Pairs of student ambassadors well versed in the school's history and mission point out framed photographs of past and current events, such as music recitals and service projects. They also reverently pause at posters displaying the tenets of the Vincentian spirituality of the Daughters of Charity, who have operated the school for the last forty years.

They speak with conviction: “Being a Vincentian school means you don’t just learn about service; you do it. It is how we show God’s love to people who need it,” one student shared. Her partner guide added, “The Daughters of Charity teach us that everyone has dignity; we try to live that every day.” These statements echo the charism — a term referring to the unique mission that typifies a religious order — of the Vincentians, which permeates the school.

Saint Patrick’s paneled walls chronicle a century of graduating classes that now hang alongside bright vinyl banners inviting prospective families to open houses and all to “follow” its social media accounts. One hundred years since its founding, these are all reminders that the school is, and always will be a service-driven school, a legacy of its community’s togetherness in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Anchoring the Faithful in Downtown San José

For Sister Fran Ciluaga of the Daughters of Charity, “The students of Saint Patrick are wonderful and a joy to be with daily.” She shared, “I smile when I hear our students speak of being Vincentians and knowing what that means: that they have developed hearts wanting to serve those in need.” Her hope mirrors the school’s mission to grow students academically and deepen their relationship with God by forming hearts to serve.

From its founding, the school was envisioned as the anchor for the diverse Saint Patrick parish. A parishioner, Mr. Edward McLaughlin, left a bequest to the Archdiocese of San Francisco that specified its construction. Parish pastor Father Richard Collins¹ built the school and requested that the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary administer and staff the school, which they did for sixty years.

Sister Michele Anne Murphy PBVM, one of the last of the Presentation Sisters to teach at the school (from 1973 to 1978), remembers the school as vibrant, filled with deeply united families. She recalled, “We were a very happy community! Parents who worked downtown formed carpools and close partnerships with faculty so their children could experience Catholic education.” She fondly remembers the school’s all-inclusive environment, its celebrations, strong parental support, and its commitment to those on the margins.

The school’s cohesiveness is perhaps best expressed by long-time Martha Angeles, for whom: “Saint Patrick has basically been the little solar system that my family has grown up in,” she reflected. “It is a place where everyone shows up, pitches in, and really cares.” Martha’s grandchildren are now the second generation to attend Saint Patrick. She expressed, “I hope that the real heart of the Saint Patrick community vibe — the giving, the everyone-together spirit — sticks around as the school grows and changes.”

The Impact of a School on its Leaders

Principal Lara Guzman felt the school’s cohesive spirit immediately upon her arrival as principal two years ago. She recounted, “When I first came to Saint Patrick, I spent a lot of time simply listening.” What emerged from those conversations was the community’s greatest priority: strengthening relationships. “Each week, the staff identified a single relationship to nurture intentionally: with God, with our students and families, with the parish, with the Daughters of Charity, and even with our own families and friends.”  Lara continues to witness how that simple discipline is shaping the way the school works and prays together.

The practice also transformed Guzman personally. “I began slowing down, listening more intentionally, and recognizing Christ in the faces and stories of the people I served.” She shared, “My relationship with Christ has grown more rooted in encounter, patience, and humility.” She hopes that future generations will experience ongoing transformation through Catholic education. “My prayer is that every student who walks through our doors encounters Christ, grows academically, and learns what it means to serve with love.”

Rooted in History, Renewed for the Future

Former longtime principal Olga Islas, current Diocesan Associate Director for Faith Formation, remembers encountering “parents who loved their children deeply and were willing to sacrifice the little they had for their children's education.” Pastor Justin Le expressed, “For generations, Saint Patrick has been a place where children encounter faith, families find support, and the wider community experiences the Church. That legacy is precious, and it deserves to be renewed and expanded for the next century.”

He acknowledged the special position of the parish and school. “In a rapidly changing city, families need a community that can accompany them — spiritually, academically, and pastorally. Saint Patrick is uniquely positioned to do that.”

True to its century-long history, Saint Patrick School remains a place where every student learns that service is a way of life, and where a community actively seeks out those on the margins even as it seeks to strengthen its own relationships with one another and with Christ.

^1. From https://www.stpatrickschool.org/mission-history