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Dear Friends, I want to share some more staffing changes with you as we approach the summer months. Like all announcements of this sort, this is a ‘bad news/good news’ story. Joe Cotton, our youth minister for the past three years will be a taking a new position at the archdiocese that will involve him in oversight of criminal justice ministry, immigration ministry, and King County juvenile detention ministry. Happily, Joe, in his years with us, has succeeded in building a really strong youth ministry program—the envy of the archdiocese in terms of its involving young people in social justice and social outreach—and this gives me confidence that our youth ministry program will continue to flourish under a new director with the ongoing commitment of the adult leadership team. And even though I hate to see Joe leave us, it’s reassuring to know that he is going to continue to serve here on the adult leadership team. As he prepares to take leave of us, I want to take this opportunity to thank Joe for the amazing work he has done in building an outstanding youth ministry program from the ground up. Joe is not only a pied piper, he is a deeply committed minister of the gospel who has inspired our young people by his spark and spirit and made them excited about their faith. I would say that the Archdiocese has shown remarkably good judgment in hiring him! Tom Frasene, who promised to give us two years of service when he joined the staff two years ago has kept his promise and, in terms of what he has accomplished, more than kept it! Tom has very effectively coordinated a huge army of volunteers in a number of our social outreach ministries. In addition, he has headed up and expanded our parish’s wonderful young adult ministry as well as the Sunday hospitality ministry. In each of these areas Tom has made his mark, and for this I want to express my deepest thanks. Tom has been accepted in the School of Social Work at the University of Washington (no small achievement!) and I know you will join me in wishing him well as he takes this next important step in his career. Knowing Tom, that career will always involve serving the poor and advocating on their behalf as he has done so well here at St. James. Stepping into Joe’s and Tom’s shoes is our own parishioner, Curtis Leighton, who has been teaching theology at Bishop Blanchet High School this past year. Curtis is a graduate of Bishop Blanchet and a graduate, in 2001, of our own RCIA program. Following high school, Curtis went to the University of Notre Dame. After teaching in California for two years with the Teach for America program, he joined the Society of Jesus. A lover of languages and cultures, Curtis was able to minister in places such as Colombia, China, and Lebanon. After earning a degree in Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago, he returned to Washington where he ministered at Gonzaga University and St. Aloysius parish in Spokane. After a year and a half working there, he decided to leave the Jesuits and return home to Seattle to begin teaching at Blanchet. Knowing Curtis as I do, I am confident that he will bring wonderful leadership to two different Cathedral ministries: the youth ministry and the ministry to young adults. He is excited to be joining us and I know he will inspire excitement among our teenagers and young adults. Please join me in thanking Joe Cotton and Tom Frasene and in welcoming Curtis Leighton!
WELCOME! If you are a visitor to the Cathedral, we want you to know how welcome you are – whether you have come from another part of the country, from across the world, or simply from another parish here in the Archdiocese. Thanks, in part, to the generosity of visitors like you, we are able to celebrate the Church’s liturgy here in a fitting and beautiful way. We are also able to offer a wide range of services to needy people living in the central district of our city. For more information about the parish, to register, or to ask a question, visit our Sunday Help Desk at Coffee Hour. A Cathedral staff person will be on hand to assist you. COVER ART The Holy Name of God. West nave clerestory window, St. James Cathedral. Charles Connick, artist. FLOWERS AT THE ALTAR are in honor of Father David Brant from Lisa and Michael Forbes. JOB OPENING: ASSISTANT SACRISTAN. St. James Cathedral has an opening for a part time (30-35 hours/week) Assistant Sacristan. To receive a job description and details, applicants should download the Seattle Archdiocesan Job Application at: http://www.seattlearchdiocese.org/Archdiocese/HR/Documents/EmploymentApplication.pdf and send it with a resume, via e-mail, to Corinna Laughlin . YEAR OF MERCY. We welcome all pilgrims to St. James Cathedral during this Year of Mercy. Whether you are a visitor or a regular at St. James, you can walk through the Holy Doors of Mercy, the four bronze doors at the Cathedral’s west entrance. The center doors are opened before and after each Mass. A self-guided pilgrimage of prayer, The Way of Mercy, is available as well—pick up a flyer just inside the Holy Doors. CATHEDRAL MOTHERS GROUP. Becoming a parent brings big changes to every facet of a woman’s life. Our Cathedral Mothers Group, facilitated by child and family counselor, Ansebe Bicof-Smit, MA, LMHCA, meets Mondays, 10:30—Noon in the Mother Cabrini Room of the Pastoral Outreach Center. Bring your young children and check it out. Information, Suzanne Lee, 206-654-4640. IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES GATHERING. Join us on Wednesday evening, May 25 to discuss examples of what to say when you encounter anti-immigrant rhetoric. Open to anyone interested in supporting justice for immigrants and refugees at home and abroad. No need to RSVP. Bring a friend or two. We will be meeting in the Pastoral Outreach Center from 6:30–7:30pm (note time change!). Information, Chris Koehler, 206-382-4511.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL THANKS YOU. A young man called the SVdP Helpline (206-767-6449) needing rent help because his wallet had been stolen. When our two Vincentians visited, he seemed very downcast. We gave him a rent voucher. Usually when we help with rent, it lifts spirits. But he still seemed depressed. We asked, “Is there anything else we can help you with?” He said, “Like what?” We said, “Prayer?” He said, “Yes!” The three of us prayed together, and we could see and feel joy return to his life. Thank you for your financial support, which helps make uplifting visits like this possible. Would you like to be a home visitor? Information, Christine Henderson, 253-973-1441. POPE FRANCIS’ AMORIS LAETITIA NOW AVAILABLE. Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Exhortation on the family is available in the Cathedral Bookstore. Stop by to purchase a copy in order to read and study this important document. “No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love.”
SENIOR TEA. On Thursday, June 2, at 4:00pm, Father Ryan and the Cathedral staff will host a tea for our senior parishioners. Invitations have gone out to all our parishioners who are in their eighties and nineties. If you would like to come, but did not receive an invitation, you are still most welcome! RSVP to Maria Laughlin, 206-382-4284. CONTEMPLATIVE ECUMENICAL PRAYER WITH MUSIC FROM TAIZÉ. Our next ecumenical prayer with music from Taizé will be Friday, June 3 at 6:30pm in the Cathedral. This prayer now takes place on the first Friday of each month, rather than weekly. Please mark your calendar and come share in this beautiful ecumenical evening prayer.
PARISH REMEMBRANCE: Throughout the year, because we are the Cathedral Church, we remember in prayer at Mass and Vespers each of the parishes and missions of the Archdiocese of Seattle on a Sunday near their feast day. This week we remember in prayer the parish of Holy Trinity in Bremerton and St. Madeleine Sophie in Bellevue.
 804 Ninth Avenue Seattle, Washington 98104 Phone 206.622.3559 Fax 206.622.5303 |
