Fr. Dan Germann died September 24 at the Jesuit Center in Los Gatos. Fr. Germann, along with Sr. Mary Peter McGusker, founded the St Joseph Day Worker Center in San Jose in 1993. Fr. Germann was a Jesuit for 57 years and spent 34 years as an ordained priest. He began teaching at Santa Clara University in 1970 and was founder of the Eastside Project which in turn was instrumental in founding the St. Joseph Day Worker Center.

The Eastside Project then became the Arrupe Partnership which is now a major part of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. The Eastside Project was originally established to mutually benefit Santa Clara University and San Jose’s Eastside neighborhood. The Arrupe Center is still actively involved in the St. Joseph Day Worker Center, allowing students the opportunity to work directly with the Day Workers, assisting with ESL and computer classes while utilizing their own skill at conversing in Spanish.

Fr. Germann brought the concern for social justice firmly within Santa Clara University’s curriculum, giving students a chance to learn from and develop relationships with people most in need. Fr. Germann was awarded St. Vincent de Paul’s highest honor, the Ozanam Award and Medallion at the Annual Appreciation Dinner held earlier this month.