Archdiocese of San Francisco
By Saul Perez On Friday, the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center held its inaugural Fiesta de El Salvador del Mundo, celebrating Salvadoran and Central American heritage through music, dance, and traditional
The latest fight to protect religious freedom in California does not look like it has anything to do with religion – but AB 84 is designed to “strangle” charter schools and take away parents’ rights to educate their children, a leader in citizen advocacy and religious freedom in California told a packed room at St. Raymond Parish Hall Tuesday evening.
“God shows us once again that he never fails to be full of surprises,” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said in the introduction to his homily at Sunday’s Mass for the 36th annual Archdiocesan Respect Life Essay Contest. About 300 parents and students were in attendance for the ceremony on April 27.
A high school student from Turlock summed it up: “I am here to prevent abortion.” Elizabeth, a mother from Milipitas, said it a different way: “We want all babies to have a future.”
With the ribbon-cutting for the largest Planned Parenthood in the U.S. just days away in Oakland, prolife advocates led by Black American pastor Walter Hoye rallied for life in front of City Hall and then walked through downtown calling for an end to abortion.
The parishes of St. Raphael in San Rafael and St. Peter in San Francisco are hosting resource fairs for immigrants in this new year.
Contemplative of St. Joseph Father Vito Perrone offered a Memorial Mass and Healing Liturgy for Miscarriage and Infant Loss on All Souls Day, bringing comfort to the women and men who carried sorrows old and new from the deaths of their children. “The most innocent ones are the ones in the womb,” Father Vito told the several dozen gathered at Mater Dolorosa Church in South San Francisco Nov. 2, reminding all those present that “Jesus called God Father for all of us. “
‘Having babies is at the heart of reproductive health care!’ – EN ESPAÑOL: “El tener bebes es la esencia del cuidado de salud reproductivo”
Why would anyone want to stigmatize a primary health care facility and a pregnancy resource center that give pregnant women support for having their babies? San Francisco Ballot Proposition O
Two experts in Catholic social teaching on immigration tackled the issue for a webinar hosted by the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Office of Human Life & Dignity on Sept. 18.
Twenty-five immigrants attended the first in a series of Know Your Rights workshops at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Sunday, as the Archdiocese launches a new initiative to support our immigrant community.
Standing on a hilltop in Dolores Park, the skyline of San Francisco’s downtown in the distance, San Francisco’s archbishop prayed for the soul of 19-year-old Luis Arguello-Inglis, blessed his family and led those gathered in prayer for an end to violence.
Legislation that would make it a felony to purchase a child for sex survived a key test in Sacramento on Thursday. SB 1414 passed the state Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously and was sent to the full Senate for a vote.
The California Catholic Conference is asking Catholics to lobby for a bill that would make child sex trafficking a felony, as well as other bills aimed at nurturing and preserving human dignity.
“Adoption is many things, but above all, it is a gift to everyone involved.”
This sentence from a winning essay crystalized the theme of the 35th annual Archdiocesan Respect Life Essay Contest.
Jesus is waiting to meet the women who come on the June 14-16 Women’s Retreat for Healing After Abortion, says Father Vito Perrone, leader of Project Rachel Ministry.
Educators, political advocates, and national experts gathered this month in Oakland to brainstorm how to bring educational choice to all California families.
What does it mean to be a Catholic doctor, nurse, or other health-care practitioner in today’s world?
The Catholic Chinese Ministry celebrated Chinese New Year at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Mass and a banquet Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone offered the Mass and the party afterwards at the
Being chosen out of 2,000 other girls to be a member of the popular girl band the Pussycat Dolls seemed like a dream come true to teen-aged Kaya Jones. But it had a dark underside.
Archbishop Cordileone joined the Christmas Angels party, a beloved tradition of the Restorative Justice Ministry.
Archdiocese of San Francisco Restorative Justice Ministry coordinator Julio Escobar and his team delivered Thanksgiving meals, blessing and fellowship to all the 1,100 men and women incarcerated in the City and County of San Francisco’s jails at the Hall of Justice on Bryant Street in San Francisco and in San Bruno.
