Father Joe Will Celebrate Mass in Cooperstown
Winfield Invite Does Not Go Unanswered

   SAN DIEGO — Father Joe Carroll, president of St. Vincent de Paul Village, will celebrate Mass with Major League Baseball legends as part of the festivities taking place during Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y. this Saturday and Sunday, August 4 and 5.

   Saturday’s Mass will be held at 4 p.m. and Sunday’s ecumenical service will get underway at 9 a.m. Both will take place in the Templeton Lounge on the lower level of the Otesaga Hotel, located at 60 Lake Street.

   Father Joe was invited to this weekend’s ceremonies by Hall of Fame inductee and former San Diego Padre Dave Winfield, whose likeness will be bronzed with fellow inductees Kirby Puckett, Hilton Smith and Bill Mazeroski.

   At the Sunday ecumenical service Father Joe will be joined by former Major League Baseball player the Rev. Al Oliver, an honor the San Diego priest is eagerly anticipating.

   "I thought I was just going along as a spectator," Father Joe says. "Then one day I picked up the phone and it was the president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame asking me to celebrate Mass and hold Sunday’s service with Al – I’ll be fulfilling a childhood dream being in the presence of some of baseball’s greatest (players)."

   Other Hall of Famers expected in Cooperstown this weekend are Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron, to name a few.

   A die-hard baseball fan, Father Joe is a regular at Padres’ home games. But despite his affection for his namesake baseball club, he will always remember his childhood team, the Yankees.

   "It’s only natural that I support the friars, being as I am one," he says. "But my heart will always be with the Bronx Bombers."

   For more information on Father Joe celebrating Mass, call (619) 525-1608.

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