About Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is a Latin-rite diocese of the Catholic Church covering 20 counties across the northern and eastern regions of California, including 42,613 square miles. Erected by Pope Leo XIII on May 28, 1886, from the territory of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the suppressed Diocese of Grass Valley, it is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Its mother church is the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento — once the largest church of any denomination west of the Mississippi River. The diocese is led today by its ninth bishop, Jaime Soto, and serves more than one million Catholics through 102 parishes, 40 missions, three Newman Centers, 36 elementary schools, and six high schools.
- Bishop
- Jaime Soto
- Established
- 1886
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Sacramento
- Territory
- 20 counties in the northern and eastern regions of California, spanning 42,613 square miles
- Parishes
- 102 parishes, 40 missions, 3 Newman Centers
- Province
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
History of the Diocese
The story of the Diocese of Sacramento is the story of Northern California's transformation from gold-rush frontier to modern state capital region. Catholic life began on August 10, 1850, when Dominican Father Peter Augustine Anderson celebrated the first Mass in Northern California at 5th and L streets in Sacramento — with Governor Peter Burnett in attendance. The formal jurisdictional structure followed a decade later with the 1860 Vicariate Apostolic of Marysville, which became the Diocese of Grass Valley in 1868 and finally the Diocese of Sacramento in 1886.
- 1850 — First Mass in Northern California by Father Peter Augustine Anderson, O.P.
- 1860 — Vicariate Apostolic of Marysville erected (Bishop Eugene O'Connell)
- 1868 — Diocese of Grass Valley erected
- 1884 — Patrick Manogue succeeds O'Connell as Bishop of Grass Valley
- 1886 — Diocese of Sacramento erected by Pope Leo XIII; Manogue named first bishop
- 1889 — Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament dedicated
- 1931 — Nevada counties lost to the new Diocese of Reno
- 1962 — Territory split: Dioceses of Santa Rosa and Stockton erected; Solano County added
- 1966 — Alpine County transferred to Stockton
Our Bishop
Bishop Jaime Soto became the ninth Bishop of Sacramento in November 2008 after serving approximately one year as coadjutor bishop. Pope Benedict XVI named him coadjutor on October 11, 2007. Prior to Sacramento, Bishop Soto served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Orange since March 2000, when he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Titular Bishop of Segia. His episcopal ordination took place on the Feast of the Visitation, May 31, 2000. Bishop Emeritus William K. Weigand, the eighth bishop, continues in retirement.
- Bishop Jaime Soto — ninth bishop, 2008 to present
- Bishop William K. Weigand — eighth bishop, 1994-2008, Bishop Emeritus
- Former Auxiliary Bishop of Orange and Titular Bishop of Segia
Lineage of Bishops
Sacramento has had nine ordinary bishops since 1886, beginning with the legendary Patrick Manogue. Each era left its mark — Manogue's cathedral, Grace's bridges to modern California, Keane's parochial schools, Armstrong's social institutions, McGucken's later move to the San Francisco archdiocese, Bell's reorganization, Quinn's pastoral renewal, Weigand's refocus on Catholic teaching, and Soto's immigrant and social-justice outreach.
- Bishop Patrick Manogue (1884-1895) — first Bishop of Sacramento
- Bishop Thomas Grace (1896-1921)
- Bishop Patrick Keane (1922-1928)
- Bishop Robert Armstrong (1929-1957)
- Bishop Joseph T. McGucken (1957-1962)
- Bishop Alden J. Bell (1962-1979)
- Bishop Francis A. Quinn (1980-1993)
- Bishop William K. Weigand (1994-2008)
- Bishop Jaime Soto (2008-present)
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is the mother church of the diocese and one of three most historically significant buildings in Sacramento. Italian Renaissance on the exterior and Victorian on the interior, with trompe l'oeil painting, it was designed by Bryan J. Klinch of San Francisco after L'Église de la Sainte-Trinité in Paris. The cornerstone was laid June 12, 1887; the cathedral was dedicated June 30, 1889, then the largest church of any denomination west of the Mississippi. The central bell tower rises 215 feet; the building seats about 1,400 people. A 2003-2005 restoration reopened the 110-foot interior dome, added a Eucharistic chapel and two side chapels, and reinforced the structure with 320 metric tons of steel to withstand an 8.0-magnitude earthquake. The $34 million project was the largest financial undertaking in the diocese's history.
