Pastor's Letter - Midsummer Update

Caring for creation doesn’t always require big changes - small, thoughtful actions can make a meaningful difference! Explore these 60 Ways to Care for Creation and discover simple steps you can take at home, at work, in our parish, and throughout the community. Choose one or two ideas to begin with, and together, let us become better stewards of our common home. 🌎🌿 

On August 29, sixteen Homebound Ministers from St. Alphonsus, St. Benedict, and St. John gathered in the McGrath Room at St. Alphonsus for a successful training and meaningful conversation about how they can better serve and care for our homebound parishioners. We are grateful for their dedication to bringing Christ’s presence and the love of our Parish Family to those who cannot join us in person.

We rejoice with the Archdiocese of Seattle as 29 men take an important step toward ordination to the permanent diaconate! Among them is our very own Michael Corcoro - an active parishioner of St. Alphonsus, Chair of our Parish Family Pastoral Leadership Council, and husband of our Faith Formation staff member, Lori Corcoro. Please join us in congratulating Michael and praying for him, his family, and all the candidates as they continue their journey of formation and discernment. May God strengthen and guide them as they prepare to serve His Church and His people! 

On August 16, our Parish Family joyfully celebrated the Baptism of four children at St. Benedict Church. Congratulations to their parents and families! We warmly welcome these children into our Catholic faith and Parish Family. Please keep them and their families in your prayers as they continue their journey of faith.

Thank you to everyone who joined our ice cream social in celebration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary! We hope you enjoyed the sweet treats, joyful fellowship, and time spent together as one Parish Family.

Nineteen children had a wonderful time at Vacation Bible School learning about Mary and her special role in our faith. Through stories, activities, songs, and prayer, they discovered some of Mary’s apparitions around the world and the messages of faith, hope, and love she shared. Special thanks to Ms. Castillo and those who helped make this faith-filled experience for our kids possible!

On August 14, our Parish Family staff gathered for a fun and relaxing happy hour at Wing Dome in Greenwood. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another better, strengthen connections, and build positive working relationships as they continue serving our Parish Family together.

Thank you to everyone who attended our presentation on the Liturgy of the Hours! We hope you found it informative and enriching. To receive a copy of the presentation slides, please email Lori at lcorcoro@parishfamily14.org.

In April 2019, St. Benedict Parish designated potential rebates from the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) for improvements to the front of the church. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was not completed, and the restricted funds remain unused. The St. Benedict Parish Finance Council proposes removing the restriction on these funds so they may be used to support parish operations. If you have any questions or concerns about this proposal, please contact Dani D’Amelio at ddamelio@parishfamily14.org by August 31, 2026. Thank you for your continued support of St. Benedict Parish and its ministries. —St. Benedict Parish Finance Council (Jeanie Drury, Shaughn Huck, Brian Beach, and Sherry Zane