The grass-covered hill leading up to the entrance of Rancho Dominguez is filled with fond memories of John Crowe’s youth. Crowe now chairs the Claretian Alumni Association which hosts a gathering every Août to honor the Claretian Missionaries and the strong impact they had on their lives.
More than sixty years ago, during his years as a seminarian, Crowe’s job was to mow the grass on that very hill. Now he drives up that same incline with his family because those years helped shape the kind of person he is today. As he explains:
“The formation is still part of your character, part of who you are, part of your breeding, part of your family.”
This year’s celebration marked the 60th anniversary of Brother Larry Moen, CMF, and the work of Father Frank Ferrat, CMF. About 115 people — alumni, family members, and Claretians — gathered at the very place that made their youth so special.
“We all share this formation, and that’s our bond,” Crowe reflects.
The grounds of the old seminary, which today serve as a retreat house for the Claretians, were given to the province 102 years ago as a treasured gift from the Dominguez family. “In my era, in the ’60s, it was also a junior seminary, or a high school,” Crowe shares. He attended high school and the novitiate there, but left the order before taking his vows. Several of his classmates went on to study at the seminar college.
Crowe has good memories of a late special Claretian named Father Ed Whitmer, who taught his English class. He recalls him as a very educated man who loved novels and who instilled in him a love of reading. He remembers Fr. Whitmer saying, “We don’t have time to read good books in this class. We only have time to read great books.”
According to Crowe, Whitmer was one of those individuals “whose love of learning and love of literature just rubbed off on you.”
At the alumni gathering, Crowe happily reunited with five of the classmates. Father Steve Schmitz, CMF, was one of his classmates and Father Ralph Berg, CMF, was one of his teachers. As he explains, “We enjoy each other’s company, but primarily we enjoy contributing back to the support of the Claretians, particularly the care of our senior Claretians, and that’s our mission.”
The money raised by the Claretian Alumni Association goes toward making improvements to the house where the retired Claretians live. So far, electric doors have been installed, making things easier for elderly residents:
“They had these big wooden doors, which were built for, you know, 16-year-old boys to open, and a little harder when you’re in a walker or a wheelchair.”
Among their future plans, they hope to raise funds to fix the plumbing and make electrical improvements. As part of Rancho Dominguez’s centennial celebration, the organization managed to raise $675,000 to fund improvements to Rancho Dominguez. To learn more, visit Angelus News.
More than 60 years after leaving the seminary, Crowe and his classmates continue to return—drawn by friendship, gratitude and a bond that has lasted a lifetime.
If you would like to learn more about the Claretian Alumni Association visit https://claretianalumni.com/
