SAN DIEGO — Two long-serving leaders in the Diocese of San Diego who had an impact on its administration and major construction projects are retiring.
Rod Valdivia served as vice moderator of the diocesan curia, and Dan Rancourt as director of construction with the Roman Catholic Services Corporation.
Valdivia served the diocese for almost 34 years, beginning as a full-time assistant to then Bishop Robert H. Brom. His responsibilities included office administration, overseeing special collections and serving as diocesan liaison to Catholic Relief Services.
Over the years that followed, he held a variety of posts, including director of Stewardship, director of Multicultural Affairs, and chairman of the board and interim director of Catholic Charities.
After earning a canon law degree in 2000, Valdivia served for about 15 years on the diocesan marriage Tribunal, where he assisted with annulment cases.
In 2003, after about five years as vice chancellor of the diocese, he was appointed chancellor and given responsibility to oversee the diocese’s Safe Environment program, which he will continue to lead after retirement.
Since 2018, he has served as vice moderator of the diocesan curia.
At a farewell party on Dec. 16 at the Pastoral Center, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy asked assembled staff members if they remembered the children’s television show “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” from the 1990s.
“Today, the question is: ‘Where in the diocese has Rod Valdivia not been?’ Because he’s been entrusted with so many roles of leadership and service,” the cardinal said. “In all of them, he’s distinguished himself, giving of his talents and his time, and doing it as a vocation.”
At the reception, Valdivia said that, among “the many, many joys that my years in this ministry have brought me,” two stand out.
“One is the constant awareness that … what I did every day helped countless people on their journey of faith and assisted them on their way to Heaven; I will relish that for a long, long time,” he said. “The second is having the chance to work with so many joy- and faith-filled colleagues here at the Pastoral Center all through the years.”
Rancourt’s 16 years of diocesan service began in 2008, as an independent contractor for the construction department. After eight years in that capacity, he was hired as director of the diocesan Office for Construction Services.
Since 2018, he has served as director of construction with the Roman Catholic Services Corporation.
Rancourt told well-wishers at the farewell party that he hadn’t “started celebrating yet,” acknowledging his love for his work and how much he’d love to continue it.
“But … it’s time to go,” he said. “Once you hit 85, you got to go.”
At the reception, Cardinal McElroy cited newly constructed churches that represent a part of Rancourt’s legacy: Mater Dei Church, Chula Vista (2020); Resurrection Church, Escondido (2018); St. Thomas More Church, Oceanside (2015); and Capilla de Cristo Rey, El Centro (2016).
The cardinal described these construction projects as “the most visible reflections of Dan’s time here.”
