September 28, 2022

First Saturday Mass

We will celebrate the Memorial of St. Thérèse at Mass with Fr. Augustine on Saturday, October 1st at 9am. Read more about St. Thérèse here.

Return of the Shared Communion Cup 

The Precious Blood will return to Mass starting September 24-25.  

We have found no scientific evidence indicating the shared cup spreads the COVID-19 virus. However, parishioners can make determination based on their comfort level as parishioners are not required to receive the Precious Blood.    

Parishioners who are feeling ill should refrain from receiving the cup.

Fr. Crispin’s 60th Birthday Celebration!

We celebrated Father Crispin’s 60th birthday this weekend with a blessing at Mass, presentation of a gift from the Parish, and a reception in Egan Hall. Thank you to everyone who shared in this milestone and to those who helped make his dream of a trip to the Holy Land a reality. We pray for his continued health and are thankful for all he has blessed us with at St. John Parish.

The 10th Annual Blessing of the Backpacks

Food Drive for BTK-8 & St. Vincent de Paul was another HUGE SUCCESS! 

THANK YOU does not begin to convey the gratitude for all the food that was collected for Broadview-Thomson’s K-8 Food Program & the St. Vincent de Paul chapter here at St. John.

The 2022 Blessing of the Backpacks last Wednesday on the school playground at the beginning of the school day was a lovely event. Fr. Crispin’s wonderful blessing and sprinkling of holy water on such a beautiful Fall day made it all that more special. Thank you 6th grade students and teachers for their assistance getting the word out, bringing everything to the Parish Office and sorting the food.

Many thanks to our generous parishioners who brought their backpacks and donations to Mass on September 25th for a blessing there as well.

What a great community we have here at St. John!

Bump It Up! is back this October! 

This is our Annual FUNraiser Tournament to support St. Al/John Athletics! Registration is $40 per person with all proceeds going to St. Al/John Athletics.  Registration deadline in October 6. 

(St. John teachers and staff, please follow this link to register.) Contact John Fletcher (Volleyball Coordinator), fletchjp@aol.com, or Jonna Skokan (Athletics Director), jskokan@st-johnschool.org, with questions.  

St. John Annual Blessing of the Animals

Sunday Oct. 2 at Noon

The Saint Francis of Assisi ministry and St. John would like to invite you to bring your pet to the schoolyard on Sunday, October 2nd to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Crispin will be blessing the animals 12:00 to 12:30pm. Please note that we anticipate animals of all sizes and types, and we don't wish any to be harmed. Thus, we require all dogs to either be leashed or carried in a secure dog carrier. In addition, all other animals (e.g., cats, birds, hamsters, snakes, etc.) need to be brought to the schoolyard in a secure carrier. If you can't bring your pet in a secure carrier or if you can't control your leashed dog, please leave your pet at home and bring a photo for Father Crispin to bless.

Volunteer/Safe Environment Training at St. John

Thursday, October 6th from 6:30pm - 9:00 in Egan Hall

(Child Care available)

You need this training if you would like to volunteer on campus or in the classroom, coach, chaperone or drive for field trips, participate in the ministries of the church such as Ushers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Sacristans, CLOW, etc. any time this year. 

Please take care of the training now so you can be ready to volunteer when the opportunity arises.

The Archdiocese of Seattle requires all Church Personnel (defined as all clergy, all employees, and all volunteers who have ongoing, unsupervised contact with minors and vulnerable adults) to take part in our Safe Environment Program in three ways. They must:

• Successfully undergo a criminal background check every three years
• Complete the Protecting God's Children course within 30 days of beginning service
• Read and sign the Archdiocesan policies of conduct

You may complete these requirements by accessing the Virtus database, our Catholic Risk Retention Group focused on the prevention of abuse. New church personnel will need to create a Virtus profile (http://www.virtus.org/virtus/index.cfm) under the "Registration" tab.

If you have already taken the initial training, you will only need to update every three years. Sign in at the volunteer computer in the school office to find out if you are up to date.

It’s Stewardship Season!

Mark your calendars: We are kicking off our 2023 Stewardship Renewal Drive the weekend of October 29/30, including the State of the Parish Presentation. We ask that all of our St. John Parish members prayerfully reflect on their giving plans for the coming year. Look for more information in the coming weeks.

Many, many thanks for your continued support. Because of your generosity, we are able to serve the ongoing ministries of St. John. This financial commitment is a testament to your dedication to this community.

Click here to donate or to set up online giving now!

Registration is open for Sunday School 2022-23

Sunday School for ages 4 and 5 meets in the Extended Day Care (XDC) rooms in Quigley Building during the 10:30am Mass each Sunday - beginning October 9th through May. 

The entrance is from the parking lot side.

Click here for the Registration form.

NOT HERE!

     Many of our neighbors need help to survive.  

     You might think that there aren’t many within our parish boundaries who are suffering.  That’s not true. There are people everywhere who are in need. Even here.

     Our parish conference of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to helping our neighbors stay in their homes, keep the heat and lights on, and get enough food to eat. For instance:

• Ray lives in a house that is divided into ten spaces. The landlord is charging $760/month for each space. Ray had a job driving a delivery van, but the business was closed when COVID hit. He’s tried doing some delivery work for a 24/7 service, but it only nets him a very small delivery fee. He got behind on his rent. We were able to pay one month’s rent for him.  

• Janelle had been homeless, a victim of racial discrimination, but had finally landed an apartment at one of several places in our parish offering low-income housing. She had a premature baby and got behind on her City Light bill. We pledged to pay that bill. We also took her three packs of diapers and two bags of food donated by our parishioners. 

     These are only a couple of examples.   

     With your kind support, we’ll continue to be there to help when requested.  

     If you or anyone you know is in need, the St. Vincent de Paul helpline is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

    Call 206-767-6449. 

Liturgical Life of the Parish

As part of our response to the requests for Adult Faith Formation in our St John Synod meetings, we are pleased to share these brief essays on liturgical topics. Each week, this space will feature a short article on the mass, the whys and wherefores of liturgy, sacraments, the liturgical year, Mary and the Saints, and many other topics.

Praying the Eucharistic Prayer

The Eucharistic Prayer is the most important part of the Mass. It is also the most demanding part. The Second Vatican Council invited the full, conscious, active participation of the people at Mass. During the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest has almost all the words, but the assembly is not passive. Even here - especially here - in silence and acclamation, we offer full, conscious, active participation.  Read more...

St. John Catholic School is celebrating 100 years this academic year! As part of our centennial celebration, we are pleased to announce that we will honor Michele Thornquist, our previous Development Director, at our 2022 Endowment Event. Michele has been integral to accelerating the St. John School Endowment Fund’s growth. Please join us on Saturday, October 22 in Egan Hall for this celebratory fundraising event. Enjoy drinks, appetizers, and a family-style dinner catered by Ethan Stowell Restaurants. Tickets are limited so purchase yours today! Registration closes on October 8. Can’t attend the event? Visit our donations page to make a donation.

October Focus

on St John