Bishop Statements

Earlier this week, Pope Francis issued a video in which he appealed for people to get inoculated against COVID-19.  He said, “Vaccination is a simple but profound way of promoting the common good and caring for each other, especially the most vulnerable.”  The Church has made it clear that it is morally permissible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Read more by clicking on the title

July 5, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Faith,
Less than three weeks ago, on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, I issued a pastoral letter on the Eucharist. In that letter I stated, “Brothers and sisters, there is no room for division among us; it is our prayer, it is God’s will that we be ‘one body, one spirit in Christ.’” Now this short while later, we find our Catholic community roiled over a video made by Dr. Rob McCann, the CEO of Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington. While the subject of the video – racism – is certainly appropriate in the aftermath of the horrific and unjustified death of George Floyd, Dr. McCann’s blunt presentation was interpreted by many as levying false accusations against “whites” and the Catholic Church. This was only one of several issues that his video raised. Many faithful Catholics, whose lives evidence a daily commitment to compassion and justice, expressed their disappointment and frustration with Dr. McCann’s message.
I met with Dr. McCann earlier in the week to address my concerns over a number of statements he made in his presentation. Our conversation was candid and frank – and hopefully productive. Dr. McCann has now posted a letter that I encourage everyone to read. It provides some retractions and clarifications. While his letter answers some of my concerns, others remain. Read more by clicking on the link