Name of Church St. Stephen
Address 5461 44th Street, Sacramento, CA 95820
Phone number (916) 455-5114
Website www.sacfssp.com
Mass times Sunday, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. (sung Mass). Monday, 7 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, 7 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Thursday, 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Friday, 7 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. All Masses are Latin Tridentine, approved by the diocesan bishop and in accordance with the liturgical books of 1962. Watch videos of previous Masses on the parish’s YouTube page.
Confessions Saturdays, 8:30 – 10 a.m., Sundays, 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and 30 minutes prior to all Masses Monday through Saturday.
Names of priests Fr. Joshua Curtis, pastor. Fr. Dominic Savoie, parochial vicar. Fr. Graham Latimer, parochial vicar. All are priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). The Fraternity priests tend to be well-trained, pious and good public speakers/homilists. Visit the parish’s YouTube channel to listen to them preach, present Bible studies and catechism classes. You can also listen to past sermons on the parish webpage.
School No.
Special parish groups and activities Altar guild, Rosa Mystica for girls, Bible studies, Chesterton Society, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society. Church devotions include exposition and benediction, the rosary, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotion, the Saint Monica Sodality, a Fatima Procession and a men’s Holy League.
Music Organ, choir and choristers
Fellow parishioners St. Stephen is located in a residential neighborhood, and draws those in the area interested in attending the traditional liturgy.
Parking Large parking lot and parking on the streets.
Additional observations St. Stephen is a personal parish of the Diocese of Sacramento served by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. It has a bookstore on the parish grounds selling religious items. The church is planning an expansion, which will increase its seating capacity from 248 to 540.
Edifying to know there is something beautiful and holy in the state’s capital. And hey deniers of TLM popularity, check out their website, they are expanding!
If the TLM were as popular as trads are desperate to say it is, they would be popping up like Chic-Fil-A and In-N-Out franchises, and territorial parishes would be offering TLMs. One personal parish attracting two dozen or so more new families, with many attendees driving more than 45 minutes for their liturgical fetish instead of attending their territorial parish, does not signal a trend.
Chris, your phraseology does not diminish enthusiasm for the TLM. As Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, and TLM parishes are open, let’s hope you find your way into a church where your spiritual needs can be addressed. No fries on the side but it might save you from roasting.
The TLM may be popular among certain people in that part of the State (Sacramento), but it still doesn’t mean that as a whole the TLM is “expanding” state-wide or country-wide. Attendance to the EF has plateaued. Not only that, but in some places sadly the TLM has even become a touch-point for divisiveness in parishes, and even separation. That really plays into the Devil’s plan: to divide the Church, and so people must be cautioned not to let their devotion to the TLM cause them to separate from the shepherds: the bishops and the Pope. The future of the Church is not in the TLM, people. There will never be a stampede back to it, and it will never be the “ordinary” way that the Church celebrates the Sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus. Pope Benedict himself said so. The future of the Church remains in the Ordinary Form, devoutly and reverently celebrated, informed by tradition.
The few actually attending Novus Ordo Mass are getting old and dying off. Since they did not have lots of children, or failed to keep them in the Church, there aren’t replacements for them. Novus Ordo parishes are closing at alarming rates and baptisms, confirmations, weddings even Catholic funerals are steadily declining. What is increasing are the number of priests and religious entering traditional orders. The Vatican keeps track of this in the Statistical Yearbook of the Church which is published annually. The future of the Church remains in the hands of those who honor and uphold her legacy.
And by the way, the Los Angeles Archdiocese has approximately 287 parishes and a reverently celebrated Mass is not easily found. This article should have been applauded by Catholic readers instead of a thrashing of TLM opponents. Shame on y’all.
Clarification: “instead of a thrashing BY TLM opponents”.
What Kristin is describing is called the “biological solution.” It is an unrealistic scenario because firstly, the Ordinary Form will never disappear: the demand for the TLM will never supplant the need for the OF in places like Africa, parts of Asia, Latin America, and even North America and Europe. Moreover, many younger diocesan priests are not only learning the TLM, but also know that the future of the Church is in the Ordinary Form reverently offered.
And the consequence of that is this: in places where the Ordinary Form is offered reverently and devoutly, in line with the liturgical tradition of the Church, the less the demand for the TLM. That’s not “trashing” the TLM (I am devoted to it myself), it’s just human nature and the facts on the ground. And it’s the truth.
