Today's Gospel, Sunday XXX of O/T (Mark 10:46-52) tells us the story of the blind Bartimaeus, this blind man who perhaps in the morning someone took him to the place on the road where he used to beg for alms, perhaps he did not get up thinking that that day would change his life, when he learned that Jesus was passing near him he sensed that it was the great opportunity for Jesus to do something for him, and began to shout "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!", The blind Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus as the Messiah by faith, he knows that Jesus can help him, and he shouted insistently for help.

In this week’s gospel, Jesus warns His disciples about the importance of acknowledging Him, and the consequences that may come when He is denied. I doubt that most of us deny Jesus by our words, but what about our actions? Jesus not only desires that we practice what we preach, He hopes that we truly practice what we profess to believe. As we reflect on this week’s gospel, we should be asking ourselves if we are truly living as disciples of Christ, or if we have areas in our lives that need some adjustments.

This week we hear of the man who inquires of Jesus how to obtain eternal life. He rejects Jesus’ invitation to sell his goods, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. Mark tells us this devastatingly sad line, “At this saying, his countenance fell and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). The man’s heart wasn’t centered on Jesus, but on his possessions. Perhaps Jesus intuited this. Now, we don’t know if Jesus intended to actually make him go through with it, like God’s call to test Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. But sadly, in this case the willingness was not there to entrust everything to Jesus. And this made the man deeply sad.

For this year 2024, Pope Francis' message for the 18th World Mission Day has the motto: "Go and invite everyone to the banquet" (cf. Mt 22:9). Every Christian, from his baptism, is called to be a Disciple/missionary of Christ. And this is the task of the Christian Community. Vocation and task, that is, the call and commitment of all to: First, have a "personal encounter" with the Lord Jesus, who invites and exhorts us to conversion, to the transformation of life. Second, after the encounter comes the "following", that is, living in Christ as the WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE. Such following entails a commitment to change and renewal of life and history.

My Dear People of God,

Within this busy month of September, the Church invites us to pause and reflect upon one of her feast days: the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14. This is the only day outside of the Good Friday Liturgy, with the Veneration of the Cross, that we are called to give attention to the wood of the Holy Cross. On September 14, we are invited to behold the mystery of the cross.

Hello, my St. Stanislaus family!

It is so good to be back inside the church on Maze Blvd.! So much so that I feel bad that we are not utilizing it more often as it is such a beautiful church. In consulting with many people, including the clergy of the parish, we are going to being “Wednesdays at Maze.” This means that as much of the liturgies and sacraments we can celebrate at the church on Maze on Wednesdays, we will.

In this week’s Gospel of Mark, Jesus speak in his native Aramaic language. He says “Ephphatha!” Meaning, “Be opened,” as he touched the man’s ears and his tongue, to heal his deafness and his speech impediment. In Christ’s healings, he restores the people from their defects and their wounds, a consequence from Original Sin.

“Oh, I praise that mercy of yours which is beyond praising, and I adore in thanksgiving your most loving kindness from the depths of my nothingness.” – St. Gertrude

This week’s gospel reading is a beautiful reminder that we should never despair of the power of God. There is no soul here on Earth that is too hardened, no task too impossible, to be penetrated by Christ’s love and power. In times of spiritual drought or discouragement, it's essential that we remember that God's love and forgiveness can penetrate even the hardest hearts and revive stagnant souls.

How beautiful is God, because out of pure love He created us in His image and likeness.

We can see how great God is, since in order to give us the clearest direction on how to be pleasing in His eyes and thus be able to reach His side in His glory, from the beginning He left us some commandments that He asks us to keep and fulfill, since it is our wisdom and prudence. This is what the first reading tells us, and in the second He leaves us His living word through the gospels, inviting us to listen to it and put it into practice.

My Dear People of God,

Did you know that our Diocese of Stockton covers over 10,000 square miles and encompasses six counties stretching from Lodi to the north; Newman to the south; Mammoth Lakes and the Mother Lode to the east and Tracy to the west. Within these boundaries of our diocese, we have 35 parishes and 14 missions. Did you know that our diocese is divided into designated regions called: vicariates or deaneries? Presently, we have eight deaneries. The Deaneries are overseen by eight priests appointed by the bishop to serve as Deans. So, how am I, as a bishop, capable of accomplishing the responsibility to: govern, teach and sanctify over 300,000 Catholics? Did you know that each diocese has a structure, consisting of clergy and laity, that assists the Bishop in his duties as Bishop?

Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ! My name is Father Jovy Roldan. I am blessed to be assigned as one of two new Associate Pastors of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. It is a great privilege to serve you. I would like to start by thanking Father Adrian Cisneros. We have briefly communicated the last few weeks of June, and it’s been great getting to know him. I also look forward to working with Father Jeff Wilson and Father Sergio Arcila, of whom I have heard many good things!

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year!

Attention everyone! School is back in session, and we're excited to welcome the many new students and their families to the St. Stanislaus community!

Greetings my good people of St. Stanislaus!

What a hot, busy and exciting summer we are having so far!

Praise be to God we are finally back in the church on Maze Blvd. It took a lot to get here, and we had the help of A LOT of people the last few weeks leading up the the re-opening and a lot of great help re-opening weekend. From food, to table and tent set up, to tour guides to dessert, adoration and singing-what a blessed and beautiful weekend, and I could not have thought of a better 5 year anniversary of my priesthood on July 6th! Thank you to everyone who helped me and our parish.