The final saint in our upper West stain glass windows was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. Born in Italy in 1850, she died in Chicago in 1917. Mother Cabrini embodied the qualities Americans most admire: an indomitable spirit and a practical, can-do mentality. Refused admission to a religious order, she persisted and was eventually named prioress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She wanted to become a missionary to China, but Pope Leo XIII told her to go to America instead. When she arrived, she discovered the orphanage assigned to her was no longer available. The Archbishop of New York advised her to return to Italy. Instead she remained in the United States and embarked on a remarkable career of building orphanages and hospitals. She spent considerable time here in Seattle convincing a local real estate mogul to donate the land for Sacred Heart Villa. In return she gave him a rosary which, though he was not Catholic, he displayed proudly on his wall.

Our stain glass window depicts Mother Cabrini in a full black habit with a kind of bow tie below her chin. Kneeling at her right is a girl in a light purple dress with eyes cast down, representing the thousands of orphan girls St. Frances cared for. To her left an elderly man on one knee holds a hat in his hand and a crutch under his arm. He wears brown pants, a blue shirt and has one foot bandaged, signifying the many who through her received health care. In the background is Seattle's Cabrini Hospital.

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Mother Cabrini is a wonderful patron for our parish as we face building needs. The building of our new school porch goes well, but it is really the beginning of much needed repairs. I am most grateful for the ongoing work of our parish Building Discernment Committee to help us focus on where we must go as a parish in terms of our facilities.

Also at the beginning of the summer I asked Deacon Joe Dunne to spearhead an inventory of parish property and buildings other than the school. With the help of seminarian Peter Mactutis and the members of our Maintenance Committee they have done a rather detailed report. Some of the things they identified will have to be done fairly immediately, others we will have to prioritize and present to the parish to ask your financial support. I hope to have more on this in the next few weeks.

At the same time Sharon Carriere and Vicente Bolisig have completed our annual report for fiscal year July 1999 through June 2000. I am grateful to them for the efficient work they did and will try to present some salient details of the parish financial situation as soon as possible. For now I would like to mention what is at the heart of our parish life, that is the sacraments. It does not tell the whole story of the faith life of Holy Family but it does give us some indication. Last year 320 people (children, youth and adults) were baptized at our parish. That number (particularly the 196 infants under 2 and 97 children, ages 2-7) should challenge all of us to work diligently and sacrifice for the future of the Catholic community here. Besides the 320 baptisms, there were 77 First Confessions/First Communions and 35 marriages last year in Holy Family. At the other end of life, 66 funerals were held at Holy Family. Approximately 200 people received the anointing of the sick and 2100 the sacrament of reconciliation.

As I mentioned earlier, our parish Sacrificial Giving increased about 10%: $547,673 were given at our weekend Masses in the first collection. Part of the increase came as a result of the additional Spanish Mass added last September. The overall collections at our Spanish Masses increased $46,178. A total of $122,334 was given at the three Spanish Masses, representing a 61% increase from 1998-99. Our goal this year is to help all those who attend Mass at our parish understand the importance of becoming members by using their Sunday envelope.

Later this month I will be meeting with the members of our Parish Council to discuss our financial and building situation as well as to receive a report on fund raising activities, especially the fall auction for our parish school.

Meanwhile I will be taking a bit of a break next week. From Aug. 6 - 13 I will be going on a cruise to Alaska sponsored by Envoy, a magazine run by Catholic lay people dedicated to evangelization and explanation of the faith to the young. I'm looking forward to what Fr. Gallagher has described as "one meal a day...from early morning till midnight." When I had a health check in June, they told me my proportion of body fat had dropped to 11%. No doubt the cruise will increase that a few points. Besides ship cuisine the cruise will include other forms of nourishment such as presentations by Dr. Scott Hahn, a well known Catholic Scripture scholar, as well as other young Catholic evangelists. I understand about a dozen priests will be participating in the cruise including Fr. Robert Egan, S.J. who will be my roommate.

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Announcements - July 30, 2000

1. Our two-bit collection this Sunday is for the Mary Bloom Center in Peru. The Mary Bloom Center aids children and needy families in Puno, Peru. With the present difficult situation in that country, your help is needed more than ever.

2. Thank you for your donations to last Sunday's two-bit collection for our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society. A total of $1032 were given to assist the needy within our parish boundaries.

3. As always we appreciate your Sacrificial Giving to Holy Family Parish. Last weekend $9464 were contributed in the first collections of our six Masses. Your help is vital during the summer and as we face the expenses of parish construction and renovation.

4. This Thursday (August 3) I will be available for confessions from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. I encourage you to take advantage of the Holy Year opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

5. On Saturday, August 5, Fr. Benedict Groeschel will celebrate a Mass for Life at 7;30 in Immaculate Conception, Everett, followed by a peaceful prayer vigil at the Planned Parenthood in Everett. We will leave from Holy Family at 6:15 a.m. for those who wish to car pool or caravan to Everett that morning.

6. Please take a look at our parish bulletin board for two other great Jubilee opportunities: The Western Washington Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference, August 4-6, at the Everett Civic Auditorium and the FIRE Rally, October 14, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Portland, OR

7. If you are sixteen years of ago or older and have not been confirmed, please see the announcement in this Sunday's bulletin. Also you may call Sr. Mary Clare to register for grades 1 thru 6 religious education as well as First Penance and First Eucharist classes and classes for children thru teens who have not been baptized.

8. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about the teachings of the Catholic Church, please consider coming to the Faith Formation Classes for Adults and Older Teens, The classes begin on Thursday, Sept. 7. In the bulletin you will find the numbers to call for more information and to register.

9. Attention married & engaged couples: Come to a complete Natural Family Planning course to be held at St. Jude's Parish in Redmond. Learn about your Catholic faith and discover a modern, natural method of family planning. The course consists of four sessions on the following dates: Sept. 7 and 29, Oct. 27 and Nov. 17 at 7pm. Total cost is $55. For more information and to register, call Scott and Marie Elmenhurst at (425) 788-2453.

10. Please pick up your SCRIP after Mass in the vestibule. Also your Albertson's Community Partners Card so your grocery purchases will benefit our parish school.