An update on Saint Mark school’s playground, basketball courts, and parking lot access.
A resource worth sharing!
While there is nothing to report on the criminal investigation (sadly, car theft & mischief is both common and nigh-impossible to track down these days :-/), we’ve been reviewing what measures we want to take with regards to our gates.
Some context: especially during the pandemic, it became clear that Saint Mark school’s playground, basketball court, and field were a valued resource to our neighbors. Folks greatly appreciated being able to go to a safe (and maintained!) location with their children, family, and friends. When at one point we restricted all access to these facilities, we received a great number of calls (gently, respectfully, but urgently) asking us to reconsider, as this was one of the few – if not the only – accessible locations near their homes. We also have any number of parishioners who, with their children in tow after a long Mass and/or errands around town, look forward to sitting down while their children burn off energy in a safe, known place.
I emphasize this because we desire to balance safety & security with good stewardship & sharing of our facilities.
With that in mind and in light of the recent mischief, what we’re considering is locking the vehicle gates – and ONLY the vehicle gates – outside of office hours or Mass times. The pedestrian entrances – specifically the one next to our cafeteria and the street-side gate between the school & gym – would be unlocked, allowing the many folks who responsibly enjoy our facilities to continue to do so (albeit, without their vehicles).
Of course, we would review this practice over time and see how it plays out – particularly if it lends itself to a good balance of usability & safety or if further restrictiveness is needed.
We’re not quite at a decision point yet, but I thought I’d share with you all what we’re considering and the reasoning behind it.
Hello and welcome to the second of the new weekly pastor’s posts. I’m still looking for inspiration for a geeky title for this thing, so if you’ve got a neat name idea to share, please let me know!
Someone’s autobiography?!?
For the second time in two weeks, I have had the delight of spending time with parishioners at their home – we had dinner, swapped stories, and generally had a blast late into the evening talking & laughing. When talking with folks, I’m always surprised at what new facets there are for us to discover about each – hobbies, history, thoughts, and so on. This gathering was no different, and not least for a story that involved a hike up a mysterious mountain, a secret door only found through friendship with mysterious strangers, a trek to dangerous heights, and finally a return to home & safety. I’m not saying I’m pastor of famous hobbits…..but I’m not not saying I’m pastor of famous hobbits either!
It occurs to me that perhaps I don’t make the offer often or publicly enough, so I want to be sure to say that if you’d like to have your own dinner hangout with the pastor, I’d be happy to get to know you a little better, share a meal together, and enjoy each other’s company. It may take a little scheduling, but give me a call if you’re interested!
You all know I’m a Star Trek fan, but I’m also a fan of good music of both the secular and sacred variety. Among my favorites are chant, folk music, and poignant soundtracks from television, movies, and video games (among so much more out there!). The gift of music & song is a source of great joy. When this last week’s musical episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (‘Subspace Rhapsody’) dropped, I was prepared to be disappointed even while holding out hope that it would be good. I’m happy to report that was an absolute banger of a good time – excellent Star Trek storytelling, a smattering of musical styles (sung well, no less!), and clever lyrics that developed the characters and showcased some real talent among the actors. The whole series is worth watching, but if you enjoy even a bit of Star Trek and appreciate music of various types, this is an episode you should watch!
Back here in regular – or at least, differently geeky – space, we’ve got a few neat things coming up at the parish. I’m especially anticipating our penultimate ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions this Thursday. There will be a brief presentation (“Marriage in society and in the Church”) followed by an open period for questions asked in-person or anonymously. I hope you’ll come enjoy food, fellowship, and an opportunity to learn more about the faith together.
Be sure to also mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 15th – the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a holy day of obligation for all Catholics and we’ll be offering two Masses here at Saint Mark parish – one at 9:30 am and the other at 6:30 pm. If you’d like to prepare a little in advance, Pope Francis’ angelus address from 2022 on this mystery of our faith is a brief but lovely reflection that you may enjoy.
This last week also marked the memorial of Saint John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests. One of my brother priests pointed out that he is the sole saint canonized from among that demographic. A humbling reminder of our need for holy parish priests, both those already in ministry and those yet to hear & respond to God’s call. Please join me in prayer for our current clergy and those whom God is inviting to serve as priests in our archdiocese.
