St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 

We are St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish.  A diverse Catholic family guided by the Holy Spirit, committed to serve others and deepen our relationship with the Heart of Jesus. 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church is served by the Religious Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit from
Christ the Priest Province under the
Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle.

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Community is a welcoming and active, Roman Catholic parish serving the community of Mill Creek / Bothell, Washington. Our parish is served by the Religious Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit under the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. We are a diverse community of believers, guided by the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are a community that welcomes all people, inviting them into our spiritual home as we deepen our relationship with God. We are one faith family, united by our Lord and Savior,  Jesus Christ. Welcome to our faith community. I invite you to join us for liturgy and fellowship. 

Click HERE for Archbishop Peter Sartain's letter in response to the abuse crisis

Click HERE to view "Frequently Asked Questions", a document to answer the questions that are understandably arising in wake of the current abuse crisis within the Catholic Church

Open yourself to the healing power of God.

Join us for a celebration mass on Saturday Sep 22 to honor the lives and faith of San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.  Both saints died as martyrs for the Catholic faith.  They serve as inspirations for us in giving ourselves to God.

"The texts inspired by God were entrusted to the Community of believers, the Church of Christ, to nourish the faith and guide the life of charity." - Pope Francis

All animals are welcome!  Be a witness to God's love, care, and concern for all creation.  This is in honor of St. Francis of Assisi's love for all creatures.

It is “a great danger to faith, to live without a mother, without protection, letting ourselves be carried away by life as leaves by the wind.” Pope Francis

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 09/02/18

Breaking open the Word of  God:


Dear brothers and sisters, today we return to the Gospel of Mark and we find a passage that gives us criteria to evaluate our Christian life. It all begins with the ritual of washing their hands before eating. The problem lies not in the washing of the hands itself, but in the question that the Pharisees ask Jesus: “"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" This tradition is explained by mark himself in this same passage. The traditions had become very detailed norms written out by the scribes and considered just as important as the Ten Commandments.

There seems to come a time in every religion when this phenomenon appears. In the beginning, the stress is on what’s inside, and not what’s outside. Eventually, people fall into a pattern of cultic traditions only, and the fulfilling of certain moral “norms” only. These practices little have to do with essence of the religion that began as an experience of a relatable personal God.
And so Jesus’ answer is condemning: “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition.” Herein lies the distinction between false faith and true faith. When we are more concerned with “dirty hands” than “pure hearts”.

James tells us that the worship that God wants is “to care for the orphans and widows in their affliction”, listening to the voice of the poor, the marginalized and the needy. Before, it was all about the Law and the Prophets, now it’s about the Kingdom of God. That should be the main precept, like we hear in the first reading: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe.” Jesus reminds us that exterior things do not make us good or evil, the good and the evil is born inside ourselves. That which comes out from us, from a free and responsible choice made by us, that’s what’s important. And, what is it that comes from inside? Hear! the Kingdom of God is inside us, and the Kingdom of God is an act of love. If faith does not create happiness, peace, freedom, you can be sure that it doesn’t belong to God, it doesn’t come from God, it doesn’t go to God. Just think about the experience of the Samaritan Woman, Zacchaeus, the good thief, the apostles and many of the saints.
The most important part of our life is in our hearts, inside each one of us, this is why we have to be careful with the things we put in it. Laws and precepts must always be at the service and  development of people.

We are called to be doers of the Word of God, we are not called to be creators of the pleasures of this world which ultimately “steal away” God’s grace from our bodies and our souls. We are called to be holy, members of the Body of Christ, we are called to be creators of god and holy actions, such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” There is now law against those things. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified with Him their passions and desires of the flesh. May they be guided by the Spirit so they can be true servers of the Word of God.
 

Walking Together as Brothers and Sisters:

Dear brothers and sisters walking together, please join me in welcoming Fr Jesus Sanchez, MSpS, who joins our community this week.

At the same time let us continue meditating about the Word of God which invites us to grow in our faith. The following questions may be of some help for our reflection this week:
 

1. Which parts of the Gospel are harder for me to accept?
2. What things have heled me get back on the way of the Lord?
3. Do I seek a prayer life that can help me encounter the Lord and gain the strength I need to continue my journey?

 
  Fr  Gerardo Alberto, MSpS, Pastor