Thank you for posting this information - I printed the article. Jeanne --- Nancy Crowley <[email protected]> wrote: > I was married at NDV in 1991. NDV just celebrated > its 150th anniversary. Father Siffert, who is the > current pastor, was there in 1991, although he did > not marry me. I pasted an article that ran in the > SF Chronicle Magazine this past April, by Sam > Whiting, regarding the 150th anniversary of NDV. > You can search for it at sfgate.com. > > > Nancy Hayden Crowley > > > Notre Dame des Victoires (San Francisco's > neighborhoods) by Sam Whiting > > > > What's left of San Francisco's French Quarter can be > found at 10:30 a.m. today when Parochial Vicar > Etienne Siffert gives his homily beneath the stained > glass at Notre Dame des Victoires. > After starting in francais, the Rev. Siffert will > size up his congregation and decide whether to > translate it into English. That's how it is with the > French. "I know my people," says Siffert, who has > been at this pulpit since 1975 and is 75 himself, > half as old as the church. > Notre Dame celebrates its sesquicentennial with a > free concert Friday night, a ticket party Saturday > night and a Mass at 12:15 next Sunday said by > Bishop John Wester. That will be an anglicized > event. If you want pure French, come at 10:30. > A Parisian, Siffert has lived in just one place in > San Francisco, the rectory attached to Notre Dame. > "The second one will be Holy Cross," he says in > English that is only passable. "Holy Cross Cemetery > in Colma is where the Marists are buried," > clarifies his housemate, Pastor Rene Iturbe, who > will be 60 this month and is a native San > Franciscan of Basque shepherd stock. > The diminished influence of the French is made > apparent as soon as the fathers walk out their > front door. There, on Bush Street, is an orange > directional sign for Chinatown above a green one > depicting the Italian boot for North Beach. > Siffert doesn't mind. "Moscone, Alioto, Sangiacomo," > he says, naming prominent Italian San Franciscans > who have worshiped at the French altar. > Like every other nationality, the French came for > the Gold Rush. According to a history compiled by > Siffert, Napoleon's government held a lottery for > passage to the "Golden Ingots," which resulted in > 3,000 soon-to-be rich winners coming over in 17 > ships. > The first ship departed from France in October 1851, > meaning the gold was gone by the time the lucky > panners got here. Their free passage must have been > one way because they were still here in 1855 when a > minister was sent to tend a flock of wayward French > huddled in the vicinity of Kearny and Montgomery > streets. The Roman Catholics were more stubborn than > the Baptists, who gave up and went home after > selling their temple to the French. > What became the French National Church pulled the > French Quarter toward it. Then, as now, 3,000 to > 4,000 French live around the bay, Siffert > estimates, while Bush Street, between Stockton and > Grant, has become the most international block in > San Francisco. > Next to the church is the French Consulate. > Downstairs is the Goethe-Institut German cultural > center, and upstairs is the Ukrainian Consulate. A > bazaar on the corner of Grant sells crystal and > sculpture from 30 countries. Then come the gates to > Chinatown. > Stopping at a street sign, Siffert notes that "Grant > Avenue used to be Dupont, which was a French > street." Pointing to Chinese symbols beneath the > word "Grant,'' he says, "That means 'Dupont.' A > Chinese man told me." Across from the gates is Cafe > de la Presse. "It used to be a French cafe opened by > Mr. Gabriel," Siffert says. "He sold it to an > Italian." Two doors down is Le Central, which was > here when he got here. "It was French too, but they > sold it to an Asian." > Now he only eats there "when I am invited," he says. > Asked if the food is still good he says, "I will > tell you if you take me." > At Claude Lane, Siffert points out the location of > the Old Poodle Dog restaurant, now a Subway. "It > was started during the Gold Rush," he says. "The > owner called it Le Poulet D'Or. The name got > bastardized to the point that the French owner gave > up. The history, written in French, calls it > "Bergez-Fran's Old Poodle Dog." > Siffert turns up Belden Place just as Cafe Bastille > manager Pierre Klein is coming out. When these two > meet it may as well be the 6th Arrondissement. > After some banter, Klein is on his way and Siffert > regretfully goes back to English. But not for long. > Cutting up Pine Street, the fathers turn into Ecole > Notre Dame des Victoires, the K-8 Catholic school > attached to the church known as 'NDV.' > They cut out across the playground as a kickball > game is under way, girls against boys. The girls > are winning. Siffert crosses the outfield, > impervious to a line shot that comes screaming by > his ear and bangs off the back wall. > Students must speak French 45 minutes every day, not > counting the minutes when they may encounter > Siffert. He enters the sacristy as a class of > seventh-graders in their uniform blue sweaters is > leaving after praying. "Bonjour," he says to each, > with a pat on the back. They silently file by until > a schoolgirl stops, smiles and says, "Bonjour." > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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