SACRAMENTO CHURCH - MAN; SACRAMENTO HARDWARE - MAN; ANNIVERSARIES OCCUR TODAY ON THIS 1ST DAY OF ORDINARY TIME 2013.............

On the first day of Ordinary Time in Liturgical Year 2013 A.D.; which will last for just 30 days until the Season of Lent begins; in Sacramento I am marking two anniversaries of significance in my life and in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Sacramentans and Catholic-Christians in the Diocese of Sacramento.  Since the erection of the Sacramento Diocese on May 28, 1886; the longest serving Ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the 9 Bishops who have ministered as our Chief Shepherds; was the Most Reverend Bishop Robert J. Armstrong.  His prolific and productive pastoral tenure as the 5th Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento encompassed more than a quarter of a century from January 4, 1929; - to fifty six years ago today, January 14, 1957.  That is a span of time inclusive of the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Administrations of 2 Popes, 4 American Presidents; and lasted from the time my mother Josephine was 6.5 years old until the day I was 2 months and 10 days old.  So +Robert J. Armstrong as Bishop of Sacramento for 28 years and 10 days is the longest to date in this Vineyard of the Lord.  Also on this date in 1930, Sacramento native, the late Archie Bugatto, was born.  From the ages of 13-68, Archie worked in Hardware, (1943 -1998).  A fine man of family, church, business, and community, he passed on to Eternal Life just eleven days shy of his 70th Birthday, in 2000.  Archie as I knew him, was an outstanding person of honesty, integrity, devotion to his family, and dedication to neighbors, customers, fellow parishioners, friends, and others, in the Sacramento community.  He is missed - and on this his 83rd Birthday anniversary is surely feasting with Bishop Armstrong, in the presence of our Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus, and their Holy Spirit, and all the Angels and Saints, in the Kingdom of God.  May the lives, ministry, and work, of these two exemplary Catholic Christian disciples inspire you to live in that generous spirit and truth also.  Onward Ordinary Time !.............Fr.  Troy