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April 12 - April 14 FBYC Confirmation Retreat - April 2019 Brick by Brick: Building a Firm Foundation. Confirmation retreat facilitated by the Father Bernard Youth Center!

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Join us for Prayer, Fellowship and Formation!

Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Join us for Prayer, Fellowship and Formation!

April 26 - April 27 Pascua Juvenil 2019 (North) A retreat weekend geared toward Hispanic youth from all over the Archdiocese. Talks and music will be a mix of English and Spanish! Contact Alejandro Bautista for more information!

March 29 - March 31 Brick by Brick: Building a Firm Foundation. Confirmation retreat facilitated by the Father Bernard Youth Center!

Join hundreds of teens from the NW for a dynamic experience featuring keynote talks by Oscar "TwoTen" Rivera, praise and worship lead by Taylor Tripodi, Confession, Mass with Archbishop Sample, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. REGISTER HERE! Date: March 1-2 Location: Canby Grove Camp and Retreat Center 7501 S Knights Bridge Rd, Canby, OR 97013 Mass: Saturday Evening (Fulfills Sunday Obligation)

The church is a place where all are welcomed and where everyone belongs.

An article from America Magazine about inclusion of people with disabilities in parish life.

Special CARA report based on nation-wide survey of parishes about the inclusion and support of people with disabilities in their communities.

Several months ago, my wife traumatically found out about my addiction to pornography.  I had hidden this secret from her through 35 years of marriage.  Because of the shame and guilt I felt, I lied to my wife to keep this secret hidden.  I was also lying to myself.  I told myself I could quit any time I wanted to and this wasn't bothering anyone else.  

As we celebrate "National Marriage Week", culminating with Valentines Day, I reflected with my bride on some practical ways to invest in our relationship. Many of these ideas come from our own limited experience on this adventure called marriage. Please share your own ideas in the comments.

Ever since we began the Year of Mercy on December 8th, I have been thinking of ways I can more fully live out the works of mercy.  Through a conversation with a friend, it became clear that we often are doing these things daily, without even realizing it.  As a mom of little ones, I’d like to share my perspective on living out the corporal works of mercy. 

Three years ago as a brand new Deacon, I give my first homily on Gaudete Sunday, the exact readings we hear today. So when I was asked to be the homilist this Sunday… my first reaction was, “great, with how seldom I give homilies, what are the odds… and what the heck does God want me to preach about that could be different than my first homily?”.

Advent is a time in the liturgical year that I never gave much attention to. After all, we all know that Christmas pretty much arrives right after the last bag of Halloween candy has been purchased. Christmas is easy to get excited about: there is all the fun of putting up the tree, watching our homes transform with lights and decorations. The snow begins to fall, the music starts to play, and as a child, of course, this is the most magical time of the year.

With four healthy children, an amazing wife, and lots of extended family, I have plenty to be grateful for. However, business often distracts me from truly savoring these gifts in the manner they deserve. There are projects to accomplish, lists to be completed, the looming whispers of “hurry and get ready for Christmas”. It’s hard to avoid getting sucked into the rat race and lose sight of what is important.

The air is electric here in Philly (as well as online).  There are banners everywhere, from the airport, to streets, to local businesses, welcoming all the pilgrims.  Additional buses, rail cars, food carts and even porta-potites are slowly converging on the city center as groups from all over the world “go rejoicing to the house of the Lord”.  The transformation of a typical city to a Catholic hub is beautiful.  It is hard not to get caught up in the craze.  So let’s take a moment to put a few things in perspective so we don’t miss what God is doing.

At 11pm last night I tried to board the train into Philly, but was told they only took cash. Tired, hungry, and a little frustrated after 12 hours of travel, I headed out to find an ATM in a city I have never visited.  I eventually stumbled into my bedroom on the 3rd floor of an Airbnb in midtown. As I tossed and turned trying to fall asleep, I reflected on just how in the world I got here.  Not just this room, but the new job that brought me here. 

If you were to ask me to identify the happiest day of my life of my life so far, I would give you two: the summer day in 2008 when my sister was married, and then another summer day in 2009, when my brother got married. I wouldn’t say they were perfect days (we all know that weddings bring their own kind of stressful baggage), but I’m not talking about perfection here; I am talking about happiness – or, rather, that deep-down joy that doesn't get easily unsettled when things haven’t gone perfectly according to plan. On those two days, there wasn’t much room left to bother about the snags and hiccups – even the major ones. I was too caught up in the look of love exchanged between the spouses, a look that was intimate enough to make you wonder if you should be watching, but also open enough to invite everyone else in. 

Engaging the 21st Century Family into Parish Life by Jason Kidd