Jimmy Velasco ’17 received his first ordination on May 9 in Menlo Park at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University.
Ordination is the process where individuals are consecrated and authorized to perform distinct religious rites and ceremonies.
Velasco was an active member of the Riordan student body, and his love of working with God was evident then. He was a part of campus ministry as a Liturgy and Life team member.
In addition, he was an altar server, lector, and extraordinary minister of communion for the school masses, and he was also an editor for The Crusader newspaper. Many people felt Velasco’s presence in the Riordan hallways during his time here.
Riordan Deacon Chris Mariano said, “He just loved his faith, and he loved sharing it.”
Riordan taught him to put God first in all endeavors, and he felt his community when he went to Riordan.
Even now, in the places he goes, he always runs into fellow Crusader alumni and feels such a present, special connection.
After graduating Riordan, he attended University of San Francisco for a year before switching to seminary in 2018; he attended Bishop White College Seminary and studied philosophy at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington for the rest of his undergraduate program.
After his graduation in 2021, he entered St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, which was a seminary established by Archbishop Patrick Riordan, and now, he is graduating.
His journey taught him how much of a resilient person he is as he faced many challenges but stayed true to his faith and kept going. Although ordination has a generalized, textbook definition, ordination has a more personalized definition to Velasco.
He said, “Ordination means to me that I am preparing to give my life over to God out of love and preparing to be more united to God.”
He continued, “It is a difficult path, but it is one that has given me the most meaning and happiness.”
After his diaconete ordination, he will be placed in St. Patrick’s parish in Larkspur for his diaconate assignment for six months.
Then, in December, he will begin his preparation for his priesthood ordination.
The last Riordan alumnus to be ordained was Fr. Mike Quinn ’70 in 2009.
Matthew Nicholas ’29, a member of the liturgy team, stated, “I think this man not only embodies what it truly means to be a follower of Christ, but a Crusader as well.”
He added, “He personified the Riordan motto of ‘Be more, think more, and do more’ through pursuing the priesthood.”
Velasco’s will be a Riordan alumni story many will continue to admire and respect for the amount of dedication, focus, and spiritual maturity one needs to unite with God.