- Italian Renaissance exterior, Victorian interior
- Modeled on L'Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris
- 200 x 100 ft footprint, 1,400 seats, 215-ft central bell tower
- Mrs. Mary Bethel donated the Seth Thomas clock (1902) and four tower bells
- Martyrs Chapel and Chapel of Our Lady and Saints of the Americas with 20-foot EverGreene murals
- Reopened dome with 7-ft Holy Spirit dove and 16 Eucharistic rondels
- 13-ft crucifix and 14-ft crown above the altar suspended by aircraft cable
Catholic Schools
The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Sacramento have been forming students 'for God, service and the future' for the last 160 years. The system today comprises 36 elementary schools and six high schools serving more than 13,000 students and their families across the 20-county region.
- 36 elementary schools
- 6 high schools
- Over 13,000 students
- Mission: Catholic faith formation and academic excellence
- Catholic School Tuition Assistance supported by the diocesan Appeal
Catholic Charities & Social Concerns
The Office of Catholic Charities and Social Concerns coordinates the diocese's response to the gospel mandate to serve the poor, the immigrant, the disabled, and anyone in need. It administers 18 Appeal-funded member agencies and nearly 100 programs throughout the 20-county region. The work spans food, housing, immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, mental health, maternity care, restorative justice, advocacy, and pastoral care of the sick.
- Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (founded by Father Dan Madigan)
- Catholic Charities of Yolo-Solano (serving since 1942)
- Northern Valley Catholic Social Service (NVCSS)
- Mother Teresa Maternity Home, Placerville (founded 1998)
- Camp ReCreation for people with developmental disabilities
- Rancho Cordova Food Locker
- The Upper Room Dining Hall at St. Patrick's Parish (since 1993)
- Diocesan Immigrant Support Network (DISN), founded 2008
- Catholic HIV/AIDS Ministry (CAM)
- Restorative Justice Ministry
- Whole Person Care Initiative
- Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Campaign for Human Development
- Get On The Bus, Catholic Lobby Day
Migrant & Immigrant Ministry
The diocese operates a robust Migrant Ministry (Pastoral Migrante) in three farmworker camps in Davis, Dixon, and Madison, supported by St. James (Davis), St. Peter (Dixon), and St. Anthony (Winters) parishes. The Diocesan Immigrant Support Network (DISN), founded in 2008, connects immigrant parishioners to accurate legal information, low-cost immigration legal services, and advocacy for reform.
- Pastoral Migrante active in Davis, Dixon, Madison camps
- Weekly Mass, faith formation, catechesis, sacramental prep
- DISN coordinated through Catholic Charities Yolo-Solano, SFBFS, NVCSS
- Refugee Resettlement Program (SFBFS)
- Share the Journey Campaign
Diocesan Archives
The Diocese of Sacramento maintains an extensive collection of historical artifacts, documents, and books that unfold the story of the Sacramento Diocese from its earliest missionary days. The archives are organized into volumes covering the bishops, parishes, and institutions from 1861 to the present.
- Volume 1: The Bishops of the Diocese 1861-2012
- Volumes cover each bishop from O'Connell through Soto
- Artifacts, documents, and rare books
Parishes, Missions, and Newman Centers
The diocese's sacramental and pastoral life is rooted in 102 parishes, 40 missions, and three Newman Centers across the 20-county region. Parishes range from historic urban parishes in Sacramento to small rural missions in the foothills and far northern counties, and from Spanish-language ministries serving immigrant farmworkers to college-campus ministries through the Newman Centers.
- 102 parishes
- 40 missions
- 3 Newman Centers
- Coverage of 20 counties in northern and eastern California
