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Sacred Heart parishioner brings 50 years of logistics experience to supply charities with needed materials

The Guatemala Commission would like to extend an invitation to one and all to its sixth annual Celebration. The Celebration will be held on June 4 at the Barrister Winery in Spokane. Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m.

 A hearty group of travelers joined Catholic Charities Eastern Washington recently for a pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes and beyond. The group departed Spokane on March 18 for our third annual faith-based trip. Over 10 days, 25 pilgrims and one hardworking monsignor made stops in Portugal, France and Spain on a pilgrimage that took us to Marian shrines, basilicas and monasteries on mountaintops.

La confianza de San Juan Pablo II en nuestra Santísima Madre a menudo se remonta a la pérdida de su propia madre, Emilia, antes de los nueve años. Quienes lo conocieron mejor creyeron que María le proporcionó al difunto Papa una influencia maternal. El Santo explicó esta devoción en sus comentarios a los jóvenes en el mensaje de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud en 2003: “Jesús te da a tu Madre para que te consuele con su ternura ... A lo largo de mi vida he experimentado la presencia amorosa y contundente de la Madre de nuestro Señor ... María es la Madre de la gracia divina, porque ella es la Madre del Autor de la gracia. ¡Encomiéndense a ella con total confianza!”

St. John Paul Il’s trust in our Blessed Mother has often been traced back to the loss of his own mother, Emilia, before he was nine. Those who knew him best believed that Mary provided the late Pope with a maternal influence. The saint explained this devotion in his comments to young people in the World Youth Day message in 2003: “Jesus gives his Mother to you so that she will comfort you with her tenderness. ... Throughout my life I have experienced the loving and forceful presence of the Mother of our Lord. ... Mary is the Mother of divine grace, because she is the Mother of the author of grace. Entrust yourselves to her with complete confidence!”

Happy Easter, He is risen! The Inland Catholic keeps trucking along. This month’s magazine features some exciting stories from a parish focusing on evangelization for a year, to a school opening a new building. Not to mention we have just marked five years since Pope Francis’ election to the papacy. And a parish celebrating the burning of their mortgage.

This past St. Patrick’s Day saw the celebration of 125 years of parish life at Hillyard’s St. Patrick Parish. Bishop Daly, along with Bishop Emeritus Skylstad and many former pastors, were on hand to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving with the community. The historic church was filled with current and former parishioners celebrating their community and offering their gratitude to God for the work he has done through St. Patrick’s church. At this same Mass, two young people from the parish received the sacrament of Confirmation and their first Communion. At 125 years, the parish is passing on the faith and looking to the future with hope.

I enjoy singing. My modest vocal competence also has been an asset in ministry. While substituting at rural parishes in our diocese and in northern Idaho, I have witnessed the resolute efforts in music ministry where small parishes sing with a big voice. It’s not perfect. Sometimes. it’s a bit awkward when I can’t contribute my voice. I recall a Mass during the Christmas season when the music ministers prepared three Christmas hymns that nobody knew. While I appreciate the attempt to sing something new, three at one Mass?

As a balance to the annual funds, a bequest is a long-term, planned gift, one that gives only after the donor dies.

Marie Kehrli, a parishioner at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, established an endowment dedicated to the education of seminarians eight years ago. Recently, Marie finalized details of a bequest she is gifting to her endowment, managed by the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Washington. Upon her death, the bequest will be added to her endowment, creating a strong and perpetual source of funding for theological education for seminarians.

 In 1917 parishioners of St. Anthony Church in Spokane’s North Central neighborhood began talking about opening a school to educate their children. Unfortunately, World War I and lack of funds prevented the school from opening until 1928. Bishop Charles White donated $10,000 and the parishioners raised the remaining $15,000, so that, on Sept. 4, 1928, St. Anthony School was opened.

St. Peter Parish on the South Hill seeks to shift parish culture from maintenance to mission

En algún momento de nuestra vida, la mayoría de los católicos se encuentran con personas protestantes que les preguntan o que quieren saber si los católicos ya están ‘salvados’ o si ya 'nacieron de nuevo'.

Catholic Charities would like to share some of the recent good works of Nightwalk Ministry and express our gratitude for the wonderful things they do. Co-coordinators Deacon Kelly Stewart and Deacon Chalo Martinez continue to lead a dedicated group of volunteers in a variety of activities that benefit our programs and the greater community.

“Built of Living Stones” was the 2003 building fund campaign theme for St. Mary Presentation’s new church in Deer Park, Wash. As a parish, we recognized that the sacrifices of our community were the “living stones” which made our success possible.

La Pascua es un misterio indescriptible que nos reta a superar cada experiencia de separación y de tristeza, de dolor y de pérdida. Trae nueva esperanza, nueva vida, un nuevo día para todos nosotros. No se robaron el cuerpo de Jesús; la entrada a la tumba no fue forzada. La ropa que se usó para enterrar a Jesús fueron dejados en el orden correcto. ¡Jesús verdaderamente ha resucitado! Nada puede ser lo mismo otra vez. Esto es lo que hace a la Pascua ser la Buena Noticia de todos los tiempos. Todas nuestras esperanzas y toda nuestra felicidad dependen de este evento. La resurrección de Jesús afirma que la muerte no es el fin de nuestra vida. Estamos destinados a tener la vida eterna, que es más que esta vida presente.

Easter is a mystery beyond words which challenges us to transcend every experience of separation and sadness, pain and loss. It brings fresh hope, new life, a new day for all of us. The body of Jesus was not stolen; there was no forcible entry. The burial cloths were left in proper order. Jesus has truly risen. Nothing can be the same again. That is what makes Easter the Good News for all time. All our hopes and happiness stem from that event. The resurrection of Jesus affirms that death is not the end of us. We are meant for more than this present life.

I grew up Catholic without ever hearing about the Divine Mercy devotion, which the Church celebrates annually on the after Easter. Even after I had learned about it, I didn’t understand it. A few Sisters in my community placed great confidence in the Divine Mercy image and chaplet, but it never really appealed to me. “Why focus on the sorrowful passion and wounds of Christ when we should be singing our Easter Alleluias?” I wondered.

Como cristianos católicos, tenemos la bendición de tener el tiempo de la Cuaresma como un tiempo lleno de gracia para reflexionar honesta y humildemente sobre nuestra relación con Jesús, su Iglesia y los que nos rodean. Es una oportunidad que puede ser mejor entendida como un largo retiro.

As Catholic Christians, we are blessed to have the season of Lent as a grace-filled time to honestly and humbly reflect upon our relationship with Jesus, his Church and those around us.  It is an opportunity that might best be viewed as a long retreat.