About Sacred Heart · Gridley, California
Sacred Heart Parish is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Gridley, California, established in 1926 and part of the Diocese of Sacramento (Butte County / Sutter Buttes Deanery). The parish serves the Gridley community and, through its mission church Our Lady of Guadalupe in nearby Live Oak, the surrounding rural areas of the Sacramento Valley. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with a full schedule of daily, Sunday, and Vigil Masses, confessions, devotions, and active ministries spanning faith formation, music, outreach, prayer groups, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food closet. In June 2026 the parish marked its 100th anniversary with a weekend of celebrations including a Mass with Bishop Jaime Soto and the ribbon-cutting of a new pavilion behind the parish hall.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Joyle Martinez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Butte County, Sutter Buttes Deanery)
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a century-old bilingual parish that has faithfully served Gridley and the surrounding rural Sacramento Valley since 1926. Worshippers can attend daily, weekend, and Vigil Masses in English and Spanish, with confession on Thursday evenings and a Wednesday Holy Hour for adoration. The parish is alive with ministries for every age and interest — RCIA, religious education, Cursillos, Knights of Columbus, Sociedad Guadalupana, Club Guadalupano, Grupo de Oración, two choirs, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food closet — and the recently dedicated redwood pavilion now anchors community gatherings on the parish grounds.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30–6:30 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–9:00 PM (Holy Hour)
Parish History & Centennial (1926–2026)
Sacred Heart Parish was founded in 1926 in Gridley, California, in the heart of the Sacramento Valley. A century later, on the weekend of June 12–14, 2026, the parish celebrated its centennial with a string quartet concert, a Friday-evening Mass at which Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento presided, a ribbon-cutting for the new redwood pavilion, mariachi music and dancing after Sunday noon Mass, and a Mexican-American feast for parishioners and visitors.
- Founded 1926 in Gridley, CA
- Centennial celebrated June 12–14, 2026
- Mass with Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento
- Longtime pastor Fr. Roland Ramirez led celebrations and saw the pavilion project completed
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by pastor Rev. Joyle Martinez, who succeeded Rev. Roland B. Ramirez in summer 2026. Two deacons — Dcn. Jésus Venegas and Dcn. Adam Bowers — assist at the parish and its mission. María Guadalupe Ramírez serves as Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper. Fr. Roland Ramirez, who served roughly a decade at Sacred Heart and shepherded the parish through its centennial, moved to a parish in the Galt area at the end of June 2026.
- Rev. Joyle Martinez — Pastor
- Dcn. Jésus Venegas — Deacon
- Dcn. Adam Bowers — Deacon
- María Guadalupe Ramírez — Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper
- Rev. Roland B. Ramirez — former pastor (~10 years)
Sacraments
Information on the celebration of the sacraments is published on the parish website in both English and Spanish. Baptisms are scheduled monthly with required preparation classes, and couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least six months in advance.
- Baptisms (English) — every First Saturday at 9:30 AM
- Bautismos (Spanish) — every second and fourth Saturday at 9:30 AM; prep class second and fourth Thursday at 7:00 PM (parents and godparents must attend)
- Marriage — call parish office six months in advance
- Confession — Thursday 5:30–6:30 PM or by appointment
Faith Formation & Education
The parish runs Religious Education for parish children and the RCIA process for adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church. Inquiries are routed through the parish office, and Deacon Adam Bowers is the contact for RCIA.
- Religious Education — contact Parish Office (530) 846-2140
- RCIA — contact Dcn. Adam Bowers via the Parish Office
Music & Liturgical Ministries
A team of organists, guitarists, and vocalists supports liturgy at Sacred Heart, and three parish choirs serve the bilingual worshipping community. Musicians and choir members gather at the church and parish hall for rehearsals and services.
- Organists: Joan Casillas, Robert Miller
- Guitarists: Yvonne Jackson, Tim Bradford
- Vocalists: Alice Madsen, Mike Trainor, Ed Miller
- Coro Gridley (Parish Hall, Gridley) — Christina Menchaca
- Coro Divina Misericordia (Sacred Heart Church, Gridley) — Juan Gutierrez
- Coro Juventud En Cristo — Juan Sigala
Parish Groups, Prayer & Apostolate
Sacred Heart supports a wide array of parish organizations that serve both the spiritual and social needs of its bilingual community, including Guadalupan devotion, Cursillo movement, prayer groups, and fraternal organizations.
- Sociedad Guadalupana — Jose Gonzalez (530) 301-6910
- Club Guadalupano — 3rd Wednesday, 6:00 PM, Parish Hall, Live Oak; Lorena Montes (530) 695-0813
- Grupo de Oración — Tuesdays 6:00–8:00 PM, Church, Live Oak; Igrais Meleza (530) 315-1444
- Cursillos de Cristianidad — Ricardo Contreras (530) 695-0356
- Knights of Columbus — contact parish office
- Live Oak Guild — 1st Thursday, 7:30–9:00 PM, Parish Hall, Gridley
Outreach: Society of St. Vincent de Paul & Food Closet
The Sacred Heart SVdP Gridley Conference is the parish's principal outreach arm, operating a food closet to assist neighbors in need and providing counseling during operating hours. Contact the conference by phone before visiting.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Gridley Conference
- Food Closet Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:30–11:30 AM
- Assistance phone: (530) 588-9777
Parish Finance Council & Governance
The Parish Finance Council advises on stewardship and administration of parish resources. Meetings are held monthly in the Parish Hall in Gridley.
- Parish Finance Council — contact Jack Slota (530) 846-2140
- Meets every 4th Wednesday, 7:00–8:00 PM, Parish Hall, Gridley
Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission — Live Oak
Sacred Heart Parish also serves as the mother church for Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in nearby Live Oak, California. The mission hosts one of the Saturday Vigil Masses, a Sunday Spanish Mass, and ministries such as Grupo de Oración, Club Guadalupano, and the Live Oak Guild.
- Address: 9660 Broadway, Live Oak, CA 95953
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM English
- Sunday: 2:00 PM Spanish
- Club Guadalupano (3rd Wednesday, 6:00 PM, Parish Hall, Live Oak)
Visit, Contact & Office Information
Parishioners and visitors are welcome at the parish office and the church throughout the week. The recently completed redwood pavilion behind the parish hall is now the centerpiece of parish celebrations and is intended as an outreach venue for the wider Gridley community.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Phone: (530) 846-2140; Fax: (530) 846-5077
- Mailing: P.O. Box 205, Gridley, CA 95948
- New redwood pavilion behind Parish Hall — completed for the 2026 centennial
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Roland B. Ramirezapproximately 2016–June 2026 (about 10 years)
Led the parish through its 2026 centennial and oversaw construction of the new redwood pavilion behind the parish hall; departed end of June 2026 for a parish in the Galt area.
- Rev. Joyle Martinez2026–
Succeeded Father Roland Ramirez as pastor in summer 2026.