THE ANNUAL PRIESTS' RETREAT.....APRIL 19-23, 2010..........

Monday night the priests of the Sacramento Diocese began our annual Priests' Retreat through this Friday afternoon at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. The retired Bishop of Monterey, CA the Most Reverend Sylvester D. Ryan is leading the Retreat for us this week. Born in Avalon, Catalina Island, in Southern California, he was ordained a priest for the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1957. Ordained an Auxilary Bishop of Los Angeles in 1990, he was appointed and installed as the Bishop of Monterey in 1992, serving until his retirement in December 2006, upon the appointment of Sacramento Auxilary Bishop Richard J. Garcia, as his successor in the Diocese of Monterey. Bishop Ryan also served for a number of years as the President of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops. Having conducted priest retreats for the past twenty five years, his opening Conference topic last night was Priests as, "Shepherds - Human, Wounded, and Graced". He also gave each of us a copy of a booklet on Ten Steps To Priestly Holiness : Our Journey Into Joy", by Msgr. Stephen Rosetti. The solid reputation he is known for as a pastoral priest and dedicated bishop, was borne out by his interaction and presentation opening the Retreat. I, my brother priests, and Bishop Soto, look forward to a wonderful week with Bishop Ryan and the clarity, depth, and insight, with which he speaks and the collegial spirit he conveys..........With Prayers And Peace In Jesus The Risen Christ, Fr. Troy