I respectfully disagree, Jon. The OF, even when reverently and devoutly offered, still suffers from its inherent flaw: it fails to transmit the fullness of the Catholic Faith. Every objection in Ottaviani’s 1969 intervention remains valid to this day. The OF, in spite of being a valid Eucharistic Sacrifice when prayed with proper form, matter and intention, remains nearly identical to Cranmer’s Common Prayer service, with a razor-thin Catholic veneer tacked onto it (c.f. Davies, et al).
The future of the Church is in Tradition — and here I’m not speaking of man-made accoutrements, but those things that were nutured and inspired for over 19 centuries by the Holy Ghost.
Mr. Bill’s statement that the Ordinary Form “fails to transmit the fullness of the Catholic Faith”, is heretical. People, the Church’s Magisterium has handed down the Ordinary Form to the entire Church for the transmission of God’s grace and what the Magisterium has handed down to the whole Church contains in entirety the Catholic Faith. To say that the Magisterium has failed to hand down the completeness of the Catholic Faith is heresy.
Also, Mr. Bill”s assertion is completely wrong because the Church when reforming the Mass through the Second Vatican Council went to the elements of the liturgy from the early Church, and then down through the centuries. This disparaging of the Ordinary Form of the Mass that Mr. Bill seems to be expressing here is totally wrong and damaging to people’s faith. The future of the Church has always been rooted in Catholic Tradition, and folks, that Tradition now includes the Ordinary Form, like it or not.
There is no popularity contest between the Ordinary and Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite. Attending Mass makes you holy if you assist with the right disposition.
Right. So who was it that used the phrase “deniers of TLM popularity”?
The person that I replied to was Kristin. It is a little confusing format here. replies are indented. about 6 characters or so.
And my reply to you Anonymous, is that no, there is not a popularity “contest”. The point is that when increasing numbers of people attend the TLM Mass, it is perfectly reasonable to say it has gained popularity. Some people do not like this fact and speak as though it were untrue, hence they are described as deniers.
We must all thank for all of eternity Pope Benedict. Through his “motu propio” “Summorum Pontificum”, he has wrested the Extraordinary Form from the clutches of communities who have separated themselves from Rome, such as the beloved SSPX. This beautiful Mass, for decades, was associated with their disobedience and their divisiveness. It was sad.
But Pope Benedict thankfully through this “motu propio” essentially took this beautiful Mass away from them and GAVE it to the diocesan priests. They are the real beneficiaries of “Summorum Pontificum.” And guess what, as more diocesan priests, such as the younger ones, celebrate the TLM, it will inform the way they celebrate the Ordinary Form. They will celebrate it well and reverently.
And, the more that the Ordinary Form is celebrated reverently and well, the less the demand is for the Extraordinary Form. This is not to “trash” any of the forms of the Roman Rite. This is just how things are going to play out in the future.
And Ladies and Gentleman this s what Roman Catholic Church looks like and what a Roman Catholic Mass looks like, click on the Youtube link above to watch the Mass of All Times, no clowns, no hand holding, no kiss of peace, no communion in the hand while standing, no guitars, drums or piano, no altar girls, no lay lectors, no Eucharistic ministers male or female handing out Holy Communion.
Romulus , Amen !, also no bad music , everyone facing the Altar , respectful silence throughout, experiencing the same mass as the saints did , frequent confession opportunities . Priests who act as priests , not a sjw looking for the approval of men , and worried more about social media and virtue signaling then the salvation of souls and real virtue. A vibrant community , family friendly with noisy kids , but that is a great sign of growth , promotion of rosaries ,adoration and other Catholic devotions not always observed by our brethren.
Maybe you need to be informed about Vatican II, an infallible ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is much bigger and liturgically diverse than your opinion about what is proper or best. The Holy Spirit probably doesn’t want clowns at Mass, but the Holy Spirit does want the vernacular and the Novus Ordo Missae.
No Chris, not an infallible council. L’Osservatore Romano 1/21/1966 – Pope Paul VI declares that Vatican II was ordinary, pastoral and fallible. He doubled down at the General Audience August 6, 1975 “Differing from other Councils, this one was not directly dogmatic, but disciplinary and pastoral”. Cardinal Ratzinger stated in 1988 that the “council contained no dogma at all and deliberately chose to remain on a modest level, as merely a pastoral council”. Time and space prohibits more here.
Anonymous is wrong. There are indeed dogmas and doctrines taught by Vatican II, and the dogmas and doctrines articulated there are, you guessed it, infallible. So Chris is correct. It is true that Vatican II did not teach new dogmas/doctrines, otherwise that would have been an extraordinary magisterium/teaching which would have required the Council to state the new dogmas’ infallibility. That’s what the Pope meant; he did not mean that the teachings of the Council are fallible. That’s a misreading of the Pope’s words. In fact, Paul VI continued in his statement from Jan. 12, 1966 that, nonetheless, the Council taught the ordinary (the usual, the normative) teachings of the Church, which are binding on the faithful. And if they’re binding, they are infallible.
