mother teresa postage stamp
Bishop Soto to participate
in dedication ceremony
The public is invited to attend a Sacramento dedication and unveiling of the Mother Teresa postage stamp on Sunday, Sept. 5, sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service.
Bishop Jaime Soto will participate in the event at 1 p.m. in the plaza in front of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, located at 11th and K Streets.
With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service recognizes Mother Teresa, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work.
Noted for her compassion toward the poor and suffering, Blessed Mother Teresa, a diminutive Roman Catholic nun and honorary U.S. citizen, served the sick and destitute of India and the world for nearly 50 years. Her humility and compassion, as well as her respect for the innate worth and dignity of humankind, inspired people of all ages and backgrounds to work on behalf of the world’s poorest populations. She founded her own congregation, the Missionaries of Charity.
Link to story about Blessed Mother Teresa from Catholic News Service
Bishop Weigand celebrates 30th anniversary of his appointment as a bishop
Congratulations to Bishop Emeritus William K. Weigand, who will mark his 30th anniversary of appointment to the episcopacy on Friday, Sept. 3.
A priest of the Diocese of Boise, Idaho, he was appointed as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sept. 3, 1980. He was ordained and installed as bishop on Nov. 17, 1980 in Salt Lake City.
He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento from Jan. 27, 1994 until his retirement on Nov. 30, 2008. In an interview with The Catholic Herald before his retirement, the bishop noted that being a bishop “is a service…It is a great honor and a great privilege.” The bishop continues to reside in Sacramento and celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for his 30th anniversary in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament last Sunday.
Link to 2008 review of 15 years of ministry by Bishop Weigand from The Catholic Herald archive
Diocesan collection for priests' retirement is
Sept. 11-12 in parishes
Parishes in the Diocese of Sacramento will take up a second collection for the benefit of retired priests in the diocese. The annual collection will be taken during liturgies on the weekend of Sept. 11-12.
The collection is an opportunity for parishioners to thank their priests for their long and loving service, caring for the spiritual and sacramental needs of the faithful throughout the diocese.
There are some 70 retired active priests currently serving in the diocese.
Link to diocesan information about special collections in 2010
labor day statement
U.S. bishops urge new 'social contract' in today's economy
Bishop Jaime Soto was the guest speaker Aug. 27 at the third annual interfaith labor breakfast at The Grand in downtown Sacramento. The event is sponsored by the Sacramento Area Interfaith-Labor Coalition for religious and labor leaders in the metropolitan area.
The bishop joined a panel of religious and labor leaders who will address the religious dimension of dignity in the workplace and the challenges facing working families today.
In their annual Labor Day statement released Aug. 23, the U.S. bishops say that a new “social contract” is needed in today’s economy.
“Currently, the rewards and ‘security’ that employers and society offer workers in return for an honest day’s work do not reflect the global economy of the 21st century in which American workers are now trying to compete,” says Bishop William F. Murphy, of Rockville Centre, N.Y., chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
The statement is titled “A New ‘Social Contract’ for Today’s ‘New Things.’ The title is in reference to Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” which in English means “Of New Things.” The encyclical ushered in the era of Catholic social teaching.
Link to U.S. bishops' Labor Day statement for 2010
Catholic youth gathering on Oct. 16 in Vallejo will be largest ever in Northern CA
More than 3,200 youths will gather at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo for “NorCal Jam,” the 58th annual diocesan youth convention on Saturday, Oct. 16.
The day of music, food, fun and fellowship is spearheaded by Kevin Staszkow, associate director of youth and young adult ministry for the Sacramento Diocese. It is a collaborative effort of nine Northern California and Nevada dioceses (Sacramento, Stockton, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Monterey, Fresno and Reno).
Staszkow said the event will serve as the 58th annual diocesan youth convention and as the eighth annual Solano Deanery Praise Party.
