About St. Ignatius Loyola · Sacramento, California
St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, founded in 1954, is a Jesuit parish in Sacramento's Arden-Arcade district, California. Invited by Sacramento's Catholic bishop and local residents, the Society of Jesus established the parish and a grammar school, pastoral works that later led to Jesuit High School and Cristo Rey High School Sacramento. Today the parish serves approximately 3,000 families with a vibrant liturgical and catechetical life, complemented by a strong commitment to social justice and the Ignatian spiritual tradition. Fr. Tom Lucas, S.J. currently serves as the tenth Jesuit pastor of the parish.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas M. (Tom) Lucas, S.J.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento
Why belong here
St. Ignatius Loyola Parish offers a vibrant Jesuit Catholic community rooted in 70 years of Ignatian spirituality in the heart of Sacramento's Arden-Arcade neighborhood. Parishioners of all ages can join over 24 ministries and groups spanning liturgical service, music, faith formation for children and adults, and outreach to those in need through St. Vincent de Paul, Sharing God's Bounty, a Sister Parish in Honduras, and the Xavier Ministry. With four Sunday Masses, daily Mass, weekly confession, and a Center for Ignatian Spirituality, it is a parish where families, long-time members, and newcomers can find a spiritual home.
Mass times at St. Ignatius Loyola
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (in the Chapel; enter via the chapel vestibule beneath the bell tower)
- Other times available by appointment through the Parish Office, (916) 482-9666
Adoration times
- First Fridays after 8:00 a.m. Mass (Holy Hour)
About the Parish
St. Ignatius Loyola Parish is a Jesuit parish in Sacramento's Arden-Arcade district, founded in 1954 at the invitation of Sacramento's Catholic bishop and local residents. It serves approximately 3,000 families today as a vibrant liturgical and catechetical center. The parish is grounded in Ignatian spirituality and complemented by a strong commitment to the gospel of justice and peace, lived out through a wide variety of social ministries and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality.
- Founded in 1954 by the Society of Jesus
- Approximately 3,000 families served
- Tenth Jesuit pastor: Fr. Tom Lucas, S.J. (since 2020)
- Member of the American River Deanery, Diocese of Sacramento
History of St. Ignatius
St. Ignatius was founded in 1954 by the Society of Jesus with Fr. Fred Cosgrove, S.J. as the first pastor. Early Masses were celebrated in 'The Barn,' a rustic rented lumberyard storage space on the corner of Watt Avenue and Arden Way. A temporary church soon replaced The Barn, and the permanent church still in use today was dedicated in 1959.
- 1954: Parish founded; Masses begin in 'The Barn' on Watt Avenue and Arden Way
- 1959: Permanent church built and dedicated
- 1961: Rectory built
- 1989: Parish Center built with gym and Garden Room
- 2019: New Parish Office and School building opened
- 2024: Parish celebrated its 70th anniversary
Jesuit Education Legacy
The founders of St. Ignatius, Jesuits and local community members alike, shared a deep commitment to Catholic education. This commitment produced three schools in the Sacramento area.
- St. Ignatius School (opened 1954; approximately 400 students enrolled; led by Lay School Board since 1975)
- Jesuit High School (opened 1963)
- Cristo Rey High School Sacramento (opened 2006, co-founded with the Sisters of Mercy)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Ignatius offers religious education for children, Confirmation preparation for junior high youth, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for adults and children seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church or the completion of the Sacraments of Initiation. Classes for school-age children (Kindergarten through Junior High) meet on Sundays from 10:30 AM to 12:00 noon. Children at the parish school also prepare in second grade for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and eighth graders prepare for Confirmation.
- Children's Religious Education (Kindergarten-8th Grade), Sundays 10:30 AM-12:00 noon
- Junior High Confirmation (two-year process)
- Adult Confirmation
- OCIA for Adults and Children (Coordinator: Heather Derenzo, [email protected], 916-482-9666 ext. 1014)
- Catholics Come Home program for returning Catholics
- Adult education opportunities offered throughout the year
Ministries and Groups
The parish supports 24 ministries, social, and prayer groups across five categories: Liturgical, Music & Technology, Mission & Outreach, Faith Formation, and Fellowship & Social.
- Liturgical: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Hospitality, Lectors, Altar Servers
- Music & Technology: Parish Choir, 5:30 PM Ensemble, Children's Choir, Sound Board, Videography
- Mission & Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul, Sharing God's Bounty, Quilting for a Cause, Stitches 4 Good, Xavier Ministry, Catholic Appeal, Sister Parish (Honduras), HART, Social Concerns, Ecumenical and Interfaith Collaboration, Social Justice Ministry, Bereavement, Fil-Am Community
- Faith Formation: Children, Junior High Confirmation, Adult Confirmation, OCIA for Adults and Children, Children's Liturgy
- Fellowship & Social: Coffee & Donuts, Knights of Columbus, Bingo for Seniors, Quest, Legion of Mary
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Children typically prepare for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation after two years of formation in the parish school or the Parish Religious Education Program. Confirmation is a two-year process undertaken at the Junior High level. OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is offered for adults and children who wish to become Catholic or complete the Sacraments of Initiation.
- Baptism
- First Eucharist and First Reconciliation (two-year preparation)
- Confirmation (two-year process at the Junior High level)
- OCIA for Adults and Children
- Reconciliation: Saturdays 3:00-5:00 PM or by appointment
- Marriage and Anointing of the Sick available by contacting the Parish Office
St. Ignatius School
St. Ignatius School opened alongside the parish in 1954 and has been served by a Lay School Board since 1975, when the Sisters of the Holy Names ended their leadership of the school. The school enrolls approximately 400 students and moved into a brand-new school building in 2019. Sacramental preparation is woven into the curriculum: second graders prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, eighth graders prepare for Confirmation, and all students in grades 1-8 receive Eucharist weekly at Mass, with Reconciliation offered during Advent and Lent.
- Opened in 1954 alongside the parish
- Approximately 400 students enrolled
- Run by the Sisters of the Holy Names from 1954 to 1975
- Lay School Board established under Fr. Carroll Laubacher, S.J.
- New school building opened in 2019
- Principal: Paula Romo
- School website: https://www.stignatiussacschool.org
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or in person during office hours. The chapel entrance, used for confessions, is located next to the bell tower.
- Address: 3235 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
- Phone: (916) 482-9666
- Fax: 916-482-6573
- Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Confession entrance: Chapel vestibule beneath the bell tower
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Fred Cosgrove, S.J.1954-1973
Founding pastor of the parish.
- Fr. Carroll Laubacher, S.J.1973-1977
Helped establish a Lay School Board to keep St. Ignatius School open after the Sisters of the Holy Names departed in 1975.
- Fr. Roger McAuliffe, S.J.1977-1978
- Fr. Francis X. Murphy, S.J.1978-1984
- Fr. Martin Rock, S.J.1984-1986
- Fr. Dare Morgan, S.J.1986-1992
- Fr. Christopher Cartwright, S.J.1992-1998
- Fr. Gerry Robinson, S.J.1998-2009
- Fr. Mike Moynahan, S.J.2009-2020
- Fr. Tom Lucas, S.J.2020-Present
Tenth Jesuit pastor; serves approximately 3,000 families.