About St. Anthony · Sacramento, California
St. Anthony Parish is a Catholic community of more than 2,200 households serving the Greenhaven and Pocket neighborhoods of south Sacramento. Established September 1, 1974, the parish is part of the Diocese of Sacramento and meets at 660 Florin Road. The current church and Religious Education Center were dedicated in December 1979 by Bishop Alden Bell, and the parish grew into a vibrant multicultural faith community that today offers daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for children and adults, youth ministry, OCIA/RCIA, and an extensive pastoral care and outreach program including St. Vincent de Paul, Family Promise, and Sisters Following the Way.
- Established
- 1974
- Patron
- Saint Anthony
- Rector
- Rev. Mieczyslaw "Mitch" Maleszyk
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento
Why belong here
St. Anthony is one of the larger parishes in south Sacramento with more than 2,200 households and a dynamic lay faithful who serve as catechists, council members, and event volunteers. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass (with the 10:30 am liturgy livestreamed), weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and First Fridays, a full sacramental life, and faith formation for every age. Its outreach arm reaches well beyond the church walls through St. Vincent de Paul, Family Promise, Sisters Following the Way, the SACYB youth basketball program (more than 250 children), and a robust Pastoral Care ministry that brings Communion to residents of nine local assisted-living and skilled-care facilities.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
- By appointment throughout the week
Adoration times
- Every Thursday after 8:00 am Mass
- First Friday 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Parish History
Saint Anthony Parish was established on September 1, 1974 when the Greenhaven/Pocket area was separated from Saint Joseph Parish, Clarksburg. Father Brendan O'Sullivan, the founding pastor, shepherded an initial community of roughly 400 families whose boundaries ran from the Sacramento River and Freeport Boulevard to 35th Avenue. The community worshipped at Saint Mary on Pocket Road until December 1979, when Bishop Alden Bell dedicated the current church and Religious Education Center at 660 Florin Road. The Memorial Center followed in 1996, and the offices/Religious Education Center were expanded in 2001.
- Established September 1, 1974
- First Masses held at Saint Mary church on Pocket Road (1974–1979)
- Current church and Religious Education Center dedicated December 1979 by Bishop Alden Bell
- Memorial Center built 1996
- Offices and Religious Education Center expanded 2001
- 50th anniversary celebrated in 2024
Parish Staff and Pastoral Team
In addition to the pastor and a priest in residence, the parish is served by one permanent deacon and seven lay staff members coordinating religious education, youth ministry, RCIA, health/pastoral care, facilities, and administrative support.
- Rev. Mieczyslaw "Mitch" Maleszyk – Pastor
- Rev. Raymond Tyohemba – Priest in Residence
- Rev. John E. Boll – Pastor Emeritus
- Deacon David Cabrera, Jr.
- Christine Soriano – Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry
- Barbara Collins – RCIA Coordinator
- Luis Barraza – Coordinator of Pastoral Care
- Carole Sepulveda – Bookkeeper
- Gloria Steele – Bookkeeper
- Vanessa Fisher – Administrative Assistant
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Anthony serves children, youth, and adults. The parish's children's religious education program was originally led by the Mercy Sisters of Auburn and later by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet before transitioning to lay leadership. Adult offerings include Small Faith Sharing Groups, an Adult Education Series, and an annual Adult Confirmation class.
- Children's Faith Formation (CFF) for K–8
- Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation
- Adult Faith Formation and Small Faith Sharing Groups
- Adult Education Series (typically Tuesday evenings)
- Adult Confirmation classes each spring (next session begins March 23, 2026)
- Tuition: $100 per student; $125 for those in sacrament preparation; payment plans available
OCIA / RCIA – Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA) welcomes unbaptized adults, baptized Catholics seeking full initiation, and Christians from other traditions into the Catholic Church. The journey begins with Inquiry, proceeds through the catechumenate, and culminates at the Easter Vigil with the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. Children age 7 and older who are not yet baptized also follow a parallel preparation process.
- Welcomes adults and children age 7+
- Inquiry stage for questioning and dialogue
- Catechumenate formation
- Easter Vigil reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
- OCIA brochure available from the parish office
Youth Ministry and SACYB Basketball
St. Anthony has a robust ministry to middle-schoolers and teens. The St. Anthony Middle School (SAMS) Club hosts four dances a year in the Memorial Center, and the SACYB (St. Anthony Community Youth Basketball) program provides a positive, church-based athletic environment that draws more than 250 children each season.
- Youth Ministry (parish-wide)
- SAMS Club – 7th and 8th grade social events (four dances per year in Memorial Center)
- SACYB – Community youth basketball, 250+ participants
Outreach and Pastoral Care
The parish extends its mission beyond its walls through partnerships with several well-known Catholic and ecumenical service organizations. Trained lay ministers also bring Holy Communion to the homebound and to residents of assisted-living facilities throughout the parish boundaries.
- St. Vincent de Paul – food, financial, and housing assistance
- Family Promise – hosting homeless families with children
- Sisters Following the Way
- Pastoral Care of the Sick – Communion to nine facilities: ACC Care Center, ACC Greenhaven Terrace, Greenhaven Estates, Greenhaven Healthcare Facility, Greenhaven Place, ACC Maple Tree Village, Revere Court, The Meadows at Country Place, and Waterleaf
- One-on-one Communion visits in private homes
Sacraments
Parishioners can prepare for all seven sacraments at St. Anthony, including Quinceañera celebrations. Sacramental preparation for children is coordinated through the Children's Faith Formation program; adults pursue the sacraments of initiation through OCIA, and the parish offers Adult Confirmation each spring.
- Baptism (including children age 7+)
- Confirmation (youth and adults)
- First Eucharist
- Reconciliation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Quinceañera (requirements include 6-month priest meeting, active faith formation, Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and 40 hours of community service)
Facilities and Campus
The 660 Florin Road campus grew with the parish community. The Memorial Center, completed in 1996, anchors parish life with its conference rooms, dining area, gymnasium, commercial kitchen, and library. The 2001 expansion modernized the administrative offices and added two classrooms to the Religious Education Center.
- 660 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA 95831
- Memorial Center (1996): conference rooms, dining area, gymnasium, commercial kitchen, library
- Religious Education Center (1979, expanded 2001)
- Administrative offices (modernized 2001)
Getting Involved
St. Anthony Parish describes itself as a community 'blessed with a dynamic laity' who serve as catechists, council members, event helpers, and committee members. Opportunities span liturgical ministries, faith formation, youth and family programs, outreach, and parish governance.
- Catechists and faith-formation volunteers
- Parish Council and committees
- Liturgical and event volunteers
- Youth Ministry and SACYB coaches
- St. Vincent de Paul, Family Promise, and Pastoral Care volunteers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Brendan O'Sullivan1974 – October 2005
Founding pastor; served more than 30 years; assisted by priests including Fathers Dan Looney, Sylvester McDermott, Ed Lewis, Dare Morgan, Keith Canterbury, John Keane, Rey Bersabal, and Boyet Vibandor.
- Rev. John E. Boll2005 – June 30, 2010
Second pastor; served approximately 4½ years; now Pastor Emeritus.
- Rev. Manuel SoriaJuly 1, 2010 – July 1, 2012
Third pastor; appointed pastor of Holy Family Parish in Citrus Heights in 2012.
- Rev. Loreto "Bong" Rojas, Jr.2012 – 2015
Fourth pastor; previously pastor of Saint James Parish in Davis.
- Rev. Mieczyslaw "Mitch" Maleszyk2015 – present
Originally appointed Parochial Administrator; originally from Poland; most recent prior assignment was at St. Thomas More in Paradise, CA.