Link
to NorCalCatholicYouth website
Link
to form to purchase tickets
SEPT. 18 event! Register now
Catechist Ministry Day to focus on matrimony as sacrament of love
More than 1,000 catechists, Catholic school educators, parish coordinators of religious education, youth ministers and others are expected to attend the Diocese of Sacramento’s Catechist Ministry Day on Sept. 18 at St. Francis High School.
“Matrimony: Sacrament of Enduring Love” is the theme for the event, which begins with 8 a.m. registration and exhibits and concludes with Mass with Bishop Jaime Soto from 3 to 4:15 p.m.
John Galten, co-founder and president of the former Campion College, will be the keynote speaker in English. He chaired the religion department at Presentation High School in San Francisco and helped found the St. Ignatius Institute at the University of San Francisco in 1976, serving as assistant director and finally as director for five years until 2001.
Link
to www.catechistministryday.com to register
Link
to www.enviodelcatequista.com to register
healing after abortion
Rachel's Vineyard retreat offered on Sept. 17-19
The Diocese of Sacramento’s respect life ministry will offer a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat Sept. 17-19 in Auburn. The retreat is an opportunity for healing for any person who has struggled with the emotional or spiritual pain of an abortion.
This unique, effective experience of the mercy and compassion of God is extremely helpful for those who struggle with feelings of shame, anger or grief, and for those who have not forgiven themselves or others. The retreat is open to women, men, couples and family members touched by abortion.
The cost is $175. Financial assistance is available. For a registration packet or more information, call Nikki Alvarez at (916) 733-0161 or send an e-mail inquiry to projectrachel@diocese-sacramento.org. Inquiries and participation are strictly confidential.
Link to diocesan information about Rachel's Vineyard retreats
DIGITAL EDITION ON WEBSITE
Premiere issue of Catholic Herald magazine is published
The premiere issue of Catholic Herald magazine, a new high-impact, full color magazine for the Diocese of Sacramento, has been just been published.
The theme of the September-October issue is Respect Life, including feature stories about Tiffany Smith, who recalls the healing and forgiveness she received at a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat years after an abortion, and Jane Meuser, a devoted volunteer to pregnant women at the Mother Teresa Maternity Home in Placerville.
Bishop Jaime Soto is publisher of the magazine, which includes moving faith stories and high-quality photography about Catholics in the diocese as well as news and events of the local church. Individual faith stories are the cornerstone of Catholic Herald magazine and columns will explore the Catholic faith and educate people on the teachings of the church.
Link
to information about Catholic Herald magazine
Sacramento Catholic Forum
Carol Younger, educator, to speak at Sept. 17 luncheon
Carol Younger, an educator and expert in narrative and connections to the daily life of Catholics, will be the speaker at the Sacramento Catholic Forum luncheon on Friday, Sept. 17 at the Sacramento Radisson Hotel, located at 500 Leisure Lane.
Her topic will be “God’s Salvation History: The Truth in Jesus, the Saints and Football.” She will focus on the narrative of salvation history – how do we understand and communicate the great sweep of Jesus’ history with excitement and connection to life in the 21st century? Younger holds a doctorate in education and is a specialist in teaching and catechetics.
Check in begins at 11:30 a.m. with the luncheon following at noon. The cost is $20 if prepaid online. Visit the Sacramento Catholic Forum website below.
Link to the website of Sacramento Catholic Forum
Catholic Relief Services providing aid in Pakistan
to thousands of flood victims
In a memo to pastors, parochial administrators and parish stewards in the diocese, Father Michael Kiernan, director of social service ministry, reports that Catholic Relief Services is on the ground in Pakistan distributing emergency supplies to thousands of people stranded in remote areas after torrential rains since July have caused flooding that washed out roads, homes and tracts of land, leaving millions destitute.
CRS engineers are at work repairing damaged water systems. Once immediate needs are met, CRS staffers will help farmers and others resume their work and rebuild their lives.
