It's probably easier to write about what Lil Pinheiro does NOT do at Holy Cross than all she does. But here goes. A parishioner since 1952 when her family moved to Santa Cruz, Lil has been a member of the Senior Choir since 1960, a eucharistic minister, a lector, a current member of the Liturgy Committee (nearly 50 years!), and for a time the only member of the Hospitality Committee. She is a self-described Martha. "If somebody needs something, I'm there pitching in." These words were written in the original edition of a quarterly parish newsletter published in the winter of 1996 entitled "Holy Cross Connection," the inspiration for the title of this online version. (More will be written about this in another post.). The title of Lil's parish profile then was "Responding to the Call" and was written by former parishioner Kay Magdalena Spencer. (Thank you, Kay, for permission to reproduce some of your article.)
From 24 years ago (when Lil was a youngster of 68): " Her father built the Riverside Manor Apartments, and her first job was managing them. Always interested in sports, she wanted to be a P.E. teacher. 'But my dad was old school, he wouldn't permit it. His daughter was going to be a secretary.' So she took secretarial courses instead. 'I never married - though I came close.' She has been generally employed in clerical work all her life, beginning with J.G. Newberry's, a downtown five-and-dime flooded out in 1955." She retired from JC Penney's about 45 years later.
"But her love of athletics remained. From her thirties until she was forty-seven she played semi-pro softball in Santa Cruz. She and a friend were the first women T-league coaches in the county, and for the first four years ... they came in 1st and 2nd, which, she says, annoyed the male coaches a great deal. Several of their graduates were in the minor leagues.
"Her real vocation, she says, is 'reaching out to people. Even if I touch one person a day. I'm not really an extravert - I'm just a doer....We need to have that personal relationship (with God) - whether that means joining a prayer group, programs, the L.A. Congress....we need to take advantage of what Holy Cross offers.'
"Lil says she wakes up and thanks God each day. 'I'm grateful for my life, grateful for my good health and for my friends...and grateful to be here at Holy Cross - it's always been home.'"
As noted above, this was written in 1996. Nothing has changed. If anything, Lil has been even more active as a dedicated member of the parish. She is now in her early '90's and was still going strong until a fall in early March slowed her down considerably. When asked how she was faring, she said, "Other people are worse off. But I am anxious to get well and get back to working in the Holy Cross and Diocese Music Library." During this time of sheltering-in-place, she is sitting in her chair and cleaning out drawers and cupboards. She is getting help with groceries and has received some meals from friends. She's exploring online spiritual resources and welcomes suggestions. (The comment section below this post is a good place to offer them.). And she loves phone calls! She's always there.
Lil and her older brother George at their First
Communion. (George was greatly loved at
Mission Hill Jr. High where he worked as a
custodian for many years.)
Lil's 90th birthday party at Holy Cross Hall,
hosted by the parish staff with gratitude and
in recognition of her many gifts of service
through the years.
Lil in her home by the San Lorenzo River, displaying a gift of freshly-laid eggs.