After 12 years in the seminary and two and a half as a priest, I enrolled at UC Berkeley to make up a major in psychology and in 1970 married Phyllis (whom I met at my first parish assignment). We "honeymooned" in New York where I began graduate school in clinical psychology and she earned her MSW. We returned to San Francisco in 1973, I completed the PhD and two years later we started our family: JD was born in 75 and Erik in 78. My first real job was as clinical director at St. Vincent's School for Boys, where I stayed until 1990 when I joined a group practice, West Portal Counseling. We went to Italy for our delayed honeymoon in 1995, and both retired in 2009. There is nothing like being a grandparent.

I believe that the years in seminary and priesthood were much more helpful than harmful, although the psychiatrist I went to for some 20 years might think otherwise. If I had not gone, I don't see how I could have had such wonderful and lasting friendships. In many ways the Catholic religion is still a big part of my life: I do occasional work for the SF tribunal, writing psychological evaluations for individuals seeking annulments, as well as interviewing candidates for St Patrick’s Seminary. (The library here is just fantastic!) I do a lot of reading and a little writing on some of the dramatic changes that have occurred because of new findings in Scripture studies.

The picture above was taken in JD and Laura's wedding in October, 2008. They are expecting a baby girl in August. Erik and Andrea just had a baby girl, Elouise Rose, younger sister to Atticus James. Being a grandparent is great! Oops, I said that already



Note: John's family picture mentioned above can be found in the "Photo Gallery" in a folder named "Rhetoric Class of 1960."