A Message From Father

Durante estos tiempos sin precedentes e inciertos, estaré usando este espacio para comunicarme con ustedes. Por favor revísenlo regularmente y asegúrense de hacer click en "Like" en nuestra página de Facebook @christthekingseattle o en español @cristoreyseattle.

Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Wow, crazy times huh? I didn’t know that I would be asked to give up this much for Lent. I thought it would be a good idea to address you all as your pastor in these crazy and uncertain times. This virus and this stressful time is something many of us (probably all of us) have never experienced before.
These can be very scary and unnerving times for all of us. Many of us may be scared, nervous, stressed, and worried about the future. I’m sure many of us are simply wondering how we are going to hold it all together. I am scared too. I am stressed right along with you. I am anxious about what the future holds. It truly hurts that I cannot celebrate Mass with you publically. Please know that I am still celebrating Mass for you. I look forward to the day that I get to see all of you again at Mass. Please know that I am missing you all and it pains me that I do not get to see you all for a while. I am missing you all very much.
But please know that someday, hopefully soon, we will all be able to gather once again around the altar of God. This time shall pass. It is painful, sure, but we all have to know that one day we will all be able to gather again. All of the pain, all of the stress, all of the fear, will indeed pass. It may not pass for a little while, but it will indeed pass.
Another thing that is very important to remember for all of us right now is how we are feeling. Always remember the two emotions that the devil loves. They are fear and anxiety. Like the great Yoda once said, “fear leads to the dark side”. The evil one is going to try and use this crisis for his benefit. Don’t let him. Stay strong in prayer. Stay strong in your faith in Jesus Christ. And know that the Holy Spirit will indeed guide us through this. This is a very hard time for all of us. Always remember that if we have faith in Christ, we will indeed share in His resurrection. And that resurrection is coming. We need to remain faithful in this trying time.
In that effort, I offer two suggestions. The first is to join with the Archbishop and the rest of our Archdiocese in prayer by praying the Angelus and the prayer to Our Lady of Seattle (links to these prayers are on our website) ever day at noon from wherever you are. In addition, I will also be praying a rosary after these two prayers every day as well. You all are more than welcome to pray it with me also. Some of you may already be doing this and for that I thank you.
Another option that we have as a parish community is simply lighting a candle and putting it in the front window of your home from 8-9 PM every night. During that time there are many things that we can do. We can pray a rosary for the Church and for all of those affected by this virus. We can say an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be, and use the rest of the time to play a board game as a family. We can say the St. Michael prayer together. Perhaps we can use that time for some lectio divina. Perhaps it can simply be a time where we turn off the news for a little while and simply read a book or call a friend that we haven’t talked to in a while, or perhaps a family member we haven’t seen in a while. There are many things that we can do. Even if all you can do is simply lighting a candle, this can be something important as well.  Always remember, God takes what we give and multiplies it. And just think, perhaps we may see our neighbors with a candlelight in their window and know that we are not alone.
Where do we go when times get tough? Where do we go when we are scared? We turn to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Church. Although it may feel like God is absent from us. We may feel a longing for His presence, please know that He is always with us. Even if we may not feel His presence, always remember that our God is always with us and that He never abandons His people.
Sticking together in prayer is how we are going to get through this. I will be offering a Mass via facebook live this Sunday. I will offer one at 9AM in English and 11 AM in Spanish. I will be trying to keep things as normal as possible given these scary and uncertain times. Also, there will be a rosary in Spanish starting at 10:30 AM.
I will be praying for all of you during this difficult time. Please pray for me. Please pray that someday soon we will all be able to gather once again. We will get through this and prayer is going to be our source of comfort and encouragement.
With humble prayers as your shepherd,
Fr. Chris
 

To our Christ the King / Cristo Rey community,
Once again, we wish all of you blessings during these unusual times. 
Our faith teaches us to trust, to pray, and to love our neighbors. 
In this time of isolation know that as a community of Christ the King we pray together and as a community of the Archdiocese of Seattle we pray together. 
To demonstrate our solidarity the parishes will ring their church bells at 12:00noon.  We are encouraged to pray at our home The Angelus and the Prayer to Our Lady of Seattle. 
Stay strong in our faith.
Stay healthy in mind and body.
Stay the course in controlling the spread of this virus.

                                                           ***************

UNIDOS EN ORACION
A nuestra comunidad de Christ the King / Cristo Rey,
Una vez más, les deseamos a todos bendiciones durante estos tiempos dificiles.
Nuestra fe nos enseña a confiar, a orar y a amar a nuestro prójimo.
En este tiempo de aislamiento, sepan que como comunidad de Cristo Rey rezamos juntos y como comunidad de la Arquidiócesis de Seattle rezamos juntos.
Para demostrar nuestra solidaridad, las parroquias tocarán las campanas de sus iglesias al mediodía. Los animamos a rezar en donde nos encontremos, El Ángelus y la oración a Nuestra Señora de Seattle.
Mantengámonos fuertes en nuestra fe.
Mantengámonos saludables física y mentalmente.
Mantengámos el rumbo en controlar que se propague este virus.