May your week be a blessed one. Know of my prayers for you all.
Yours in Christ, Father Maurer
Some neat Catholic tidbits from the week ahead:
Sunday, August 6 – Yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. I had the privilege of visiting here in 2006 while on a study abroad pilgrimage at seminary. Of all the places we visited, this was perhaps the most impactful to me personally – something about both the church and grounds filled me with a sense of peace. I could understand why Saint Peter wanted to pitch tents and stay there forever! But the Transfiguration serves not only a place to visit, but a foretaste of the transformation the Lord desires for us. Check out Bishop Barron’s 2017 homily on this very idea and how it is meant to spur us closer to Christ.
Even Mary agrees, the Dominicans are awesome!
Tuesday, August 8 – I sometimes joke that the Dominicans here in Seattle are just the worst – they’re intellectually rigorous while also being down-to earth, have their own special liturgical rite, dedicate themselves to ministry across the world, wear awesome habits, and otherwise make the rest of us look bad!
But serious, the Dominicans – particularly the men serving at Blessed Sacrament parish and the UW Newman Center – are an extraordinary blessing to the Church at large and in our archdiocese. If you are ever in the area, their parish church is worth a visit to both see and pray in. If you know one, be sure wish them a happy feast day and to pray for them & their ministry this week.
Thursday, August 10 – ‘Turn me over, I’m done on this side’ is perhaps Saint Lawrence’s most famous quip. This was offered as he was roasted to death for defying the prefect of Rome. The prefect had previously demanded that Saint Lawrence – deacon of Rome and steward of the material goods of the Church & responsible for giving collected alms to the poor – turn over the treasures of the Church. When the deadline came, Saint Lawrence showed up with the poor of the city, proclaiming that they were true riches of the Church.
We, too, ought to take care to attend to the needs of the poor in our midst. I suspect I am not alone in often overthinking my response to those who ask for my help – potentially to the point of avoiding the poor altogether. May we take the time to not only respond, but to meet, care for, and unite ourselves with the poor in our midst.
Saint Lawrence is also the patron saint of deacons. Let us be sure to pray for our own deacon, Deacon Kirk, and for all those who serve as deacons across the archdiocese and throughout the Church.
Friday, August 11 – Speaking of the poor, we are reminded this week of the ‘Poor Clares’, founded by Saint Clare, whose memorial is today. Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, she voluntarily embraced poverty and a life of radical dependence on the Lord, focused on meditation & prayer. A community of women – many of whom were also former noblewomen – sprang up in her stead and so was founded the Order of Saint Clare. Read about her life & work at Loyola Press.
Rosary & memorial Mass for Mary Amundsen Friday, August 4, 2023 10:30 am (rosary) 11:00 am (Mass)
Good morning,
The family of Mary Amundsen would like to invite Saint Mark parish to join them in a rosary & memorial Mass offered for her – to be celebrated tomorrow, August 4, 2023. The rosary will be offered at 10:30 am and the memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am – all are welcome. The family has prepared an obituary, which can be found by clicking this sentence.
Let us pray together for Linda, her family, and all who love them. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul rest in peace. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Welcome to the first of what I hope to be a weekly post here on Saint Mark’s parish website. I’m still workshopping the name, so if you think of something catchy – bonus points if it is geeky too! – please feel free to let me know.
Hopefully the geeky stuff doesn’t get out of hand…. but no promises ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The purpose of this post is to be an informal way to connect as pastor and parishioner. Unlike the pastor’s notes in the bulletin or a formal letter, these will be more lighthearted, less prepared, and will include more off-the-cuff thoughts, observations, and reflections. My intention is to have these go up on the website at the start of each week (Monday mornings), so feel free to stop by then or use the RSS feed to get alerts via your preferred feed reader.
Speaking of off-the-cuff thoughts, I want to share how much I enjoyed last week’s AMA (‘Ask Me Anything’) session, led by Deacon Kirk and attended by many of our parishioners. The topic was ‘Catholic Social Teaching’ – both the presentation & handout from Deacon Kirk were super impressive (and set the bar high for any of us who will follow him in coming sessions 😬).
