Fr. James Griffin, former pastor of San Gabriel Mission, dies
Funeral Mass was held Nov. 23 at San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel for Claretian Father James Griffin, 86, a retired priest and former San Gabriel Mission pastor, who died Nov. 19 in Torrance after several weeks of declining health.

Father Griffin had been a member of the Claretian Missionaries for 56 years, devoting much of his ministry to the formation of new missionaries.

Born in Chicago, the youngest of seven sons, he made his first profession of vows as a Claretian Missionary at Silver Peak Seminary in Walnut, Calif.. On June 24, 1948, he was in the first class of Claretians to be ordained to the priesthood by recently-appointed Archbishop James Francis McIntyre.

Father Griffin started his ministry at his alma mater, Dominguez Seminary in Compton, where he was a Greek and Latin professor, administrator and prefect of discipline. During his ministry, he served in many other capacities, including formation and vocation director at both Claretville (Calabasas) and Claret House (Berkeley) Seminaries as well as parish work.

He served as an associate and pastor in the parishes of Sacred Heart, Prescott, Arizona; St. Bonaventure, Concord, Calif.; and San Gabriel Mission, where he was pastor from 1969 to the early '70s. During his tenure as pastor, San Gabriel Mission marked its 200th anniversary.

"Love of duty, and a gentle compassion for all, characterized his teaching methods and pastoral care throughout," according to his fellow Claretians. Interment was at San Gabriel Mission.

Fr. Arulraj Arputham
A Memorial Mass was held Dec. 15 at St. Catherine Laboure Church in Torrance for Father Arulraj Arputham, known as "Father Raj," who died in India Dec. 5 at age 43.

Before returning to his native India to serve as a priest secretary to the country's Catholic Bishops Conference, Father Arputham spent four years in the US taking theology classes at LMU and ministering at St. Catherine Laboure. He completed his master's degree in pastoral theology during his stay in the U.S.

Father Arputham had three brothers, including Father Dominic Kennedy Arputham, currently assigned to Corpus Christi Church in Pacific Palisades. Memorial donations received at St. Catherine Laboure will be sent to Father Raj's diocese in India.

Sr. Barbara Cotton, CSJ
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 4 at Carondelet Center in Los Angeles for St. Joseph of Carondelet Sister Barbara Cotton (Sister St. Thomas), who died Nov. 27. She had been a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 60 years.

Born in San Francisco, she graduated from Star of the Sea Academy and spent two years at UC Berkeley before entering the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1947. Her first teaching assignment was at St. James School in Redondo Beach.

At age 30, Sister Cotton was named principal at St. Anselm's School in Los Angeles where she ministered for ten years. While there, she earned her master's degree in history. From 1978-2002, she taught and served in administrative capacities at Mount St. Mary's College.

Sister Cotton was blessed with a keen sense of humor and equanimity, according to her fellow religious. She lived the wish she once wrote in a high school yearbook: "May your heart always be joyful; may your song always be sung." Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Barbara Mary Pharis, IHM
Barbara Mary Pharis, IHM, who celebrated her golden jubilee as a member of the Immaculate Heart Community last June, died Nov. 29 at age 68. A primary grade teacher for 44 years, she taught in parochial schools in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Visalia and Rialto.

Pharis earned a B.A. from Immaculate Heart College and received an M.A. in religious education from Seattle University. A creative and enthusiastic teacher, she often incorporated music, dance and art in her classes. Her students performed in retirement homes and other venues around the community.

She singled out "deacon pen pals" as her favorite project, in which her students corresponded with the deacons at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, met the seminarians and attended ordinations. Illness forced her to retire from teaching in 2004, and she relocated to the IHM Residence, where she was able to continue involvement with community events and committees. Her daily online activity was a key factor in keeping IHM residents informed about current issues and events.

Members of the IHM community remember Barbara for "her deep faith, her intellectual curiosity and her dedication to her students." Her life, they said, demonstrated the awareness that she once described as "the giftedness of our own bodies and minds, the gift of other people, particularly our parents and family members and the gifts of God's creation."

Memorial donations may be made to Immaculate Heart Community, 5515 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028. For information about a future memorial service, call (323) 466-2157.

Fr. Luis Garcia
Funeral Mass was held Nov. 5 at St. Emydius Church in Lynwood for Father Luis Garcia, 83, who died Nov. 1. He had been living in retirement at St. Emydius since 2005 following a decade of service there as an associate pastor.

A Mexican native, Father Garcia attended seminary at Concilia de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He moved to Los Angeles in 1989 from Jalisco at age 65.

Father Garcia served as an associate pastor in the following parishes: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Rose Hill), Los Angeles (1989-93); St. Mariana de Paredes, Pico Rivera (1993-94); St. Thomas Aquinas, Monterey Park (1994-95); St. Emydius, Lynwood (1995-2005). Survivors include a sister, Teresa Garcia, of Huntington Park. He will be buried in Mexico.

Sr. Christian Jones, SHCJ
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 8 at Holy Child Convent in Rye, New York, for Society of the Holy Child Jesus Sister Christian Jones (Mother Mary Sebastian), 87, who died Dec. 4 from heart failure. She was a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus for 59 years.

Born in Pittsburgh, she entered the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in 1945. Sister Jones began her ministry as a teacher in Pennsylvania, later serving in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, California, Washington, D.C. and Mexico. From 1987-1995, she ministered at the non-profit agency, Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND) in Pacoima which provides services to low income people in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Following her work at MEND, Sister Jones spent two years assisting in the library at Cornelia Connelly School in Anaheim. From 1997-2000, she volunteered in Washington D.C. at the Congressional Office of Connie Morella as well as with NETWORK, a non-profit social justice lobbying group. She retired to the Holy Child Convent in New York in 2001.

Nora Dolan
Funeral Mass was held recently in County Galway, Ireland, for Nora Dolan, 86, who died Dec. 1. She is survived by her five children, including Padre Serra pastor Father Jarlath Dolan; 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Eduardo Sezzi
Funeral Mass was held Oct. 26 at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura for Eduardo Sezzi, 77, who died Oct. 22 after a long illness. Survivors include his wife, Rose, and their four children, including Father Michael Sezzi, chaplain/administrative intern at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente.

Sr. Cecily Criswell, BVM
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 14 in Dubuque, Iowa, for Sister of Charity Cecily Criswell, 85, who died Dec. 9 at Mercy Medical Center. She was a Sister of Charity for 66 years.

Born in Buffalo, Oklahoma, she entered the BVM congregation in 1941 after graduating from Mt. Carmel Academy in Wichita, Kansas. She ministered as an educator in Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma. Locally, she taught at St. Brendan, Los Angeles, (1966-68); and was a teacher and principal of St. Philip, Pasadena (1944-46; 1971-74).

Survivors include her sisters, Dessie Cleveland and Naola Connor. Memorials may be sent to the Sisters of Charity, BVM Retirement Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003.