MAY 28, 1886.....THE DIOCESE OF SACRAMENTO.....AT ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE YEARS.....MAY 28, 2011...........

Up until the strike of the Gold Rush in 1849-50, Catholicism in the City of Sacramento and the Valley of Superior Northern California was under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  Over the next three and a half decades, from the first Mass celebrated in Sacramento, by Reverend Father Peter Anderson, O.P., through Bishop Eugene O'Connell and companions, Marysville Vicariate and then the Vicariate and Diocese of Grass Valley, led by Bishop Patrick J. Manogue, who became the founding Bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, when it was erected, one hundred twenty five years ago today; the missionary spirit of bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to God's People, from the circuit riding priests of much of the geographical expanse of the Church of Sacramento, which even today, after the creation of four or more further dioceses, is 20 counties large and could absorb Ireland one and third times over.  9 Bishops have served as the Ordinary of the Sacramento, +Patrick Manogue, +Thomas Grace, +Patrick Keane ,+Robert Armstrong, +Joseph McGucken, +Alden Bell,  +Francis Quinn, +William Weigand - and presently, the Most Reverend +Jaime Soto; along with 2 CoAdjuator Bishops, +McGucken and +Soto; and 4 Auxiliary Bishops, +Keane, +John Cummins, +Alphonse Gallegos, and +Richard Garcia.  At present, Bishop Soto, and the Sacramento Diocese await the appointment of a new Auxiliary Bishop.  With the ordination of +Thomas Daly, my seminary classmate earlier this week, as Auxilary Bishop of San Jose, hopefully a fresh, new, Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento will be appointed soon.  125 years into the history of the Diocese of Sacramento, 103 parishes, 39 parochial schoolls, 6 high schools, and a myriad of pastoral, spiritual, charitable, and social services ministries, make up our diocesan family.  May God continue to Bless the Lord's vineyard in these 20 counties of Northern / Superior California...........Grateful Thanks To The Family Of The People Of God, Who Are The Catholic-Christian Church Of Sacramento,  Fr.  Troy