1. Develop in the students an experience of faith as a personal
   relationship with God. (Sharing the Light of Faith, #179)
2. Be a true community of faith and adhere to the policy of non-discrimination as described in our admission policy.
3. Develop an awareness in the students that the expression of personal freedom must be modified by the recognition that other people, also, have rights and freedoms. (Sharing the Light of Faith, #178)
4. Integrate religious truth and values with the rest of learning and living. (To Teach as Jesus Did, #106)

Msgr. James D. Poole, founding-pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Sacramento, died Nov. 10, 1997 following a battle with cancer.

Msgr. Poole, 79, spent his entire priestly ministry in the Diocese of Sacramento. A native of Marysville, he attended the former St. Joseph Seminary in Mountain View and St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park prior to his ordination in 1943.

After serving as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Red Bluff and at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, he became founding pastor of St. Charles Parish in 1960.

Father Michael McFadden, former pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, recalled the young priest who started the parish by celebrating Mass in his garage. He said Msgr. Poole built his parish in stages, and by the time it was finished there was a convent, parish hall, rectory, church and school. "He was truly a dedicated priest", Father McFadden said. "He loved the church, he loved his vocation ... and he had all the qualities of a gentleman in the true sense of the word."

Apostles of the Sacred Heart Sister Aloysius Como met Msgr. Poole in 1977 when she was principal of St. Charles Borromeo School. She described her friend of 20 years as "truly a prince."

"He would give the shirt off his back if someone needed it," she said

Founder of the
St. Charles Borromeo Parish
& St. Charles Borromeo School
We Love and Thank Msgr. Poole

Sister Como said part of Monsignor Poole's skill as an educator was in challenging those around him to excel. While serving as Diocesan Superintendent of Schools, a post he held from 1951 to 1970, a building boom occurred which included construction of three Sacramento high schools: the former Bishop Manogue, Christian Brothers and St. Francis.

But to the thousands he served during his 34 years as pastor, Sister Como said Msgr. will be remembered most for his great sense of humor. It was not uncommon for him to pepper his homilies with anecdotes about his escapades as a student at Notre Dame School in Marysville and St. Catherine's Academy in Benecia.

An avid football fan, he was also known to have said a prayer or two for the San Francisco 49'ers professional football team at Mass during football season.

Msgr. Roy Peters, pastor emeritus of St. Joseph parish in Sacramento and current pastor of St. Peter and Paul Parish in Honolulu, Hawaii, flew to Sacramento to remember his friend of 55 years at Msgr. Poole's funeral Mass. The two priests were seminarians together and continued the friendship while both were priests at the cathedral and in the years after.

"He (Msgr. Poole) was a great priest said Msgr. Peters. "He loved his people and always responded when people needed him."

Although Msgr. Poole experienced considerable physical pain at the end of his illness, in a final conversation with Msgr. Peters one week before his death, he still saw the lighter side of life.

"He called me and asked me who I was betting on, Michigan or Penn State:" said Msgr. Peters, adding that Msgr. Poole's last word to him was the Hawaiian farewell, "Aloha," "until we meet again."

Msgr. Poole is survived by a half-sister, Sara Sullivan of Marysville and many nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Bishop William K. Weigand at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Sacramento with burial following at St. Mary's Cemetery.

A scholarship fund in Msgr. Poole's honor has be established at St. Charles Borromeo School