June 22, 2020
Photo of the Week:
June 14th was the first Sunday Parishes re-opened for in person Masses. Pastors and parishioners have been working tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of the people attending Masses. Pictured is a parishioner from St. George's in Stockton, disinfecting the church after Mass.
Thank you to everyone in the Diocese for accepting these new guidelines with understanding and compassion. A special thanks to volunteers within Parishes who are working to keep their fellow parishioners safe.
Office of the Bishop:
Bringing attention to Racism through the Stations of the Cross:
Yesterday, Bishops from throughout California released a video reenacting the Stations of the Cross in an effort to draw attention to racism and ask for God's help in eliminating it. The video is also intended to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the tragic killings at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC and the Juneteenth holiday which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.
The video includes the leaders of all 12 California Dioceses and the three Catholic eparchies headquartered in California from the Armenian, Chaldean and Maronite rite churches.
Bishop Cotta and members of our Diocese recorded the 14th station at the Cathedral of the Annunciation. Bishop Cotta chose that location because it is the Diocese's principal church and because of its urban surroundings. The visual piece shown in front of Bishop Cotta represents the 14th station, where Jesus was laid on a slab and into the tomb. The slab where Jesus was laid to rest has symbolic parallels to where George Floyd was killed, on the street curb.
Bishops Participate in Roundtable Discussions:
Recently, Bishops from around the Nation have been participating in roundtable discussions to talk about social issues. These roundtable discussions have been recorded for audiences to hear the dialogue that's being initiated. You can view the full roundtable discussions by clicking the links below and you can also view shortened versions of the discussions on Catholic TV. The airing times are as follows:
Sunday, June 28 at 12:30 a.m.
Tuesday, June 30 at 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 1 at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 2 at 10:30 a.m.
Links:
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The USCCB has re-released a roundtable discussion that they facilitated many months ago. Although it was released before the powerful reactions to the terrible loss of George Floyd, the roundtable discussion on racism still has important relevance. The discussion is focused around the USCCB's Pastoral letter Open Wide our Hearts.
Anniversaries: Please join Bishop Cotta in prayer and gratitude for the life and service of our vowed religious, priests, and deacons who celebrate anniversaries in the month of June. Click to access lists for:
Catholic Rural Life: Land and life go hand in hand. Our daily bread comes from land as well as much else that sustains us. The land is beautiful for its mountains and plains; its beauty resounds in the canyons and draws. Its goodness thrives in the forests and fields; every plant emerges from it. See the Blessing of the Land here.
Deacon Formation:
Please keep the seven Deacon Candidates and their wives in your prayers. Next week they will be attending a five day, silent retreat in preparation for their ordination in September. Typically the Deacon Candidates gather in person for the retreat. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the group will be attending a hybrid retreat where most of it is done over Zoom.
The Candidate couples are from the following Parishes:
Cathedral of the Annunciation
St. George - Stockton
St. Gertrude - Stockton
St. Joseph - Modesto
St. Stanislaus - Modesto
Our Lady of the Assumption - Turlock
St. Mary's - Oakdale
Hispanic Ministry:
The Office of Hispanic Ministry and the Cathedral of the Annunciation invite the community to a farewell parade for Bishop-Elect Ramón Bejarano. The parade will be held on Saturday, June 27th at 7:15 pm. The organizers ask that attendees line up on Lincoln and Magnolia streets and remember to practice social distancing.
Life & Dignity Ministry
Respect Life Father's Day Action Guide: Check out tools and resources offered by the USCCB, by clicking on the links below (also available in Spanish).
Full Father’s Day Action Guide:
Prayer
