CAMARILLO, CA - St. John’s Seminary announced today that it will honor five long time Catholic leaders at its Fifth Annual Distinguished Alumni Dinner on Sunday, September 30th at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo.

Alumni to be honored include Monsignor Timothy J. Dyer, Pastor of St. Patrick and St. Stephen of Hungary Parishes in Los Angeles; Cardinal William J. Levada, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican; Monsignor Jeremiah J. McCarthy, Executive Director of the Seminary Department of the National Catholic Education Association; Monsignor Donal Mulcahy, Pastor Emeritus of Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Ventura; and Marvin J. Southard, DSW, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. These alumni will be honored for many years of service to the Church and wider community in which they have ministered, says Monsignor Craig Cox, Rector and President of St. John’s.

“Our Distinguished Alumni Dinners at St. John’s have become an opportunity to recognize celebrate the achievements of our alumni and welcome them back to our campus to share a special evening with their families, friends and the seminary community,” says Msgr. Cox. “Their lives model for our seminarians a profound dedication to Christ and the Church, a vision of living out our baptismal and priestly vocations. We are looking forward to honoring them and many more of our exceptional alumni in the future.”

The evening includes Solemn Vespers in the beautiful chapel at St. John’s Seminary, followed by a wine tasting reception and dinner in St. John’s Refectory. Already there is a waiting list for individual tickets but table sponsorship and Tribute Book advertising opportunities are available by contacting St. John Seminary’s Advancement Office at (805) 389-2035 or emailing advancement@stjohnsem.edu

Cardinal Levada has a doctorate in theology and in addition to being an alumnus is a former professor of St. John’s Seminary. He was Vicar for the Santa Barbara Pastoral Region, Archbishop of Portland, Oregon and of San Francisco, and in a variety of positions at the Vatican. He will be introduced by his high school classmate and long-time friend, Archbishop George Niederauer.

Monsignor Dyer, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and has worked hard to become fluent in Spanish, has served in both parish ministry and as Vicar for Clergy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He will be introduced by Monsignor James Forsen, Vocation Director of the Archdiocese.

Monsignor McCarthy is a priest of the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona. Prior to his current national position , he was part of the leadership team at the Association of Theological Schools (the accrediting agency for theological schools in the United States and Canada) was professor of moral theology and Rector of St. John’s Seminary.

Monsignor Mulcahy, a native of Ireland, served as Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption, Ventura, from 1972 until his retirement and continues to assist in the ministry of the parish. Previously, he served at the Cathedral of St. Vibiana, La Purisima Concepcion Church in Lompoc and as a Judge of the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Marvin Southard, D.S.W., has been recognized nationally by his colleagues as a leader in the field of mental health. He has pioneered collaboration between ministers, rabbis priests and mental health professionals. Prior to his current position as Director of the Department of Mental Health of the County of Los Angeles, he held the comparable position in Kern County.

For interviews or photographs of the honorees, please contact John Lockhart at St. John’s Seminary at (805) 389-2035 or email advancement@stjohnsem.edu

St. John’s Seminary is a multicultural community of seminarians pursuing advanced professional degrees leading to ordination and pastoral ministry (Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry) and teaching Catholic theology (M.A.). Seminarians come from diverse backgrounds, ages and professions. The St. John’s Seminary campus includes the Edward Laurence Doheny and the Carrie Estelle Doheny Libraries, providing seminarians with excellent access to research materials and services. For more information on St. John’s Seminary please visit www.stjohnsem.edu