A Letter from Fr. Vincent 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners,

It’s back to school in Covid. In August, we were watching the Covid cases in Snohomish County go down to a level which would allow us to initiate an in-person health department approved progressive protocol for the opening of our school. Our principal, Sue Venable, and teachers have done a tremendous job at ensuring that these safe start protocols are in place. It is amazing how they have transformed our campus into a safe socially distanced environment. For example the kindergarten is taking up the entire cafeteria and the parish hall has become a science classroom. Holy Rosary’s reopening school plan includes a new, more comprehensive remote learning model and a full return of students for in-person learning as our progressive return to the building (with a remote option available). Thanks to Sue Venable and the teachers for their creative and persevering spirit to make safe in-person school happen this year!

We have also been studying our options for Sacramental Preparation programs this year. Kelly Groesbeck is co-ordinating  First Communion and Hannah Graves is overseeing  Confirmation. Both of these programs will be mostly online. Information and registration is available on the  parish website. Kelly and Hannah are available for questions.

Religious education this year will be through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). CGS is a Montessori hands-on based program that has proven very effective in communicating the faith to children and fostering a deep life of prayer and faith. Julie Morris is heading up this program. We are also offering a homeschooling option, My Catholic Faith Delivered.  If you are interested in CGS or My Catholic Faith Delivered for your child, please see a  full description on our parish website or contact Julie. 

Our parish Feast Day of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is coming up. In the past, we have done a Rosary procession.  This year we are going to use our outdoor mass venue to do a Holy Hour on the vigil of the Feast of Holy Rosary Oct. 6 at 7pm. We will expose the Blessed Sacrament and pray the Rosary together.

When our Lady appeared to the children at Fatima over a hundred years ago she asked the children to pray the rosary for peace. That is what we will do at our Holy Hour -- pray for peace. The world needs peace now, a peace that only Jesus and Mary can bring. Peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in our communities, peace in our country, peace in our world. Mary is the Queen of Peace and praying the Rosary is a pathway to peace. Please join us outside Oct. 6 at 7pm to celebrate our parish feast and to pray the Rosary together.

For the past several years Koinania has been our main adult faith formation venue. Obviously Covid has changed things and Koinania cannot look the same. To that end we are going to start Koinania Oct. 7 ^th at 7pm. There will not be a meal. We will start socially distanced in the Pastoral Center and watch a series called “The Search, ” which has a similar format to Alpha. After the short video together, there is a small group guided discussion. This will all be done masked and socially distanced. We will also offer at home and online versions of The Search. Please contact Hannah if you may be interested in these options.

In Christ,
Fr. Vincent