Partners in the Gospel
What is Partners in the Gospel?
Partners in the Gospel is a strategic pastoral planning effort taking place across the Archdiocese of Seattle to re-invigorate and renew our local Catholic Church. It is a significant process of restructuring to maximize our existing pastoral leadership and provide a sustainable structure for the future. It will allow us to keep our parishes and schools vibrant and mission-focused.
What is One Parish Planning?
One Parish Planning (OPP) is the process our Parish Family uses to restructure and re-envision parish life as we prepare to become one canonical parish. The fruit of this discernment will be the One Parish Plan, which will be submitted to the Archbishop as part of forming the new unified parish.
Updates On Our Partners in the Gospel Efforts
Where Are We Now
We are currently in the “Who Are We?” stage.
This phase lays the foundation for understanding our Parish Family and the broader community we serve. Before we start planning for who we would like to become, we must know who we are.
Read the result of the first listening session here.
Have you had a chance to explore the story of our Parish Family through our Data Snapshot? Read it here.
What's Coming Up
- On August 13, the Pastoral Leadership Council will meet to thoughtfully plan the next round of Listening Sessions.
- This September, we will host Listening Sessions focused on identifying the opportunities before us and the challenges we are called to address together as a Parish Family. Additional details and the schedule will be shared soon. We encourage everyone to participate and lend their voice to these important conversations. We hope to see you there!
What’s Been Happening
2026
- On June 11, the Pastoral Leadership Council held its monthly meeting and began planning for the full Parish Family Listening Sessions to be held in September. The council discussed potential questions, approaches, and scheduling.
- On June 4, Fr. Parrish hosted the initial Listening Session on identifying opportunities and challenges.
- On May 23, Fr. Parrish hosted a Data Night, which was an opportunity for everyone to learn more about Parish Family data, clarify questions and concerns, and discuss ways to better support the mission and ministries of our parish community.
- On May 17, Parish Family Data Snapshot, which includes key information about our pastoral area, demographics, and parish resources, was shared to all.
- In April, we concluded our Lenten journey and Holy Week with the joyful celebration of the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses.
- In February, we began our unified celebration of Lent as one Parish Family for the second time, with a rich Lenten and Holy Week program thoughtfully planned by our Faith Formation Team.
- In January, PLC members visited the facilities through a campus tour and met with key staff of St. John the Evangelist, St. Alphonsus, and St. Benedict parishes and schools.
2025
| Period Covered | Key Activities |
|---|---|
| December | We celebrated a shared advent program across our Parish Family, with a program thoughtfully prepared by the Faith Formation Team. Parishioners from all three parishes came together in a variety of Advent celebrations. |
| November | Our Parish Leadership Council completed its discussions and synthesis of the listening session results. |
| Stewardship renewal campaign across the three parishes was planned and executed by the newly assigned Development Director for the Parish Family, Teresa Gillett. The parishioner database o the three parishes were cleaned, reviewed, and updated to improve accuracy and communication. | |
| October to November | Listening sessions on What Are Our Gifts were conducted on the following dates and locations: |
| Weekend of October 25 & 26 | |
| - 4 groups at St. Benedict | |
| - 6 groups at St. John | |
| - 5 groups at St. Alphonsus | |
| 30-Oct | |
| - 1 group at St. Benedict | |
| 7-Nov | |
| - 1 group of Young Adults at | |
| St. Alphonsus | |
| November 13 & 14 | |
| - 2 groups at St. Alphonsus | |
| Members of the PLC, along with Pastoral Council members and parish staff, personally facilitated the listening sessions. | |
| Both pen-and-paper and digital surveys were implemented and kept open through December, allowing parishioners who were unable to attend the sessions to share their voices. | |
| Our one Parish Family confirmation classes started, led by the Parish Family Sacramental Coordinator Julia Rudden, bringing youth together weekly in a single, unified Confirmation class. | |
| September | The PLC met to discern and finalize the questions, session schedule, and shared guidelines for conducting synodal listening on What Are Our Gifts |
