TOT Silicon Valley: Speakers

Speaker Bios

Msgr. Patrick Browne
Monsignor J. Patrick Browne has been pastor of the Cathedral Basilica for the past eleven years. He is the first Diocesan priest to hold this position. A native of Sunnyvale, Msgr. Browne attended Sacred Heart Grammar School in San Jose and the seminaries of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He was ordained in 1967. He serves as dean of the eight Catholic parishes of downtown San Jose and has served as Consultor to the Bishop of San Jose for the past fifteen years. Msgr. Browne holds a Masters in Divinity from St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, a Masters in Sacred Theology from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD and a Ph.D. in Sociology from The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. He has conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University, the University of Chicago and Princeton University.

Pedro J. A. Gutierrez, PhD
Dr. Gutierrez received his BS in Biology from MIT in 1993 and his PhD in Cancer Biology from Stanford in 2002. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow and guest lecturer at UC San Francisco. His primary research interests include differentiation of adult pancreatic cells into insulin producing cells for diabetes therapy and adult stem cell biology. He is the co-author of a number of research papers, and currently serves as Director of the Menlough Achievement Program for high school students.

Fr. Kevin Joyce
Fr. Kevin completed a Ph.D. in Spirituality at the Catholic University of America in 1991, and has longed to dedicate himself full-time to sharing his love for the great mystics and spiritual masters of the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. He also has a keen interest in the relationship between Christian spirituality and the spiritual traditions of India.

Sr. Gloria Loya, PBVM
Presentation Sister Gloria Loya teaches theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union. In the early days of the Diocese of San Jose she was involved with Hispanic ministry as co-director of El Centro Pastoral. With Mercy Sister Ana Maria Pineda, Sister Gloria ministered among local Latinos and worked on developing Hispanic Catholic leadership. Today, Sister Gloria sees challenges in continuing formation and leadership development. "We have to help young people to understand their call to vocation, whether ordained, lay or Religious. How are we mentoring the next generation? Our challenge is to include faith and culture and not water down theology." She said, "We have a lot of young families and a lot of enthusiasm here. This is still a young diocese and there is great potential for the future."

Frederick J. Parrella, Associate Professor
Dr. Parrella was born in Queens County, New York. Trained in Catholic schools when Latin and Greek were required subjects, he chose Classical Languages as his undergraduate major at Fordham College. Parrella received an M.A. (1966) and a Ph.D. (1974) in Systematic Theology from Fordham University in New York. He was a member of the faculty of colleges in New York, Ohio and Kentucky before coming to Santa Clara in 1977. Long-known at Santa Clara for excellence in teaching, Parrella's professional interests include the work of the great Protestant theologian Paul Tillich, Christian eschatology, and the theology of marriage.

Fr. Jon Pedigo, STL
Fr. Jon Pedigo, a native of the Bay Area, has been active in civic affairs and social justice causes for over 25 years. Fr. Pedigo holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in music from San Francisco State University and Indiana University, Bloomington. He did his theology studies at St Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park and his STL at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. Fr Pedigo currently serves as the Director for the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform and as Pastor of St Julie Billiart Parish.

Fr. Jose Antonio Rubio
Father Rubio was born in San Francisco. He attended college at the University of California, Berkeley and then attended St. Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park. Father Rubio was ordained for the Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1980 and became a priest of the Diocese of San José in1981 when the diocese was inaugurated. He has served as parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish, Gilroy, St. Patrick Proto-Cathedral and St. John Vianney Parish in San José. In addition to his studies at Cal and at the seminary, he has an M.A. in pastoral liturgy from Santa Clara University and an S.T.L. (Licentiate in Theology) from the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. and is currently finishing a doctorate in theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. Currently he is the Director for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the diocese and the chaplain at the Catholic Campus Ministry at San Jose State University.

Fr. Eduardo A. Samaniego, S.J.
Fr. Eddie went to Loyola High (Jesuit) in Los Angeles and graduated with honors. He entered the Jesuit Order on September 1, 1980, and spent two years in the Novitiate based in Montecito. Calif. After making vows in August of 1982, he went to Madrid, Spain, to study Philosophy for two years. After studying Philosophy, he returned to Loyola High for two years as a teacher, a coach, a counselor, and worked in Campus Ministry. Fr. Eddie has finished three years now at Most Holy Trinity, San Jose.