Catholic Relief Services has asked the faithful in every U.S. diocese to be in solidarity with the suffering people of Pakistan through prayer. At this time, the U.S. bishops have not asked for a diocesan-wide collection for Pakistan. Catholic Relief Services is accepting individual donations for the relief efforts in the following ways:
- Online at www.crs.org
- By phone at 1-800-736-3467
- By mail at P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
Link to the website of Catholic Relief Services
Register now
Classes offered in diocese's Lay Formation Institute
The diocese’s Lay Formation Institute, which begins classes for Year I and Year II at four parish locations in October, is designed and established as a program which provides opportunities for adults to become more knowledgeable about the Catholic faith, to grow spiritually, and to receive training for specific ecclesial ministries within the Catholic community.
The institute is open to catechists, teachers, parents and laity in the diocese. Courses can be taken individually or as an entire institute.
Courses of Year I of the institute are being held on seven Saturdays at St. John the Baptist Parish, 307 Montrose Way in Folsom; St. Clare Parish, 1950 Junction Blvd. in Roseville; and Good Shepherd Parish, 9539 Racquet Court in Elk Grove. Courses of Year II are being held on eight Saturdays at Sacred Heart Parish, 2355 Monroe St. in Red Bluff.
Those who complete Year I of the institute have completed the coursework for the basic catechist certification from the diocese. Those who complete Year II of the institute have also completed 30 of the 40 required hours of coursework for the renewal of basic catechist certification from the diocese.
For more information, call the Department of Evangelization and Catechesis at (916) 733-0123 or visit www.layformation.com.
Link
to the Lay Formation Institute for information and to register for classes
Office
of Worship offering liturgical ministry workshops in Sept., Oct.
The diocese’s Office of Worship will offer several regional liturgical ministry workshops in 2010 for ministers of the liturgy in parishes. The workshops will provide liturgical ministers with ongoing formation and support and help to prepare them for the new translation of the Roman Missal, according to Sandra Holland, director of the Office of Worship. The half-day workshops are offered at no cost to all laypeople in parishes.
SCHOOLs WELCOMe NEW principals
Many Catholic elementary and high schools in the diocese are welcoming new principals for the 2010-2011 school year.
Presentation School, Sacramento: Dominican Sister Maximilian Marie, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
St. Catherine of Siena School, Vallejo: Susan Kealy, who most recently served as vice principal of Notre Dame School in Vacaville.
St. Thomas the Apostle School, Oroville: James Stefaniak, who most recently served as a teacher at the school and is a U.S. Air Force officer.
Link to Catholic Schools Department of the Diocese of Sacramento
Bishop Soto releases statement on Proposition 8
The following statement was released by Bishop Jaime Soto in response to the judicial decision to overturn Proposition 8.
“The Honorable Judge Vaughn R. Walker chose to ignore the common sense decision of the California voters and overruled Proposition 8. “Efforts to restore the long-standing tradition of marriage to the California Constitution will continue at higher levels of the judiciary. Hopefully, the obstinate judicial impulse to innovate will give way to the prudent principle of the prevailing historical understanding of marriage...”
Read
Bishop Soto's entire statement - ENGLISH AND SPANISH
Boy Scout Ad Altare Dei Retreat for Scouts age 13 and over scheduled for Oct. 15-17
Calling out all Catholic Boy Scouts wishing to earn the Ad Altare Dei Religious Award. This award is intended for Scouts ages 13 and over and focuses on the seven Sacraments. The Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Diocese of Sacramento will be holding a retreat at Marello Youth Retreat Center on October 15-17, 2010. THIS EVENT SOLD OUT LAST YEAR, SO REGISTER EARLY! Volunteers are needed to help with the retreat. For information on helping, please contact Nick Garcia at catholic.scouting@sbcglobal.net. Please put Ad Altare Dei Help in the subject line.
Click here for more information or to REGISTER to attend
Make
your pledge today! 20th Annual Catholic Appeal in progress
Supporting social services, Catholic education and seminarians
The Annual Catholic Appeal provides a way to share with God and His Church a portion of the gifts He has given us. In these challenging economic times, the needs facing our Church are greater than ever before. Together, through the generous support of the 2009 Appeal, 21,000 participants raised nearly $2.5 million in contributions. We ask for…
Link
to more information about the Annual Catholic Appeal
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