Welcome to our Catholic Church, East of Seattle, in the Snoqualmie Valley!

From the Desk of the Pastor

August 11, 2022

Dear friends in Christ,

THE AGE OF CONFIRMATION

Last week I wrote of the importance of faith formation for our children and youth, of its importance in the home and the ways the parish supports families in their efforts by the classes and programs we offer.  Among the most important of those classes are the sacramental preparation classes for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion and Confirmation. This week, in particular, I want to highlight the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The Sacrament of Confirmation, confirms and strengthens the grace of Baptism.  It is a special outpouring of spiritual gifts or charisms that we need to live the Christian life.  It is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit that each one us needs as individuals, but more importantly, the whole church needs, to fulfill the mission Christ gave us.  He wants us to go out and share the good news, to share his life and love.  The sacrament of Confirmation, in a real sense, equips us with these special gifts of the spirit which we need for this mission and ministry.  So, it is not just “nice thing to do,”  but rather essential for the Christian life and for the Church.  These gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

To receive these gifts and use them well, we need to be prepared, so that we know the Lord- who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-, so we know the gifts that he pours out in confirmation, and so that our hearts are open to what God wants to do with us and these gifts.

A few years ago, the Archbishop, lowered the age of Confirmation from sophomore in high school to 7^th grade.  This was done after much consultation for many reasons but especially to ensure that more of our young people received this important sacrament, so that preparation didn’t conflict with the many activities that older teens are engaged in, and so that youth would have these important gifts of the Spirit while they faced the challenge of high school. 

The last few years have been a transition and of course we all experience the challenge of COVID, but this year, it is especially important that we catch up all of our youth with this sacrament.  So, this year, if you have a son or daughter who is in 7^th Grade, 8^th Grade or any year of High School, this is the year we want you to enroll them in confirmation preparation so that they can receive this sacrament this coming winter.

We need your help with this so that we can make sure all of our youth receive this important sacrament from the Lord and this special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.   Please help us with this and pray for all of our youth preparing for Confirmation this year!

THE HOLY DAY OF THE ASSUMPTION IS THIS COMING MONDAY

This coming Monday, we celebrate the Holy Day of Solemnity of the Assumption.  This is an important day to celebrate Mass because, in a certain sense it is a celebration of our ultimate home… our heavenly home.  We celebrate Blessed Virgin Mary going home to God, by being assumed body and soul into heaven so that she could  be at home with her Son, the very source of all life and love.  She was given this particular grace by God because of her cooperation with God and the special role she was given in bearing the savior. If we often associate our earthly home  with the feeling of being surrounded by love, how much more does “the home,” of heaven hold out promise of joy, hope and love for us all.   And we remember too, that Mary as the Mother of God, has also been made, by her Son, our mother as well.   We can ask her help and for her assistance from heaven.  We can feel her love, and her deep desire that we know and follow her Son.

So, this great feast reminds us of our true home and hopefully to live our lives on earth in a way that always follows the example of Mary’s wholehearted yes to God.

THE HOLY DAY MASS WILL BE AT 9AM AND 7PM.

Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, pray for us!

Blessings on your week! 

Fr. Johnson