting:
See: http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/parents-ask-san-francisco-archdiocese-remove-controversial-parish-priests
See: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Angry-parents-ask-SF-Archdiocese-to-remove-6160961.php
April 2015
More information surfaces about Fr. Illo’s involvement in a disturbing lawsuit
Fr. Illo was found liable in San Joaquin County Superior Court in 2005 of intentionally emotionally abusing an 11-year-old girl who reported to Fr. Illo that a fellow priest had molested her and her sister.
http://archives.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/old-court-case-fuels-calls-for-sf-pastors-ouster/Content?oid=2927614
Archbishop Cordileone orders Fr. Illo to have no further interaction with the school’s faculty, staff, parents, and children. The Archbishop appoints Fr. Vito Perrone as school chaplain, effective May 1.
July 2015
Fr. Illo works to have one of the rectory’s “Brothers” installed as a teacher for the fall term. The man has applied for but not yet attended the seminary. He has no teaching experience, but it is later learned that he does have an arrest record.
December 2015
Fr. Illo has parking lines painted over the children’s play area (violating ADA regulations in the process).
January 2016
Fr. Illo invites Walk for Life 2016 marchers to camp in the school auditorium, while school is in session.
February 2016
Fr. Illo removes the school from the official list of Parish ministries.
March 2016
Fr. Illo’s extremism has attracted fanatics, one of whom interrupts a school Mass, ranting about altar girls and children going to Hell, scaring them and further raising concerns about their safety at school.
Example: The Exorcist Speaks: http://starparish.com/event/an-exorcist-speaks/
April 2016
Fr. Illo issues an online survey, asking parishioners to assess several aspects of Star of the Sea School, despite the fact that very few parishioners send their children to the school.
Fr. Illo starts project planning for a required seismic retrofit of the school building, without involving school parents (or their representatives on the Parent Club).
May 2016
Fr. Illo writes again about the travesty of altar girls, who apparently represent an imbalance in “the economy of salvation.” After all the fallout from last year, he can’t let this issue rest:
http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/from-the-pastors-laptop-boys-need-their-space
June 2016
Fr. Illo has carpeting removed from the altar on June 2, the day before graduation. In response to an email from an upset parent, he says that this was necessary to hit a June 25 renovation deadline (for a June 28 Mass celebrating an anniversary of his ordination).
Fr. Illo invites Walk for Life 2016 marchers to camp in the school auditorium, while school is in session.
February 2016
Fr. Illo removes the school from the official list of Parish ministries.
March 2016
Fr. Illo’s extremism has attracted fanatics, one of whom interrupts a school Mass, ranting about altar girls and children going to Hell, scaring them and further raising concerns about their safety at school.
Example: The Exorcist Speaks: http://starparish.com/event/an-exorcist-speaks/
April 2016
Fr. Illo issues an online survey, asking parishioners to assess several aspects of Star of the Sea School, despite the fact that very few parishioners send their children to the school.
Fr. Illo starts project planning for a required seismic retrofit of the school building, without involving school parents (or their representatives on the Parent Club).
May 2016
Fr. Illo writes again about the travesty of altar girls, who apparently represent an imbalance in “the economy of salvation.” After all the fallout from last year, he can’t let this issue rest:
http://www.frilloblog.com/blog/from-the-pastors-laptop-boys-need-their-space
June 2016
Fr. Illo has carpeting removed from the altar on June 2, the day before graduation. In response to an email from an upset parent, he says that this was necessary to hit a June 25 renovation deadline (for a June 28 Mass celebrating an anniversary of his ordination).
Fr. Illo seeks additional dedicated parking spaces for the Parish that are available at all times. This would require leaving the school gate open during the day and would allow cars to drive through the playground at lunch and recess.
Fr. Illo invites a layman to live in the rectory, which parents understand is not permitted. The guest has reportedly not undergone fingerprinting or a background check, in violation of the Archdiocese’s Shield the Vulnerable program.
July 2016
Fr. Illo takes several young children from the playground during summer school, to show them the new altar and its “secret room” (the sacristy). They are not joined by any school personnel, as this was unplanned and unapproved.
Fr. Illo broke Rule #1 of the Archdiocese’s Standards of Conduct for Adults Working with Minors, which states that “Wherever they (minors) are and whatever they do is to be with the explicit knowledge and consent of their parents and/or guardians.”
Starting p. 42: http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/docs/default-source/protecting-children-docs/standards-of-conduct.pdf?sfvrsn=4
He also violated the Archbishop’s direct order to avoid contact with school children.
At least one parent has lodged a formal complaint with the Archdiocese and the matter is being investigated by Dr. Nina Russo, Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools.
Fr. Illo invites a layman to live in the rectory, which parents understand is not permitted. The guest has reportedly not undergone fingerprinting or a background check, in violation of the Archdiocese’s Shield the Vulnerable program.
July 2016
Fr. Illo takes several young children from the playground during summer school, to show them the new altar and its “secret room” (the sacristy). They are not joined by any school personnel, as this was unplanned and unapproved.
Fr. Illo broke Rule #1 of the Archdiocese’s Standards of Conduct for Adults Working with Minors, which states that “Wherever they (minors) are and whatever they do is to be with the explicit knowledge and consent of their parents and/or guardians.”
Starting p. 42: http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/docs/default-source/protecting-children-docs/standards-of-conduct.pdf?sfvrsn=4
He also violated the Archbishop’s direct order to avoid contact with school children.
At least one parent has lodged a formal complaint with the Archdiocese and the matter is being investigated by Dr. Nina Russo, Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools.