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This Week Letter from our Pastor

Dear Parishioners:

Fr. Poao and I had the opportunity to attend and commemorate a joyful celebration last Friday (the Pontifical Mass for the Solemn Abbatial Blessing of the Right for Reverend Gregory Duerr, O.S.B., Eleventh Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey). Father Abbot Gregory was my spiritual director and is now spiritual leader to his community. This was a very special day for him, and I attended to pray and to support him, his family, and Mount Angel Monastery. His chosen theme for his elected position is “He shall be Peace.” Micah 5:4. There were many priests, bishops, and abbots who attended this celebration. I had the opportunity to catch up with my former professors from various disciplines and many monks who I knew during my nine years of formal study and training before my ordination to the priesthood of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

As we enter the third week of Lent, let us open our ears to hear the words of God and gather as a faith community to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist throughout the week. We also journey with the Elects and Candidates, as they reflect on the scriptures of Cycle A of Lent: the first week —the temptation of the Lord during his forty days of fasting, and the second week — the Transfiguration of the Lord on the holy mountain when Jesus revealed himself in glory in the presence of his disciples and prepared them for his approaching death. He taught them that the promised Christ must first suffer and come to his glory (his resurrection) by the use of prophesies and laws.

This third Sunday of Lent we focus on a woman from Samaria and Jesus’ gift to her – faith. In Jesus’ thirst for her to receive her faith (through the metaphoric use of thirst for the essential element of human survival – water) he awakens in her heart the fire of love. The fourth Sunday of Lent we focus on a man born blind who represents Adam’s fall. As a result of this fall we are born as slaves of sin. However, it is through the act of baptism in Christ that we are reborn as his adopted children. The fifth Sunday of Lent focuses on Lazarus. As a man like us, Jesus wept for his deceased friend. As the eternal God, he raised Lazarus from the dead. In his love for us, Jesus has given us sacraments which will lift us to everlasting life. After this week, we enter Passion Sunday or Passion of the Lord. The theme of this Sunday directs us to focus on the power of the Cross —the suffering and death of Jesus —which brings life to the whole world, moving our hearts to praise the glory of God. It is the power of the Cross which reveals to us God’s judgment upon this world and the kingship of Jesus’ crucifixion. These are some of the highlights of the Lenten Season which lead us into Holy Week. I hope we are able to take time to meditate upon these themes as we prepare ourselves for Holy Week and the Easter celebration.

We thank the core team for assisting the RCIA and RCIC Candidates and Elects to celebrate different rites throughout Lent. We thank you for praying for the Catechumens and Candidates for First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation and Matrimony. We have various core teams who assist us with our regional parishes’ Faith Formation programs. You are invited and welcome to assist us in building a strong Faith Formation program within our regional parishes by joining any team. I enjoyed being with the Candidates and Elects for their retreat on Saturday and the Rite of Election at St. Charles Church.

During Lent, we plan to have several group retreats for teenagers and various multicultural groups within our regional parishes. You are welcome to join us if you have time. This information is in our parish bulletin.

We thank all the priests, deacons, parish staff, and parish leaders who attended the Annual Catholic Appeal campaign workshop last week. It is important for our leadership team to know about our goal and what we need to do to make this possible as well as how the campaign is able to assist our regional parishes with projects. There are many parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle who utilize this campaign as one source of funding for their operational income. We thank all of you who attended this workshop to assist our regional parishes.

I attended the pastoral council meeting at each parish and thank the leadership groups for assisting me with the parish mission statements. Our mission statements bring us all together to focus on what is most important for each parish. We are preparing the budget for this coming year based on the budget we prepared last year. It is good for our financial council to evaluate and analyze the previous seven months and determine what is needed: namely, how we are able to reduce or cut certain expenses and have a balanced budget at the end of the year.

You are cordially invited to journey with the Elects, Candidates, and our faith community toward the Easter celebration. It is important for us to understand the suffering of Christ on the Cross, which the Church has venerated throughout the centuries, and to relate with Christ who suffered and died for us. May you have a prayerful Lenten Season with your family!Sincerely, Yours in Christ,

Sincerely, Yours in Christ,

Fr. Tuan Nguyen, D. Min.,

Pastor