A Parish Leadership Team was created at the request of Fr. Kevin, our Pastor, and has been meeting for several months. The Leadership Team consists of Parish Staff, the Parish Finance Council, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the School Commission. They have been developing plans to respond to this initiative in a positive and hopeful way. They will continue to help lead the parish through the entire process. Fr. Kevin has also postponed his retirement and has committed to leading the parish through this process.
Our parish’s Leadership Team is committed to keeping parishioners up to date on this important Archdiocesan’s initiative to respond to current realities facing parishes. This includes answers to questions, recent developments, and parish opportunities to participate in the process in our bulletin, newsletter, and on this website.
Archdiocese of Seattle | OLG Parish | |
Fall 2022 | Formed a Parish Leadership Team comprised of key leadership groups (Pastoral Council, Finance Council, School Commission) | |
January 2023 | Public Launch of Strategic Plan | Offered Parish & School Information Meetings |
Lent 2023 | Small faith sharing groups meet to help build stronger faith community | |
Spring 2023 | Listening Sessions offered for people to share thoughts about Partners in the Gospel | |
Fall 2023 | Proposed Parish Families announced with an invitation for public feedback | Opportunities in parish, including school, to continue growing in prayer and dialogue while we provide feedback to Archdiocese about initial proposal |
Early 2024 | Final parish family structure announced | OLG continues to operate while also beginning to build relationships with the other communities that make up the new parish family |
April 2024 | New Pastor assigned to new parish family | Celebrating Fr. Kevin’s farewell in June 2024 |
July 2024 | Parish families go into effect with new Pastor | Welcoming new Pastor |
2024-2027 | Assist parish families in their efforts to become one new parish | Parish families have up to three years to journey together to become one new parish |
QUESTION: Does this mean parishes/churches are closing?
A: No — not necessarily. First, it is important to note the parish is not the church building. The parish is the community of the faithful and all that comes with it. A parish family is comprised of different parish communities that will eventually become one canonical parish. Decisions will be made at the local level to reflect the needs of each parish community. The parish leadership, with input from parishioners and guidance from the Holy Spirit, will make decisions about how to best carry out the mission locally. This means that the new parish will determine many things, such as what ministries to provide, what outreach to the community is possible, what Mass times to offer and what properties and buildings will be used and when..
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