150 Celebration

Sesquicentennial is HERE and SACRED!
As we prepare to celebrate the sacred gift from God of being at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on its 150th anniversary, we are connected to thousands and thousands of lives that have come into our sacred buildings—past and present, those who have entered into this parish, and wanted to find Jesus and connect to him and offer his help to others.

Our Faith-filled and Historical Mission in Christ continues through you for there are the thousands of lives that you have helped anonymously through your support of St. Vincent de Paul and the help of our volunteers, through your outreach to the imprisoned and persons in our Napa shelters, through your serving a hot meal at the Table, through the gifts that are given year after year to families in need, through donations to the Food Bank, thousands and thousands of dollars to those who have been victimized by natural disaster, and through your loving support in our many parish ministries and organizations that help keep us connected beyond the sacred buildings we are blessed to have at St. John’s. Our parish is greatly blessed by the hundreds of wonderful adults and children who server as volunteers in numerous ministries, in both Spanish and English.

The joy of this Jubilee year of Celebration is the sharing also continues through the gifts of our children in the school and Religious Education classes, in our choirs and as Altar Servers and Family Greeters. There are many members in our Youth Ministry and the young adults of JESED who also share their gifts in ministry and service to the parish.

More serve in music ministry, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Generations of Faith, Mass Coordinators, Collectors, Hospitality, Art and Environment—and all with the guidance and training by our Parish Liturgy Coordinator, Music Director, and Liturgy Committee.

God is made known to our parish children through our coordinators and volunteers in our Religious Education programs in the church and our school. Adults wishing to learn about our faith are guided by our wonderful volunteers in RCIA and Returning Catholics. Respect Life is an active ministry in our parish served by volunteers that continue to educate us on the impact of legislation and the importance of witnessing our faith in Christ to preserve the sanctity of all life. Caring Friends—extends hope in the Real Presence of Christ to persons homebound, in hospitals, and convalescent homes, ministry in Grief and Bereavement, aide with our bi-annual Mass of Anointing of the Sick, as well as sponsor “Let’s Do Lunch”, which brings together many of our parishioners-elderly and young.

The hard work, dedication, and services of our parishioners in our Building and Maintenance Planning Committee has provided the oversight to accomplishing major projects—our church and Adoration Chapel, school, and parish hall. St. John’s Men’s Club continues to provide us with their generous gifts of time, talent, and treasure to help our church, school and parish.

Our parish Vision, Mission, and Values are the guidelines of leadership of our Finance Committee with the support of our counters who monitor our collections. Our church and school staffs and faculty are stewards in the sacred meaning of that word—how blessed we are with their dedication and gifts. And our wonderful principal receives support and guidance through the many volunteers of our Family Club and St. John’s School Council. The labor of our school volunteers provide needed school funds through the Jog-a-thon, Crab Feed, and Gala. Spiritual renewal comes each year as we look at coming together to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe honoring her gifts to the Americas as a source of hope to newly arriving members seeking welcome. Social events continue to bless our parish with a sense of unity like Breakfast with Santa. Social and cultural significance is the hallmark of Armonía in the Napa Valley—our major fundraiser for youth ministry provided by the talents, labor and generosity of many volunteers and community businesses. How blessed we are to connect to the Lord through one another, through our many ministries and organizations, and most importantly through his Real Presence in the Eucharist/Communion, and prayerful devotion in our Perpetual Adoration Chapel.

We follow in the sacred footsteps of all who have gone before us, we walk together with one another today, and we help to build for the future of tomorrow as we follow our Patron Saint in heralding hope. How blessed we are to be here at this time of celebrating 150 years of ministry and service in the Napa Valley. For Jesus Christ continues to dwell among us in the gift of God’s Spirit in St. John the Baptist Parish Faith Family. In Christ Yesterday, Today and Forever! Come celebrate! Fr. Gordon