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Braiding Sweetgrass is a nonfiction work by botanist and Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Robin Wall Kimmerer. Richard Powers, in The New York Times, calls the author, “a font of endless knowledge, both mental and spiritual." Robin Wall Kimmerer asks questions of nature using the tools of science, and as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she asks us to embrace the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers.

June 21, is the feast day of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian Jesuit known for his courage in serving the sick and his dedication to the education of young students. In 1591, a plague swept over Rome. St. Aloysius volunteered to serve at the Jesuit-established hospital, where he and his fellow Jesuits worked directly with the infected. St. Aloysius begged for alms for the victims and also worked one-on-one to feed and clean those affected by the epidemic. He contracted the plague and his health declined quickly. He died in Rome on June 21, 1591, at the age of 23, and we was canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII.

Greetings, St. Ignatius community. You might know me. I’m Jen and you’ll often find me greeting at the Saturday 5pm Mass at the Parker Avenue door. My other half, Becky, and I have been members of the Parish for about four years. In addition to my greeter duties, I serve on the Worship Commission and Becky is part of the Liturgical Environment Committee. We love being part of this parish and participating in these ways, but we also acknowledge that it’s still quite surprising to us. We never thought we’d be so involved in a church. When we were asked to contribute our thoughts during Pride month, we had to really consider whether or not we had anything to say. June is no different to us than any other month as we’re long past the days of parades and parties. But then we thought about our Parish asking us about Pride Month, and our minds were blown. Our Catholic Parish was asking us to speak about our experience! It was nearly unbelievable.

In the spirit of Catholic Social Teaching, which asserts that we are one family created in God’s image, we are called to extend respect and courtesy to all faith traditions. As Pope Leo recently reminded us, hope calls on us to put our trust in God, just as Moses did and as our Muslim friends do as they celebrate Muharram starting on June 16.

To avoid falling for scams where someone pretends to be Fr. Greg or anyone else, always verify unexpected requests for money, gift cards, phone calls or sensitive information. Contact the pastor or church office directly using a trusted, pre-existing phone number, or use the official phone numbers and email addresses on the website, stignatiussf.org. Never reply to the suspicious message directly.

Pope Leo XIV has decreed that 2026 (January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027) will be a special Year of Saint Francis “in which every faithful Christian, following the example of the Saint of Assisi, shall become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.” We are called to be witnesses of peace by boldly proclaiming the dignity of the human person and working for the protection of all human life.

The Feast Day of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. is June 21 We invite you to come to the Chapel of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. in St. Ignatius Church, on this day, this month, or any time. Volunteers and staff are currently providing opportunities for reflection and engagement in this chapel. We hope you will visit!

The St. Ignatius Parish Anti-Racism Committee is proud to sponsor this year's St. Ignatius Parish summer read. Join us as we embark on this annual parish tradition! This year our reading will bring us wisdom from our Indigenous Sisters and Brothers that pertains to our natural world. This summer we’ll be reading Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, and discussing it on Sunday, September 20, following hospitality after the 10 am Mass.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is planning to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Thursday, June 11, in Florida, on the eve of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. See our website and your email newsletter for a link to watch this live. Eucharistic Adoration in preparation for the day is strongly encouraged. St. Mary’s Cathedral offers Eucharistic Adoration every first Friday of the month from 8 am to 5 pm.

Last weekend, we honored Deacon Eddy Gutierrez and the twelfth anniversary of his ordination to the Diaconate. In my remarks, I expressed our gratitude for his ministry to us. His homilies most often begin with a story from his family life and conclude with an insight into God’s immense love for us, an invitation to service, or a path to a deeper relationship with Jesus. His wisdom is borne of years of loving commitment as a husband, father, coach, and disciple of Jesus. Deacon Eddy has accompanied scores of women and men on their journey into our Catholic faith as a catechist for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). He has also walked with people as they prepared for marriage or baptized their children or buried their loved ones. Deacon Eddy, we are blessed by your faith, your love for us, and your ministry to us. We are grateful to God that you walk with us, and we wish you many continued blessings in the years to come. Ad multos annos!

The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) renewed the ministry of the diaconate in the Catholic Church — restoring it as a permanent state of life, opening it to married men, and teaching that deacons are ordained to serve in liturgy, word and charity to the people of God.

May is the month of Mary and a special time to pray the Rosary. At the Mary Altar, at the front of the church, hangs a tapestry of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lovingly restored by our master textile conservator, Joyce Hulbert. Joyce spent countless hours lovingly caring for these pieces which were on the edge of decay but they again radiate their former, and present, grandeur. One of the tremendous gifts of belonging to St. Ignatius Parish is to be surrounded by our grand building. Fr. Greg often alludes to the walls having absorbed the prayers of this community for more than one hundred years, and the tangible feeling of stepping into a holy place when one crosses the threshold into our church. It seems as if only yesterday, our beautiful House of Worship was shrouded in scaffolding for what had been long-needed and extensive repairs to the exterior of the building. There were also two smaller, but very important, restoration projects taking place behind the scenes. The sacristy of our church is home to historic treasures, many of these treasures are antique textiles crafted with such integrity that they are still in use today. Two of the most beautiful of these have recently returned after having been expertly restored.

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.