Dear Parishioners:
- Three readings using the image “vineyard” but each reading has a significantly different focus on the vineyard image.
The first reading is focused on the vineyard itself: it is the vineyard that fails, and Isaiah tells us: the Lord’s vineyard is the house of Israel. Vatican II is telling us that we, the Church, are the people of God, the vineyard of the Lord. So, how are we in bearing fruits for the Lord?
In the Psalm the focus is on the vineyard’s owner, God, who is seen by the psalmist as having “failed”!!! Have you ever felt being abundance? The gospel’s parable is focused on the tenants: it is they, who have failed, not the vineyard and not the owner.
The parable is about stewardship but also about hardness of heart. The religious leaders rightly understood it as addressed to them. But it is also addressed to us as stewards of our received giftedness, which we may be tempted to hoard for our own benefit, disregarding God’s claim on it.
- We are now in the month of October, it is the month of Respect for Life, as a people of faith, we value the “gift of Life – from conception to natural death” and we continue joining with our Church to pray for this gift of Life and the “Freedom to choose Life” and “Religious Freedom” with a Novena (9 days) in this effort.
- October is also the Month of the Rosary – The Feast of Our Lady of Rosary – October 7. There are opportunities to pray the Rosary before each Mass on the weekend; come early before Mass and join with other parishioners to pray this beautiful traditional prayer for Life and Peace.
There is a “Living Rosary – everyone is invited to participate in this event on Saturday, October 17 - 1:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Parking Lot Marian Statue and a part of this Living Rosary Prayer. Maria Murphree will livestream this event on the parish Facebook and the parish website as well. Also, remember to pray the Rosary with your family for Life and Peace in the World throughout this month of October.
- Thank you, Bill Gibbs-Egan and Tony Melchiors, who are the co-Chairs of, St. Gabriel and Prince of Peace, respectively, for the Called to Serve as Christ Archdiocesan Campaign, which has begun this month (September 20 – October 11). Bill has shared his thoughts about this special Archdiocesan campaign last weekend at Prince of Peace and the weekend before at St. Gabriel, in inviting us to recall the memories and influences of the priests and religious sisters who have impacted our lives over the years. If you haven’t heard Bill’s talk on this Archdiocesan Campaign, you can see and hear him on the parish’s website.
The Archdiocese has initiated a campaign to provide long-term funding for retirement and medical needs of priests and women religious, as well as support of individual parishes.
Everyone should have already received a package from Archbishop Paul Etienne this past week, please read through this material prayerfully and respond with a gift of Faith. Some of our parishioners have volunteered to give you a call to remind you about this campaign in the days and weeks ahead. Please receive their calls in the spirit of generosity and partaking in an opportunity to strengthen and build up the Body of Christ in our local Church of Western Washington (Archdiocese of Seattle).
October 10-11 is the Called to Serve as Christ Campaign GIVING WEEKEND. Some of you may have decided and submit your pledge for the Campaign early but otherwise, this weekend of October 10-11 will be the time for us to turn in our pledges. Thank you for your response to the gift of Faith.
For more information on the campaign you can visit the Campaign website: https://www.calledtoserveaschrist.org/
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang