I remember the middle of May 2007 vividly. I was in my early thirties and many of my friends were having children. Baby shower invitations seemed to arrive one after another. I had been seeing specialists for years, enduring misdiagnoses, circular reasoning, and, most significantly, a gradual loss of hope. That May, I was again told what had become a familiar conclusion: I would not be able to have children without significant fertility medical interventions that would cost thousands of dollars and offer no guarantees.

At the time, I was not Catholic. My relationship with God was distant and uncertain. I remember asking — not even in words, but in a kind of ache — why. It felt as though I had done something wrong, and I was being punished.

On Saturday, August 1, over 140 lay ministry leaders from across the Diocese celebrated the completion of courses in Catechesis and Pastoral Accompaniment.

Auxiliary Bishop Rey Bersabal presided at the Mass, assisted by Deacon Arturo Arroyo and Deacon Jason Solano. In his homily, Bishop Rey praised the lay leaders for living out the spirit of synodality. Echoing his own call while addressing the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) in Jakarta, Bishop Rey challenged them to be true "bridges and bridge-builders" in their communities.

With faith in the promise of the Resurrection, the Diocese of Sacramento mourns the passing of Deacon Jaime Garcia, who entered eternal life on July 20, 2026, at the age of 80.

Deacon Jaime was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in 2003 for the Diocese of Oakland, where he began his ministry before later serving the Diocese of Sacramento for more than 19 years. Through his ministry of Word, charity, and service, he faithfully proclaimed the Gospel and accompanied the People of God with generosity and devotion.

Please join us in praying for the eternal repose of Deacon Jaime's soul and for the consolation of his wife, Barbara, his family, friends, and brother deacons.