Dear Parishioners,
    The Diocese of Spokane has asked our parishes to host a seminarian this summer for two months starting the first week of June. The idea is to help these young men in formation to the priesthood get some experiences of parish life and, in our case, rural parish life. The seminarian that will be staying at our parish and rectory is Colby Richards, who is currently studying at St. Patrick’s Seminary in California. It is our opportunity to get to know and support him on his way to the priesthood. His first weekend here will be June 8 and June 9 when he will have the opportunity at each mass to share a little about himself andhis journey. 

Colby is very excited to be with us this summer. Kellie and I have talking with him about ways to be engaged while he is here - I don’t want him to get bored! Some of the ways he will be involved are: helping lead Vacation Bible School week, facilitating a three-week Saturday evening series on Prayer to include dinner and a presentation; and possibly organizing a one-day retreat near the end of his stay here in Chewelah. We would also like Colby to get to know some parishioners and want to ask if any parishioners or group of parishioners could host him for dinner during his time here. Please call Kellie to coordinate an evening. If you would like to know more about Colby, there are a couple videos linked on this week’s Flocknote newsletter that were made this last year that tell a little more about who he is.

Feast of Corpus Chrisit Next Sunday

Next Sunday we will be celebrating the great Feast of Corpus Christi, the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Every year we honor Our Lord in the Eucharist with the more than 100-year-old tradition at St. Joseph’s with the Eucharistic Procession. The Mass time will change that day, June 2 - the 8 am Mass will be at St. Mary’s and the 10 am at St. Joseph to accommodate for the Eucharistic Procession. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith and it is beautiful that we keep this historic tradition alive in our parish.

Bishop Approves One Parish Proposal

About a week ago, I was asked to present our “One Parish Proposal” to the Diocese of Spokane Priest’s Council, which I had proposed to Bishop Daly in March to make the “Catholic Parishes of South Stevens County” one parish with four locations. All the priests in attendance were supportive and I have since received approval from the Bishop so we can now move forward with merging the separate corporations into one parish corporation. In result of a discussion held at our own Pastoral Council meeting in April, our new parish will be called “St Mary of the Rosary Catholic Parish” serving Chewelah, Valley, Springdale and surrounding areas. Our four church locations are St. Mary of the Rosary in Chewelah, Sacred Heart in Springdale, St. Joseph at Jump off Joe and Holy Ghost in Valley. Once we accomplish the necessary legal and administrative changes to make this official, I plan to introduce our new parish in October in time to celebrate the Feast of St. Mary of the Rosary. This will also coincide with a presentation of the five-year parish strategic plan our Pastoral Council has been working on this past year.