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Emergency Line: (360) 809-6907 (for emergencies involving death or dying only)

Clallam Catholic Parishes
https://clallamcatholic.org/
Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks, Clallam Bay

Saint Mary Star of the Sea
https://www.stmaryss.com/
Port Townsend

Father Maurer’s Blog
https://fathermaurer.com/

Olympic Catholic Town Hall Meetings

Fr. Maurer will be hosting a monthly parish family Town Hall Meeting, which will rotate locations between parishes. This is an opportunity for any parishioner from any of our family of parishes to come and ask questions about the Partners in the Gospel process and to give feedback about changes or ask questions and get solid answers.

The audio from these Q&A sessions will be posted on our YouTube channel. The most recent four are below; older sessions archived here

Town Hall - St. Mary Star of the Sea - Nov. 22, 2024

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Highlights from this session (bilingual):

  • Updates about the parish family
  • Changes to the Saturday vigil Mass & confession schedules
  • Changes to the monthly priest rotation schedule
  • Big celebrations in December
  • Updates on the roof work at Saint Mary Star of the Sea
  • Could arrangements be made for a kneeler section in front of the sanctuary during communion?
  • For confessions at Saint Mary Star of the Sea, could we invite other priests who might speak Spanish more fluently?
  • Is my confession valid if the priest doesn’t understand?
  • Will you be meeting with parents to talk through the possibility of moving faith formation away from Sundays?
  • Could we use Latin to bring our different language-speaking communities together?
  • Would it be possible to invite Spanish-speaking priests for much-needed catechetical instruction?
  • Why do Catholics not celebrate Halloween?

Click here to read more on Fr. Maurer’s blog, complete with links to deeper explanations, magisterial documents, and more.

Town Hall - St. Joseph - Oct. 25, 2024

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Highlights from this session:

  • General parish family updates
  • When are we supposed to stand at the “Orate, fratres” (“Pray, brethren”) at Mass?
  • Are there any plans about ramps or elevators at Saint Joseph parish?
  • Update on the timeline of the kitchen remodel at Saint Joseph parish
  • Which relic do we have here at St. Joseph parish? A brief overview of the consecration of altars and of bells
  • Priests are often together for the school Mass; would the pastor consider spreading priests out to maximize First Friday Mass availability?
  • Why can’t we have the sign of peace at daily Mass?
  • What is the response of the priest when people come up with their arms crossed at communion? And would it be better for people who are not receiving communion to remain in the pew?
  • Will we still have a Christmas Eve, midnight, and Christmas day Masses?
  • Liturgical calendars are coming to our parish family website – but they are currently available in beta form at Father Maurer’s website.
  • Why does the tabernacle have a cover over it?
  • When are the Divine Praises supposed to be prayed at Benediction at the end of adoration?I
  • s there a reason we don’t have an adoration chapel at Saint Joseph parish?
  • It was nice, recently, to have the homily offered in both English & Spanish – could this be done in the future?

Click here to read more on Fr. Maurer’s blog, complete with links to deeper explanations, magisterial documents, and more.

Town Hall - Queen of Angels - Sept. 27, 2024

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Highlights from this session:

  • Why aren’t we haven’t blessings for children and non-Catholics during communion time at Mass?
    • What about having a special blessing for those who can’t/don’t receive after Mass?
  • Are there plans to offer some kind of special opportunity for students of public schools to serve as ministers at Mass?
  • Further concerns/questioning about blessings at communion time
    • What about putting off changing and putting the question to the bishop?
    • Is the question of blessings at communion doctrine or discipline?
  • Didn’t the family Mass – that aimed at including children & young adults participating as ministers – end up with the same people volunteering over and over?
  • Especially given issues of disruptions at Mass by mentally ill and/or homeless visitors, could we establish security teams at our parishes?
  • Question about starting new initiatives for adult faith formation
  • Would it be possible to keep vigil Masses at both Queen of Angeles and Saint Joseph?
    • Why couldn’t we have two vigil Masses on Saturday?
    • Is it possible to have a Sunday Mass at 5:00 pm?
    • Questions/concerns about the possibilities of what three Masses on Sunday might look like
    • Concern about Sunday evening Mass being a priest-killer
  • How is the chancery addressing priestly vocation discernment?

Click here to read more on Fr. Maurer’s blog.

Town Hall - St. Anne - Aug. 24, 2024

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Highlights from this session:

  • If an elderly or handicapped person can’t come up for communion, what are the options for the Eucharist being brought to them?
  • What is the parish family’s new emergency number? (360) 809-6907
  • Can we put the confessional (at St. Anne in Forks) back up front?
  • We’re excited about what you’re doing, but what happens in 2-3 years if you (the pastor/priests) get moved?
  • What can you tell us about the current stage of discernment around the vigil Mass at St. Anne?
  • What about training for liturgical & ministerial training for the various roles?
  • What happened to the answers & results of the questionnaires from the archdiocese that we took so much time to answer?
  • Could we have petty cash at the parish office (at St. Anne) in order to offer help to those who come to our door looking for help?
  • Do we have to call up the office at Queen of Angels in Port Angeles to arrange for Mass intentions at our local parish?
  • What about printing our bulletin locally to allow for more flexibility?
  • Currently, how can a parishioner arrange for a Mass intention? (bonus: explanation of upcoming online calendar publishing coming to our parish family)

Click here to read more on Fr. Maurer’s blog.