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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Jesus is showcasing the power of listening and the ministry of presence in this week's Gospel. Our paired community will bring into the Church a Catechumen at the Easter Vigil. As such, we are looking at the Scrutinies for the next three weeks of Lent. This week's Scrutiny is the woman at the well.
How we approach conversations matters. Listening matters. Listening can change lives. At the height of the Civil Rights movement, African American icon Xernona Clayton was put in charge of a neighborhood project in Atlanta during the time of Martin Luther King Jr. She was a close friend of the Kings. One of the neighborhood people she had to work with was Calvin Craig, a Grand Dragon of the KKK. She spent hours and hours listening to him as they worked together on the project. In time, Craig would renounce his membership in the KKK and resign as Grand Dragon. When asked why, Craig said he resigned due to his relationship with Xernona Clayton. He said he realized he cannot hate her, she is "one of the best people I've ever met." Years later, one of Craig's daughters upon meeting Xernona Clayton burst into tears and told her, "you saved our family."
May we have the courage to listen - even to people we disagree with or whose views we find offensive. And may our actions always be grounded in the ministry of Christ who is the source of living water.
Peace...
Deacon Dennis Kelly
Pastoral Coordinator
Christ Our Hope / St. Patrick Parish Communities
dennis@stpatrickseattle.org
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Friday Lenten Morning Prayer begins this Friday!
All are welcome to join Christ Our Hope's Friday Lenten Morning Prayer at 8 AM on Zoom. The link for the 8 AM prayer throughout Lent will be the same each week. Please contact Laura (lauradavidash@aol.com).
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CRS Spotlight: Sustainabilty in El Salvador
Drought has become a big problem across El Salvador, making it difficult for farmers to produce enough crops to support their
families. But new farming techniques-and a new generation of young farmers-are making a difference.
What would you do if your livelihood was threatened? How can you support young people in your community and around the world? Visit crsricebowl.org to learn more. Visit www.crsricebowl.org to learn more.
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Cooking, Cocktails, and Community!
Join us on Zoom at 5:30 PM on Friday, March 12th as we feature the second Cooking and Cocktail/Mocktails with a recipe from El Salvador; Pupusas de Queso con Curtido y Salsa Roja.
Our second gathering will be hosted by Christ Our Hope's Jessica Montalvo and Christ Our Hope & St. Patrick Parishioner Kelly Hickman!
An email will be sent out on Friday, March 5th with all the necessary ingredients for the meal, (two items you can prepare in advance), and mocktail/cocktails for the event on March 12th.
Save the date for a future event also!
Contact Kelly Hickman for the Zoom link (kellyhickmanmats@gmail.com).
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Racial Justice Lenten Small Groups
You are encouraged to also join a small reflection group that meets once a week throughout Lent to discuss what you are learning, share your thoughts, and help to build community. These groups will be facilitated by the Racial Equity Committee of both St. Patrick's and Christ Our Hope communities.
The small reflection groups are underway. The facilitator and schedule are as follows:
If you would like more information please reach out to Lisa Dennison at lisa2karl@aol.com.
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Lenten Tree of Hope
Our Lenten Tree of Hope is up in the Church, benefiting our Sister Parish in Nueva Trinidad. Please pick up a tag and give to the various projects in the community in El Salvador, such as the senior food program and internet connections for all. Muchas gracias por todos.
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Care for Creation: New Thursday Evening Carbon Footprint Reduction Discussion Group
Ever wonder how many toothbrushes you go through in a year? It may be time to switch to a bamboo option. In addition to your new brushes, try out some silk dental floss; many come in refillable glass containers. You can even opt for toothpaste tablets and ditch the plastic tube altogether. To further reduce your plastic waste in the bathroom, consider ditching your plastic razor for an all-metal safety razor.
Feeling motivated to reduce your carbon footprint? Share successes? Discuss carbon footprint reducing ideas? Starting March 11th join our new Thursday Evening 7 PM, email Liza Neal lizamarieneal@gmail.com with any questions or get the Zoom link.
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 Saturday Night Games Night: Bingo
Game nights happen each month on the first and third Saturday evenings, from 6 PM - 8 PM. Our next virtual Game Night on March 6th will be silent BINGO to practice communication with our Deaf parishioners who will be invited to play.
From 6 PM - 6:30 PM, Ellen will provide a tutorial for BINGO related ASL practice (letters, numbers, a few words). The game begins at 6:30 PM. Hope you can join the fun on Saturday night!
Contact Elaine for the Zoom link (eclarkpt2@gmail.com).
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Sacred Encounters
In the weeks ahead, St. Patrick and Christ Our Hope will launch the new Sacred Encounters ministry. This ministry is open to participation by all in our community. While a small group will actually take to the streets to minister to those experiencing homelessness in downtown Seattle, we will need everyone's help to sustain this important outreach initiative. For those interested in being part of the street team, formation has begun (on Zoom - Sessions recorded). Please reach out to Dcn. Dennis dennis@stpatrickseattle.org and let him know of your interest in joining this group.
This new ministry will allow our paired parish community to better be a part of what Pope Francis calls a Culture of Encounter with those suffering on the peripheries. Everyone in our parish can do their part to help sustain this important effort.
We are collecting needed "survival" items for this effort. Please consider donating the following items via Amazon Wish List. Dollar stores have great deals. Items include: Multiple package Kleenex, Combs, Soap, Chapstick, and Disposable Razors, Travel size Shampoo, Conditioners, and Hand Lotion. You can purchase these items via the following Amazon Wishlist account by clicking here.
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The Year of Eucharist
Archbishop Paul D. Etienne invites everyone to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist. Started last June during the pandemic, the Archbishop said, "During the coming year, I ask every Catholic and every parish community to commit themselves to deepening our understanding and experience of the Eucharist and strengthening our Eucharistic liturgies."
More resources and communication will be shared in the coming weeks to take a closer look at the presence of the Eucharist in our lives. In the meantime, here are 12 New Year's Eucharistic resolutions suggested in a recent article in Northwest Catholic. You can access the article here.
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Free Tax Aid for the Community from United Way
From February 12th to April 18th, 2021, trained and IRS-certified tax experts will be available to provide online assistance in filing your taxes. United Way Tax Program works hard to maximize your return so you can keep more of your money. They can also assist with claiming stimulus check money. It also allows people to file for free online and get information and assistance over the phone in numerous languages. If you would like more information you can check out our website at https://www.uwkc.org/need-help/tax-help/.
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Called to Serve as Christ UPDATE
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Here's an update on our parish's participation in the Called to Serve as Christ Campaign:
Campaign Goal: $423,466
# of Gifts: 77
% of Families: 38%
Total Pledged: $168,575
% of Goal: 40%
Parish Share to be donated to Women Religious Orders:
$25,286
Click here to donate
Thank you to all who have donated to this worthy campaign. This money will ensure a secure retirement and healthcare for our women religious and our priests.
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