We recognize this day in honor of those who organized collectively for justice for our fellow workers and led to job protections. I am reminded of the history of the city of Stockton and the major part we played in protecting farm workers.

Do you know that the Filipino community and the Latino community worked side-by-side for social justice? Do you know that Larry Itliong and Dolores Huerta were Stockton natives? If you don't know about their contributions, please look them up! These people were humble but focused in their work and created change that future generations benefit from.

Our faith calls us to have a servant-spirit and work to protect those who cannot protect themselves. In this way, we do the work of Jesus - and there is a lot of work to be done! Let's not wait a single moment. In the near future, I hope to provide opportunities for FAMILIES to participate in Christian Service around the Stockton Community but if you have ideas, please share them with me!

Click here to learn more about Little Manila Rising. - a local non-profit focused on social justice for Stockton residents, particularly students.

Our St. George staff proudly representing our school at the Back To School mass celebrated with Bishop Myron Cotta on Friday, August 30, 2019. BIG shout out to Ms. Barcenas for celebrating 15 YEARS as a teacher of religious education! Congratulations Ms. Barcenas and THANK YOU for your service to our students!

USCCB Website - 9/2/19

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, "Is this not the son of Joseph?"
He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb,
'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"
And he said,
"Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

THE HOLY ROSARY: A Way to Foster the NEW EVANGELIZATION

On Pentecost Sunday of this year, I announced that we, as a diocese, were embarking on the mission of the New Evangelization. I provided to all, the diocesan prayer to launch this endeavor. Please continue to offer this prayer as we begin to better evangelize our families and parishes. Pray it daily as we turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance to be the evangelizers of our day and age.

Along with this prayer, as we approach the season of fall, this month of September is a perfect time to prepare for the Month of the Rosary- October. I ask all clergy, along with their faith formation teams, catechists, RCIA directors, youth/teen leaders, Confirmation coordinators and principals to stress the importance of praying the Rosary. Also to be included in this effort are those involved in ministry to hospitals, convalescent/homebound visits and detention ministry. All of us are encouraged to remind those we serve of the importance to pray the Rosary daily. We are to be reminded that this was a request that came directly from Heaven and delivered to us by our Blessed Mother. She asks that we pray the Rosary, faithfully, as the Church.

As we promote the New Evangelization by presenting opportunities for us to encounter Jesus in our lives, one excellent means of accomplishing this is the Rosary. It has the capacity to draw individuals into a relationship with Jesus by means of reflecting on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. As a person meditates on the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries, one is led to ponder the gospel scenes of the life of Jesus and the history of salvation. As we come to a greater knowledge of Christ, Our Lady will lead us into a more profound and personal relationship with her Son by means of these Mysteries. As we deepen our relationship with Jesus, we become more like him. As we take on “the mind of Christ,” it is then, that we are empowered to participate in the mission of the Church- evangelization!

This month is the opportune time for us to introduce, remind and stress the importance of the Rosary in the spiritual life of every Catholic. Prayed properly, it is a powerful prayer that can have a great impact on our lives and on our troubled world. Because the Rosary is gospel-based, it has the capacity to “evangelize” us and to bring us many grace filled opportunities for ongoing conversion.

In order to assist us in promoting the importance to be evangelized, I invite you to consider ordering the following pamphlets. They will assist in catechizing our children, youth, parents, families and all of us in regard to the power that the Rosary has to evangelize.

Here are the pamphlets that can assist in this endeavor:

“How to Pray the Rosary”

“Joining in the Mystery: The Rosary for Teens”

“The Rosary for Children”

To order:

Our Sunday Visitor

www.osv.com/pamphlets

(800)348-2440

Let us do our part in cooperating with Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Our Mother - the “Star of the New Evangelization.”

In the Peace of Christ,

Bishop Cotta