From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
This weekend, I would like to share the biographies of Fr. Brian Soliven, Pastor and Fr. Reji Joseph, Parochial Vicar who will begin their assignments here on July 1, 2022
Meet Father Brian Soliven!
Fr. Brian Soliven was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on April 18th, 1980, to Filipino parents. The youngest of two, his parents would quickly settle in the Bay Area after his birth, where other extended family had also relocated years before. He would spend the next five years there until the family again decided to move to south Sacramento. His first thought of the priesthood was planted at St. Charles Borromeo parish as an eight-year old, while simply standing in the pew at Sunday Mass. As he watched the priest at the altar a mysterious thought suddenly appeared: “I can see myself doing that one day.” As quickly as it surfaced, it disappeared for over a decade until March of 1999.
By this time, the family had moved further south to the growing city of Elk Grove. Once considered a farm town of cows and pasture, it was exploding into a suburban metropolis. It was here a “conversion moment” struck like lightning. All the allurements of the world came crashing down in a single day. The classical substitutes of God that we tend to fill the void of our hearts – money, power, honor, and pleasure – lost its glimmer. At the age of eighteen, he made a conscious decision to give his life to Jesus Christ and a new fervor for the Catholic faith was ignited.
Now a junior at the University of California, Davis, he majored in psychology with the hope of helping people and families who suffered from emotional or mental disorders. At the same time, he got involved with a Catholic youth group on campus, where the love of his faith continued to grow. During his senior year, the mysterious thought that first appeared as an eight-year old returned with a vengeance. The idea of “priesthood priesthood priesthood” resounded in his ears like a love song, stuck in his head. Regardless of how much he negotiated with God, or amount of dating, or career planning could quelch the thought. So he told God in frustration, “I’m almost finished with college. Let me graduate first. Then I'll seriously consider it.” He hoped the idea would eventually die on its own. To his dismay, the calling to the priesthood resounded even more loudly by the time he earned his BA in Psychology in 2003.
The following fall, he applied to the Diocese of Sacramento, faithful to his promise to God. He was sent to Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon for two years to study philosophy. Once finished, he was sent abroad to the North American College in Rome, where he spent the next five-years of formation. He earned his Bachelors in Theology and a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology (STL) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. On June 4th, 2011, Fr. Soliven was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento. Since returning from Rome, he served as parochial vicar at St. John the Evangelist in Carmichael, St. Joseph’s in Vacaville and most recently as Pastor of Holy Family in Portola, California.
Meet Father Reji Joseph, CMI!
Fr. Reji Joseph was born in Njarakadu, Kerala, India in 1974. He grew up in Njarakadu, and completed primary and high school education in Njarakadu and Kaliyar, India. Fr. Reji joined the seminary with the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate in 1990 after completing 10th grade. He earned his Bachelors degree in Theology, Philosophy, and Arts, as well a diploma in Pastoral Training and Computer Application.
He was ordained on January 2nd, 2005. In February 2005, Fr. Reji was assigned as Parochial Vicar of St. Lawrence Cathedral & St. Mary’s Church, Belthangadi, India. He served his CMI religious community as a superior for one year.
Fr. Reji's education did not end with multiple degrees, but he went on to earn his masters and PhD in counseling from USA. He came to New York in November, 2006. Fr. Reji has served as associate pastor in New York for 8 years (Immaculate Conception Church, Irvington, Immaculate Conception Church, Stony Point, Christ the King Church, Yonkers).
He returned to India in 2014 and elected as the Provincial Counselor for Finance for CMI St. Paul's Province Mysuru. He served as Director and Principal of a children's home in Hallikarehundi, India. To his joy, he also started, and was director of an academy for children with special mental needs between the ages 6 -16 in Jettihundi, India. Fr. Reji is proud of his academy (CHRIST HEALTH & WELLNESS) and finds his work with the struggling children very rewarding. In addition, Fr. Reii was a director for a de-addiction center in Talwada, Goa, India. In January 2021, Fr. Reji was called back to USA to serve as Parochial Administrator of St Francis of Assisi Church, Talladega, Alabama. Since March, he has served as Parochial Vicar at St. Isidore Parish, Yuba City.
May the God bless St. Mary’s parishioners, Fr. Brian Soliven and Fr. Reji Joseph as you begin a new journey together beginning in July. May you have a blessed week!
In Jesus through Mary,
Father Berg
