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What the Resurrection of Jesus promises is that things can always be new again. It is never too late to begin anew. No sin is unforgiven. No betrayal is final. Grief, anger and bitterness can give way to surprise, good humor and delight. Every form of death can be overcome. Norbertine priest and poet Francis Dorff captures what resurrection might mean for us today in his poem Everything Becomes A Door:

All are welcome to journey to find God in all things through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. St Agnes and St Ignatius Parishes offer the Exercises through the 19th Annotation, known as “a retreat in daily life.” The 19th Annotation Retreat is a way of making a retreat during the course of ordinary living without having to forgo, for a time, one's commitments to work, family and friends. Important in the discernment process is the completion of a questionnaire https://form.jotform.com/StIgnatius/SEEL-application-2025

Joseph Frank Bonfiglio went home to God on April 2, 2025, with his beloved wife Kathryn and his children at his side. He was nine days short of his 95th birthday. Joe was born to Vincent and Marie (Messina) Bonfiglio on April 11, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. When Joe was six, Vincent went to California to seek better employment. When he found it, he wired Marie: “Sell the house, and bring Joseph.” Joe, his mother, another family of four, a dog, and all their belongings made the trip in a 1930 Ford sedan to San Jose, which Joe called home for the rest of his life.

The St. Ignatius Parish Girls' Basketball season is off to a fantastic start, and we’d love your support! Both our 7th and 8th grade teams are undefeated so far, and they’re showing incredible teamwork and determination. Despite not having a dedicated gym, our 8th-grade team is holding its own in the top CYO division—an impressive feat! Both our 7th and 8th-grade teams are on fire, remaining undefeated!

Easter is a very joyous time and a robust hospitality hour following the Sunday 10 Mass is a tradition for St. Ignatius Parish. The parish needs a strong representation from all of us. You can help!

On March 8th, our Year 2 8th-grade Confirmation students participated in a full-day retreat, a journey of reflection and deepening their connection with God and each other. The day began with a communal morning prayer and the Liturgy of the Hours—an ancient Christian practice prayed worldwide, primarily by religious communities. Despite some initial uncertainty, the students were drawn in as they experienced the slow work of God.

April is Arab-American Heritage Month—a time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans to our society. From scientists such as Nobel Prize winner Elias J. Corey, to business leaders such as Steve Jobs, and to writers as diverse as Kahlil Gibran, Edward Said, and Raymond Khoury, Arab Americans have woven their talents into the fabric of our nation. Arab communities in the US are incredibly diverse, with roots in over 20 countries, including Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Morocco. They also bring a variety of faith traditions—Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant), Muslim, and others—all of which add to the beauty of our shared human story.

Holy Week Schedule: Palm Sunday April 13: Saturday 5 pm Vigil Mass: Sunday: 8 am, 10 am (with Solemn Procession), 5 pm, 7 pm USF Student Mass

In the past many weeks, visitors and guests whom I’ve met have commented on how much is going on in our parish. They have been touched by your welcome, and they are inspired by all the ministry opportunities they see in the bulletin. It’s good to have some outside perspective! Of course, a welcoming and vibrant faith community is possible only when parishioners generously share the various talents that God gave them. And there are so many of you! I’d like here to acknowledge some of those groups of people and the ministries that they provide.

Once again we enter into the great season of Lent. It’s that season in our liturgical life when our hearts and minds prayerfully review in a special way God’s goodness to us and our often inadequate and sometimes sinful response.

My name is Dan Sullivan, and I have been a member of the Mercy & Justice Commission the past two years and a member of St. Ignatius parish for a little over five years. When I decided to move back to the Bay Area in 2019, the first thing I decided was that no matter where I ended up living (turned out to be Santa Rosa), St. Ignatius would be my parish. I deeply believe that Catholic social teaching around corporal works of mercy must be a core component of a Catholic community, rather than some ancillary or optional part. As Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles (then President of the USCCB) put it, without this core component it is “pseudo-religion.” I was engaged with Ignatian spirituality, and knew that Saint Ignatius would be a welcoming home for me.