| The PLC personally invited parishioners at Mass to participate in the listening sessions, emphasizing the value of every voice. | |
| A broad invitation campaign was carried out through the weekly bulletin, e-newsletters, flyers, posters, and social media. | |
| August | Restructured staff roles and responsibilities to support our new Parish Family model: Admin/Operations Support Team, Faith Formation Team and On-site staff |
| - Consolidated and streamlined parish operations | |
| - Each staff will serve the whole Parish Family, not only their specific parish. | |
| - Re-strategized the use of office facilities by designating key hubs at each parish site. | |
| - St. Benedict Parish Center was turned into the Parish Family�s Faith Formation Office | |
| - St. John Admin Building became the Parish Family�s Admin Office | |
| - St. Alphonsus became the Priest Hub | |
| The weekly bulletin of the three parishes are completely integrated, without individual parish inserts. | |
| July | Parishioners from three parishes came together on July 13, 2025, for a joyful summer Parish Family BBQ at St. John parking lot. |
| The mass every third Sunday of the month at St. Benedict was dedicated for the Youth Mass, where our amazing young people lead the way in celebrations, from music to hospitality. | |
| Welcomed the New Parochial Vicar, Fr. Paul Nkolombidzo | |
| May to June | The PLC officially convened for its first meeting on May 7. |
| Council members were commissioned during the Pentecost Vigil Mass on June 7 at St. John the Evangelist Church. | |
| Four weekly meetings were held, during which Fr. Parrish gave lectures on Prayer, Discernment, and the Healing of Wounds. | |
| Each member�s Working Genius was also identified, discussed, and shared with the group. | |
| PLC members were introduced in the parish family-wide communications. | |
| One Parish Family Lent and Holy Week | |
| March to April | One Parish Family Lent and Holy Week program was thoughtfully planned by the Faith Formation Team. |
| We celebrated our first Lent and Holy Week together as one community. | |
| Weekly Parish Family bulletin has been consolidated into one publication, while still including individual parish inserts to share news and announcements unique to each parish. | |
| January to February | The Pastoral Councils of our three parishes have begun meeting with the Pastor, Directors of Operations and Communications. |
| The St. Benedict Pastoral Council was recommissioned during Mass at St. Benedict. | |
| The meeting schedule for both the Pastoral and Finance Councils was organized so that meetings are held every other month. |
2024
| Period Covered | Key Activities |
|---|---|
| December | We celebrated one Advent Program for the first time. Parishioners from the three parishes came together to the advent wreath and parol making, advent penance service, simbang gabi, and advanet concert. |
| St. Benedict and St. Alphonsus Confirmation Classes were combined. | |
| One Order of Christian Initiation for Children program for the Parish Family was developed. | |
| We celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception as one Parish Family at St. John. | |
| November | All Saints' Day Mass was celebrated as one Parish Family at St. Benedict. |
| We joyfully welcomed 36 children for their First Reconciliation held at St. John. | |
| We celebrated the Thanksgiving Mass as one Parish Family at St. Benedict. | |
| A Parish Family Director of Operations and Director of Communications were officially hired to support the evolving needs of the unified Parish Family. | |
| October | A special Baptism celebration for our Parish Family was held at St. Benedict Parish, where 14 children were welcomed into the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism. |
| Our Parish Family office staff, led by our Fr. Parrish, came together for a blessed retreat at the Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center in Federal Way. | |
| Bishop Elizondo celebrated the Installation Mass of Fr. Parrish at St. John, marking the beginning of his pastoral leadership. | |
| The choirs of St. Alphonsus and St. Benedict were brought together under the leadership of a single Music Director. | |
| September | The three parishes are now working together to promote important events across the Parish Family, helping parishioners stay connected and participate more fully in our shared life. |
| July | Fr. Parrish spent time meeting with staff and ministry leaders, fostering relationships and getting to know those who serve our parish communities. |
| For the first time, parishioners from all three parishes gathered as one community for the Parish Family Picnic at St. Benedict. |
