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Dear Friends, It’s now been eight weeks since we launched this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. To date some 549 of our parishioners have made a give, which is great. What is not so great is that we are a parish of 2,612 households, which means there are still some 2,063 parish households who have not yet made their commitment. Hard to believe, but it’s true! And we are way behind where we were at this point last year. To be perfectly frank, this is quite concerning! While we have now met the $373,578 goal set for us by the Archbishop, we are over $125,000 shy of what we need to raise in order to fund a fire sprinkler system in the Cathedral attic. After the catastrophic fire this past April at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, I’m use you agree with me that it would be irresponsible for us not to take this precaution. The estimated cost for the sprinkler system is $350,000. So, if you are are among the number who have not yet given to the Appeal, I would ask you please to consider doing so now. Think of it this way: if each of those 2,063 households that we haven’t heard from yet were to give just $75, we’d for surpass our goal! You can make a gift using the special envelopes in the pews and chairs, or online at https://donate.seattlearchdiocese.org/aca. I wouldn’t be making this request if I didn’t know how much you love our Cathedral. A gift to the Appeal is the perfect way to show this love!
WELCOME, VISITORS! 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. 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. Be sure to stop by the Cathedral Bookstore after Mass for a wide selection of Cathedral souvenirs as well as Catholic books and gifts.
FLOWERS AT THE ALTAR are offered in loving memory of Vern and Edythe Kube, from their children Debe and Jeff Meder and Dave and Shawn Kube. INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY. The Parish Office will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. There will be one Mass in the Cathedral at 9:00am. The Cathedral will be closed following the Mass. LAUDATO SI’ REGIONAL GATHERING Tuesday, July 9, 11am-2pm. Holy Names Room, Pastoral Outreach Center. Through his encyclical Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis calls for “a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.” Catholic parishes and institutions are invited to learn from one another, and to strategize ways that we can take action on behalf of our Sister, Mother Earth. The day will include opportunities for prayer through an ecological spirituality, for local Catholics to share updates on local and national endeavors, for parishes and institutions to look ahead to the future, and for the emergence of new partnerships and networking, all on behalf of our common home. At the end of the day, each attendee should be educated, inspired and motivated with a deeper reverence and respect for God’s Creation. Information and registration, Patrick Barredo, 206-382-4515. OUT OF REACH, THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION reported on the hourly wage that a full-time worker must earn (working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) in order to afford the fair market rent for a two-bedroom rental home, without paying more than 30% of income. For Washington State, that hourly wage is $27.78!
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BECOMING CATHOLIC. Are you, a family member, or a friend interested in learning more about the Catholic Church? Come and See! You’re invited to a no-strings-attached gathering to ask questions and find out more on Wednesday, July 10 at 7:00pm in the Fireside Room (lower level of the Pastoral Outreach Center at 907 Columbia Street). Please use the courtyard entrance to access the Fireside Room. All are welcome, no RSVP needed. A WEEKLY TIP ON CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME. 93% of heat trapped in the earth’s atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean. Without our oceans, the average air temperature would be 122 degrees Fahrenheit. SEATTLE WALKING PILGRIMAGE. On Sunday, July 14 at 11:15am (following the 10:00am Mass), Melissa Connolley, M. Div. will lead a prayerful walk through Seattle’s historic “Catholic Hill,” including some of the many churches, convents, and Catholic institutions in our neighborhood. The pilgrimage will begin and end at St. James Cathedral and will take about two hours. Gather in the Cathedral Courtyard near the statue of Mary. Information, Corinna Laughlin, 206-264-2086. THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE sends their heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your donations to the emergency food pantry for migrants, immigrants, refugees and others, as they await authorization to work in the US. The donation ended up being valued at almost $700! Information, Caroline Okello, 206-382-4511. ST VINCENT DE PAUL THANKS YOU. We visited a middle-aged man who supplements his modest Social Security Disability Income with part-time wages. For years he worked hard with doctors to stabilize his ongoing health problems enough so he could start working more hours. But he did not realize that his monthly premiums for health insurance would increase as his wages went up. Suddenly he was confronted with a past-due bill for three months of higher premiums. Unable to pay both his rent and the higher premiums, he asked for our help, and we gave him enough rent to get caught up. Thanks to your donations, he should be able to keep up with his expenses going forward! Information, Bob Clifford, 206-718-4158.
SOCIAL OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY NEWSLETTER. To receive this monthly newsletter, highlighting parishioners, events and information regarding the Cathedral’s work with the marginalized, email outreach@stjames-cathedral.org.
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 pray for the parishes of SS Peter and Paul in Tacoma and Aberdeen, St. Thomas in Tukwila, and the Mission Church of St. Thomas in Clallam Bay.
 804 Ninth Avenue Seattle, Washington 98104 Phone 206.622.3559 Fax 206.622.5303 |
ON THE COVER
Icon of Christ the Teacher. Joan Brand-Landkamer,
Cathedral iconographer.
VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND
WELCOMING SPIRITUAL
COMMUNITY FOR OLDER
ADULTS! Jesuit Volunteer EnCorps (JV EnCorps) is
now accepting applications for 2019-20. JV EnCorps,
a program of JVC Northwest, facilitates rewarding
opportunities for service, community and spiritual
formation for adults 50 and older who are committed
to social and ecological justice. During their ten
months of part-time volunteer service, participants
meet monthly for fellowship, reflection and to explore
the values of community, spirituality, simple living
and social and ecological justice. Priority application
deadline: August 31. Opening Retreat in September.
Information, visit