Dear Parishioners, Over the last three years my former parish developed a sister parish relationship with a Catholic parish in Malawi Africa. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most in Malawi live on a subsistence leaven and without electricity. Our sister parish program helped with several parish projects and put many wells in the rural villages.
Dear Parishioners, a question has been raised regarding the Rectory, the pastor's house for serving the Catholic Parishes of South Stevens County (SSC), and how the renovation project is being funded. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, Here's a quick note about the flood that happened in the hall at St. Mary’s Christmas Day. We are so fortunate and grateful that a parishioner caught the issue when they did and we were able to get the main shut off quickly and the restoration company was here within an hour mopping up and setting up fans. We only sustained a fraction of the damage we did last year. We will be submitting an insurance claim to cover the costs. We will do our best to ensure when we build back to do so in such a way to avoid such occurrences in the future. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, This Sunday we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Mother of God. The baby conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and born on Christmas Day will grow into a man and allow himself to be nailed to the cross and die. What should pass for a normal life and death story is made very unusual by the nature of this child. This child has both a human nature and a divine nature. To hold both of these concepts as absolutely true and distinct was the subject of much theological controversy in the early centuries of the Church. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, This is my first Christmas in South Stevens County and it is indeed a white one! I am so happy to be here and serve this community. It is so lovely to see how all the parishes have decorated our churches for Christmas. Each church has a prominent Nativity Scene. Ever since I was a kid, I loved Nativity Scenes and have spent most of my life either decorating, enhancing or making mangers. I have made over a dozen mangers/stables out of wood. I feel kind of like Joseph, who had to find a place for our Lord Jesus to be born, he found the manger/stable. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, Throughout this Advent time, we have been focusing our attention on what it means to prepare for the coming of Jesus. Part of our Advent journey is about leading us to that moment of faithful surrender so that we can become a selfless conduit of God’s grace for others. That's what Mary did with her “Yes,” that’s what Joseph did with his “Yes,” and that’s what we can do with our “Yes.” People who say “Yes” to eagerly accomplish the Lord’s will can change the world. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, Christmas is just two weeks away; this Sunday is the third week of Advent. We have reached the mid-point of this time of preparation and the church encourages us to persevere. We light the rose-colored candle on the Advent Wreath this weekend. This Sunday is traditionally known as “Gaudete Sunday.” Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, Our Scripture passage for this Sunday, the Second Sunday of Advent, introduces the person of John the Baptist and his ministry of preparing the way for Jesus. Advent is a time of preparation, and the image of John the Baptist offers some insightful challenges as we strive to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of our Savior again at Christmas. Click here for more...
Dear Parishioners, Advent starts this weekend. Advent Season is a very special time of year. The first day of Advent is the first day of a new Liturgical (or church) calendar and begins a four-week period of preparation in anticipation of the nativity of Jesus at Christmas. Click for more...
Dear Parishioners, It is good to be back from my Italian walking pilgrimage. It was a fun with a lot of rich experiences. Over time I will share some of what I experiences and perhaps in the Spring I will do a slide show for Faith Night on my pilgrimage. I have a lot of beautiful pictures from where we walked and the churches we visited in Tuscany. Thanks for being patient with the masses I need to cancel. I am ready to get back into things. This weekend we are celebrating the Feast of Christ the King. It brings us to the close of the Liturgical Year. Next weekend we will begin Advent which is the start to Liturgical Year appropriately preparing us birth of Our Lord at Christmas. The Liturgical Seasons are rich as they take us through the main mysteries of our Faith. (Click here for more)
Dear Parishioners, November is the time when nature falls to sleep. The trees lose their leaves and the ground becomes lifeless, cold and hard. In the spring life will emerge again... The cycle of seasons takes us through the Paschal Mystery, the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. Our Lords body was cold and lifeless in the tomb and it came back to full life never to die again. This mystery and the hope of our own bodily resurrection, is extended to us through our own baptism into Christ. (click for more)
Dear Parishioners, This Wednesday I am having a significant birthday, I will be turning 60. As Cathy Priddy put it, “The Sixties are the youth of old age.” Moving into another decade of life on earth always gives pause for reflection. To think about the gift of life itself, where it came from and where it is going. (Click to read more)
Dear Parishioners, November is upon us and we have two beautiful celebrations that make us think about death and the afterlife: Nov. 1, the Feast of All Saints, and Nov. 2, All Souls Day. All Saints is about Heaven and All Souls is about Purgatory. We are all called to be Saints. Canonized or not, everyone in heaven is a saint. All Saints is about honoring all the saints in heaven and building our belief and desire for heaven. We all have a bit of window to heaven in our souls and this needs to expand. Heaven is the grace or life of God living within us. Our desire for heaven to be with God and all the saints should grow with each passing day and year. Heaven is our true home, we are only passing through this life on earth to eternal life.
Dear Parishioners, I am presently in route to my walking pilgrimage in Italy. A few notes while I am away: Since I am not able to be here for daily masses and confessions I would encourage you to check out our nearby parishes in Deer Park and Colville for daily masses and confessions. The times for masses and confessions are printed in the bulletin. For the next three Fridays we will be having Eucharist Exposition and Adoration from 9-10 am. Please join us to pray before Lord in silent adoration. Click here for more.
Dear Parishioners, I was really delighted with the Rosary procession that happened last Sunday. It was the beginning of a lovely tradition to honor Our Lady of the Rosary who is that patron of St Mary’s. Many of those who participated mentioned that it brought back good memories of processions and May crownings they remember as children. I would like to thank everyone who participated and those who helped with the procession and meal that followed. Click here for more.
Dear Parishioners, Just a reminder that we will be having the Rosary Procession and luncheon after the 10 am mass at St. Mary’s. This will be a way to honor our Lady of the Rosary and pray a rosary together. Please join us. Processions and praying the Rosary together as a community have a way of strengthening faith. Click here to read more!
Dear Parishioners, We are so blessed here in Chewelah that our parish is named in honor of Our Lady under the title of St. Mary of the Rosary. It is a long tradition that a parish or town celebrate its patron’s feast day. In Europe and elsewhere the parish or town would have a procession and celebration on its patron’s feast day. Our parish feast day is Oct. 7, which is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast is on Friday. I will not be available to celebrate mass that day so we are going to have a rosary prayed at 9 a.m. in the place of mass. We will celebrate our parish feast on Sunday, Oct. 9.
Dear Parishioners, It is that time of year for the Spokane Diocese's Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) and this weekend is "Commitment Sunday" to kick off ACA 2022. Please donate to help our parishes reach their goals.
Dear Parishioners, I want to bring everyone up to date on our first Building and Maintenance Committee meeting held on Sept. 1. The purpose of this committee is to advise and assist the Pastor in the execution of building projects and the maintenance of all our buildings.