St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Where Stewardship is a Way of Life

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Fr. Jim’s 50th Jubilee

Announcements, Blog

On June 1st, former St. John the Baptist Pastor, Fr. James Coyne (Fr. Jim) celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Jim is loved by so many people that the church had to open overflow parking to accommodate everyone who came to honor him and his vocation.

Greeting friends before Mass

The celebration of the Mass. The church was full!

After Mass, the lively reception included musicians who wanted to share their gift of music with Fr. Jim and all gathered.

The Knights of Columbus cooked and served hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs. Dozens of volunteers contributed salads, desserts, and their time to help make the day run smoothly.

Fr. Jim spent the afternoon surrounded by friends and family, all taking turns to offer their good wishes and gifts in honor of the occasion.

While he served many people and parishes during these past 50 years of priesthood, St. John the Baptist will always be ready to welcome Fr. Jim home in this community.

Thanks, and photographer credit goes to Malcolm Chang, who provided all the photos of the day!

Youth Altar Server Retreat

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June 9, 2025 | 4:00–7:00 PM

Holy Spirit Parish Hall, 318 3rd Ave S, Kent

Mass at 7:00 PM | St. Anthony of Padua, Kent

Do you know a young person who’s received their First Communion and might be called to serve at the altar? Invite them to this special 3-hour retreat! Open to both current and interested altar servers, this event includes games, crafts, prayer, and community—all while learning how to serve Jesus with courage and love, just like St. Tarcisius, patron saint of altar servers.

Family 30 Demographic Survey

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Now it is the time in our “One Parish Process” to get to know who we are as two parishes. To facilitate this, we are conducting a demographic survey. What are our ages, ethnic backgrounds, and family make-up? What languages do we speak? How long have we been in the parish?

You can fill this survey out whether you belong to Holy Spirit or St. John the Baptist. This is a quick survey, taking 1-2 minutes to complete. Please, only ONE member of your household fills out the survey. Please click the following link to begin: https://archseattle.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/5294/responses/new

Regarding SB5375

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WA State Law now demands that priests violate the seal of confession. Archbishop Etienne has reminded all priests that they are not, in any way, to adhere to this law and are currently working to challenge SB5375. – Fr. Carlos, in an update to staff on 5, 5, 2025

Following the passage of the bill, Archbishop Etienne composed a letter to the public further explaining the position of the Church in Western Washington. It is available to read in several places, including the Northwest Catholic website.

With the current discussions, you may be wondering what CAN priests do in the event an individual discloses harmful actions during a confession.

For any confession to be valid, the penitent must be sincerely sorrowful and committed to avoiding the sinful behavior in the future.

Thus, a priest may encourage the penitent to seek support and continue to meet with the priest outside of confession. Outside of the sacrament, a priest is bound as a mandated reporter. It is good practice for priests to disclose their mandated reporter status before beginning discussions outside a sacramental confession.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) is available at St. John the Baptist weekly on Saturday from 4 pm to 5 pm or by appointment. To set up an appointment, please call the office: 253-630-0701.

Men’s Retreat – With a Father’s Heart

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Men of Parish Family 30—you’re invited to a morning of reflection, prayer, and brotherhood on Saturday, April 26, from 8 AM to 12 PM at St. John the Baptist. Inspired by Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, this retreat, With a Father’s Heart, invites us to reflect on the example of St. Joseph as men of faith, family, and community.

We’ll begin in the MPR with a hearty breakfast at 8:15 AM, generously provided by the Knights. Then, we’ll move to the sanctuary for prayer and our featured speaker, Fr. Jim Coyne.

Bring a friend, a brother, or your dad—and come be renewed!