About Holy Cross · West Sacramento, California
Holy Cross Parish is a bilingual Catholic parish in West Sacramento, California, part of the Diocese of Sacramento and located in the Yolo Deanery. The parish traces its roots to the early 20th-century Catholic community of Broderick and Bryte — towns that were later consolidated into the City of West Sacramento — and was formally established in 1913. Today Holy Cross serves a diverse, English- and Spanish-speaking congregation at 1321 Anna Street, with weekend Masses in both languages, an active school, and a wide range of devotions, faith-formation programs, and charismatic renewal groups.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- Holy Cross (the True Cross of Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. Arnold P. Parungao
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Yolo County, Yolo Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Cross is a parish where two language communities — English and Spanish — worship side by side at every weekend Mass and almost every daily Mass. A working Catholic school (Holy Cross School/Academy) has been part of the mission since 1957, and the parish grounds host an unusually rich devotional life: weekly Cursillo de Cristiandad, Renovación Carismática, Agua Viva prayer group, the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús novena, monthly overnight Nocturnal Adoration, and First Friday/Saturday observances. It is a place to belong, to be formed in faith, and to be prayed with in two languages.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (or as announced)
- First Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM
- First Friday of the month at 7:00 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Spanish)
- Friday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Overnight Adoration following First Friday Mass
- 7:00 PM First Tuesday of the month (Adoración después de la Misa)
Parish Identity & Mission
Holy Cross Parish is the historic Catholic parish of West Sacramento, serving the Yolo Deanery of the Diocese of Sacramento. The parish's self-described mission, drawn from its own outreach materials, is to be 'a family of prayer,' centered in the Holy Eucharist, the sacraments, and the Word of God, called by baptism to serve, love, and minister to one another. It is a genuinely bilingual community: weekend Masses are offered in English and Spanish, and nearly every daily Mass includes a bilingual homily.
- Diocese of Sacramento parish (Yolo Deanery)
- Established 1913
- Bilingual English/Spanish worship
- Mission: 'a family of prayer' centered in the Eucharist and the sacraments
History
Holy Cross traces its roots to two early 20th-century churches built by the Diocese of Sacramento in the Broderick-Bryte community — Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (Broderick, 1915) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Bryte, 1915). Father Patrick O'Reagan, appointed in 1954, unified and expanded the parish: Holy Cross School opened in September 1957, and the present neo-Gothic Holy Cross Church was dedicated in November 1960. Families like the Durans — founding members remembered in the West Sacramento Sun — helped build and sustain the parish community that still worships on Anna Street today.
- 1915: Father Michael Walrath builds Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (Broderick) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Bryte)
- 1954: Father Patrick O'Reagan appointed; unifies the two-church parish
- 1957: Holy Cross School opens
- 1960: Holy Cross Church completed and dedicated
Clergy & Staff
Holy Cross is currently served by Rev. Arnold P. Parungao as pastor, with additional priestly ministry from Rev. Jhay B. Galeon and Rev. Chandra 'Dominic' Potnuru MSFS (Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales) in residence. The diaconate is served by Dcn. Roman Diaz. A parish Finance Council supports the temporal affairs of the parish and meets monthly on the parish calendar.
- Rev. Arnold P. Parungao — Pastor
- Rev. Jhay B. Galeon
- Rev. Chandra 'Dominic' Potnuru MSFS — In Residence
- Dcn. Roman Diaz — Deacon
- Finance Council
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs an active bilingual faith-formation program for children, youth, and families. Catecismo (parish catechism) meets in the evenings, with separate tracks culminating in First Communion (offered in English and Spanish) and Confirmation (with a parish Confirmation Day and candidate practice). Pre-Baptismal Classes prepare parents and godparents for infant baptism.
- Catecismo (parish catechism classes)
- First Communion — English and Spanish tracks
- Confirmation preparation and Confirmation Day
- Pre-Baptismal Class
Devotions & Prayer Groups
Alongside the standard liturgy, Holy Cross maintains a notably full calendar of devotional groups and movements — many of them Spanish-language or bilingual. The Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Sacred Heart of Jesus) devotion meets monthly, Adoración Nocturna (Nocturnal Adoration) is held monthly, and weekly charismatic-renewal groups include Renovación Carismática Católica (with Padre Armando López), Cursillo de Cristiandad, and the Agua Viva prayer group. A weekly Rosary and Benediction is scheduled before the Saturday Vigil Mass.
- Renovación Carismática Católica — weekly, Tuesdays 7:00 PM
- Cursillo de Cristiandad — weekly
- Agua Viva — weekly prayer group
- Sagrado Corazón de Jesús — monthly devotion
- Adoración Nocturna — monthly overnight
- Rosary & Benediction (weekly)
Parish School: Holy Cross School / Academy
A Catholic school has been a part of Holy Cross's mission since 1957. Listed locally as 'Holy Cross Academy,' it continues to carry out the parish's educational mission to teach children about Christ, building on more than a century of Catholic school education at the parish site.
- Holy Cross School opened September 1957
- Listed today as Holy Cross Academy (West Sacramento)
- Integral part of the parish's catechetical mission
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments in both English and Spanish. Baptism is prepared for through the parish's Pre-Baptismal Class; First Communion and Confirmation each have multi-week parish programs with scheduled confessions for candidates; Marriage is arranged through the parish office; and Anointing of the Sick is available on request, with the parish also coordinating funeral liturgies. Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons and on First Tuesdays/Fridays.
- Baptism (Pre-Baptismal Class required)
- First Communion (English & Spanish)
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Masses (coordinated by the parish office)
- Reconciliation: Sat 4:00 PM; 1st Tue & 1st Fri 7:00 PM
Getting Involved
Beyond the parish school, the parish catalog lists ministries and groups for nearly every age and stage of life — Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry for younger parishioners, Vocations support for those discerning priesthood or religious life, liturgical Worship ministries for Mass, the Unbound Ministry for prayer and inner-healing prayer, and a parish Finance Council for stewardship. The parish's longstanding charismatic and devotional groups — Renovación Carismática, Cursillo de Cristiandad, Agua Viva — are also open entry points for new parishioners.
- Youth Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry
- Vocations
- Worship / liturgical ministries
- Unbound Ministry
- Finance Council
- Renovación Carismática / Cursillo / Agua Viva
Visiting & Contact
The parish offices and church are located at 1321 Anna Street, West Sacramento, CA 95605, with the main office reachable at 916-371-1211. The parish maintains its own website at holycrosswestsac.org, which carries the weekly Mass and event calendar; the Diocese of Sacramento also lists the parish at scd.org/parish/holy-cross-parish-west-sacramento.
- Address: 1321 Anna Street, West Sacramento, CA 95605
- Phone: 916-371-1211
- Parish website: holycrosswestsac.org
- Diocesan page: scd.org/parish/holy-cross-parish-west-sacramento
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael Walrathcirca 1915
Diocesan priest known as 'The Builder of Churches'; directed by the Diocese of Sacramento to found/build the two early Broderick-Bryte parishes.
- Father Patrick O'Reaganappointed 1954
Oversaw the fundraising and construction that produced Holy Cross School (opened 1957) and the present Holy Cross Church (dedicated November 1960).