<img class="size-full wp-image-12055 alignleft lazyload" src="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/paul-seishas-current.jpg" alt="paul-seishas-current" width="250" height="315" srcset="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/paul-seishas-current.jpg 250w, https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/paul-seishas-current-238x300.jpg 238w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /> Former O’Dowd religion teacher and senior class moderator Paul Seishas passed away on May 5. Services were held on May 15 at St. Joseph Church in Elk Grove.
Seishas served at O’Dowd from 1974-1983, before joining the faculty at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, where he served for 32 years as a counselor before retiring in 2015. He also served as an adjunct professor of counseling psychology at the University of San Francisco, and established the ACT (Affiliation of Catholic Therapists) for Today, a Catholic faith based ministry that serves the Sacramento Diocese.
<img class="size-large wp-image-12056 alignright lazyload" src="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/seishas.jpg" alt="seishas" width="238" height="434" srcset="https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/seishas.jpg 238w, https://www.bishopodowd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/seishas-165x300.jpg 165w" sizes="(max-width: 238px) 100vw, 238px" />
Seishas held a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from San Jose State University, a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary’s College of California, a master’s degree in counseling and mental health from Cal State East Bay, and a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of the Pacific.
Current O’Dowd Religion teacher Doug Vierra was hired to replace Seishas when he moved on to Jesuit High in 1983, and recalled how wonderfully helpful Seishas was in helping him get acclimated.
“He helped me prep to teach Living & Dying and Human Development, which were courses he had personally developed and introduced,” Vierra said. “He literally photocopied every page of his teaching binder – in those days lesson plans were handwritten – and gave me summaries of all the videos he used. I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Additionally, Vierra and Seishas formed a special connection as both were Portuguese and enjoyed sharing their heritage.
Paul is survived by his wife, Kathleen, four adult children and two granddaughters. His brother Armond is the principal of St. Joachim School in Hayward.