 Fr. Lawrence Edward
Sanguinetti, OP
When the Church of St. Dominic in San Francisco was devastated by the famous earthquake in
April, 1906, little did Julius and Rose Sanguinetti, who lived only a few blocks away,
ever suspect that their unborn son would some day become pastor of the magnificent edifice
that was to rise from the ruins. Edward Sanguinetti was born just three months
later, on July 8, and was baptized in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. As a
young boy he came to love the city of his birth, and everything about St. Dominic’s
became a special part of his life. After early schooling at St. Rose Grammar School,
local public schools, and St. Ignatius High School he entered the Dominican Apostolic
School in Ross, where he completed high school and two years of college studies. In
1927 he entered the Dominican Order, and a year later in 1928, after completing the
novitiate, he made his first vows at St. Dominic’s Priory in Benicia. He
completed his studies for the priesthood at the newly established St. Albert’s in Oakland, and was ordained a priest
on June 10, 1933 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco.
He began a
period of more than fifty years as a totally dedicated, whole-heartedly committed
Dominican priest. Because of his native intelligence and great competence Father Sanguinetti could have specialized in any number of priestly ministries: outstanding
preacher, excellent teacher, skilled administrator. He chose to be what he valued
the most: a faithful priest. For more than fifty years he served God and the people
of God as parish priest, drawing fully on the many talents with which he was
endowed. His first assignment was to St. Mary Magdalene in Berkeley, as assistant
pastor. He went on to serve at Blessed Sacrament in Seattle, St. Dominic’s in
San Francisco, Holy Rosary in Antioch, California, St. Vincent Ferrer in Vallejo,
California, and St. Dominic’s in Los Angeles. These were times of great growth
in the West and Fr. Ed was frequently called on to put his administrative skills to work
in overseeing the pastoral and financial affairs of the Western Dominicans. During
his term as pastor and prior at St. Dominic’s in San Francisco the beautiful stained
glass windows were completed.
In 1970, in recognition of his many years as an
effective preacher, the Master General of the Dominican order conferred on Fr. Sanguinetti
the title “Preacher General.” After many years at Holy Rosary in Antioch
he asked that he be allowed to spend his final years at his beloved St. Dominic’s in
San Francisco. He was peacefully called to the Lord on the afternoon of October 15,
1985 in the company of his family.
--Fr. Thomas Hayes, OP |
