RAISING UP SOLDIERS FOR CHRIST

The Soldiers of Christ is a men’s apostolate, based in the Diocese of Santa Rosa, CA helping men to be more virtuous and to draw into a deeper relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fulfill the awesome mission God created you for!

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Our Mission

To bring men together in Christian brotherhood, and train them for daily spiritual battle to be Christ-like leaders through the model of St. Joseph.

Be formed in the image of Our Lord and train for spiritual battle in a fraternity of Catholic Men.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27: 17

The Soldiers of Christ are small fraternities (5-8 men) that meet weekly (during a liturgical season), pray together, encounter Christ in Sacred Scripture, and hold themselves accountable to be more Christ-like, through a Spiritual Game Plan.

St. Michael's Lent

August 15, 2024 - September 29, 2024

Go HERE to learn more about the ancient tradition of St. Michael's Lent.

Email to JOIN US

Why Join?

Be firm. Be strong. Be a man. And then...be a saint. St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 22

Develop a personal relationship with Our Lord through a brotherhood, Sacred Scripture & the Spiritual Game Plan.
Strengthen your marriage by learning about God's plan for the family.
Become a heroic father to your children through the model of St. Joseph.
Learn to live your faith in daily, ordinary life.
Find support and friendship in a brotherhood of Catholic Men.

The Spiritual Game Plan is a training system that includes prayers & disciplines that help form you into a Soldier of Christ.

The devil and his minions tempt you away from Our Lord through a lukewarm attitude and laziness. Be intentional with your relationship with Christ by being aware of him throughout the day, fighting against sin.

Action is worth nothing without prayer: prayer grows in value with sacrifice. St. Josemaría Escrivá, The Way, 90

When you join the Soldiers of Christ, you are committing to a plan of life. You will have a brotherhood that will hold you accountable for your commitment. Become a Soldier of Christ.

Spiritual Game Plan (Daily, Weekly, & Monthly)

Download: IPray with the Gospels (i OS & Andriod)

Daily:

1. Heroic Minute: Get up earlier to make time for God/prayer.🔗

2. Morning Offering

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day

for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart

in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reperation for my sins,

for the intentions of my family, friends, and The Soldiers of Christ,

and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

3. 15 minutes (minimum) of Mental Prayer.

See the IPray…app section “How to Pray”

4. Gospel of the Day & Reflection

See the IPray…app section “IPray”

5. Grace at Meals

Before: Bless us, O Lord! and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

After: We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

7. Nightly Examination of Conscience 🔗

Weekly:

Weekly Soldiers of Christ meeting
5-decade Rosary
No meat Friday
Dress up for Sunday Mass
Celebrate Sunday as a mini-Easter

Monthly:

Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament
Sacrament of Reconciliation

About Our Patron Saints

St. Joseph, Terror of Demons - The model for all men because of his complete trust, faith, and perseverance in doing God's Holy Will as well as his humility and purity. As the head of the Holy Family, he is the model of all husbands and fathers. One of his titles in the Litany of St. Joseph is Terror of Demons. Why? "The devil knows the paternal intercessory power of Saint Joseph and will flee at the very mention of his name." Fr. Donald Calloway
St. Josemaría Escrivá is known as the saint of ordinary life and found of Opus Dei. Canonized in 2002 by St. John Paul II, his core message was what the Second Vatican Council called the Universal Call to Holiness. In other words, God has called you to greatness in your regular daily life.
St. Michael the Archangel - The leader of God's army, he is the prince of Angels, and a model of strength, courage, and valor.

The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness. Pope Benedict XVI

About Us

Hello, We’re Joe & Donna Hernandez. We are the founders of The Soldiers of Christ. We met in 2011 at St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Sebastopol, CA while planning and organizing our first bible studies and parish conferences (Fr. Mitch Pacwa & Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers). We got married in 2015. In 2021 we adopted our daughter, Olivia Marie, from South Korea.

Joe has recently been installed as an Acolyte by the Bishop. LEARN MORE about this ministry.

In 2022, John Eakin, Eric Umile & Joe Hernandez, started our first men’s group focused on encountering Christ through prayer and Holy Scripture. Guided by the Holy Spirit, and the overwhelming response from our clergy and diocese, The Soldiers of Christ now focuses on men’s ministry and will be establishing groups at multiple parishes in the diocese.

We are an officially registered group of The Cathedral of St. Eugene’s in Santa Rosa, CA, and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cotati, CA.

The Ministry of Acolyte

On December 16, 2023, John, Eric, and Joe were instituted to the Ministry of Acolyte by Bishop Robert F. Vasa.

In 1973, St. Paul VI restored the Office to a Lay Ministry. The Office of Acolyte is no longer reserved only for minor orders, headed to the Ministerial Priesthood. It is a formal Ministry of the Catholic Church that is exercised at the discretion of the Bishop of the Diocese.

You can learn more about the Ministry of Acolyte below. If you are interested in being installed as an Acolyte for your parish in the Diocese of Santa Rosa, CA speak to your pastor.

What is an Acolyte?

An Instituted, or Installed, Acolyte is a lay minister who assists the Priest and Deacon at the altar during Mass & other Liturgical Celebrations.

In the absence of an Installed Acolyte some of his duties can be performed by an Altar Server and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

There are, however, a few things that are distinct to the Ministry.

The Acolyte is installed by the Bishop of the Diocese and accepts a life-long ministry. Non-installed servers, such as a Reader, Altar Server, or EMHC, have a typical commission to serve a few years and may stop at any time On the other hand, the Installed Acolyte accepts a permanent commitment to the Ministry.
An Installed Acolyte may prepare the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, if there is no Deacon, by laying out the sacred vessels, and may also purify the sacred vessels after Communion or Mass.
An Acolyte is the official Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. If the Clergy requires assistance in giving out Holy Communion, an Acolyte should assist before other non-installed Extraordinary Ministers are asked.
Finally, an Acolyte may expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance for Adoration (he may not give Benediction) and visit the sick with the Holy Eucharist.

The Diocese of Santa Rosa is one of the few dioceses in the Country that has Instituted Acolytes thanks to our Bishop. You can learn more about the Ministry of Acolyte by reading the Apostolic Letter MINISTERIA QUAEDAM.

Resources for Acolytes & Altar Servers

Here are some of the resources that have been extremely helpful in formation to serve in the Ministry of Acolyte. All of these materials can be purchased online or if you are local, at The Cathedral of St. Eugene’s bookstore.

Contact Us

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