April
8.  The Archdiocesan Housing Authority opened the First Nations House for Native American men, at the home of deceased parishioner Jim Lyons, 610 Terry Avenue.
11.  The Choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City, visited the Cathedral.  This world-famous choir of children and adults sang at the Noon Mass and presented a concert of sacred music in the evening.
20.  The Health and Healing Committee joined forces with the Eco-Justice Group to bring us a special Health Fair, focused on themes of stewardship of our health, and stewardship of the environment.
22.  St. James Cathedral was pleased to host IMAGE journal’s Denise Levertov Award, presented to poet and essayist Thomas Lynch.  Lynch gave a delightful reading from his works in Cathedral Hall.
25.  The annual Student Recognition Ceremony gathered hundreds of seventh graders from Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Seattle.  Students receive awards in various areas, including faith, service, and academic achievement.
28.  Archbishop Brunett presided over the groundbreaking of the new Frederic Ozanam House, an innovative home for formerly homeless men, being built directly across from the Cathedral Rectory at Ninth and Columbia.
 
May
3.  Bishop Tyson celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with thirty of our young people and adults.
4.  The Cathedral hosted Scouts Emblem Sunday, a fun event gathering scouts and scouters from around Western Washington to receive Catholic badges and awards.
11.  We celebrated Pentecost and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  In his homily for today, Father Ryan said:  “Come Advent, when the long weeks of Ordinary time have come to an end, will we be any different?  Not feel any different but be any different?  Will we be any stronger, holier, more grounded in our faith?  Will we be more caring for one another, more compassionate, more understanding?  Will we be more faithful in gathering here Sunday after Sunday, more alive and active in the way we pray together?  Will we be more committed to the poor, more passionate in advocating for justice, more aware of all the things that our Baptism calls us to?  Pentecost is the right day to ask such questions and the right day to try to answer them, too.”
15.  We had the opportunity to gather with Core Members and Assistants from several local L’Arche communities for a special educational evening entitled Befriending the Stranger.  In L’Arche, people with disabilities find a home, and assistants both support them and learn from them. 
16.  Fourth graders from Catholic Schools around Western Washington gathered for a traditional “May Crowning” in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
18.  Twenty-four Cathedral children received their First Holy Communion today.
22.  Our Senior Tea honors the seniors of our parish, with prayer and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral, followed by tea and goodies in the Cathedral Rectory, with music provided by the children of our Youth Music Program.
25.  Our annual Corpus Christi Procession gave witness to our faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  Father Ryan quoted Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in his homily for today:  “The Body of Christ is one.  In the Eucharist we find Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.  And each day of our lives we find Christ under the appearances of flesh and blood.  It is the same Christ!”
28.  Father Ryan presided at the O’Dea High School Baccalaureate.
29.  Holy Names Academy celebrated its Baccalaureate Mass in the Cathedral.
 
June
6.  More than one hundred people packed into the Cathedral Chapel for the opening night of an exhibit of art inspired by the Camino of Santiago, Sacred Steps. This event, sponsored by the Office of Tourism of Galicia, included Spanish baroque music, as well as wonderful Galician delicacies and wine.
7.  Ordinations to the Priesthood.  Hundreds gathered for the priestly ordination of Jack Shrum, Cal Christiansen, and Mark Guzman.
7.  Archbishop Brunett celebrated Mass for the Deaf Community of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
8.  Camp4Unity at City Hall. Five people from St. James joined with people from around the community to campout overnight in City Hall plaza to protest the sweeping of homeless encampments in the city.  One participant wrote of the experience:  “This was the first time that I’ve been out sleeping on the streets.  I was struck by how cold it was, how hard the ground was, how bright the lights were, and how noisy the streets were...  I am grateful for this experience and for the insights that it provided me. It has filled me with greater compassion for those who are suffering among us and has given me greater resolve to work for a better solution in our community.”
12.  Our annual Celebration of Ministries was the biggest ever, with about 300 Cathedral parishioners active in one of our 40+ cathedral ministries, from polishing candlesticks to fixing breakfast for the men in our winter shelter!
14.  Archbishop Brunett presided and Father Stephen Sundborg, SJ, preached at the Seattle University Baccalaureate Mass.
21.  Archbishop Brunett presided at the Ordination to the Priesthood of four men for service in the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus.
22.  St. James Cathedral had the extraordinary privilege of welcoming Jean Vanier to speak in the Cathedral.  Click here for extracts from his talk.
26.  Archbishop Brunett celebrated a Mass for Deceased Bishops on the 11th anniversary of the death of Thomas J. Murphy.
29.  The Church began a year dedicated to St. Paul, Apostle.  In his homily for today, Father Ryan said:  “Paul’s whole life as an apostle became one long response to the question, ‘Who do you say I am?’  To use his own words, Paul answered it ‘in season and out of season, in labors and imprisonments, in beatings and stonings, in perils and dangers, in shipwrecks and toils, in hardships and many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst and frequent fastings, in cold and in nakedness.’ And finally, he answered it definitively one fateful day near the Ostian gate just outside the great wall of Rome when he shed his blood in witness to the Christ he had once persecuted.”
 
July
6-11.  Several teens from the Cathedral Parish participated in the Youth Migrant Project.  Click here to read more.
8.  Archbishop Brunett observed the Golden Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood with a special Mass in the Cathedral.  In his homily for today, Archbishop Brunett said:  “As I reflected on these fifty years, my journey of faith, it is indeed hope that has kept me united with the Church I love and strengthened me through the priests and people I have been privileged to serve.  This hope has brought me immense joy.”
19.  Ten Sisters of Providence (including our parishioner Sister Susanne Hartung) celebrated their jubilees of religious profession during a beautiful Mass at which Father Ryan presided and Archbishop Hunthausen offered a special blessing.
27.  Feast of St. James and Parish Picnic. We celebrated our patronal feast at all Masses the weekend of July 26-27.  Click here for the album.