Dear Parishioners:
- This weekend is our third week back from the process of re-opening limited public Mass. Hopefully, the extra steps that you have to do before Mass are becoming familiar to all of you already. I want to thank all the volunteers, ministry coordinators and parish staff who have made a smooth experience for all who come to celebrate our Eucharistic Celebration a rewarding experience for which since the Second Vatican Council stated: “… Eucharist is the source and summit of worship to our God”. Again, thank you and may we continue to do a good job to keep everyone gather with our community be safe.
We took another step in this process in training more volunteers to help us in Liturgical Celebrations with a full complement of Mass at St. Gabriel very soon. Another step we took was to open the parish office to conduct our parish business with the similar procedures as in gather for worshiping. Our next step will be preparing the parish-groups for meetings and activities.
- Friday (July 3), our Nation observed the Fourth of July – Independent Day; we give thanks to God for the many blessing that our nation has received. Once again, we join in one voice to ask God for continuing blessings on our nation.
- From chapter 4 in the Second Book of Kings in the first reading, describes in some way the power of God, through the prophet Elisha, breaking into hopeless situations and shattering them with a word of life. One of those narratives is about a couple from the village of Shunem who provide food and lodging for the prophet Elisha; he in turn promises them a son, even though they had been married for a long time and remained childless.
The couple cares for a stranger who had impressed them by his dedication to God, prayer and social concerns. They interrupt their ordinary activities and private lives to care for Elisha, first with food at their table, then with overnight accommodations. And in their giving to him, they received so much more in return– the promise of new life, despite the bitter years of barrenness. Their own gift to Elisha was magnified beyond their comprehension!
- Did you know that there were three Seattle seminarians ordained to the transitional Deacons for our Archdiocese this past month. Transitional Deacon is the last step in preparation for the priesthood. Please pray for these newly ordained Deacons as they continue in their formation with their ministry in a parish setting and finishing up their study at seminary.
Congratulations to Deacons: Michael Barbarossa (June 13), Val Park (June 20), and Kyle Poje (July 4).
The Office of Vocation of the Archdiocese of Seattle, SeattleVocations.com, an online resource for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life in the Archdiocese of Seattle. This is a great place to send someone who is discerning a call to priesthood/religious life, or looking for ways to discern God’s Will. While it’s primarily directed towards diocesan priesthood, it has other great resources for men and women religious as well.
- “A word of thanks” to the many families who have pledged and turned in your commitment envelopes to the Parish and Archdiocesan Office to support the Annual Catholic Appeal 2020 again this year. We’ll be closer to our parish goal with your help today; your continued supports are as the critical testimony of the commitment for us to be “Church” today in our time. If you didn’t have an opportunity of filling your commitment envelope yet, please join with many of your parishioners to pledge toward our parish goal. Please see the bulletin to see how close we are to meet our parish personal goal.
May God bless you and all your families abundantly.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang