Bishop Soto appointed Father Mark Richards our new pastor as of July 1. He is no stranger to Sacred Heart, and many parishioners remember him from his residency at the parish when Father O’Hara was the pastor. Father will continue working half time at the Tribunal and half time at Sacred Heart, in a schedule being worked out. To contact Fr. Richards, leave a message with Amy Sparks at the parish office and she will forward it to him. To assist Father Richards, Father Simon Lodge will be our new parochial vicar. A priest from the Diocese of Leeds in England, Fr. Lodge will arrive in early fall. We look forward to this next chapter in our parish history.
The Parish has installed an automated external defibrillator (AED). The device is located in the hallway from the church nave leading to the sacristy (the door near the St. Anne Chapel). An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and then sends an electric shock to restore normal rhythm.
The Parish is always collecting the names of parishioners with medical and/or CPR certification to be members of the Parish Medical Response ministry. If you have medical training and would like to be part of this ministry, please contact the Parish Office at 916-452-4136 ext. 2.
Kids 6 to 17 are eligible to attend Camp Pendola, the summer camp operated by the Diocese of Sacramento. Located in Camptonville CA in the Tahoe National Forest, the camp offers traditional summer camp fun such as hiking, arts and crafts, and campfires. For more information and registration, visit https://www.pendola.org/.
Catholic priest Fr. Michael Schmitz and Jeff Cavins have put together a program for anyone who is interested in reading the Bible in one year. This free program is a 20-25 minute daily podcast of 2-3 scripture readings, a reflection by Fr. Michael Schmitz and a guided prayer to help us hear God's voice in his Word. Visit the website at Ascension Press to download the App and read more about the program. Unlike any other Bible podcast, Ascension’s Bible in a Year Podcast for Catholics follows a reading plan inspired by the Great Adventure Bible Timeline® learning system, a groundbreaking approach to understanding Salvation History developed by renowned Catholic Bible teacher Jeff Cavins.
If you’ve struggled to read the Bible, this podcast is for you.
A group of 11 parishioners met to begin listening to the podcast presented by Fr. Mike Schmitz, of Ascension Faith Formation. It was a great beginning of a process that will help to increase our understatnding of the Word of God. You are welcome to join this group for one hour on Monday mornings at 8:45 in the Parish Hall.
If you are interested in gathering once a week to listen to a podcast with other parishioners and engage in a discussion about the Readings of that day, please email Rita Spillane at ritaspillane@gmail.com or leave a message at 916.452-4830. If there are parishioners interested in meeting for discussion, we would meet for 1 hour in the Parish Hall on Monday mornings immediately after the 8:00 am Mass.
The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal men’s organization involved in social service activities. Members offer educational scholarships, youth programs and activities for seniors. They also have an extensive life insurance program for their membership. Membership is open to all Catholic men 19 years of age and older. If you are interested, contact the Parish Office at shchurchoffice@gmail.com or at 916-452-4136 ext 2.
Do you like to write? Are you interested in art, history, or architecture? If so, we are looking for volunteers to help write descriptions of Sacred Heart Parish, including its history, art, architecture, people, etc. If you think you would like to help. Please contact the Parish Office at shchurchoffice@gmail.com or at 916-452-4136 ext 2.
The ROMA rosary maker’s ministry is returning after a very long break! We are looking for new members. If you know or are interested in learning how to make rosaries, the ROMA rosary maker’s ministry is looking for you. The rosaries are donated to nursing homes, hospitals, and Sacred Heart parishioners. The Group meets on the first and third Thursday of the month from 10 to 12 p.m. ● If you are interested, contact the Parish Office at shchurchoffice@gmail.com or at 916-452-4136 ext 2.
The Hospital’s Chaplaincy Department is looking for volunteer Eucharistic Ministers to serve their patients on a regular basis. Each volunteer would need to be fully Covid- vaccinated, and had their flu vaccination and TB test (which latter two are provided annually by Employee Health). ● The Volunteer Services Department would provide basic volunteer orientation/information annually, and the Chaplaincy Department would provide Eucharistic Minister information and orientation. If interested contact Hai Tran in the Chaplaincy Department at Mercy General Hospital during day-time working hours at 916-453- 4545.
The parish publishes a semi-annual newsletter entitled, “The Spirit of Sacred Heart.” The newsletter shares the good news being accomplished at Sacred Heart. Past issues have featured the new school, the 75th anniversary of the Parish, various parish ministries, and the newly renovated church interior. If you are interested, contact the Parish Office at shchurchoffice@gmail.com or at 916-452-4136 ext 2.
The local group of the St. Vincent de Paul Society chapter based at St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart parishes provides support for people living in the parish boundaries. The support can be food, finances, or other things as needed, at the request of a St. Vincent de Paul volunteer who work with individuals and families in need. At the end of each month the parish collects food for distribution to the Society’s clients in our geographic area, bags are prepared for families and taken to them by volunteers. Recently, contributions to the food closet maintained by the Sac State Newman Center has been added to address the needs of students at California State University.
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Members of the Advent Giving Tree committee organize and help carry out the Sacred Heart tradition of providing Christmas gifts to those in need. Much of the work done by the committee takes only a few minutes immediately after Advent weekend Masses, yet there are opportunities for those who wish to get even more involved in this joyous outreach project. If you are interested, contact the Parish Office at shchurchoffice@gmail.com or at 916-452-4136 ext 2.