My Dear People of God, As we continue to move forward in our Sunday celebration of Mass, I want to thank the priests and their parish teams for coordinating the necessary safety precautions in order to have Mass. Also, I want to thank you, the parishioners, for your patience and cooperation, as we move forward in the midst of the presence of this pandemic. . . . Click on the image to read the complete message.

In lieu of Mass, there is a new Liturgy of the Word and Communion Service on Sundays at 10:15 AM at Our Savior of the Mountains Mission in Lee Vining, and at 12:00 Noon at the Infant of Prague Mission in Bridgeport. There will also be a resumption of the regular Communion Service, or Mass depending on availability of a priest, at Our Lady of the Valley Chapel in Coleville on Sundays at 10:00 AM.

Daily Mass is being celebrated at 6:00 PM Monday through Friday in St. Joseph Church. h Parish. The Mass on Friday, July 3, will celebrate the First Friday of the month including a benediction with the Blessed Sacrament (no Livestream). There will also be a Mass on Saturday, July 4, at 6:00 PM to celebrate Independence Day, that will be Livestreamed on the Mammoth Catholic Church Facebook Page. Finally, the Church will be open for private prayer from Noon to 8:00 PM every day.

Sunday Masses are being held at the St. Joseph Parish Hall in Mammoth Lakes. There are two Masses: 12:00 Noon in English, and 6:00 PM in Spanish. Both Masses are also Livestreamed on the Mammoth Catholic Church Facebook Page. Although open to the public, attendance is strictly limited on a first come - first seated basis. Seats will be assigned as you arrive. Face coverings are required throughout the Mass. Due to the reduced capacity, the faithful are strongly encouraged to participate through Livestream. There is also be an opportunity for the Livestream participants to receive Holy Communion in person at the entrance to St. Joseph Church approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Mass. Click on the image to see Fr. Jorge's video explaining the new Mass and Communion protocols.

As we anxiously anticipate opening up our churches for the public celebration of Mass and the Sacraments, we must prayerfully reflect on what it means to receive and to be nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist. Coming back to Mass is not only about a “me and Jesus” thing. Although a personal encounter with Christ is important, it does not end there. As we receive Jesus at church, in Word and Sacrament, we, then, are not to leave him in church as we are dismissed and sent forth from church. . . Click on the image to read the complete message.

Holy Scripture boldly proclaims, “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are”(1 Jn 3:1). This love “comes from God and unites us to God; through this unifying process it makes us a ‘we’ which transcends our divisions and makes us one, until in the end God is ‘all in all’ (1 Cor 15:28).” 1 By the work of the HolySpirit, the Church is called to share with all the world this gift of love. As Pope Francis points out, “The salvation which God has wrought, and the Church joyfully proclaims, is for everyone. God has found a way to unite himself to every human being in every age.”2 Through his Cross and Resurrection, Christ united the one human race to the Father. However, even though Christ’s victory over sin and death is complete, we still live in a world affected by them. As bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States, we want to address one particularly destructive and persistent form of evil. Despite many promising strides made in our country, racism still infects our nation. . . Click on the image to read the complete letter.

There is no one who is too self-sufficient, tough or powerful that, sometime in their life, they didn’t need a mother, a mom. Even the Son of God needed the love of a mother! The love of a mother is love that is nourishing, protecting & unconditional. It’s a love which impacts & influences the formation of the life of her child......Click on the image to read the complete message in English or Spanish.

Dear Brothers and Sisters: Well, “How are we doing?” Without a doubt: “This is a Lent we will never forget!” Truly, this has been a challenging time for all of us. As we continue this journey, we need to remember that we are in this crisis together and Jesus is with us in the midst of it all. We need to believe this and we to trust him. . . . . Click on the image to read the complete letter in English or Spanish.

April 5 - Palm Sunday Mass (Livestream) at Noon. Have some branches from your garden and be ready to have them blessed at the beginning of the Mass. . . . . April 9 - Holy Thursday Mass (Livestream) at 6:00 PM. Have some bread to be blessed during the Mass. After the Mass, if weather permits, Fr. Jorge will go on his open top Jeep through the streets of Mammoth Lakes with the Blessed Sacrament blessing the Town and the people. . . . . April 10 - Good Friday Services: Stations of the Cross (Livestream) at 1:00 PM; . . . The Seven Words (Livestream) at 2:00 PM; . . . The Passion of the Lord (Livestream) at 3:00 PM. This is the main liturgical celebration. Have a Crucifix to be blessed. . . . Procession of the Cross at 5:00 PM. Fr. Jorge and probably other Pastors of the various Christian denominations will walk with the Cross in silence through the streets of Mammoth Lakes. . . . . April 11 - Holy Saturday Easter Vigil (Livestream) at 8:00 PM. Have some water and a candle to be blessed during the Mass. . . . . April 12 - Easter Sunday Service at 10:00 AM - Tentatively an Ecumenical Service (Livestream) with the pastors of various Christian denominations. . . Easter Mass at noon (Livestream). Have a white or golden flag to be blessed during the Mass. . . . . The Livestream events can be viewed on the St. Joseph Facebook page. You can join in directly on that Facebook page named Mammoth Catholic Church, or click on the Facebook symbol in the upper right corner of this page. . . . . Click on the image for the Spanish translation of this schedule.

My Dear People of God, We find ourselves in challenging and chaotic times. The whole world has been impacted by a threatening adversary: a virus. The effect that the Coronavirus is having on our global society is unprecedented. Everyday life: health, work, entertainment, sporting and cultural events, economics and politics have been “stopped in its tracks,” including the area of worship throughout the world. . . Click on the image to read the complete message.

