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The pain of a broken marriage is sadly all too common; but those who have experienced a retrouvaille retreat know brokenness need not to be the end. Don and Sherry Morrison’s story did not start or end in the place Don describes. However, when they present their story at Retrouvaille retreats, they open their own story to all the couples struggling to make their marriages work and show that a couple can move from a place of pain to health and happiness.

Xanthe Kraft, a local composer and graduate of Gonzaga Preparatory School, spent time earlier this year as an artist-in-residence at St. Gertrude Benedictine Monastery in Cottonwood, Idaho. Kraft was the 12th artist-in-residence at the monastery, but the first composer.

EN EL MES DE NOVIEMBRE, la Iglesia conmemora a los fieles difuntos, nuestros queridos hermanos y hermanas que han muerto con la esperanza de la resurrección. Ofrecemos oraciones por ellos y estamos llamados a contemplar nuestra propia muerte. Los cristianos medievales conocían íntimamente las palabras memento mori, tempus fugit: recuerden la muerte, el tiempo vuela. La perspectiva católica, hasta el día de hoy, no teme a la muerte como el fin, sino como la bisagra entre la tierra y la vida eterna donde enfrentamos el juicio. Al contemplar la muerte, contemplamos nuestra relación con nuestro Creador.

In November, the Church commemorates the faithful departed, our beloved brothers and sisters who have died in the hope of the Resurrection. We offer prayers for them, and we are called to contemplate our own death. Medieval Christians knew intimately the words memento mori, tempus fugit - "remember death, time flies." The Catholic outlook, to this day, does not fear death as the end; we see it as the hinge between earth and life eternal, where we face judgment. In contemplating death, we contemplate our relationship with our Creator.

Patricia Ann Larson, a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, died early the morning of October 28, 2019, at Memory Care, South Hill Village in Spokane.  On January 18, 1929, Patricia was born into the family of Albin and Anna (Divine) Larson in Spokane, Washington.  The youngest of their seven children, Patricia enjoyed the solidity of her entire grade 1 through 12 education at Seattle’s Immaculate Conception elementary and high school. 

An influential teacher and distinguished theologian, Blessed John Henry Newman remains as insightful and relevant today as he was during his own lifetime. Newman is alive in the works that he has left behind; and thanks to his many writings and coming sainthood, we can consider him a wise friend and guide on our own life journey.

June 18, 2018 The unity of the family is a foundational element of Catholic social teaching.  In fact, marriage and the family are central social institutions which must be supported and strengthened by Church teaching and government policy.  These institutions are undermined when children are unnecessarily separated from their parents.  This practice is contrary to our Catholic values.  I join His Eminence, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo...

Dr. Matthew Powell, the first headmaster for a soon-to-open classical Catholic high school in Spokane, is a Notre Dame man from start to finish. A University of Notre Dame alumnus, he will now head the new high school named for Notre Dame – Our Lady.

In the month of October, we traditionally honor Mary, and no devotion is as popular as the rosary. Historically, this has been one of the most loved practices in Catholic devotion, taking different forms throughout the centuries. The rosary that most of us are familiar with praying is known as the Dominican Rosary. As originally developed, it consists of three sets of five mysteries, with each mystery containing a decade (or set of 10) of Hail Mary prayers, totaling 150.

En el mes de octubre, tradicionalmente honramos a María, y ninguna devoción es tan popular como el rosario. Históricamente, esta ha sido una de las prácticas más queridas en la devoción católica, tomando diferentes formas a lo largo de los siglos. El rosario que la mayoría de nosotros estamos familiarizados con la oración se conoce como el rosario dominico. Cuando se desarrolló originalmente, constaba de tres conjuntos de cinco misterios, cada uno de los cuales contiene una decena (o un conjunto de 10) de Avemarías, un total de 150.

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.