Did you know that the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco played an influential role in the life of the American journalist, Catholic social activist, and founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, Dorothy Day? Dorothy Day was born on November 8, 1897, in Brooklyn, New York. Her father, a sportswriter, took a position with the San Francisco Chronicle and the family moved to Oakland, California. In the aftermath of the earthquake, nine-year-old Dorothy witnessed the outpouring of support and self-sacrifice by the community. Young Dorothy drew a lesson about individual action and the Christian community, two guiding principles that would inform her entire life.

We invite you to follow in the traditional Stations of the Cross accompanied by multi-cultural imagery, a rich diversity of cultures and artistic expressions. The program was developed by the St. Ignatius Parish Anti-Racism Committee.

It has been an honor and a pleasure for me to serve for the past three years on the St. Ignatius Worship Commission. What exactly (you may ask) is the Worship Commission and what does it do? Well, the Worship Commission has a fairly broad mandate. We are asked to faithfully follow the Liturgical Calendar and to guide the cyclical celebration of each season through both the environment of the church itself and the Liturgy of the Word. During our time together we review the year past and seek ways to further the joy for each season in the new year. Our commission is asked to help give each liturgical season a deeper and more spiritual formation throughout the year and to invite everyone to participate in our faith more fully.

Searching for a way to reflect more deeply during Lent? Lent arrives soon with Ash Wednesday on March 5. Does it inspire thoughts about fasting or memories of giving up chocolate? This year you might want to consider another choice as you keep the season. Lectio Divina is a prayer practice which in a small group setting includes meditation on Scripture and sharing responses. In my childhood Lent was a time of penance and being told to quit fighting with my sister.

As you know, the Preservation & Promise Campaign is behind us, and it was an over-the-top success. Through the generosity of 791 households and foundations, we raised more than $27.4 million! (It’s important to note that about $800,000 of that total are earnings on the pledge payments. The members of our Finance Committee carefully invested those monies until we needed to pay our construction bills. Remarkable!) The lion’s share of the donations was for the restoration of St. Ignatius Church, which is now complete. In addition, nearly $1.7 million was pledged for the Social Ministries Endowment, the earnings of which will help pay the salary for a part-time Coordinator of Social Ministries. (We’re just a couple of weeks away from posting the job description.) I am very proud of what we accomplished, and I hope that you are, too. (Note: The donor wall to recognize those who participated in the campaign is in progress. We will have a celebration after its installation and formally end the campaign.)

This year, Ramadan is being celebrated within the Islamic community beginning the evening of Friday, February 28 and lasting until March 29. Join us in wishing our Muslim friends a “Ramadan Mubarak”, meaning “have a blessed and generous Ramadan.” On behalf of the Anti-Racism Committee, parishioner Rick Fain offers this description so we may better understand the faith of our Muslim neighbors in San Francisco and around the world.

My husband and I joined St. Ignatius Parish in 2003, drawn by the Jesuit approach and community. Throughout this time, we were able to create a spiritual foundation through the significant rites and sacraments tied to building our family, from marriage preparation to the baptism, first communion, and confirmation for each of our four daughters. As much as I felt part of the church community, it wasn’t until Covid hit that I realized how deep our connections with St. Ignatius ran. Not being able to gather in person and discuss spiritual life regularly felt like a huge loss. Ironically, right as we began to celebrate mass in person safely, our whole family contracted Covid and we were not able to participate in the first Christmas pageant. It was another blow, underlining the highlight of our faith: sharing and living God’s message with others.

Need a little help at home, or know a parishioner who does? We’re re-booting the Neighbor to Neighbor ministry at St. Ignatius, and although the “official” re-boot will be at Masses on the weekend of March 8/9, we are reaching out now to parishioners who can use a helping hand from time to time. This ministry is available for only St. Ignatius parishioners, who will be helped by other parishioners.