During the Synod of Bishops in 1977, Archbishop John Joseph Cardinal Carberry of St. Louis, gave a discourse to present Mary's role in catechetics. He states:

"The Blessed Virgin Mary is a compendium of catechesis. She is a living catechism. The faith of the Church becomes incarnate in her person. In her, abstract teaching becomes a personal commitment and Christian discipleship reaches perfection. "

As Pastoral Assistants of Faith Formation, we recognize the role of Mary in our ministry and we promote a catechesis that incorporates a set of devotions that families tend to practice actively in many of their homes. Archbishop Cardinal Carberry summarizes beautifully these devotions:

"One has but to consider the devotion of the Rosary, which, as our Holy Father has reminded us, is "a gospel prayer". There is also the Angelus, which allows contemplation of the mysteries of divine election and contemplation. There is the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, which is so dependent on biblical imagery. Devotion to our Lady of Fatima encourages so many people to receive the Lord in Holy Communion every first Saturday of the month and reminds them of the Lord's rule over the affairs of peoples and nations. Devotion to the Immaculate Conception in Our Lady of Lourdes enables many of the faithful to appreciate the power of grace over sin. Devotion to the miraculous medal and the scapular have kept alive in the hearts of many an appreciation of divine Providence."

Let's continue teaching children and families in our programs these wonderful devotions and let's join the Catholic Church honoring Mary. To see the entire oral intervention, click here.

As a reminder, if your parish allows in-person meetings with small groups, let us know to start visiting you. If you are planning future deanery meetings and would like to invite our Director, please email Carlos at carlos.carrillo@seattlearch.org. 

PAFF Support Meetings Continue! The Faith Formation Office continues to offer monthly meetings to PAFFS. On the second Tuesday of each month, we have a meeting scheduled for the next several months. Please see the dates below and the Zoom log in link to access the meetings.

Families Growing Together You are invited to an hour of community, prayer, and reflection via Zoom for people who have disabilities and their families. Visit the Archdiocese of Portland's registration page for more details. The presentations is being offered in both English and Spanish. The next planned session is Saturday, May 8th at 10:00 am.

Be sure to check the Liturgical calendar pages in both English and Spanish. These pages will contain who and what the Church celebrates specifically in the month of May.

Listening Session with AOS Pastoral Council & PAFFS - May 6, 2021, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, online via Zoom. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is hosting a listening session for Pastoral Assistants of Faith

Formation around the Archdiocese to gather input on the new pastoral plan. Click here to learn more.

Hispanic Young Adult Camp - May 15, 2021, 9:30 am-3:00 pm. Do you feel disconnected? Reconnect with God, with our family of faith, and friends, and join us at this day camp. Mostly in Spanish, planned and facilitated by young adults, this event brings together many from across Western Washington. Click here to learn more.

Hispanic Youth Camp (High School) - June 12, 2021 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. at Camp Don Bosco, Carnation. Reconnecting with your community of faith, friends, and God doesn’t have to be hard! Come and join our in-person Hispanic Youth Camp. Click here to learn more.