Monsignor Francis J. Weber, ACA | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | American |
Education | Los Angeles College; Saint John Seminary; Catholic University of America |
Occupation(s) | Priest Author Archivist |
Title | Very Reverend Monsignor Archivist of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles |
Parent(s) | Frank J. Weber (1903-1983) Katherine E. Weber (1909-1976) |
Relatives | Mary Alice Castagna (sister) |
Website | Archdiocese Archival Center |
Monsignor Francis J. Weber (born January 22, 1933) is an American Roman Catholic priest, author and archivist. He is a noted Catholic scholar, an Honorary Chaplain to His Holiness, and archivist for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since 1962. [1]
Msgr. Weber was born Frank J. Weber in Indianapolis, Indiana to Frank J. and Katherine E. Thompson Weber. He has one sister, Mary Alice Weber. In December 1945 the family moved to Los Angeles, California where he entered Los Angeles College, a Catholic junior seminary, in 1946. Later he attended St. John’s College and St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. [1] : 11 [2] : 18
While on the seminary campus, he worked at the Edward Laurence Doheny Memorial Library. He was ordained a Catholic priest April 30, 1959. From 1959 to 1961 he served as Assistant Pastor of St. Vincent Catholic Church in West Hollywood and Assistant Director of the National Legion of Decency. [3] : 4–8
Father Weber was sent to Washington, D.C. to do post-graduate studies at Catholic University of America. He also earned a certificate in Records Management from American University. [1] : 13
In 1962 Father Weber was selected to be the founding archivist for the Archives of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles where he continues to serve.
Also in 1962, Msgr. Patrick Roche, the editor, asked Father Weber to write a regular column on California history in The Tidings, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Thus, was launched "California’s Catholic Heritage," which became, before it ended in 1995, the longest-running column in the newspaper’s 121-year history. Msgr. Weber contributed 1,874 consecutive weekly columns over the course of 33 years. [2]
On May 7, 1974, Pope Paul VI designated Father Weber as a “Chaplain of His Holiness” and his ecclesiastical title became the Reverend Monsignor, customarily abbreviated Msgr. [3] : 18
Msgr. Weber received the Award of Merit from the California Historical Society in 1972. [1] : 26–27
In 1993 Msgr. Weber was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in recognition of his numerous books and articles on California’s Spanish heritage. [1] : 17
A member and past president of the Los Angeles Corral, Msgr. Weber was honored as Westerners International Living Legend No. 60 in 2016. [4]
In 1996 the Glasgow Cup was awarded Msgr. Weber by the President of the Miniature Book Society "To a member who has shown a special dedication and above all, friendship to the membership, and who keeps that special spirit so evident at our founding in 1983." He was a charter member of the Miniature Book Society and served as President from 1985-1987. [1] : 25
In 2013 he was honored by the Miniature Book Society again when he was presented with the Norman W. Forgue Award from for his outstanding contribution to the world of miniature books. [5]
As author or editor of 175 volumes, Msgr. Weber is one of the most published priests in the Catholic annals of the United States. He has been a columnist, and an author of both books and articles as well as a book reviewer. [6] Msgr. Weber's diverse literary topics range from Buffalo Bills Baptism to Toiletry at the California Missions. [7] [8]
Msgr. Weber has written or edited miniature books for nearly all the top publishers of miniature books over several decades. He has also published many books under his own imprints, Junipero Serra Press and El Camino Real Press. [9] : 268–269
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. The archdiocese's cathedra is in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, and its present archbishop is José Horacio Gómez Velasco. With over five million professing members and weekly liturgies celebrated in 32 languages, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is numerically the single largest and most ethnically diverse archdiocese in the United States.
James Francis Aloysius McIntyre was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Los Angeles from 1948 to 1970, and was created a cardinal in 1953. He was a highly successful builder of new parishes, churches, and schools. He was notable in Church politics, and his reputation remains highly controversial.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, informally known as the COLA or the Los Angeles Cathedral, is the metropolitan cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California, United States. It opened in 2002 and serves as the mother church for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as the seat of Archbishop José Horacio Gómez.
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood. Located in downtown Chicago at 103 East Chestnut Street, adjacent to Loyola University Chicago's Water Tower campus, it closed on 22 June 2007, and became the Archbishop Quigley Center, the pastoral center and headquarters of the archdiocese after renovations ending 19 November 2008. Between 1961 and 1990, the seminary was split into two campuses: Quigley South and Quigley North, with Quigley North housed at the original building. The south campus was closed in 1990, with all seminary operations returning to the original building.
Thaddeus Amat y Brusi, or in Spanish Tadeu Amat y Brusi was a Spanish Roman Catholic cleric who became the first Bishop of Los Angeles, in California.
John Joseph Cantwell was an Irish-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He led the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 1917 until his death in 1947, becoming its first archbishop in 1936. Cantwell was critical of the U.S. film industry and helped found the National Legion of Decency.
Armando Xavier Ochoa is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Fresno in California, bishop of the Diocese of El Paso in Texas and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California.
St. John's Seminary is a Private Catholic graduate seminary in Camarillo, California.
Robert Patrick Maginnis was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1996 to 2010.
St. Elisabeth of Hungary Church and School, originally known as St. Elizabeth Church and School, is a Catholic church and elementary school located in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. The church and school are named in honor of Elizabeth of Hungary.
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a Catholic church located in Culver City, California, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The church is located across the street from the Sony Pictures Studios, previously the MGM Studios.
Padre Serra Parish is a large Catholic church in Camarillo, California, established in 1988 after the beatification of Father Junípero Serra. For its first seven years, Padre Serra's parish celebrated Mass in a room at St. John's Seminary. In July 1995, a modern 16,300-square foot church, without pews or kneelers, and with a centrally located altar, was opened. As of 1995, the parish had more than 5,000 members. In 2007, Padre Serra Church became the home parish of the first married Catholic priest in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Thaddeus Anthony "Ted" Shubsda was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Monterey in California from 1982 until his death in 1991. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California from 1976 to 1982.
The Church of St. Barnabas is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at Martha Avenue near East 241st Street in Woodlawn Heights, The Bronx, New York City. The parish was established in July 1910 by the Rev. Michael A. Reilly, separated from the Bronx parish of St. Frances of Rome. It is one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese.
Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary (OLQA) was the Junior or Minor Seminary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles from its founding in 1953 until its closure in 1995. It was located in Mission Hills, California, adjacent to Mission San Fernando Rey de España. The Vincentian Fathers were primarily responsible for staffing the school until 1973 when it was staffed by priests of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Following closure, the western school campus became the home of Bishop Alemany High School, whose campus was severely damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Monsignor John E. Kozar is a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. From 2011 to 2020 he served as president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.
Joseph Vincent Brennan is a prelate of the Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Latin Church Diocese of Fresno in California since 2019. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California from 2015 to 2019.
Michael Joseph Boulette is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of San Antonio in Texas since 2017.
Marc Vincent Trudeau is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California since 2018.
Alejandro Dumbrigue Aclan is a Philippine-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California since 2019.