Women, babies and families lost an advocate on earth on Oct. 18, but those who loved and respected Mary Ann Schwab believe they have gained an advocate in the hereafter. Her obituary linked below and the following tribute by Sally Brien Holper of Bella Primary Care, a new Catholic healthcare clinic Mary Ann, provide a bit about someone whose life cannot be summed up in a few words — but who truly made a difference.
Calling their work “a sacred calling,” San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone addressed Catholic medical professionals gathered for the traditional White Mass for Medical Professionals at Mater Dolorosa Church in South San Francisco.
Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have “put a thumb on the scale” for parents supporting transgender “affirmation” in custody battles.
The powerful pro-abortion lobby continued to exhibit its clout, as the California Legislature approved a bill that would empower physician assistants to perform aspiration abortions and greenlit legislation to expand Medicaid coverage of the abortion pill to 13 weeks. But some positive legislation for mothers and families was also approved.
Students all over the state have returned to school, and now is an excellent time for parents to research and review the opt-out options available for specific curricula in public
A record 900-plus people attended the Sept. 8 Archdiocese of San Francisco’s 11th annual Reentry Conference, Resource and Job Fair, aimed at helping those recently released from prison or jail, the families of those incarcerated, and crime victims and homicide survivors.
Parental rights over the education of their children are a matter of religious freedom, social justice and protected by the U.S. Constitution, said two experts who spoke during Religious Freedom Week at Mater Dolorosa Parish.
Archbishop Cordileone singled out parents particularly for praise at the annual Respect Life Essay Contest awards. “You are the ones forming them in faith,” he said.
The month of May will see Catholics making appointments at California lawmakers’ offices, phoning and sending emails to lobby for and against four pieces of legislation prioritized by the California Catholic Conference.
Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone commissioned a special prolife Mass from composer Chris Mueller, believing it would bring notes of beauty and hope to the looming 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade at the Walk for Life West Coast Mass Jan. 21.
The first Walk for Life West Coast since the June 24 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade drew tens of thousands of prolife supporters to San Francisco in a turnout that rivaled crowds before COVID-19.
The executive director of the public policy arm of the California bishops today offered a blistering statement criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to sign a raft of bills prioritizing abortion while at the same time vetoing legislation that would have supported poor women and families.
Archbishop Cordileone’s column for the 2022 September issue of Catholic San Francisco.
Uniformed police, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies stood saluting in silent tribute of their comrades who had died, as the haunting notes of ‘Taps’ filled the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption at the annual San Francisco Police-Fire-Sheriff Memorial Mass. “You, my dear brothers and sisters are the force of order in our city,” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said.
August is National Make a Will Month, and for Catholics it can also be a time to take stock of what is important — and to provide for those we love and to make sure we are making the best use of our gifts. Even when we are gone.
“Are you guys Padres fans?”
“We’re actual padres. We’re the real deal.”
The first time I took my kids out to hand-feed wild birds, it didn’t go well.. I had hit upon the activity out of desperation at the beginning of spring vacation. The kids were so bored, but I had COVID and was much too tired and contagious for outings. We had long since exhausted the charms of reading books via FaceTime, with and without silly filters, and even the kids were tired of TV.
What is a retreat? The dictionary defines the verb as “the act of going backward or of withdrawing.” The noun of retreat is “a quiet, private or secure place.” A retreat center, like Vallombrosa, is that quiet spot to which one can withdraw. When I am talking to people about our retreat center, I emphasize the quiet that characterizes our life at Vallombrosa; it is essential to everything we do.
It’s a couple of hours after midnight at an airport in Munich, with workers vacuuming the concourse. Sixty-five pilgrims from St. Patrick’s Seminary & University are trying to sleep as we wait for our flights later today. On our way to Bosnia-Herzegovina, we were stranded at an airport because of severe winds and mechanical problems with our flight.
7 Ways to practice rest and leisure this summer By Ryan Mayer In Book VIII of his “Politics,” Aristotle observes, “The first principle of all action is leisure. Both (action
We complete this series on the Mass by providing the second part of our reflection on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, examining the basic structure of the very heart of the Mass, which is the Eucharistic prayer.
Responding to the invitation of Pope Francis, the Archdiocese of San Francisco reached out to the people of God for their thoughts in advance of the upcoming 2023 Synod of Bishops on Synodality.
Aside from the hot sun beating down and a cold glass of lemonade, few images evoke the sweet season of summer better than the dim lights of a movie theater with popcorn in hand.
