September 27, 2001, Westcliffe, CO

Married priest George Sherman died September 27, 2001. Cardinal Roger Mahony, Msgr. Pete Nugent, Father Charlie Knapp and Father Joe Greeley, who were seminary students with George, concelebrated the memorial Mass in Los Angeles on October 10, 2001. Msgr. Pete Nugent gave the homily. Cardinal Mahony and married priests Terry Halloran and Gerry Fallon gave eulogies at the end of the Mass. Walt Kelly, Hal DeLisle, Mike Dunne, Ralph Platz, Bill DuBay, Phil Berryman, Charlie Ara, Don Reiman, Bob Delaney and John McFadden, mentioned in Terry's eulogy, are also priests no longer in official ministry. Others mentioned in the text and photos -- Ken Wenker, Serge Beltran, Don Carlos, Charlie Blaney, Bob Ridley, Tom Cotton, Frank Zinns, Joe Phelan, Msgr. Dan Lopez, Father Frank Buckman, Jim Houston, Howard Platz and John Gremer -- were students with "Sherm" at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California.

Sherm's pictures:http://www.impact-information.com/LASEM

Terry Halloran's eulogy.

Sherm, I'm your admiring friend Terry Halloran. 48 years ago we were both students here at the junior seminary. Later, our years at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo overlapped, 1956 to 1960. Whenever the student body gathered for musical entertainment, you played the drums -- with skill and enthusiasm. We worked together two summers at Camp Junipero Serra. Some of the other counselors were Don Carlos, Bill DuBay, Hal DeLisle, Joe Buchanan, Walt Kelly, Dick Hammer and Phil Berryman. You ran the Indian Lore program. Campers learned to clothe and paint themselves like Native American braves. You taught them to dance toe-heel to the beat of hand-crafted drums.

Sherm, we each spent a summer month at Montezuma Seminary. So did Ed Johnson, Bill DuBay, Pat Thompson, Manny Moreno, Walt Kelly and many others. You not only achieved fluency in Spanish, you invented new phrases like "eso es fino conmigo" and "tu idea no trabaja." At Saturday breakfast Spanish tables, you passed on your language innovations to unsuspecting younger seminarians.

Sherm, you were ordained a priest in 1962. You became a high school teacher. Trouble began in 1964. You urged your students to read a new magazine article about the U.S. cardinals -- an article somewhat critical of Cardinal McIntyre. You were transferred, then transferred again, then urged to find another diocese. In parish ministry in Colorado, you decided that the problem wasn't you or the boss. The real problem was the job.

Sherm, you visited us when Bob Delaney, John McFadden, Don Reiman and I were priests working in Mexico. At Father Bill Wasson's home for poor children, we found a bedroom for you next door, where Father Bill's parents lived. The next morning, dressed casually, you greeted Bill Wasson Sr. You said, "Hi, I'm George Sherman, priest. New friend, what's your name?" He answered, "This is my house! Who the hell did you say you are?"

Sherm, you're cool. You've done everything right. You disturbed some consciences. You learned about yourself. You courted and married Helen. You earned a Ph.D. degree at Temple University. You became the industry expert in the field of long term care insurance. You listened to the music. You told us what jazz recordings were the best. Last year you and Helen brought your college student daughter Laurel to California to meet us. This past summer your family hosted Bob Ridley, Ken Wenker, Gerry Fallon and their spouses at your home in scenic southern Colorado.

Sherm, you've generously posted your wisdom, humor and photographs at the seminary alumni website. All of us at LAsems -- Gerry Fallon, Mike Dunne, Joe Phelan, Ralph Platz, Bill DuBay, Dan Lopez, Frank Buckman, Charlie Knapp, Phil Berryman, Bob Ridley, Charlie Ara, Betty, Denise, Philothea, Jim Houston, John McFadden, Serge Beltran, Howard Platz, John Gremer, Ken Wenker and I -- we thank you for being one of us.

I'll paraphrase the words of Ralph Platz. He said it best. Sherm, your death is an immense loss for all of us. You've been the heart and spirit of LAsems. Yours is a bright, alert, and witty mind -- able to challenge, to stimulate debate, to encapsulate thoughts in memorably few words, and to maintain a balance between opposing views. But most of all, you've extended to us a friendship that not only was rooted in our common past but also remained vividly alive even across the diverse paths down which we all have gone. In your friendship we have all been blessed. May Jesus welcome you home and give you rest until we all meet again.

Eulogy delivered by Terry Halloran at the memorial mass in Los Angeles on October 10, 2001