The theme for Black History Month this year is Labor, which provides a valuable lens to consider the contributions of Black labor to our country, and our community. The month starts with Freedom Day, February 1, which was designated in 1948 to commemorate the signing of the 13th Amendment in 1865. This landmark legislation abolished slavery, except as punishment for a crime, marking a pivotal moment in the journey toward freedom and equality.
Sixty years ago, Vatican II spoke about Catholics in the pews in language that was groundbreaking and exciting. The image of “the People of God,” for example, sought to replace our self-understanding as a passive, receptive people with one that gives agency and responsibility to the everyday Catholic. Lumen Gentium, one of the four primary documents, speaks of the “common priesthood of the faithful,” conferred on all of the baptized. In following years, the Society of Jesus developed these themes in its own documents, recognizing the gifts given by the Spirit to the Church through our lay partners in mission and their essential role in the effectiveness of our ministries.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by billions of people in East Asia and beyond. We asked Saint Ignatius parishioner Vanita Louie to share how her family celebrates the holiday, also known as Chinese New Year.
Welcome Patrick Hagen! Patrick comes to us most recently from the San Francisco Opera Chorus, where he was a resident member. We are excited that he is already directing an integral part of liturgy on Sundays, the wonderful music, and working with our choir and the other musicians who aid us in worship. Learn about Patrick in this short interview—and when you see him be sure to ask about joining the choir or the importance of a strong vocal presence from the assembly during service! He also works as a voice instructor, so you might ask him about that as well.
We are thrilled to welcome you and your young athletes back for another season of girls' basketball at St. Ignatius Parish! It’s wonderful to see familiar faces returning as we continue to grow and strengthen our program for players in grades 3rd through 8th.
Last Sunday, I met with Cesar and Daniella and the parishioners with whom we have been accompanying them since their legal arrival in the United States two years ago. Many of you know them: they regularly attend the 10 am Mass and post-Mass hospitality with their two daughters, whose baptisms we celebrated on a Baptism Sunday a year and a half ago. The family is awaiting its asylum hearing. Meanwhile, both Cesar and Dani are employed, paying their way, and have enrolled their daughters in school at the Holy Family Day Home.
Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors (OWLS) is a thriving ministry as seniors (50+) gather to enjoy each other’s company and participate in a variety of activities that reflect the interests of senior members of our parish. The group meets once a month, on the second Friday of the month, but during the Lenten Series we'll meet once a week for a book discussion.
Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his work advocating for civil rights. As the chair of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King delivered his powerful speech, “I Have a Dream,” standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on August 28, 1963. In that speech, King recounted the long history of racial oppression borne by Blacks and called on each of us to hold ourselves and this country accountable, asking us “not to return to business as usual”. Hear the full speech below and learn more about some of the events planned to acknowledge Martin Luther King and his work.