This year has seen the release of a wide variety of great films, from family-friendly heartwarmers to raucous summer blockbusters. There’s even been a couple of spiritual films that powerfully portray the love of God and the beauty of the Christian faith.
Generations of St. Peter School students gathered at St. Peter Church June 5 for a Mass of Appreciation for longtime teacher Cyndi Gonzalez who is retiring after 48 years with the Mission District school.
Catholic statesman, lawyer and friend and adviser to the king St. Thomas More was a fierce defender of the faith against the Protestant Reformation in Europe.
The religious women of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Council of Religious have crafted a statement in response to the May 24 shooting in Uvalde, Texas where 19 children and
Deacon Jerald Geronimo & Deacon Gerardo Vazquez The two men who are to be ordained on June 4 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption were asked several
A proposed constitutional amendment enshrining abortion into California’s constitution in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and threats to parental rights were the focus of a forum sponsored by a new Catholic grassroots organizations and the Office of Human Life & Dignity in San Francisco.
Longtime director of music and cathedral choir director Christoph Tietze arranged a special Jubilee Concert April 3 to commemorate five decades of sacred music at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
With 15 Masses offered each week in four languages — English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Portuguese — St. Raphael Church in San Rafael is a beautiful example of the kind of multicultural parish that has become increasingly representative of Catholic life in the U.S.
Father Arturo Albano’s responsibilities as rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral seem as towering as the holy dwelling for which he was chosen caretaker.
Luke the Evangelist tells us that young Mary of Nazareth gave her fiat without reserve when she learned from an angelic messenger that God intended to favor her as the mother of the Messiah. But as she “pondered what sort of greeting this might be,” the angel added some welcome family news: “Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son, in her old age,” he said, “for nothing is impossible with God.”
Cathedral architect Pietro Belluschi visualized his San Farncisco project as an all-encompassing work of faith, integrating the fine arts and architectural elements to achieve a unifying and uplifting structure of contemporary splendor. Architectural Digest magazine recognized this in 2017 by naming the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption one of the 10 most beautiful churches in America.
Standing in the charred ruins of the church in which he had recently been installed as the fifth archbishop of San Francisco on the morning of Sept. 8, 1962, Joseph T. McGucken announced that we would build a new cathedral. The moment was providential. There was a spirit of confident optimism in the air.
Like many great cathedrals throughout the world, San Francisco’s was built to honor Mary’s unique role in God’s plan for human salvation. Her model of discipleship as expressed in Scripture offers inspiration to all Christians and is the unifying theme of the seven Marian shrines of St. Mary’s Cathedral.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco is accepting cryptocurrency – joining a growing but still relatively small group of nonprofits and church organizations who can process donations in the digital currency.
What is the Dobbs case?
The case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is before the U.S Supreme Court in its current term. A ruling is expected by the end of June by the latest and states are gearing up across the country to either enshrine abortion even more or to restrict it.
Learning about different kinds of spiritual gifts and discerning which of them she might possess has been a complete revelation – and a relief – to Cecile Sabater.
As we continue our series on the Mass, we provide the first of a two-part reflection on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In order to understand more deeply the meaning of the Eucharist it is helpful to recall a miraculous event recorded in the Gospel of John that took place during a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee.
For the first 1,000 years of Christianity, the Church remained essentially united throughout the Eastern and Western parts of the Roman Empire. However, by the middle of the 11th century, for reasons as much cultural/political as theological, the sees (particular churches) of Rome and Constantinople were no longer in full communion. What a tragedy!
The beauty of the universality of the Church is that people around the world celebrate the holiest days of the year with rich traditions that stem from a society steeped in Catholic faith. Centuries of fusing Holy Week and Easter customs to local resources and cultural traditions have produced a patchwork of unique liturgical traditions, blessings, art, recipes and more.
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is the principal Christian celebration. It can be easy to over sentimentalize.
The windows of St. Isabella Catholic Church in Terra Linda in Marin County form a series of meditations from Palm Sunday to the Ascension.
This is not a piece about the ethics of aborted-fetal-cell-derived vaccines. You’ve no doubt read enough of those. It’s not a piece about COVID-19 vaccines or vaccines in general. Again, those too, are ubiquitous. This is not even a piece intended primarily for Catholic readers. This is about something that every rational person of good will.
