Bob Jensen

“What we raise over our parish
goal is returned to the parish
for our own needs.”
                              – Fr. Bill

Parish Rebate from this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal

When I am out and about shopping in Federal Way, where I live, I am surprised by the number of boarded up windows and wall sections of businesses where an out-of-control car ran through. At my bank, a car smashed through a wall and entered the bank lobby, barely missing an employee’s desk. A recent safety inspection of our parish campus highlighted that same risk to our buildings. Our parking lot also has seen an increased number of incidents of people speeding around, doing donuts.

Back in February, our parish hosted a weeklong Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design(CPTED) workshop for the city of Covington. Our parish received a set of design principles to reduce the incidence of crime and malicious behavior by manipulating the environment in a way that creates a safer space.

Based on our safety inspection and our CPTED report, we are using this year’s rebate from the Annual Catholic Appeal to add planter boxes to protect our building from runaway cars and parking curbs/stops and speed humps to discourage reckless driving in our parking lot. Improved lighting to the parking lot and the exterior of the buildings would also be added.

Your support of the Annual Catholic Appeal funds many important ministries in the Church throughout western Washington. What we raise over our parish goal is returned to the parish for our own needs. This year that rebate will improve the safety of our parking lot while increasing a little more green around the blacktop. Thank you for your support.

“If you have been a victim of abuse, I pray that you may
know you are surrounded by angels.”
– Fr. Bill

Child Abuse Prevention Month
As we end Child Abuse Prevention Month, I came across this icon of Jesus, with his wounds visible, embracing a victim of abuse. He enters the dark void, caused by abuse to be present. A mantle of safety
envelops her. Angels surround both of them.
When a child is abused, the effects are grave and can last a lifetime. Common effects can be the loss of faith and trust in God, post-traumatic stress disorders, and greater risk of substance abuse and
suicide.
We pray for healing of all victims of abuse. In addition, we take steps to prevent abuse. We train staff and volunteers to recognize and report the warning signs of abusers. We educate families and children to protect themselves and to report abuse. We hold offenders accountable and report all suspected abuse to local public authorities.
If you have been a victim of abuse, I pray that you may know you are surrounded by angels. And in that dark void, our gentle Savior seeks you out. In his woundedness, he desires to heal your wounds.
Any one of our staff would be honored and available to walk with you on the path to recovery and healing. Don’t hesitate to call.

“It is up to each of us to say ‘yes’ to this gift [of mercy] God offers and to let this gift transform our lives.”
– Fr. Bill

The Name of God is Mercy

When God revealed the Divine Name to Moses, we are told in the Book of Exodus by God: The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Ex 34:6)

Throughout the Old Testament, this theme is repeated with the emphasis always placed on mercy and on God’s love, which never tires of forgiving. Jesus, the image of God, came to reveal a God abundant in mercy.

The German theologian, Cardinal Walter Kasper, stated that what characterizes and distinguishes God best of all is mercy. This has not always been communicated well. Too often, God has been portrayed as server or uninterested. Many have tried to focus our attention on God’s mercy. St. John XXIII sought “the medicine of mercy” over “that of severity” in inaugurating the Second Vatican Council. St. John Paul II wrote his second encyclical, Rich in Mercy, and canonized St Faustina Kowalska known for her popular image of and devotion to Divine Mercy. Pope Francis has made this a constant theme. “To show mercy,” the Pope said, “is an essential feature of God. This is precisely how he shows his omnipotence.”

Mercy is “an essential feature of God.” It is “a key word for God’s actions towards us,” because “God reveals his power, above all, in mercy and through forgiving us. Mercy is the most surprising attribute of our Creator and Redeemer.”

Mercy is offered but never forced. It is up to each of us to say “yes” to this gift God offers and to let this gift transform our lives. Remember the parable of the debtor who is forgiven much, but refuses to forgive another a little? If God’s name is mercy, so must ours be as well.