Diocese of Sacramento

"Every marriage is like every Christian story. Jesus calls us to follow him, not because we are saints but because we are sinners," said Bishop Jaime Soto. "In following him, he leads us in the way of holiness. The path of Christian marriage is a journey leading us to holiness, the holiness of Christ. This is what we celebrate now."

Join us as we honor marriage and salute the beauty of faithfulness, sacrifice, and joy in married life.

A new documentary on Venerable Bishop Alphonse Gallegos will air on EWTN at 2:30pm this Saturday, February 20 on what would have been the bishop's 90th birthday. The documentary also includes an interview with Bishop Jaime Soto.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season in which the faithful are called to reflect on the Paschal Mystery more intentionally. It is a time of spiritual renewal and to examine one's relationship with God and others more carefully. It is also a time in which catechumens prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. The Church calls everyone, therefore, to a spirit of penance through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Lent begins tomorrow! A reminder about how Ash Wednesday will look a little different this year.

Happy 65th birthday to our Bishop Jaime Soto! Read his latest Catholic Herald Sacramento column in which he reflects on the Nativity façade from the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Barcelona, Spain.

As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19 become available, it is critically important that Catholics and others have an accurate understanding of how these vaccines may be viewed from the perspective of Catholic moral teaching and tradition.

The Holy Innocents are the young male children from Bethlehem and its vicinity at the time of the birth of Jesus who were put to death by King Herod the Great. ...Herod ordered their death after the Magi who came from the East to pay homage to the child Jesus left without giving Herod news about the newborn king of the Jews. This feast has been celebrated in the West since the fifth century. The Holy Innocents are the patrons of children, babies, and foundlings. See more

Pope Francis recognized that every family has its problems, and that at times, because we are human, because we are weak, we even fight within the family. "I want to tell you one thing," the Pope said: "If we fight in the family, never end the day without making peace." Once again, he recommended three words that should be common in every family: "please," "thank you," and "I'm sorry." If these three words are present in the family, he said, the family will be in good shape.

As part of Discover Catholic Schools Week, discover our outstanding students. Meet Lexi from Our Lady of the Assumption Parish School. She recently set out to assess the impact of video game playing on surgical skill development.

"In the humanity of Jesus, we find again the likeness to which we were called and with which we were created, a humanity crafted from humility, patience, mercy and prayer," said Bishop Jaime Soto at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament's midnight Mass of Christmas.

You can't mask our excellence. Catholic school graduates are well-prepared for college, community, and professional life, but most importantly, our schools are ...our best instrument for forming the next generation of servant-leaders in Christ, for the Church, and for the world. Read our Superintendent's welcome letter for this Discover Catholic Schools Week: https://www.scd.org//welcome-discover-catholic-schools-week See more

Catholic schools prepare the leaders and saints of tomorrow with consciences rooted in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bishop Jaime Soto and Lincoln Snyder, Superintendent of Diocese of Sacramento Catholic Schools, invite you to Discover Catholic Schools Week: http://www.discovercatholic.org

Our Office of Vocations is now LIVE with a Rosary for Vocations.

We're closing out National Vocation Awareness Week with a Rosary for Vocations, live-streamed from the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament TODAY at 4pm on our YouTube channel. You can also check our YouTube for video interviews with our Newman Center leaders and seminarians: https://www.youtube.com/c/DioceseSacramento

Discover Catholic Schools Week begins this Sunday, November 8! If you or someone you know is considering a Catholic education for their child, please contact your local school principal or Diocese of Sacramento Catholic Schools to arrange a tour. Discover a Catholic school near you at www.discovercatholic.org

Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community. We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty. We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and tho...se abandoned, Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender. We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom. We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Prayer from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

The November-December issue of Catholic Herald Sacramento magazine has been published. The theme for this issue is stewardship. The digital edition of the magazine is available at https://www.scd.org/catholic-herald-magazine In the cover story, Father Avram Brown, pastor of St. Isidore Church- Yuba City and Helen Gomez, coordinator of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, describe the parish's efforts to spearhead intentional stewardship and how parishioners are growing... as disciples who are the ultimate stewards of God's gifts. With visible signs rather than quantifiable metrics per se, parishioner Tomas Hernandez offers his testimony to stewardship alive within him as a disciple returning to the active practice of his faith. Other feature stories in this issue include Bishop Jaime Soto's column on: "Gaudi's Catholic ingenuity recognized the Holy Family as a door into the marvelous mystery of God's mercy"; how Tom and Jane Meuser of St Patrick Catholic Church in Placerville say "when much is given, much is required of us"; Beth Mullin, a member of the board of directors of The Catholic Foundation, shares how doing a daily check-in can help make stewardship a way of life; how Tony Riehl, executive director of The Catholic Foundation, is working with parishes to form communities of stewardship; Eric McArdle of Catholic Stewardship Consultants says stewardship is about "taking continual steps closer to Christ"; and through "Mercy in Motion," teens learn about corporal and spiritual works of mercy through community service projects.

O God, glory of the faithful and life of the just, by the Death and Resurrection of whose Son we have been redeemed, look mercifully on your departed servants, that, just as they professed the mystery of our resurrection, so they may merit to receive the joys of eternal happiness. Señor Dios, gloria de los fieles y vida de los justos, que nos has redimido por la muerte y resurrección de tu Hijo, acoge con bondad a tus fieles difuntos, que creyeron en el misterio de nuestra resurrección, y concédeles alcanzar los gozos de la eterna bienaventuranza.

Today begins National Vocation Awareness Week! Let us pray: Loving God, You speak to us and nourish us through the life of this church community. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to send your Spirit to us so that men and women among us, young and old, will respond to your call to service and leadership in the church.... We pray, especially, in our day, for those who hear your invitation to be a priest, sister, brother, or deacon. May those who are opening their hearts and minds to your call be encouraged and strengthened through our enthusiasm in your service. Amen.

On this All Saints Day, share with us: Who is your patron saint? What is your favorite quotation from a saint?

Don't be tricked! Remember to set your clocks back one hour tonight before bed.

As we close out Respect Life Month, meet Paulette Wyllie, Executive Director of the Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home. To learn how the Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home is Walking with Moms in Need, visit www.scd.org/respectlife