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Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’ was released in June 2015. Five years later, in 2020, Pope Francis invited all Catholics and people of good will to celebrate its fifth anniversary by protecting families and future generations through action to care for our common home. Here are themes that Pope Francis highlighted in Laudato Si’ which require our urgent response today. . . .

Happy New Year, and welcome to the 2022 state legislative session! The session began on January 10 and will run for 60 days. There will be opportunities for you to sign in pro/con for legislation and to contact your legislators at critical moments as bills are being considered. Reading this Catholic Advocacy Bulletin is the best way to be informed about how to advocate alongside the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC). The bulletin will be published every Friday during the session. Thank you for joining the Washington bishops in advocating for the common good.

Pope Francis formally launched the two-year global consultation process leading to the 2023 synod on synodality on Sunday with a call to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” . . .

The birth of Jesus brings life and hope to a world dwelling in the shadow of death. He is the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall never overcome it. . . .

. . . As such, the general obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation (including the Saturday/vigil Mass) is to be reinstated (CIC, can. 1247) during Advent on December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Advent is a wonderful time to draw near to Christ. It is time to renew our faith through personal reception of the sacraments and rebuild the relationships and community life of our parishes.

The Archdiocese of Seattle signed the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Petition, which calls political leaders to set meaningful targets to protect creation and affirm the Paris Agreement at the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) and UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). . . .

"Some people have recently associated my actions in relation to the COVID pandemic with those of the state. While the state’s guidance and declarations do have direct implications for us as Church and as an employer, I want to be clear — my actions are to protect life as a shepherd and pastor in the face of a worldwide pandemic that continues to take human life at an astonishing pace. . . ."

Provides a landing page that houses all information related to the pandemic in Washington State, including King County.

Provides a landing page that houses all the CDC information related to the pandemic.

SEATTLE, July 30, 2021 – Today the Archdiocese of Seattle announced final settlements totaling $165,000 for two separate cases involving allegations of sexual abuse by Sister Dolores Crosby in the 1980s. Crosby, who died in 2007, was a member of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. . . .

Seattle, August 11, 2021 — Today the Archdiocese of Seattle’s Ministerial Covenant Task Force publicized its recommendations to address the ministerial covenant signed by teachers, presidents and principals employed at archdiocesan Catholic schools. These recommendations were developed over the past year by the 10-member volunteer task force, which was led by Father Ronald Nuzzi, professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame. . . .

Sadly, today our church was defaced by spray paint. Specifically, the words “LAND BACK” were painted on the doors along with hand prints. We have a crew coming to clean it up shortly. We believe the message is tied to very sad reality faced by our Native American brothers and sisters who were placed in residential homes across North America. . . .

Today we wish to address our Native American brothers and sisters. While we recognize that each individual tribe in our own archdiocese and across the continent has had a differing experience with the Catholic Church, we wish to acknowledge the real pain that our Native American brothers and sisters are feeling at this time. . . .

After a comprehensive nationwide search, the Archdiocese of Seattle announced its new Executive Director of Stewardship and Development today. Victor Javier Mitre Jr., a parishioner at St. Patrick Parish in Tacoma, stepped into the leadership role after the retirement of Deacon Pierce Murphy, who served in the role for four years.

Concerned that a U.S. bishops’ proposed teaching document on the Eucharist has become politicized, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne joined a minority of bishops in voting against the proposal June 17. . . .

Since the conclusion of the Spring Plenary Assembly of the U.S. bishops last week, there has been much attention on the vote taken to draft a document on the Eucharist. The question of whether or not to deny any individual or groups Holy Communion was not on the ballot. The vote by the bishops last week tasked the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine to begin the drafting of a teaching document on the Eucharist. . . .