Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the Dec. 2, 2004 edition of the Inland Register)

When Boy Scout Mitch Palmquist had to decide on a final project to earn his Eagle Scout badge, the House of Charity came to mind: “I knew it was a place that helps homeless men and feeds a lot of people,” Mitch said.

As it turned out, the House of Charity was in need of a storage shed to house various items. “They need a place that’s up to code,” said Mitch. That’s why Mitch, his father, and his grandfather were all doing construction on a frosty Saturday morning. Mitch’s grandfather was also a Boy Scout, and has encouraged the teen in his efforts, which included acquiring the materials himself. Mitch called various businesses and individuals that he thought might be willing to offer materials or money; he says 100 percent of the people he called agreed to help, making it a true community effort — and an excellent other-oriented project for earning Scouting’s top honor. (IR photo from Catholic Charities)

The youth groups from Our Lady of Fatima and Assumption parishes in Spokane came together to honor the dead early last month. The 25 youth, accompanied by four adults, visited Holy Cross Cemetery Nov. 7 to pay tribute to those who have died, as a delayed observance of All Saints and All Souls days. (IR photo from Assumption Parish, Spokane)

Spokane Diocese youth groups are taking the time this Advent to put Christ back into the “X-Mas” season.

Youth groups from all over the diocese are participating in a variety of service projects, trying to share Christ’s love and the true Christmas spirit with those who get very little opportunity to experience it – namely, the young, the old and the poor.

• St. Mary Parish, Spokane is spending two weeks providing daycare for parents who are using their food and gift vouchers at the Christmas Bureau, a project sponsored by Catholic Charities, the Spokesman Review and Volunteers of America. They are also throwing a Christmas party for the children at St. Margaret Shelter on Saturday, Dec. 4.
• Teens from Sacred Heart in Pullman are continuing to help a family they reached out to over the summer in Mexico. While in Mexico, they built a house for the family. Now, they are working with that same family to give them needed items for their home as Christmas gifts.
• St. Patrick Parish, Pasco is caroling at a local retirement center, bringing the gift of joy into the quiet community. Afterward, they plan to throw a Christmas party for the residents in the facility.
• The combined youth group from St. Francis Xavier and St. Patrick parishes in Spokane is continuing its year-round service to the homebound of the Spokane community.

Some 55 students at St. Mary School, Spokane Valley, took part in the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of The Frog Prince recently. MCT is a traveling theater company specializing in bringing the performing arts to schools. All of the pictures show St. Mary’s students who performed in the recent Missoula Children’s Theatre production of The Frog Prince. Missoula Children’s Theatre is a traveling theatre company specializing in bringing the performing arts to schools. Pictured: Katie Donich (Princess Prim) appears with some of her knights: in the back row, left-right, are Nick Anselmo, Lizzy Winkler, and Erica Mularchuk; left to right, front row, are Kevin Stokes and Danielle Kienbaum. (IR photo from St. Mary School, Spokane Valley)

The eighth grade class at St. John Vianney School, Spokane Valley, collected warm winter clothing for the House of Charity, St. Margaret Shelter and St. Anne Children and Family Center this fall, part of a class service project for October.

Led by student Tori Grenz and teacher Charlotte Lamp, the students organized the drive, put out collection boxes and invited the whole school to donate gently used or new winter clothing for men, women and children. Over a dozen boxes and bags of clothing were delivered to the agencies on Nov. 5.

The series Music@Lourdes presents an Advent concert featuring the Cathedral Choir and Handbell Choir on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m.

The concert will feature works by John Rutter, Andrea Gabrieli, and will highlight the choir singing Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” Max Mendez (right) will direct both ensembles in an afternoon of music of the season.

Cathedral musicians Keith Thomas and Chris Cook will also join the program.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes is located at 1115 W. Riverside Ave. in downtown Spokane. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.; a free-will donation to support the Music@Lourdes concert series will be collected.

The Music@Lourdes concert series is produced through the music ministry at the cathedral. Its mission is to provide a meaningful concert-going opportunity for the Diocese of Spokane and the greater community of Spokane: “sacred music in a sacred space.”

The performance is open to the public.