Quinquennial Report from Yakima Diocese

I thought I'd include a link for you to read Cardinal Marc Oulette's response to the Quinquennial report from the Diocese of Yakima.  We did send a link to the original report some months ago around the time of last April's visit of the Region XII bishops to Rome.  This letter is the response to the specific report submitted by the Diocese of Yakima to the Holy See.

Attachments:

Quinquennial Report 2012.pdf

[ ]

263 Kb

Voters in Yakima Diocese Reject R-74

Measure Appears to Have Passed Statewide

But voter-rich King County was approving the measure, to allow same-sex couples to marry, by about the same percentage, in election results which reflected votes counted through Wednesday evening.  Statewide, R-74 seems likely to pass with 52 percent of the vote.

“People in Central Washington did affirm marriage between one man and one woman,” Bishop Tyson said.  “I'm grateful to the many folks in the English- and Spanish-speaking communities who did so much to push out our proposal for the common good of society.”

Bishop Tyson joined the other Roman Catholic bishops in Washington State who expressed their disappointment that “so many voters failed to recognize marriage between a man and a woman as the natural institution for the permanent, faithful covenant of love for a couple, for bringing children into the world, and for nurturing and educating those children. This change in civil law is not in the best interest of children or society.”

“I intend to work with the other bishops of the state and in the region to continue to uplift marriage between one man and one woman as the best proposal for everyone in our society,” Bishop Tyson said. He noted that despite the election results, the campaign has been an opportunity for the Church to reaffirm its consistent teaching on marriage. “This represents a starting point for a long-term effort to educate Catholics about its meaning and purpose.”

Results Diocese-wide through Thursday evening: 

St. Rose of Lima School Auction

Dear Friends:

We had a wonderful school auction at St. Rose of Lima in Ephrata. The event took in $170,000. The picture shows a happy Father Kerr along with Bishop Tyson and Father Gonzalez after the funded "Father Kerr Scholarship Fund" garnered $50,000 from the auction floor in direct donations! Congratulations to Father Miguel, Amy Krautscheid and the entire team for a great event! 

+Bishop Tyson

CCUSA Ready to Assist After Hurricane Sandy

Dear Fathers:

You might want to consider a special second collection for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Our pastoral center staff will forward any contributions to Catholic Charities USA. People often give to their passion so I'd ask you to consider this possibility. Click here for more information.

Bishop Tyson

Radio KDNA with Fr. Jaime Chacon Nov. 3

Dear Friends,

Death of Father Robert Shields

Dear Fathers:

Our brother, Father Robert Shields died last night.  Of his cousins, Trish Sutton was with him when he died.  Both Bishop Sevilla and Monsignor Jack Ecker had the chance to talk with her right after Father Shield's death.  I had the chance to meet with Trish personally this morning as well.  I am grateful to so many of you who have offered your friendship over these many years as well as your prayers during these final months of illness.  St. Paul Cathedral will host the Order of Christian Burial which begins with the Monday evening Vigil at 7:00 p.m.  The Mass of Resurrection will be Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m.  Note that this Mass replaces the previously scheduled Mass for Deceased Priests.  However we will also remember our other deceased priests at this Mass for Father Shields and will have the customary meal following the Mass.  Burial will take place on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery.  You may wish to include his death in your general intercessions this weekend, and invite your parishioners to these liturgical celebrations. 

+Bishop Joseph Tyson

Moratorium on Projection Screens in the Worship Space

Dear Friends:

At the last session of the Executive Committee of the Council of Priests, the elected area leaders and representatives took time to begin to organize the scope and sequence of issues to be discussed.  There are a number of policies be proposed and reviewed in the coming year: Construction, Finance, Priest Compensation, Marriage and Liturgy to name but just a few.  Council members expressed interest to me in having a rather robust liturgical workshop assisting clergy in singing the Third Edition Roman Missal and in better implementing the actual liturgical gestures and movements relevant to the new Roman Missal.  For this reason, a review of the liturgy policies will be coming later in the sequence of policy revisions.

However, I did raise one area of concern: the use of screens and projection of music and lyrics onto projection screens.  My concern is two fold: First, I have experienced liturgies where copyright laws were not followed.  Second, some of the projection devices and screens or spaces in which projection took place distracted from the sacred character of the worship space.  However, I have also experienced positive use of technology in worship spaces that incorporated screens into the original design and construction of the building.

Read more...

Native American Ministry in the Diocese of Yakima

Dear Friends: 

Attachments:

Diocesan Native American Ministry.pdf

[ ]

287 Kb

What Voting Means

Dear Friends:

From time to time I have a conversation, a lunch or a dinner with George Weigel.  George once taught at the old St. Thomas Seminary in Kenmore shortly before it closed in the 1970s.  I met him while I was a graduate student at the University of Washington and he was working with the old "World Without War" council also in Seattle.  He's since gone on to become a writer most noted for his biography on the life of Pope John Paul the Second: "Witness to Hope."  George always has a thought and an opinion.  I found this recent piece to be particularly thought provoking and generously non-partisan.  I offer it to you as another resource in what I know has been a very continuous political season. 

+Bishop Joseph Tyson

Attachments:

What Voting Means - Campaign 2012.pdf

[ ]

65 Kb

Why a Good Person Can Vote against Same-Sex Marriage

Dear Friends:  

Sister Sharon Park, who serves as executive director of the Washington State Catholic Conference, forwarded this article around same-sex marriage. Much of the campaigning suggests that those opposed to same-sex marriage are opposed to human happiness for folks who self-identify as gay or lesbian.  This article opens up this question and may be of help to you in your preaching and teaching.  

+Bishop Joseph Tyson

Attachments:

Why a Good Person Can Vote against Same-Sex Marriage.pdf

[ ]

55 Kb