Msgr. James Francis Church

Monsignor James F. Church was born on January 26, 1932, and passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2017, after a four year battle with Alzheimer’s, four days shy of his 85th birthday. He was the oldest of 14 children of the family of James (deceased) and Mary Church which included his siblings: Cathy (deceased), Bette (deceased), Jack (Jan), Mike, Bernie (Jody), Fran, Peggy, Kevin (Pam), Ken, Monica, Terry (Chris), Tim and Maureen. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Father Jim, as he was affectionately known, graduated from Immaculate Conception Grammar School and Christian Brothers High School, class of 1950. In high school he participated in football, basketball, baseball and track. In his senior year he was named All-City first team in both basketball and baseball by the local papers. He was also the student body president his senior year. To keep himself busy that same year he was also the lead actor and singer in the annual school play. He was a member of the Sacramento Area Baseball Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the Christian Brothers High School’s Inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1950 he entered St. Joseph Seminary in Mountain View to begin his studies for the priesthood. After two years at St. Joseph’s Seminary, he moved to St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, for the next six years, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Philosophy). He was ordained a Catholic priest on June 14, 1958, in Sacramento, at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Throughout his priesthood he continued his education at such places as: St. Mary’s College, 1960-62, Post Graduate Work (Math & Education); University of Portland, 1971, Master of Science Degree (Chemistry & Physics); University of San Francisco, 1973, Master of Arts Degree (Teaching Religion). 

In his almost 60 years as an active priest he had many different assignments and served at, or was in residence at, many different parishes in the Diocese of Sacramento. He began in 1958 at Holy Rosary Parish, Woodland; 1958-60 St. Isidore Parish, Yuba City; 1960-64 Bishop Armstrong High School, Faculty & Financial Administrator; 1960 Sacred Heart Parish, In Residence; 1960-62 All Hallows, In Residence; 1962-65 Immaculate Conception Parish, In Residence; 1964-67 St. Francis High School, Faculty & Financial Administrator; 1966-69 Diocesan School Board; 1965-69 St. Paul Parish, In Residence; 1967 Christian Brothers High School, Faculty & Counselor; 1968-73 St. Pius X Seminary, Faculty & Financial Administrator; 1970-83 Assistant Superintendent of Schools; 1972-73 Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, In Residence; 1973-75 St. Paul Parish, In Residence; 1975-78 St. Peter Parish, In Residence; 1978-81 St. Anne Parish, In Residence; 1982-83 St. Paul Parish, In Residence; 1983-94 St. Peter Parish, Pastor; 1994-2000 St. Philomene Parish, Pastor; 2000-06 St. Charles Parish, Pastor; 2006-14 St. Rose Parish, Pastor; and finally, 2014 St. Anthony Parish, In Residence. In 2014 he retired and spent his last years as a resident of Mercy McMahon Terrace.

Friends are welcome at the following services: Rosary on Sunday, January 29, at 6:00pm at Immaculate Conception Church, Broadway & 32nd Street, Sacramento; and Funeral Mass on Monday, January 30, at 10:00am at St. Anthony Church, 660 Florin Road, Sacramento. Reception to follow. Burial services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The La Salle Club c/o Christian Brothers High School, 4315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Sacramento, CA., 95820 or to a charity of your choice. He will be missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace.