During the summer months, most of you — parishioners in our diocese — found a letter from Chris and Liz Smith in the mail asking you to support a new ministry: Catholic Grandparents for Life. The invitation letter outlined a simple plan to help encourage grandparents to share the faith and the message of life with their families and communities.

THE WOMEN’S MARCH may seem like an odd starting place for an article about a pro-life ministry. However, this is where the story begins. Julie Olson, Rachel’s Vineyard coordinator for the Spokane area, said, “I ended up at the Women’s March in Spokane because of the Spokesman-Review’s pairing of Catholic Charities and Planned Parenthood in the newspaper [article] on the upcoming march. I had my phone blow up with strong Catholics saying they shouldn’t be doing this — Catholic Charities pairing with Planned Parenthood.”

On Sept. 30, the priests of the diocese gathered to celebrate five of their own celebrating significant milestones in their priestly ministry. 

There is no icon of the Sacred Heart. St. Pope John Paul II wrote eloquently of “Breathing with Both Lungs,” that is, of benefitting from the wisdom and spirituality of both the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. This requires respect for all these Catholic Churches and for their integrity.

Anyone associated with Rev. Victor Breznikar (1915-1998) recognizes his iconic epithet and knows how it concludes. Victor died more than 20 years ago. He was pastor at St. Francis in Walla Walla (1961-74). Most of these years encompassed my seminary formation. I got to know him well, or as well as one could.

Responding to a need for early childhood education, Sister Immaculata and Sister Marie started Our Lady of the Highway Preschool near Novillero, Guatemala, in 2002. While recently visiting the Guatemala Mission in Solola, my children, my parents and I observed one session of the tuition-free preschool which serves about 15 children, children who otherwise could not afford preschool.

What do a giant beach ball, garden flowers, s’mores, upholstery fabric and a five-gallon milk refrigerator have in common?

One of the newer hands-on additions to St. Thomas More's ever-expanding C+STEM program is Aquaponics – the combination of aquaculture with hydroponics.

Art installation captures the life and energy of St. Aloysius School

Earlier this month, Catholic Charities’ Give & Receive Volunteer Retirement Club served a meal at the House of Charity. Retirees-turned-volunteers toured the facility to meet the expert staff and learn about wraparound services that help shelter patrons transition from life on the streets to more stable lives.

More class of 2019 Congratulations to the 108 eighth-grade students who entered the Nazareth Guild Essay contest.

The last week in June was a voyage! On June 24, eight religious sisters of the diocese – Sister Colleen Byrne, OSC, Sister Christiana Marie, SMMC, Sister Gabriella Marie, SMMC, Sister Sharon Bongiorno, FSPA, Sister Kathy Roberg, FSPA, Sister Beverly Dunn, SP, Sister Margarita Hernandez, SP, and Sister Karen Martin, OSB – spent special time with 36 young women of high school age from Spokane, Boise, Id., and Pendleton, Ore.

This June, 25 men from throughout the Pacific Northwest gathered in Walla Walla for the second annual Catholic Men’s Motorcycle Ride. Father Matthew Nicks, our motorcycle-riding chaplain, kicked off the ride with Mass, followed by the blessing of the motorcycles. 

Resources abound for parents and educators to help students see the beauty of the Christian vision of the human person.

Throughout the 20th century — the greatest period of martyrdom in history — persecuted Christians used the dross of this world to make religious artifacts.

The Christian life is at its root a response to God’s work. In the beginning, God created us; He loved us into existence. Born as a helpless infant, in His Incarnation He united His life with ours. In His cross, Jesus abandoned Himself to the worst that humanity could throw at Him, all for the love of us. In His resurrection, He has given us hope of eternal life.

Sister Teresa (Malbri) Reyes, Sister Anna Rose Ciarrone and Sister Mary Gemma (Katherine) Harris professed perpetual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience as members of the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother on July 6. Bishop Jeffrey Monforton said the Mass at Father of Mercy Chapel at the community’s Motherhouse in Toronto, Ohio.

Sister Mary Jane Yassick, OSF, (formerly Sister Michael Mary) 85, died in Assisi House on Saturday, August 31. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 66 years. Sister Mary Jane was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and was a member of St. Mary Parish in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, when she entered the congregation in 1950.  She professed her first vows in 1953.

Q: I heard that the pope wrote a document on youth recently. What are the main takeaways? Is it worth reading?

On June 26, the Community of St. Anthony gathered with Bishop Daly for a special event: the blessing of the historic rectory. The rectory has been part of the parish grounds for decades, and for decades it remained much the same. Parishioners, led by the Knights of Columbus, saw a need and offered their “time, talent and treasure” to renovate the rectory.