"The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity, and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda, or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did."

Pope Leo XIV, inaugural homily, May 18, 2025

Thank you to all who attended the first-ever PREPARES of Western Washington benefit luncheon, held on June 5th. Generously underwritten by the Sunrise Foundation, all funds raised will directly support programs of PREPARES WW, including the parish sustainability grant we debuted this year. Bishop Schuster opened the event in prayer and shared inspiring words about the importance of PREPARES to families from all walks of life. Attendees heard inspiring stories from Aleah Patulot, Peggy Behnken, and Rosemary Zilmer, and watched the 10th anniversary video celebrating the work of PREPARES across the state of Washington. We are so pleased to share that we raised more than $170,000 at this event! It was a joyful gathering that highlighted all the ways that PREPARES celebrates life and the families that are walking this beautiful journey. We are deeply grateful to all those that attended and hope to see you at our next event!

Peggy beautifully shared the impact that companionship can make for a family, and we are so grateful that 100% of the state councils donated to PREPARES this year. When combined with a 25% match from the Supreme Council, each of the three state PREPARES agencies will receive just over $15,000. So many families will be blessed because of this support!

Celebration in SW Washington

As PREPARES continues to celebrate 10 years of serving families throughout the state, we held a mass and luncheon in our SW region in May. Thank you to St. Rose Catholic Church and the Lower Columbia Parish family for hosting the celebration, and to all the volunteers who made the Mass and luncheon so special. Click here to read more and see more photos! 

Reflection on Pope Francis

This spring, Catholics around the world mourned the loss of Pope Francis. Teresa Cacho Govea, the PREPARES en Español Program Coordinator, wrote a reflection on Pope Francis' ministry and legacy. Click here to read her beautiful words in English and Spanish.

Volunteer Portal Updates

We're excited to share about recent updates to the Volunteer Portal of the PREPARES website. We began this section of the site to share PREPARES informational materials that were available for download by our volunteer parish coordinators. We have since added Spiritual Enrichment Resources, a treasure trove of prayers and meditations for use by our volunteers and the families they serve. This is a new offering from PREPARES staff, led by Cindy in SW Washington. For Western Washington volunteers, we have also provided access to frequently requested documents and reporting links. For information about how to access this section of the website, reach out to your parish coordinator or PREPARES staff area coordinator.

Communication Success

A story of inspiration from Our Lady of Guadalupe Maternity Center- Lynn and Marcia, the lead volunteers at OLG in Lakewood, shared that they are training their volunteers to use the Google Translate app to communicate with families that do not speak English or prefer to communicate in another language. Spanish is the most common language they encounter, though they have recently worked with families from Ukraine, some that speak Farsi, and a few from Angola that speak French and Portuguese. They are looking into further options for continuing to enhance their communication with families, such as other apps that will allow them to communicate over the phone.

If you have any strategies that your parish is using, please let PREPARES know by sending us an email at prepares@ccsww.org. 

PREPARES Prays

PREPARES is all about building connections throughout our communities. It may start with a pack of diapers, but it often ends with genuine conversations and meaningful relationships. In celebration of families everywhere, PREPARES prays…

Heavenly Father, 

We have cried out among strangers 

and found a brother reaching out. 

We have sung a song of lamentation in a strange place 

and heard the voice of a sister singing a song of joy in return. 

You have shown us family in the most extraordinary of circumstances 

tied by bonds of blood, 

and bonds of the great gift of faith 

but tied by a bond that is deeper still: 

by the holy truth 

that we are all your children, 

your very image and likeness. 

Make us the brothers and sisters Jesus has called us to be, 

sharing our portion, 

opening our doors, 

mourning with our neighbors, 

protecting their children, 

and standing in solidarity with the persecuted. 

Bless our people. 

Make all families holy and help them grow. 

And when our time comes, 

may a family beyond number call us out of darkness into light, 

saying, “These have been brothers and sisters to us. 

Welcome them, one and all.” 

Amen

Source: Catholic Relief Services

What a busy spring we have had! Blessings for a safe and fun summer from the PREPARES of WW Staff,

Aleah, Peggy, Teresa, Cindy, Alejandra, and Katie

PREPARES of Western Washington Team

4250 S Mead Street, Seattle, WA 98118    

206-737-9264

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Please consider joining us in walking the journey with families in your own parish community. For more information, please visit our website at www.preparesforlife.org. If you know of others who might be interested in volunteering and or learning more about PREPARES, please forward them this message or have them contact us directly.