On April 7th, join the Body of Christ in a procession down E. Washington Street, beginning at 3 pm at Petaluma United Methodist Church (410 D St.) and ending at St. James Catholic Church (125 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy). Call Sheila Almquist (707-775-7973) or email Stephen Morris (stephenmichaelmorris@gmail.com) for more information.
Thursday, April 27th at St. James Parish. Social time begins at 6 pm. Program begins at 6:30 pm. Contact Joanne Ferris at jferrispetaluma@gmail.com or call 707-481-6431.
Dear Fellow Parishioners, It is very nice to see so many of you after returning from vacation earlier this month. The only Mass I have not celebrated since my return â the 7:30 am Sunday Mass â I will offer this weekend. The Mass schedule is set with two things in mind: rotating all priests equally […]
FOR GRANDPARENTSMost loving Father, we thank and praise you on this occasion as we remember and give thanks for the gift of Grandparents.We remember our Grandparents who have gone before us into eternity and pray that they already rejoice with you in heaven.We remember our Grandparents who are nearing the end of their days. Provide […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Thursday, June 30th was an important day in the life of our parish and especially for two long-time members of our staff: Rose Marie Woodruff and Kimberly Williams, who retired on this mid-point of the calendar year. When Rose Marie arrived here at SVdP 20 years ago, she already had 25 years […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, I would like to take this opportunity for a frank discussion of a few points regarding Eucharistic reception and practice here at St. Vincentâs. While the reception of Holy Communion is intensely personal, it is not merely a personal devotion. It is a communal act of worship and service that requires a priest […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Though I try to avoid being too topical in my homilies and letters, there are current events that cannot be ignored. The event now, of course, is the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which is best left without further description. Our prayers are with those little angels and those who love them; […]
Pastorâs Desk Dear Fellow Parishioners, Other than the celebration of the Sacraments, the most important thing I do as pastor is the hiring and coordination of parish staff. We are not so much a staff as a church family dedicated to the service of this parish. After more than 25 years as our Director of […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Some years ago, I joined the tens of millions of Americans who have GPS navigation systems in their cars. Within a month, I didnât know how I ever survived without it. Itâs the perfect âback-seat driver:â silent (if you turn off the audio), nearly invisible, and gives directions without critique. Before long, […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Motherâs Day is one of the very few, if only, observances celebrated throughout the world. It is truly transcultural. The vast majority of these celebrations take place either on the second Sunday in May, or on another day in Spring, the season of new life. (Consistent with this logic, Argentina celebrates Motherâs […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Last Sunday was a busy day, not only in Petaluma, but also on the church calendar. The Second Sunday of Easter has been celebrated under several titles over the years. Some of us remember when it was known as âLow Sundayââ not because it was seen as a big letdown after Easter […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, I had no idea how many people to expect for the Lenten Reconciliation Service. It had been three years since our last Lenten service, and the Advent Reconciliation Service a few months ago was decently, but not heavily, attended. (The masking mandate was still in place.) This time, we had nine priests hearing confessions. […]
Our parish mission statement identifies St. Vincentâs as a Eucharist centered people who, as the Body of Christ, live our faith in word and deed by sharing our time, talent, and treasure to support one another and serve those in need.
This website is intended not only to provide you with the information you need about our parish but also to help us build up our life as a community and so help us in our mission. It provides a way for us to connect with each other; and we invite you to use it to share stories, to learn about whatâs happening and whatâs coming up, and to provide information you think we all need to hear. This site will evolve as our parish evolves; it belongs to all of us. I hope you find it helpful.
This hymn speaks to the atmosphere, design, and heart of St. Vincentâs parish: there is a place here for everyone. In fact, you are not only welcomed, but needed! As we explore and expand our ideas of just what a Church community is, we recognize first that pivotal life events occur in church: weddings, baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation; but, we also find that we need community in order to be a Spirit filled Church where we praise God, share our faith, and help one another by way of fellowship, and the numerous ministries available to all parishioners. Through our stewardship, the gift of our time and talent, there is a wonderful opportunity to give and receive, to make friends, to help friends, to see how our talents are a gift from God made for sharing. We are bonded to a group of people with whom we already have at least one thing in common, and that is our faith. It is our hope that you will use this community website to build bridges and connect with one another, and see that each of us, too, is a gift from God meant to be shared.