Northwest Catholic

06/05/2026

Nearly every summer since 1992, the youth group at St. John Vianney Parish in Kirkland has traveled to Tijuana for a 12-day mission trek.

On the trek, high schoolers and adult chaperones work alongside families in the area building homes. The parish works with Esperanza International and has built multiple schools and rehabilitation centers in addition to the many homes over the years.

“After spending a week or two in Mexico together, it’s just such a community that you feel you can rely on and that will always have your back,” Ishan Lantoria said. “It also gives you a much better sense of life around the world, and it really makes you not take things for granted and makes you grateful for clean water straight from the sink, food, the foundation of your house, the roof over your head and just everything, all our blessings.”

Read the full story at the link below👇

Nearly every summer since 1992, the youth group at St. John Vianney Parish in Kirkland has traveled to Tijuana for a 12-day mission trek.

06/04/2026

Did you know Deacon Simon Stehr can stand on his head?

Among his many talents, Deacon Simon shares his two lesser known talents.

Learn more about Deacon Simon Stehr ahead of his ordination to the priesthood this Saturday, by visiting nwcatholic.org/magazine.

06/03/2026

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, Catholic dioceses across the United States are preparing for what many see as both a pastoral opportunity and an unprecedented moment of global encounter.

In Seattle, Catholic leaders have coordinated pastoral care initiatives focused on travelers and migrants, alongside public prayer efforts for peace during a period of global tension involving some participating nations.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, Catholic dioceses across the United States are preparing.

06/02/2026

Discipleship begins by simply saying yes.

That was the message of Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Frank Schuster, bishop promoter of the Stella Maris ministry, at the annual Maritime Day Mass in Washington.

He said of seafarers, “They’re in this line of work because they’re driven by the hope of a better tomorrow.” They might feel unknown and forgotten, but not by God, not by Mary, “and not by us.”

“Life is always moving, like waves in the ocean. Mary, the star of the sea, will not permit us to get lost if we keep our eyes on her. We are all the people of the sea, sailing to heavenly shores, because Mary said yes.”

Read more about the Stella Maris ministry at the link below.

Discipleship begins by simply saying yes. That was the message of Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Frank Schuster at the annual Maritime Day Mass in Washington.

06/01/2026

When newborns and young children enter the church in Skagit County, they receive a special gift: a hand-crafted blanket or quilt.

“It’s a nice little welcome for the children into the family of God,” said Jan Staudenraus, a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Mount Vernon.

Staudenraus is a member of the parish’s baptism blanket ministry, which produces quilts and blankets that are given to infants and children who are being baptized.

Read more about the ministry at the link below👇

When newborns and young children enter the church in Skagit County, they receive a special gift: a hand-crafted blanket or quilt.

05/29/2026

Pope Leo XIV will preside over a worldwide rosary for peace May 30, uniting Marian shrines across continents in simultaneous prayer to close the Catholic Church’s month of devotion to the Virgin Mary.

The pope will lead the prayer from the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens at 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, with participating shrines joining via livestream. In the United States, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington will take part at 1 p.m. Eastern time/10 a.m. Pacific time.

Find a livestream at the link below.

Pope Leo XIV will preside over a worldwide rosary for peace May 30, uniting Marian shrines across continents in simultaneous prayer.

05/29/2026

Deacon Simon Stehr shares about his call to the priesthood!

Learn more about Deacon Simon in the latest magazine issue of Northwest Catholic, check your mailboxes or read online at nwcatholic.org.

Deacon Simon will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Seattle on Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. at St. James Cathedral, Seattle.

05/28/2026

Though celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the story of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Kelso began around the same time Washington officially became a state in 1889.

While the present church was built and opened a century ago, early Catholics in Kelso worshiped at the homes of local Catholics Joseph Baxter, Daniel Baxter, Louis Plamondon and Richard McAuliffe.

Read more about the history of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Kelso at the link below👇

Though celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the story of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Kelso began the same time Washington became a state.

05/27/2026

"To best understand this newest papal encyclical, we must ask: 'What makes a person genuinely human?' This begins to put into perspective what is required for serving humanity well with technology that advances true relationships, justice and peace," Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne wrote.

"A region such as ours is full of tremendous energy around new technology, and that’s something that can and should make us proud. Organizations like Microsoft have been in dialogue for years about how to ethically develop and use AI. Now, Pope Leo has extended that invitation of dialogue to the entire world. I hope individuals and companies alike are now willing to accept it."

Read Archbishop Etienne's article on Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," at the link below.

Northwest Catholic is the official magazine and news site for the Archdiocese of Seattle, serving the Catholic community of Western Washington.

05/27/2026

A Brazilian nun has died after trying to save a fellow sister from strong waves off the coast of Sicily.

Sister Nadir Santos da Silva, 45, a member of the Carmelite Sisters Messengers of the Holy Spirit, was swept into deeper water May 11 near Catania while helping another nun who could not swim.

“Sister Nadir’s gesture,” in an attempt to help her fellow nuns in difficulty, “speaks for itself and recounts a life lived in giving and service. We entrust this sister of ours to the mercy of the Lord, with gratitude for the testimony of faith and charity she leaves our community,” Archbishop Luigi Renna of Catania said in a statement published by the Sir agency.

A Brazilian nun has died after trying to save a fellow sister from strong waves off the coast of Sicily.