Bob Jensen

Two Parishes Becoming One Family

Partners in the Gospel is a strategic pastoral planning effort taking place across the archdiocese to re-invigorate and renew our local Catholic Church. St. John the Baptist Parish will be partnered with Holy Spirit Parish in Kent. This takes effect July 1 and over the next three years, these two communities will decide how to best become one parish. This does not necessarily mean one campus. The process is meant to be slow, guided by prayer.

Currently, the parish staff is preparing a transition workbook that describes the governance of our parish, our councils, and commissions as well as our programs and procedures. This will be of help to the priest(s) who will be assigned to this parish family. So far, our report is 30 pages long! Next month, there will be workshops on transitions for pastors and up to two staff members from every parish.

By mid-April, priests’ assignments should be finalized. Most priests will be moving, though there will be some exceptions. The experience of other dioceses, who have done this restructuring, indicate that there are struggles if one pastor stays. The other parish(es) in the family feel like the neglected stepchild. When all the priests are new to a parish family, all the communities have a greater feeling of equality as they begin planning on how to become one parish. I am not sure if the fact that both Fr. Carlos at Holy Spirit and I are both relatively new in our assignments will have any bearing in the decision-making or not.

See the Article in Northwest Catholic nwcatholic.org/news/jean-parietti/how-is-your-new-pastorbeing-chosen.

For more information on Partners in the Gospel, go to archseattle.org/partners/.

Going on Vacation

I am leaving next week for a 10-day visit with my mom in Florida. My older sister is my mom’s primary caregiver; and I will be giving her a break, so she can take a little trip. I’d rather not be away from the parish during Lent, but that is when my sister made her travel plans. My sister welcomed our folks into her home when they began to need more assistance during COVID. My other siblings and I try to support her and give her breaks every once in a while.

While I am away, our former pastor, Fr. Jim Coyne, will preside at the Sunday Masses.

I am often touched by the witness of love many of our parishioners, who are caregivers to a spouse or parent, give. It can be a demanding calling but one made possible because of love. If you are a caregiver, I do hope you are able to reach out to family and friends for the support you need. Sometimes it is more difficult to receive care than to give care. If, as a caregiver, you ever feel isolated or alone, do give a parish staff member a call.

What Are You Doing for Lent?

The three traditional practices of Lent are Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Many of us can remember as a child being taught to choose something to “give up” for Lent. What is more important than what we “give up” is why we give something up: why we fast, why we pray, why we give alms. The aim of these practices is our continuing conversion to Christ, our growth in knowledge of Him, and doing His will.

If you would like to do a little more prayer this Lent, consider praying the Liturgy of the Hours, which is done on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:00 am. Weekday Mass is celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:00 am and on Thursdays at 6:30 pm. Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays at 7:00 pm. Get started with Lent at our Parish Retreat on Saturday, February 17 starting at 9:00 am. Fasting can be from certain foods. It can also be from things that inhibit your ongoing conversion to Christ. Maybe you can consider fasting from screen time. Work at overcoming a fault, a bad habit or particular vice with which you struggle. Replace the bad action with its opposite good action.

Almsgiving incudes your charitable giving to the church and to the needy. It could also include an increased generosity of compliments, “thank-yous,” and words of encouragement. Your almsgiving could include a little extra help offered to a friend or family member.

A great opportunity for Lent is to participate in a small Faith Sharing Group. Join members of our parish for a weekly meeting to break open the scriptures, dialogue, and pray together during Lent. This will be a five-week journey with the options of an in-person group on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings or Zoom meetings on Thursday mornings. Sign up at sjtbcc.org/lent-encounter/ or call the parish office.

Let your Lent lead you closer to Christ. Pray, fast, and give alms.