Perhaps the greatest highlight were the conversations that kicked off after the presentation. Those included questions about property and labor, the differences between the Apostle’s & Nicene Creed (and when we might use them), and a deep dive into the theology of the Eucharist (if you – like me – are unsure of how to explain ‘transignification’ and ‘transfinalization’, this EWTN article might help!). Whether it was a fervent sharing of a person’s perspective on faith or a piercing question that weighed heavily on their heart, it was a blast to be part of such a fun back-and-forth. Our next one is in a couple of weeks (August 10 at 6pm in Sullivan Hall on marriage in society & the Church) – come join in the fun!
Finally, I want to offer a word of encouragement around prayer. In talking with some parishioners after Masses or at various social events, the topic of discouragement around both the world and the Church comes up frequently – perhaps more frequently than in the past. I myself often struggle with cynicism or despair when reflecting the brokenness of the world and/or the shortcomings of the Church & Her members. As I put it recently to one parishioner, ‘I know that I’ll feel worse afterwards, but sometimes I want to take a couple laps in the pool of bitterness!’ It’s a dangerous temptation and one with which I daresay we are all familiar.
In addition to regular confession – and you know I love promoting the sacrament! – I want to heartily recommend the Liturgy of the Hours as a way of opening ourselves to God’s love and His gift of hope. As a cleric, I promised to pray the Hours each day, but I’ve come to love the ebb & flow of each of the Offices, whether it be in the morning to start my day or after nightfall before I go to sleep. We’ve been praying Night Prayer after our movie nights (by the way, we should have a monthly movie night – who’s with me!?!), and parishioners have reported how nice it is to have these simple prayers as a way to cap the day.
If you’re struggling to pray – or just looking for a way to renew and re-invigorate your prayer life – consider exploring the Liturgy of the Hours. For those so inclined, there’s an app (available for Android and iOS), as well as a website where you can begin praying right away. Whether you do one, some, or all of the Hours, I think you’ll find great consolation in joining so many others in this wonderful prayer of the Church.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Let us continue to lift each other up to the Lord in prayer – rest assured that you in my prayers, daily.
Yours in Christ,
Father Maurer
Some neat Catholic tidbits from the week ahead:
Monday, July 31st – Today is the memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. An enthusiastic soldier, Ignatius was wounded by a cannonball and knocked out of combat status. While he was recuperated – disappointed that he couldn’t pursue his own goals & ambitions – Ignatius realized that he felt more fulfilled reading holy things than when he read worldly things. This simple observation kicked off a life-long effort to pursue God’s will and help others do the same. Founder of the Society of Jesus (also called the Jesuits) and author of the book The Spiritual Exercises, his impact on the Church continues to be felt today. Read more about him at The Pillar Catholic.
Tuesday, August 1 – Some time ago, Saint Mark parish was blessed to have one of the Redemptorist priests serving the archdiocese here for a weekend. You may have noticed that the priest’s name was followed by the initials ‘CSSR’, which stand for Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, or simply, the Redemptorists). Today is the memorial of their founder, Saint Alphonsus Ligouri! Let us pray for all the Redemptorists, serving in our archdiocese and beyond, as we thank God for their presence & ministry. Check out the Redemptorists’ blog at CSSR.news.
Friday, August 4 – You’ll find many parish priests who profess an affection for Saint John Vianney, whose memorial is today. I count myself among them, not least for his great devotion to the sacrament of Reconciliation. But my favorite story is of how a neighboring priest, jealous of the Curé d’Ars, started a petition to have him removed. Catching wind of the petition, Saint John Vianney signed it himself before having it sent to the bishop! May we all have such devotion and humility!
Click the image to view the full-size version
Saturday, August 5 – In Rome, there are four major basilicas, the memorial of one (its dedication) we celebrate today: the basilica of Saint Mary Major (as in Mary, Mother of God). All of the basilicas are amazing, but this one took my breath away when I first saw it while on pilgrimage to Rome.
Of the many photos I took while I was visiting, these are two of my favorites (please pardon the poor resolution & flawed angles). And if you’re interested in seeing it in person, I highly recommend making plans to make your own pilgrimage to the Eternal City to see this and many other extraordinary places of prayer and homage to the Lord and His saints!