The Diocese of Stockton affirms its commitment to provide a safe environment for its children. Under the Chatter for the Protection of Children and Young People established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2002 the Diocese of Stockton has expanded its protection to include children of preschool age as well as vulnerable adults. While the Diocese of Stockton works year-round to prevent abuse, the month of April is designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month a time to be extra diligent in our duty to provide a safe environment for all members of our Church and our community. As members of the Church we value the prevention of abuse and the support of those who have been abused. It is important to be aware of the signs of abuse and report inappropriate behavior to the proper agencies. What's being done in the Diocese of Stockton to Prevent Abuse? . . . Click on the image for more information.

A Weekend of Discovery, a Lifetime of Love..... Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a weekend for married Christian couples who value their relationship and desire a richer, fuller life together. Attend a Marriage Encounter weekend and learn the tools needed to keep your marriage strong. The emphasis of Worldwide Marriage Encounter is on communication between husband and wife, who spend a weekend together away from the distractions and the tensions of everyday life, to concentrate on each other. It's not a retreat, nor a marriage clinic, nor group sensitivity. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing Christian Marriage. This is a time for you and your spouse to be alone together. To rediscover each other and together focus on your relationship for an entire weekend. Every marriage deserves that kind of attention! Rediscover the spark that was there on your wedding day! Rediscover the best friend you had when you were first married! Join the millions of couples worldwide who have learned how to keep their marriage vibrant and alive! Click on the image for information.

The week of February 7 - 14 is time to grow an increase the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage. Come to the weekday 6:00 PM Mass at St. Joseph Church where we will pray for the couples of our Parish and talk about the various subjects of the Marriage life: The Vocation to love; We are for each other, let’s invite God to Bless us; The Sacrament of Marriage; The Fidelity; Love in good times and in bad; Respect and Honor all the days of the life; The Children, Citizens of the Kingdom of God; Priests of the Domestic Church.

Office of Bishop Myron J. Cotta, D.D.; Bishop’s Reflection for the Month of January 2020; A Blessed and Happy New Year to all! As we welcome 2020 and anticipate the joys and challenges of the New Year, let us be open to the graces God has in store for us as the clergy, religious and laity of the Diocese of Stockton. As we begin this New Year, the month of January can help to set the tone for the whole year. The Christmas Solemnities and celebrations of January give us several spiritual steppingstones on our journey into 2020.....Click on the image to read the complete message.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE 53rd WORLD DAY OF PEACE 1 JANUARY 2020 PEACE AS A JOURNEY OF HOPE: DIALOGUE, RECONCILIATION AND ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION 1. Peace, a journey of hope in the face of obstacles and trial Peace is a great and precious value, the object of our hope and the aspiration of the entire human family. As a human attitude, our hope for peace is marked by an existential tension that makes it possible for the present, with all its difficulties, to be “lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey”.[1] Hope is thus the virtue that inspires us and keeps us moving forward, even when obstacles seem insurmountable......Click on the image to read the complete message in English or Spanish.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019 - Saint Joseph Church: 6:00 p.m. Mass; 7:00 PM Confessions and Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. Our Savior of the Mountains and The Infant of Prague: 7:00 PM Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament...... Wednesday, January 1, 2020, The Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God: 10:15 AM at Our Savior of the Mountains; 12:00 PM at The Infant of Prague; 6:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Bilingual). Note there is no morning Mass at St. Joseph Church.

Tuesday, December 24: 6:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Bilingual); 9:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Bilingual). Wednesday, December 25: 8:00 AM at St. Joseph Church (English); 10:15 AM at Our Savior of the Mountains Mission in Lee Vining; 12:00 PM at The Infant of Prague Mission in Bridgeport; 6:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Spanish).

My Dear Friends: The daily news does not stop reminding us of the conflicts that exist in the world: Shooting in schools, workplaces and shopping centers, political scandals, international conflicts, natural disasters and ecological problems. Given this, it seems that there are not any good reasons for joy and happiness. We have prayed to God and it seems that things have not improved since Christ came into the World. However, what happens in the World is not the will of God, but rather by the misuse of free will that God gave us. ..... Click on the photo to read the complete letter.

Happy New Year! That is, Happy New “Liturgical” Year of the Church. With the First Sunday of Advent, we begin the new liturgical year. The Season of Advent consists of four weeks. It is a time of prayerful preparation for the Coming of the Lord. Our first two weeks focus upon the Second Coming of the Lord. The third and fourth weeks offer time for us to reflect upon the first coming of Jesus as we remember his birth in Bethlehem.....Click on the photo to read the complete message, and link to the Christmas Letter.

Hi Jorge, I hope this e-mail finds you well. I am writing you, to let you know that I will have surgery on Dec. 10 and 11, at Stanford Hospital. The doctors are going to do a Lumbar Laminectomy and Fusion; its going to be a two-day surgery. I am asking for Prayers that all goes well. I would appreciate the prayers and letting the St. Joseph Parish and the Missions know what is happening. I am sorry I missed you when I was there in August. Even at that time, I was having problems. I still have St. Joseph and the Missions in my mind and prayers. I just hope and pray to the LORD and Guadalupe, that I can continue my journeys there. If everything goes well, I will go to my new assignment, Jesuit High School in Sacramento. I am looking forward, and I will be doing duties for the Community, some involvement in the School and Cristo Rey School.   Thank you, for your prayers. I will keep you informed, In Christ, Br. Dann