Some weeks are busier than others, but boy has this one been a whirlwind! It is rare that I manage to go to every parish on the Olympic Peninsula in as many days, but that’s exactly what I did this week. Mondays are my day each week to spend at Saint Mary Star of the Sea in Port Townsend, offering Mass and checking in with the staff there. I spent Tuesday with my family in Seabeck before returning home to my rectory in Queen of Angels. On Wednesday a couple of the staff and I made our way out to Saint Anne in Forks to complete some projects and check in with Father Ed & the office volunteers there. Thursdays are my day each week to spend at Saint Joseph in Sequim, offering Mass and checking in with staff there. Though I returned to my home at the Queen of Angels rectory that evening, I was especially glad to be able to actually stay here for Mass and office hours today (Friday). But I’ll be back on the road tomorrow for council meetings in Port Townsend before returning to Queen of Angels for confessions and the vigil Mass. Saint Christopher, pray for us (and me)!
That said, this week has been a whirlwind of graces even – and perhaps especially – in the challenges. It was wonderful to spend time in Forks with the volunteers who keep the parish humming and to check in with Father Ed. Credit where its due, by the way: the idea to start having a monthly staff & pastor visit to Fork was Father Ed’s and I am grateful for his prompting to establish this! Across our parish family, preparations are underway for Holy Week, Easter, and beyond. Though the sacred mysteries of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection rightly hold our focus, we are also looking beyond the coming weeks to the coming months of moving forward with the One Parish Plan of Partners in the Gospel. I’m hoping to have a bit more to share on that front before Easter, but I’ve got a few more pieces to put together first. For now know that there good and interesting things coming!
I would also like to offer a note of thanks to both of our parochial vicars for their generosity this week. While I was travelling across the Olympic Peninsula and briefly off of it, we received two different emergency calls needing swift priest attention. Father Gali generously jumped in his car and drove for an hour from his home to give the sacraments to one person – on his day no less – and Father Ed turned around on his way home (from physical therapy!) to do the same for another person, as both calls needed priestly attention in the central region (which is ordinarily my responsibility). I am immensely grateful for their ministry, as I know are those to whom they ministered in their moments of crisis.
As we prepare for this weekend, please join me in thanking the Lord for His goodness to our communities across the Olympic Peninsula. We are blessed to enjoy so many graces, both those we receive now and the ones yet to come in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
March 30 – This Sunday marked three significant celebrations in the life of the Church universal and local: the celebration of Laetare (‘Rejoice!’) Sunday, of the second scrutiny of the elect, and the reception into full communion & confirmation of one of our candidates. It is one of the rare occasions that I get to pull out my rose vestments (I have a formal set, thanks to parishioners from my first pastor assignment at Holy Rosary & Saint Joseph parishes in Tacoma, and a traveling set, thanks to parishioners from my most recent prior pastor assignment at Saint Mark parish in Shoreline). I look quite good in rose, if I may say so myself! But more importantly, we celebrated these rites of the Church in style and with great rejoicing – Laetare Sunday indeed! I hope you’ll join me in praying for one of our newest Catholics – Bill – and for all those who will soon follow him in receiving the sacraments of initiation in just a couple short weeks.
March 31 – Today is the feast of Saint Balbina, daughter of Quirinus, a martyr buried in the catacomb of Praetextatus on the Via Appia (a Roman highway from Rome to Brundisium in 312 BC). Little is known about her except what is shared in the account of the martyrdom of Saint Alexander, who is said to have baptized Balbina. She was buried near her father in the same catacomb. Though much of what we know of her is based on legend, there are several memorials to her in Rome. Read more about her at the Catholic Encyclopedia online.
April 1 – Saint Hugh of Châteauneuf (or of Grenoble) was a Benedictine monk and bishop of Grenoble France in the eleventh century. During his episcopacy he attempted to reform his diocese but despite his successes in battling abuses (like simony) and enforcing clerical celibacy, he was greatly discouragedand tried to retire as a Benedictine monk at Chaise Dieu Abbey. Pope Saint Gregory VII (who had ordained hima bishop) ordered him back to his diocese, where he spent the remainder of his life and ministry. However, his love of the Benedictines inspired him to give land from the diocese of Grenable to his friend Saint Bruno, who founded the Carthusians. Saint Hugh died on April 1, 1132 and was canonized just two years later. Read more about him at Franciscan Media.
April 3 – Saint Richard of Chichester – also called Richard de Wyche, after his birthplace of Wyche, Worcestershire in England – was a bishop during the thirteenth century. King Henry III – who had exiled the bishop of Canterbury (Saint Edmond) whom Richard served under as chancellor – tried to appoint his own man to the see of Chichester, Pope Boniface declared it invalid and put Richard there instead. Richard ended up going to Lyons, where Pope Innocent IV consecrated him and sent him to Chichester. The king attempted to prevent Richard from actually entering and even tried to seize the money of the see. The threat of excommunication finally cased the king to relent and Richard began his ministry in Chichester, which focused on discipline among the clergy, assisting the poor, and speaking out against corruption in both the Church and the royal court. He died in in 1253. The prayer of Saint Richard remains popular today – check it out at Loyola Press.
Priests celebrating their anniversaries this week
- Rev. Daniel J. Syverstad, O.P. (April 2, 1982)
- Rev. R. Roy Baroma, Jr. (April 3, 1997)
Remembering our deceased priests
- Fr. Robert J. Kenny (March 31, 2015)
- Fr. Anthony V. Domandich (March 31, 2016)
- Fr. Joseph Dominic (April 3, 1998)
- Fr. Thomas C. Daly (April 4, 1966)
Will the retreat talks in Port Townsend be recorded
Sorry, that isn’t a parish event so I couldn’t say. It’ll be most helpful to talk to the event coordinators.
It looks online that the Queen of Angels Mass has been canceled for tonight. A friend saw it online. Is this really happening or was it a mistake. I know a lot of people don’t check on line. I may be able to reach out to a few to let them know. I usually attend St. Joseph but have conflicts tomorrow..
I’m looking at the calendars now but don’t see that for today (Saturday, April 12).