February 19, 2026

Bishop Soto, the Department of Catholic Schools and the faithful of the Diocese of Sacramento are grateful that the incident involving a former student attempting to enter St. Mary Parish School’s Ash Wednesday Mass with a gun was resolved safely and that no students, teachers or staff were harmed.

The off-duty law enforcement parents of the St. Mary community who were volunteering their time to act as parent observers for the school Mass prevented the former student from entering the Church and detained him until on-duty police arrived. We are grateful for their vigilance and the safety protocols in place at St. Mary School.

This incident has raised concerns amongst our school communities regarding school safety, specifically at Mass. Please be assured that the safety of our students remains our highest priority.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season in which the faithful are called to reflect on the Paschal Mystery more intently. It is a time of spiritual renewal and to examine one’s relationship with God and others more carefully. It is also a time in which catechumens prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. The Church calls everyone, therefore, to a spirit of penance through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

WASHINGTON — “Let us be faithful stewards of memory. Let us be courageous witnesses to truth,” said Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and Bishop Roy E. Campbell, chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on African American Affairs, marking 100 years of commemorating Black history in the United States.

Their statement is as follows: