Multi-media from Father Nicolás' trip

Homily at St. Ignatius Church on feast of Jesuit martyrs of the missions (Feb. 4, 2009)

Video of the Mass is available at USF's web site

Homily at Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (Feb. 6, 2009)

Feb. 4 press conference with local Catholic media (on the campus of the University of San Francisco).

Video of Father General's Feb. 2 Keynote Address at Loyola Marymount University's Mission Day is posted on the U.S. Jesuit conference website.

Father General visits California province

Father General Adolfo Nicolá began his first official trip to the United States as superior general of the Jesuits by visiting the California province before participating in one of the regular meetings of all the U.S. provincials. California is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Italian Jesuits first came from Oregon to California during the 1849 Gold Rush; then in 1909, the California Province was separated from Italy's Turin Province. Soon, the California Province developed a distinct American identity and mission geared toward the needs of people living in the western United States. Today, the California Province serves an area comprised of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.

Beginning in Los Angeles, Fr. Nicolá toured Homeboy Industries, a job-training program for former gang members; dined with migrant men at the Guadalupe Homeless Project; celebrated a multilingual Mass (in English, Spanish, and Tagalog) at Blessed Sacrament Church in Hollywood; and delivered a keynote address at Loyola Marymount University.

Father General then flew to northern California where he attended an assembly at Jesuit High School in Sacramento for students of JHS and Cristo Rey High School. He celebrated Mass at St. Ignatius Church In San Francisco. In the East Bay, he visitd the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) in Oakland. In San Jose, he celebrated a multilingual Mass (in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog) at Most Holy Trinity Parish, then concluded his visit at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos.

During his stay in California, Fr. Nicolá met with Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles; Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco; Bishop Patrick J. McGrath of San Jose; Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento; and Bishop Allen H. Vigneron of Oakland.