The Redemptorists in Seattle, U.S.A., hosted their first post-pandemic Soirée for Young Adults at Sacred Heart Parish on August 4. The young professionals who come to Seattle from all over the world to work at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Cisco, and in the medical field really are the lifeblood of the parish. Our friends come from a wide spectrum of native countries: various parts of India, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru and Africa. One of the reasons they sought out Sacred Heart Parish is our location in the heart of the city. Young professionals often arrive in Seattle and live in apartments within walking distance of Sacred Heart. They are often searching for a community of young Catholic professionals to find new friends and build a sense of community.
The evening started off with an inspiring prayer from Fr. Lyle Konen in the Redemptorist Chapel. Then we moved to the Common Room, Library and Courtyard for a barbecue meal prepared by the parish staff and volunteers. The entire Redemptorist community, including Fr. Steve Wilson, was able to socialize with the whole group.
Our Soirée was a positive experience for the confreres as well as the young professionals, who want to maintain the momentum. They are discussing helping as a group in our Food Bank and beginning faith-sharing groups. As a pastor, I invited many of them to participate in parish leadership, and challenged them to think of ways that we could use our property in the heart of the city – across the street from Seattle Center and Climate Pledge Arena – to further the Redemptorist charism and the mission of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
by Rich Luberti, C.Ss.R.
Denverlink Update 26.08.2022
