Holy Spirit Parish became Sacramento’s fifth Catholic parish on April 1, 1940. In announcing the creation of the new parish Bishop Robert Armstrong said: The new parish will be dedicated to the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Blessed Trinity, and will be known as Holy Spirit Parish. Rev. Patrick A. McHugh was named pastor and would carry this responsibility for over 30 years. A vigorous, forceful and sometimes impatient shepherd, Father immediately began plans to build a parish church. In the months before the church was completed, parishioners gathered for Eucharist at Christian Brothers High School on 21st and Broadway. Building started in July 1940 and was completed before Christmas came. Knowing that a church is more than bricks and mortar, Father McHugh had the following words carved over the entry: The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to us.

In the beginning, Holy Spirit was not expected to grow. To its south were open fields, a swampy area and a working tallow processing plant. No one imagined what is now South Land Park and Greenhaven. Elk Grove was a world away. The original 400 families of Holy Spirit grew and by the mid 50’s people stood in the vestibule or on the front steps to participate at Mass. In 1956, despite the creation of St. Robert Parish that reduced parish boundaries, a larger church was needed. Fred Chapek Construction was hired to build a new wing on the church. This was completed in five months, opening on Christmas Day 1957. Committed to Catholic education, Father McHugh pursued the goal of establishing a Catholic school for the children of the parish. Money was no object. He directed Lewis Bennett in 1946 to find me some land on which to build a school. The original plan had been to build on the site of the parking lot adjoining the church. Neighbors objected and refused to allow variances to be made. Only the land near the Southern Pacific tracks west of Land Park was available. The present school was built here and opened in 1948 with Sister Mary Ita Cunningham and three other Sisters of Mercy in charge. Father promised that no child would be turned away due to lack of money provided the family were active parishioners contributing regularly to the parish. The spiritual legacy of Holy Spirit over the past half-century is rich. For some families, it is a three-generation spiritual home. Today, Holy Spirit parishioners honor that legacy in a variety of ways. Whether one is interested in our prayer community or our St. Vincent de Paul Society, our scripture study groups or our 20-90 group, a liturgical minister or a hospitality minister, or any of our many other groups, there is a welcome at our table.

Chronology of Pastors:

Msgr. Patrick McHugh (1940-1972)
Msgr. Edmund O’Neill (1972-1981)
Fr. Charles Brady(1981-2005)
Msgr. Albert O’Connor (2005-2010)
Fr. Daniel Looney (2010-2016)
Fr. Michael Hebda(2016-2021)
Rev. Loreto “Bong” Rojas(2022-present)