Funeral for a Friend: Fr. Jim Mifsud, 2/6/35-9/29/10...between 2000-3000 in attendance.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Never seen anything like it in my life. A week ago the church projected an attendance of 2000. Got there an hour and a half before the service. San Jose police were directing traffic from Lawrence onto Mitty. Got the LAST parking space in the church parking lot.

The funeral Mass was held in the Mitty High School gym. At 6:00, the balcony was filled, the bleachers were filled, and every folding chair on the gym floor was taken. It was a steam bath in there with all of those people. They announced that there were 400 "overflow" seats available in the theatre, and it was air conditioned (and nice cushioned theater seats instead of plastic folding chairs), so I high-tailed it over there, and within ten minutes, it was standing room only too. Had a nice aisle seat, was grateful for the cool temps.

Why so many people? Why did somewhere between 2 and 3 thousand people show up to pay their last respects to this man?

For one, Father Jim founded the Ascent Employment Program in 1985, designed to give people considered "unemployable"...just out of jail, rehab, etc...a fighting chance. They place an average of one person a day, even in this economy.

He regularly went to the local jail, Elmwood, to give encouragement to the prisoners. He talked their language. He wasn't afraid to drop an f-bomb if the situation warranted it. The prisoners respected him because he wasn't there to talk down to them or "preach." He was there to give them encouragement for what he knew they'd be facing on his release.

He went to nursing homes and and hospitals visited the sick and the dying.

In his lifetime, he's served in Hawaii, in Korea, and in San Jose. His motto, that you can see on the cap he is wearing below, was "Never Give Up." It appears in big letters on the side of the church and this evening, when they placed that cap on his casket, I wept for a moment. I remember many conversations in the parking lot either to or from Mass with the man wearing that cap. I'd tell him about a potential client I was going to visit and he'd do this "go GET 'em" sort of punching the air

When he fell ill with Parkinson's disease, he didn't let it stop him. On Christmas day in 2008, he said his last Mass. I didn't know this in advance. When I found out I was so happy that I attended that day. He got a 5-minute standing "O" at the end. He then went to stay at the Marianist home in Cupertino, where he could get round-the-clock care. I visited him once, but as the disease advanced, visits were discouraged.

He was tough, he was kind, he helped and encouraged anyone who needed it, no questions asked.

He was my friend, and I will miss him.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Amerigo Vespucci...

You know, we don't often meet people like your good friend Fr. Jim. We are damned lucky if we do encounter such great souls and we damned well better hang onto them once we have found them, for as long as we can.

I've been touched by people like him too, and it is amazing to experience. You can hardly be around them enough. And when they're gone, the ache, the grief can be overwhelming. It is a huge loss, one that you think you might never recover from. You might get used to it, but still...

Safe passage to him. No doubt he got that...

Hugs for you, sweetie...I hope it won't be too long before your good memories will overtake your grief...

:hug: :hug: :hug:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. Thanks CP...

...it was a weird night. I got home from the funeral and had an email waiting for me from my accountant saying I owe the IRS $1585 (which I do not have).

And that's been what life's been like lately on a 7 day a week basis. So I sat there tonight and looked at the casket with that "Never Give Up" cap perched on top and shed a tear for a man who I can hear telling me right now "You WILL get through this."

:grouphug:

[nolabear]

2. You know, I think this is where the idea of "saint" comes from.

Not something supernatural or otherworldly, but from people who manifest the best that humanity has within us. It's not easy to dedicate yourself to the sheer work of helping others and trusting that your work will be a reward in itself. Your friend sounds very,very special, and your love shines through. I'm sorry for your loss, but glad you had him in your lives.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. Tonight, during the homily, Fr. Russi...

...who was the priest who stepped in for Fr. Jim when he went to Korea (1968-1980), said "People gave him money. And if they did, he gave it away to people who needed it."

He was a big sports fan, and a personal friend of Tommy Lasorda, Steve Mariucci, and many other pro athletes. He'd go to games and the players would all come running..."Hey! It's Father Jim!"

He was a legend. He was, he is, he will always be. That's all he did...help people...and with a sense of joy and vigor and sheer determination that I've tried to put into words here tonight, but words will never tell the whole story.

You had to be there.

I was.

And so were the 2000-3000 sardines jammed into the can with me earlier this evening.

[sohndrsmith]

5. I"m sorry - I'lll have to read your post later... tears sprung up before

the second paragraph - and having to scroll down and seeing his face - (and scanning your post but not reading it word for word) is something I can't get through.

My thoughts and grateful thanks to him... but I'll have to read your post later (not that it'll help).

Thanks, Amerigo....