News - January 2026

Earlier this week, after reading the New York Times front page stories about the murder of Alex Pretti and its aftermath, I pushed the paper away and dropped my head into my hands. The inaudible words that crossed my lips were simple and familiar: Jesus, what do you want me to do? Immediately, I heard a response, also inaudible, but clearly, in the way God sometimes speaks when we are listening: “You have a body, and you have a pulpit.” It was a voice I have known and trusted for decades. I understood it to mean that my faithfulness to Jesus now requires both presence and proclamation: that I must show up with my body, and that I must speak and write from the responsibility entrusted to me in my mission as pastor of St. Ignatius Parish. I share this with you because it matters that you know that what I write comes from prayer, from discernment, and from my understanding of what God is asking of me in this moment.

In the coming weeks, you may notice some construction activity in one of the chapel bays on the southwest side of the church. Something exciting is taking shape! As part of our ongoing gratitude to the nearly-800 households and organizations who participated in the Preservation & Promise campaign, we are installing an engraved listing of supporters' names along with a striking scale model of the church’s steel frame. The model will rest on a foundation of the same jadeite stone on which the church is built, offering a tangible connection between our building's history and its renewed future. We are delighted to be working with a talented team of Bay Area artisans, including Studio Manouche and Pure Black Inc., (pureblackinc.com) who bring thoughtful design and craftsmanship to this project. Please plan to join us! Mark your calendars for a campaign completion celebration and unveiling on Sunday, April 26, following the 10:00 am Mass. We look forward to gathering in gratitude and celebration as we formally dedicate this new installation.

It’s always fun to discover a new saint to contemplate and engage with them, and it was a joy when, sometime back, my fellow Anti-Racism Committee member Angie Vuong introduced the Parish to St. Andrew Dung-Lac, a Saint of whom I had not been aware. I now include him in my Litany rotation. (Far and away my favorite prayer is the Litany of the Saints. I love asking for the intercession of the Saints and the sweet rhythms of this prayer.) Recently, I’ve been meditating on important aspects of the lives of several ancient saints that de-centers their often pre-supposed “whiteness.”

Searching for a way to reflect more deeply during Lent? Lent arrives soon with Ash Wednesday on March 5. Does it inspire thoughts about fasting or memories of giving up chocolate? This year you might want to consider another choice as you keep the season. Lectio Divina is a prayer practice which in a small group setting includes meditation on Scripture and sharing responses. In my childhood Lent was a time of penance and being told to quit fighting with my sister.

Pope Leo has announced that the starting point for the catechesis of his papacy will be the documents of Vatican II, and he is encouraging Catholics to become directly familiar with these documents. Our parish has a wonderful set of presentations on four of the 16 documents, the four constitutions on our YouTube channel. Find the link to our video series from 2022 on YouTube: Vatican II: Living into the Council

Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors (OWLS) is a thriving ministry as seniors (50+) gather to enjoy each other’s company and participate in a variety of activities that reflect the interests of senior members of our parish. The group meets once a month, on the second Friday of the month, but during the Lenten Series will meet once a week.

This Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, let us remember his radical advocacy of love as expressed in the Gospels. This love extends to everyone, even under the harshest structural injustices, which he sought to help us all change so we could be closer to God. And let us remember his heterodox Christian martyrdom and nonviolent civil disobedience. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Read a summary of the Catholic and interfaith commemoration of the person whose faith in action we honor this weekend.