ACTion Hero: Father Rodolfo Llamas

Fr. Llamas speaks to Univision at his Liquor Store action at St. Peter's.

Fr. Rodolfo Llamas, pastor of two Sacramento Catholic churches, has an intimate appreciation for faith-based community organizing.  St. Peter’s and All Hallows Catholic parishes are respectively located in the Fruitridge Manor and Tahoe Park neighborhoods.  In the course of shepherding his neighboring flocks, Fr. Llamas has enthusiastically overseen the continued development of one of ACT’s most animated Local Organizing Committees.  Why is he so committed? “This area is going up little by little because my people are growing in leadership and   participation,” he notes.

In February, he chaired a community action meeting of over 200 attendees that aimed to shut down two notorious local-area liquor stores through the process of Eminent Domain. His parishioners conducted a listening campaign that led to the development of the liquor store issue.  In November, St. Peter’s Church conducted a survey with Sacramento ACT of the area between Broadway and Lemon Hill and Highway 99 and 65^th.  Well over 30 liquor vendors were documented in this small space, many of which are close to schools and also attract loitering and crime.

Going into the city council vote that would decide the Eminent Domain proposal, no one knew if it would pass or not.  When it was all over, however, the vote to close the liquor stores was unanimous, and several council members specifically thanked ACT and St. Peter’s/ All Hallows for providing the community leadership that made that outcome possible.

Fr. Llamas admits that he was a little nervous about jumping into the fray; some had told him that he would be in danger of retaliation.  Regardless, he proudly chaired the action meeting, citing his duty to put faith into action, as well as his desire to shine as an example as a Catholic priest. 

Llamas says that his relationship with ACT developed naturally.  "When I first came here, I was amazed to see that my parishioner's concerns were truly addressed.  I saw the ACT model working!"