The parking lot of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Daly City is now something of a permanent gallery for the artwork of priest-in-residence Father Rey Culaba.
Once upon a time, many years ago, I experienced making a private retreat at the Camaldolese hermitage in Big Sur. I was only a couple of years ordained at the time, so it was a very long time ago! Nonetheless, the memory of it is still vivid in my mind.
Students who attend religious education classes or participate in any parish youth activities will not be required to wear masks, according to an FAQ sent out by the archdiocesan Department of Religious Education.
Laudato Si’ Action Platform, a new global campaign to bring the message of his 2015 encyclical more fully into the lives of the faithful
BELMONT _ The annual Ecumenical Service of Salutations to the Holy Cross is frequently a joyous coming together of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic communities of the San Francisco Bay Area. This year, however, it was “tinged with a certain somber tone and sense of urgency, as we are following with horror of the war being waged on our brother and sister Christians in Ukraine,” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said in his homily at the joint service hosted by San Francisco Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Gerasimos on the evening of March 10.
Sermon for An Ecumenical Service of Salutations to the Holy Cross, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church
You impact many lives through your support of the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal (AAA). I thank you for your generosity, your deeds, and your commitment to our Catholic faith. Because of your generosity and that of many others throughout our Archdiocese, our Church is able to provide assistance and resources to people in need through the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal. You support such critical needs as parish ministries, youth and young adults, schools, social ministries, priestly formation, ministering to the poor, ecumenical efforts, and the greater Church, among others.
Flocknote helps the Archdiocese of San Francisco to create a more connected Archdiocese by enabling pastors, office staff and key volunteers to communicate with their “flocks” using email and text in a way that is not only easy, but also fun.
Today, the Newsom Administration announced the state’s requirement for masking in schools will expire on Friday, March 11, allowing students, regardless of vaccination status, to be without a face mask at school beginning Monday, March 14.
If you ask Ashanti Branch, a mask can be invisible yet desired to combat the fear of being vulnerable or misunderstood. This metaphorical mask cripples many from finding their true selves.
Proclaiming “What do we want? Peace and justice!”, an intensely committed group of Catholics and community members walked two miles from mid-town to St. Agnes Church in the Haight-Ashbury, carrying white crosses to honor those who died by violence last year.
Proclaiming “What do we want? Peace and justice!”, an intensely committed group of Catholics and community members walked two miles from mid-town to St. Agnes Church in the Haight-Ashbury, carrying white crosses to honor those who died by violence last year.
We are living in a world where there are tremendous advances in medicine. But with the advances come what feels like a tsunami of moral and ethical dilemmas for the Catholic and Christian health care professional, challenges that the trauma of the pandemic have intensified.
If there is anything that the past year and a half has shown us, it’s that human beings desire to be present to one another.
Deadline for entries is January 31 Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas, while also holding the titles of patroness of the unborn and star of the
On a beautiful Friday evening in January, while the city of San Francisco was abuzz with weekends beginning, groups of young Catholics and Walk for Life pilgrims joyfully headed to North Beach to pray.
St. Paul of the Shipwreck Parish celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an annual Solidarity Gospel Mass on Jan. 17.
Dear Friends in Christ: I hope you enjoyed a very happy and holy Christmas with your family, and I wish you many blessings in 2022. You impact many lives through
“Dreams are messages from the deep.” These words are bellowed (albeit not in the English tongue) and thus open Frank Herbert’s seminal science fiction novel, “Dune.”
Here’s how Catholic Vote begins its post: “Today more than ever we need courageous leaders; men and women who stand up in the face of the extraordinary pressures we all feel. Their example gives the rest of us the moral courage to persevere.”
The Christmas season can intensify the lows of our emotional and spiritual struggles. So, how do we navigate if we are experiencing anxiety and despair in our lives? How can we move from feeling helpless to hopeful?
Miscarriage is a loss that until recently was ignored, often happening before anyone knew the mother was pregnant. But as those who have lost children in pregnancy can recount, it is a grief. Therefore, the Archdiocese of San Francisco Respect Life Ministry has begun an annual Memorial Mass & Healing Service for Miscarriage & Infant Loss.