Bob Jensen

Partners in the Gospel Update

Two Thousand Four Hundred pages of feedback have been submitted to the Archdiocese from 136 of the 138 parishes in the Archdiocese. Here at St. John the Baptist, we had six listening sessions in person and two on Zoom and about 160 parishioners participated. The Archdiocese has 20 Readers, who will go through the feedback, each comment being read by at least two Readers. A synthesis will be develop for each parish and each parish family.

The Oversight Committee and Presbyteral Council will discern what changes to the proposed parish families should be made. By late January or early February 2024, the final configuration of the parish families will be announced. In April 2024, priest assignments will be made, determining how many priests will be assigned to each family. The families then take effect July 1, 2024.

The parish families will then begin a three-year process to discern how best to become one parish, focusing on worship, community formation, the growing of disciples, and reaching out to those in need. I imagine it will begin by simply getting to know one another and the unique make-up of each community, for the parish is really a community of communities.

Please continue your prayer for our local church. A prayer for Partners in the Gospel can be found at sjtbcc.org/partners-in-the-gospel/.

Concerns and Hopes Generated from Parish Listening Sessions

About 160 parishioners participated in our six listening sessions regarding the proposed draft of our parish family. This family would include St. Barbara, Black Diamond; Sacred Heart, Enumclaw; and St. Aloysius, Buckley together with St. John the Baptist. The greatest concern seems to be the geographical distance. One of the hopes is having greater diversity. Many of the concerns centered on things we do not yet know. We do not know how many priests will be assigned to this family. There will be at least two, possibly three. There is no one archdiocesan blueprint on how this will work or what it will look like. Each family, on the local level, will make those decisions. The major issues these families will have to discern are:

• how we gather people for the celebration of Mass and the other sacraments;
• how we foster vibrant communities where we accompany one another on this journey of faith;
• how we form disciples and educate our children in the faith while continuing our adult formation as well;
• how do we reach out to those in need and bring others the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The founding members of our parish did this some 33 years ago. I believe there is excitement, and there is energy in forming something new. This will be a long process of discernment for us, taking up to three years. But I hope there will be some of that excitement and energy that gave birth to this faith community.

All of the concerns, hopes, and other comments have been sent to the Archdiocese. The Oversight Committee guiding this process, together with the Presbyteral Council, will consider all the feedback. Archbishop Etienne will announce the final configuration of these parish families in early 2024. They take effect on July 1, 2024.

Let us hold all in prayer during this time.

Embrace the Pope’s Missions with “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move” on World Mission Sunday, October 22! Today, Pope Francis echoes the universal call of our Baptism – to be Christ’s witnesses to the world. As we gather with global Catholics on this World Mission Sunday, our prayers and contributions to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith bolster the Pope’s missions, enabling:

• Over 844,000 catechists to share the faith
• 258,540 religious sisters to tend to families and children
• 38,140 seminarians to journey towards the priesthood
• Education for 26,000,000 children
• Medical assistance in 12,000 clinics
• Comfort in 8,750 homes for the orphaned and elderly

By supporting this cause, we truly live out the call to be the spark that transforms lives. May your prayers and gifts create ripples of love and transformation. Thank you for your missionary zeal! Donate at World Mission Sunday: archseattle.org/give-serve/world-mission-sunday-donation/