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The Solidarity Ministry at St. Ignatius Parish wants you to consider: Where does your coffee come from? Where does your money go when you buy it? How do these questions relate to social justice? Can decisions like this affect the root causes of migration and have impact on communities? The Solidarity Ministry firmly believes they can, and Jesuits have been working in southern Mexico for over 50 years, also believing that through faith and hard work social justice is not only possible, but morally necessary.

This year, we were grateful to welcome two work study students from ICA Cristo Rey High School to our parish office team. Many of you had the chance to meet Ari, a senior, and Kathya, a freshman, through their work at the front desk, their help caring for our church building, and from thank-you calls to parish donors.

In June 2026, we are sending a delegation to our sister parish to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Parroquia San Antonio and the 25-year anniversary of our sister parish covenant. Experience first-hand the beauty of El Salvador, the warmth of the people who live there, and the deep connection and care for others expressed through our shared Las Vecinas ministry.

We are sending a delegation to our sister parish to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Parroquia San Antonio and the 25-year anniversary of our sister parish covenant. Experience first-hand the beauty of El Salvador, the warmth of the people who live there, and the deep connection and care for others expressed through our shared Las Vecinas ministry.

All are welcome to journey to find God in all things through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. St Agnes and St Ignatius Parishes offer the Exercises through the 19th Annotation, known as “a retreat in daily life.” The 19th Annotation Retreat is a way of making a retreat during the course of ordinary living without having to forgo, for a time, one's commitments to work, family and friends. Important in the discernment process is the completion of a questionnaire https://form.jotform.com/StIgnatius/SEEL-application-2025

My name is Alexa Martinez. I am a former Bay Area Catholic school student and the current Summer Camp Director at CYO Summer Camp. I am reaching out to share a bit about the summer camp that helped me so much in my youth, in hopes that you can pass this information on to your greater church community.

Mexico is often portrayed in international headlines through the lens of violence, political tension, or cartel-related conflict. While these realities exist and should not be ignored, they do not define the heart of the country. Reducing Mexico to fear-driven headlines overlooks the extraordinary richness of its people, culture, and everyday life. To truly understand Mexico, we must look beyond the news and experience the warmth, resilience, and beauty that shape the nation.

Our Saturday was magical! Thirty of us gathered in Fromm Hall for what was called an Art Retreat in the Ignatian Tradition. No previous art experience was required. All were welcome! All were in quiet anticipation of what we were about to engage in. Our very gifted and fabulous Retreat Director, Katie Wolf, received her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and her BFA from Santa Clara University. She introduced herself and humbly described her oh so beautiful and varied works of art by way of video which are on display throughout the city. Katie then gathered us together in prayer and community and explained how the creative expression of our art work would be deepening our sense of the Creator working through us. During the time from 9:30 am through 3:50 pm we produced varied works of art always referencing the use of nature in our projects.

On the second Tuesday of every month, St. Ignatius Parish staff and parishioners participate in a Vigil at the Sansome Street Courthouse. Sign up for one or more shifts using this QR code or with the link on our website and in your email newsletter. Parishioners are encouraged to participate in either the 9:30-11:30 am shift on the second Tuesday of the month (led by St. Ignatius) or the 7:30-9:30 am shift on the third Thursday of the month (led by St. Agnes). To participate, you’ll need a smart phone to download a messaging app. Register today for one or more vigils!

To help us keep in mind and in our prayers the humanity and dignity of all members of our extended faith community who are migrants, families and friends of migrants, or otherwise subjected to dehumanizing conduct, we have set up an Altar of Witness within the Bellarmine Chapel in St. Ignatius Church.

The parish’s Anti-Racism Committee invites all, including faithful from outside St. Ignatius, to join us in praying an “Asian American Pacific Islander Rosary” together, in-person and/or on Zoom, during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, on the following dates...

Kali sarakosti (Καλή σαρακοστή)! This literally means “Good 40-days” in Greek. In Greece, there are many greetings specifically for the beginning of an event. There are also specific greetings for religious occasions in addition to the common ordinary greetings you hear all year round, such as good day, good week or good month. Since our arrival in Greece, we have been greeted by a vibrant Catholic community. Among those who greeted us are Maronites, Jesuits, Franciscans, Capuchins, and priests from all over the world now residing in the cradle of western civilization. Within the Catholic Greece we have visited, we saw a generally thriving church scene.

Ever-glorious St. Joseph, good and faithful servant, God was pleased to place his own family in your care. You who knew the fear of fleeing to protect those you loved, be near to all who seek refuge and safety. Help us recognize Christ in the migrant and the stranger, and respond with courage and compassion. Touch the hearts of those whose policies affect the vulnerable, that they may be guided by wisdom, moved by compassion, and act with justice, always upholding the dignity of every human being. Through your intercession, grant protection to all migrants in danger —especially our parish families— that they may live without fear, and know the fullness of life God intends for all. Amen.

A blessed and joyful Easter to you – to our longtime parishioners, to those who join us each week, and to the many visitors and guests who are with us for this holy day. We are truly glad you are here!

Water is essential for all life, including human life. While a healthy adult may go several weeks without food, that individual can only go 3-4 days without water. And yet water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource throughout much of the world, including in our own region. As this new year unfolds, the story of water in the American West is both hopeful and sobering. Recent storms have filled many of California’s major reservoirs, and drought maps now show our state largely drought-free. Yet, high in the mountains—where next year’s lifeblood is stored as snow—the picture is far more fragile.

In Laudato Si Pope Francis noted that human consumption of fossil fuels (which are carbon-based) has made a significant contribution to global warming, which in turn is damaging our planet (Laudato si', 23), and he asserted that “there is an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions” (LS, 165). He called this not only a scientific necessity, but also a “moral and spiritual responsibility.” (LS, 172-175).

Several weeks ago, in my pastoral letter addressing the plight of migrant sisters and brothers in the US, I invited our faith community to consider the question, “What do you want me to do?” I later suggested three opportunities for direct action, and parishioners provided information the following weekend at all Masses. On March 10, I joined 14 other parishioners and staff at the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI) vigil at the San Francisco ICE Field Office on Sansome Street. I’d like to share with you below the reflections of two people who participated.

Irish immigration to the United States began early in the 17th century. Many of the immigrants worked as indentured servants or sought refuge from political and religious persecution. The largest wave of immigration occurred during the 19th century, particularly during and after the Great Famine (1845–1852). Over one million Irish persons fled starvation and poverty. Many Irish immigrants landed in major US port cities such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

I remember learning to walk as a child. But it was my father-in-law, Jack, who showed me how to walk as an adult. As his new daughter-in-law, Jack invited me on his regular after supper stroll through the small woods near their family home in Rochester, New York. Jack loved their home near the trees, and not too far from that big “ditch,” the Erie Canal.

Previous reflections have addressed waste reduction and prayerful eating. This week let’s talk about plastics. Plastic was invented in 1907 as a material called Bakelite made from fossil fuels and used in dials and knobs. The 1950s and 1960s in the US saw a surge in plastic use in the form of convenience goods and packaging. Plastic was used in cars, medical devices, furniture, building materials, as well as toys and clothing. As plastic trash grew, we were encouraged by plastic manufacturers, i.e., the petroleum industry, to recycle it. Recycling was promoted as an individual responsibility, not a problem in production or marketing. The Plastics Industry introduced resin identification codes—those numbers 1 – 7 found on the bottom of plastic packaging. In reality, only numbers 1 and 2 plastics can be recycled. And, like with the tobacco industry, the plastics industry knew decades ago of the harms of plastic pollution, but hid the information from the public.