What Paul VI actually said in his General Audience on January 12, 1966 is that though the Council Fathers avoided “extraordinary statement of dogmas that would be endowed with the note of infallibility,” the Council nonetheless “still provided its teaching with the authority of the supreme ordinary magisterium. This ordinary magisterium, which is so obviously official, has to be accepted with docility, and sincerity by all the faithful, in accordance with the mind of the Council on the nature and aims of the individual documents.”
The Ratzinger quote is wrong, He stated that the council defined no dogma.
RA, it is authentically Catholic, yet, is part of what the Roman Catholic Church looks like, a beautiful part. Yet, it does not represent the entirety of the Roman Catholic Church. It is not “the Mass of All Times.” As I think you know, it is not the Mass of the Last Supper or even of the early Church (which were in Aramaic and Greek respectively, until Pope Damasus in the 4th century changed the Western Mass into Latin). And, the Tridentine/EF/TLM was not standardized and formalized until the period of the Renaissance and Reformation (which was actually a revolt). Also, the Latin Church still has the Ambrosian (or Milanese) and Mozarabic rites, which are valid and licit beautiful Masses (though not the same as the TLM/EF). My point: the Roman Catholic Church is broader than we often realize and while any of us may prefer one form of the Mass, any legitimate form of the Mass can be celebrated beautifully and reverently and God is properly worshipped and present in the Eucharist.
Tell me “Mr Anon Clergyman”, where does RA say that the NO Mass in not authentic? I’ll tell you. No where. You make no response to his comments on the lack of holiness and reverence at the NO. Undeniably these are present in the NO and not the TLM.
Put out your name Mr Anon. Would love to know where you are from and how reverent “your” Mass celebration is or is not.
Keith, RA said, “this s what Roman Catholic Church looks like and what a Roman Catholic Mass looks like.” See above.
I did not say that he said the NO Mass was not authentic, you said that. I’m only pointing out that the Mass at the parish in the article is not “what a Roman Catholic Mass looks like.” It is what one form of a Roman Catholic Mass looks like. That’s all. I think you’d find the Mass in the parish I serve reverent. It’s not “my” Mass, as you seem to know from your quotation marks. The Mass is the Church’s and should be prayed according to her prayers (not made up by anyone or by imposing one’s personal preferences upon the Mass).
Keith, I have experienced reverence and holiness at some Masses celebrated in the ordinary form. Have you not? If not, that is very sad and I suggest you “visit” some other parishes. The issue is more one of reverence and holiness (as you note) than the form of the Mass. Another example would be the Masses of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. They are reverent, solemn ad orientem Masses (just not exactly the same at the TLM).
Romulus Augustus, bless you. You got it right.
Romulus, I think you meant to say that the video shows one form of the Latin Rite Mass of the Roman Catholic church. The Ordinary Form is usually in the vernacular. Don’t forget that millions of Roman Catholics would not recognize the TLM because they have always used their own Rite.
Ant. Introibo ad altare Dei. (I will go in unto the altar of God.)
R. Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam. (To God Who giveth joy to my youth.)
When I hear these words, I am often reminded of the English-styled Methodist church of my childhood here in California. It had a pretty altar with a corpus-less golden cross, matching golden candlesticks and vases of flowers. There was a pipe organ high on the wall in back, and an altar boy came in and lit the candles. After seventy years, I still remember his name. It was there I learned the Twenty-third Psalm that ended “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (To be cont.)
(Cont.) Those words took no matter how hard I ran from the Hound of Heaven while later searching through history and other religions for the Truth. In remembering the image of that altar, and the altar mentioned in the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, I questioned: “An altar requires a sacrifice, what was and is the sacrifice about which St. Paul wrote?”
I found it in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Catholic Church, which some of my forbearers had forsaken.
“Introibo ad altare Dei”, I will go to the altar of God. ”
Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem.” To God who gave joy to my youth.
Thank you for your post. My experience parallels your almost exactly!
Welcome home dear girl.
Deo gratias!
I understand the Novus Ordonarians here don’t care for me but hey that’s ok, I’m not here to be liked, just to inform everyone that this was their Mass too 50 years ago; it did not change the Mass changed and well so did Mass attendance prior to the Council it was 75% now it is 10%. You tell me what happened.
