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 

Wednesday, December 11, 10:00 PM, Celebration in Saint Joseph Church with songs, dances and prayers in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, followed by Midnight Mass. Thursday, December 12, 10:15 AM, Mass at Our Savior of the Mountains Mission in Lee Vining; 12:00 PM, Mass at the Infant of Prague Mission in Bridgeport; 6:00 PM, Mass (Spanish / English) at St. Joseph Church, Mammoth Lakes.

“Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord” -----Traditionally, the Church has set aside the month of November as a time to remember all who have died; the holy ones on November 1st, All Saints’ Day; and November 2nd, All Souls’ Day, (Dia de Los Muertos) as we remember all the faithful departed.....Click on the image to go to the complete message.

CLERGY DAY.- On Monday Oct. 28, all the Clergy of the Diocese of Stockton will attend a day of study in Riverbank, CA. Pray for all the Priests of the Diocese. Instead of Mass on Monday and Tuesday, a Celebration of the Word and Holy Communion will be celebrated in Saint Joseph Church at 6:00 PM

Friday, November 1, is All Saints Day. The Mass schedule is: 8:00 AM at St. Joseph Church (English); 6:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Spanish) with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; 7:30 PM at Our Savior of the Mountains Mission in Lee Vining (English/Spanish).

In October we will once again celebrate Respect Life Month. This year’s theme, chosen by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,is Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life. In this time of ever-increasing attacks on the life and dignity of the human person, we as the people of God need to be conscious of our call to evangelize, to bring Christ, our hope, into every season of life......Click on the image for the link to the complete message.

When you care enough to give the very best…… give yourself and your spouse a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next Marriage Encounter Weekends are March 6 - 8, 2020 and October 16 - 18, 2020, both in Modesto. Click on the image for more information.

Beginning on Saturday September 28, the Vesper Mass on Saturdays will be at 5:00 PM.

Registration continues until Wednesday September 18 for CCD from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Parish Office. The Catechetical program is not only to be prepared for First Communion or Confirmation. It should be a continuous education to be a good Christian. We will be taking registrations for RCIA and Adults who need any Sacrament. Classes will begin on September 28.

September 4, 2019 ---- Dear Brothers and Sisters, As many of you have heard, tragedy struck in the form of a devastating boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara on Monday. We have learned that members of our own Stockton community were among those lost. I wish to express our shared sorrow at this tragic loss of life. I express as well my sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of all the victims. Please keep all those affected by this tragedy in your prayers. May God grant them comfort and strength during this most difficult time. In the Peace of Christ, Bishop Cotta

CCD Signups for the new school year will be from Sept. 1 until Sept. 13 at the Parish Office from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM. Please bring the Baptismal Certificate of each child and a suggested donation of $50.00 for materials. For more information please call the Parish phone at (760) 934 6276.

THE HOLY ROSARY: A Way to Foster the NEW EVANGELIZATION On Pentecost Sunday of this year, I announced that we, as a diocese, were embarking on the mission of the New Evangelization. I provided to all, the diocesan prayer to launch this endeavor. Please continue to offer this prayer as we begin to better evangelize our families and parishes. Pray it daily as we turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance to be the evangelizers of our day and age......Click on the image to read the complete message.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Resources We continue to pray for those who have been affected by recent gun violence. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has long advocated for responsible gun laws and increased resources for addressing the root causes of gun violence. I, along with the USCCB, wish to continue to call upon the President and Congress to set aside political interests and find ways to better protect innocent life. I also wish to take this opportunity to share with you the link to the USCCB’s Criminal/Restorative Justice section of their website, where you can see what exactly is being done to combat this serious issue. Thank you for your attention to this memorandum. Click on the image to go to the USCCB’s Criminal/Restorative Justice section of their website.

This is a big Festivity of the Church. The schedule of Masses is the same as that of a regular Sunday. Wednesday, August 14 - 6:00 PM in Saint Joseph Church. Thursday, August 15 - 8:00 AM in Saint Joseph Church; 10:15 AM in Our Savior of the Mountains Mission in Lee Vining; 12:00 Noon in The Infant of Prague Mission in Bridgeport, to be combined with the funeral Mass for Nixon Edward Denton; 6:00 PM in Saint Joseph Church, Spanish.