The messenger always gets shot, you’re telling truth they don’t like. So what, keep it up.
The reason your comment RA is problematic is because of the divisiveness of your sentiments. “Novus Ordinarians”?? What’s that? A sect? That kind of “labeling” Catholics is just soooo distasteful. More than distasteful, it’s deadly to the unity of the Church and the world, which Our Lord had died for.
It is actually heresy.
There is a new schedule at this Church.
5 Weekday Masses, Every 3 hours starting at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm. Monday thru Saturday.
8 Masses on Sunday. Those 5 plus 3 more, at 11 30 am, 2 30 pm, 5 30 pm.
No Confessions on Sunday, Only Mon thru Sat at 11 30 am and 5 30 pm.
For Mass or Confession arrive early. All are very crowded.
There is overflow seating in the Hall, with a large screen TV.
Communion is distributed after Mass only.
Social Distancing is observed.
Anne TE:
thank you sharing something
so beautiful about your faith journey !!
You are welcome, Helen. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.
I remember when Jean Cardinal Lustiger of Jewish heritage wrote his biography. He told how his Jewish parents did not really practice their faith, but they had a Protestant Bible locked away in a book case. He wrote that he would get the key to the case and read it without his parents knowing. That was when he began to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, which later led him into the Catholic Church to become a French Catholic cardinal.
May Jean Cardinal Lustiger, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Actually his full name was Aaron Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, after St. Aaron a high priest of the Old Testament, St. John a Jewish Apostle, and the Virgin Mary, a Jewish maiden. Many people do not know that the saints of the Old Testament are also considered saints of the Catholic Church. I have a holy card folder of St. King David who is also a patron of music since he played the harp and wrote psalms.
Just for clarity, most of us belong to the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church which has, for the most part, two liturgies for the Mass. One is the normal form and the other the extraordinary form which is often called the TLM. The Roman Catholic Church has 22 other Rites with their own liturgical forms and languages. The Latin Rite is the largest, but millions of Roman Catholics have never used the Latin extraordinary form of the Mass, but have always used their own language. Most of us in the Latin Rite would not recognize “as catholic” the other Rite’s liturgies. So, go to whichever version of the Roman Catholic Mass you like, they are all valid and of equal benefit to the soul.
I live in Oakhurst, CA now and relocated From Carmel and attended the TLM in Hollister, I drive to Saint Anthony of Padua in Fresno when they are open. I would like to follow your website to keep informed of what is going on in Sacramento. I almost moved there to be with my sister. I like your site it shows a lot of activities and looks quite interesting. The purpose of my attending a TLM is because of the reverence given when attending Mass, head covered by women, genuflect when arriving into pew and after, the Missal in hand and knowing why we are there (to remember that Christ died on the Cross for us and now we pay homage to him in prayer) know our priest and parishoners. 99% know why they are there and all want to be there to pray. We do not need to be entertained, we do not need a protestant service to attend, nor do we need their music, we have our own chanting. All the right reasons are taken care of by being in the moment of the Mass.
Oh I will never stop my fight for the return of the TLM, The New Springtime was a complete and utter failure with its clowns, altar girls, dancing girls, kiss of peace, hand holding, communion in the hand while standing, guitars, drums, Life Teen Mass, lay lectors both male and female, Eucharistic ministers male and female, folk, rock and mariachi music, giant puppets, and the list goes on and on and on.
There will never be a return of the TLM the way you image it to be; in other words, the TLM will never be the “ordinary”, the “normative” way that the Church celebrates Our Lord’s Sacrifice. Let me give you one reason why: as beautiful and as poetic as Latin is, given the choice of worshipping and praising God in Latin or in the language that one uses everyday and can readily understand, many people these days will choose the latter.
There are far more substantial and serious “deficiencies” in the Extraordinary Form: more substantial “deficiencies” than your clowns, drums, guitars, lay readers, kiss of peace, and the like. More substantial deficiencies. There is a reason why the Council Fathers authorized the reform of the liturgy; it was for substantial and serious reasons.
Didn’t you notice? It has “returned.” Actually, it never left. And, it was promoted by Pope(-Emeritus) Benedict. Enjoy and be blessed by it!
Note the words I had written however: “There will never be a return of the TLM the way that RA imagine it to be,” meaning that it is never to be the “ordinary” form of the Mass. Do please read more carefully. Thank you.
I drove about 3 hours several months ago and attended Holy Mass there. I wish I lived close enough to attend weekly. Beautiful church with a beautiful, reverent Mass.