“Come, Follow Me!”

(Haz clic aquí para leer en español)

Homily for the Mass of Thanksgiving for Father Jesus Alatorre Silva
in Tecomán, Colima, Mexico, Friday, July 13 2018
Isaiah 49, 1-6; Matthew 9:9-13

Most Reverend Joseph J. Tyson, Bishop of Yakima

“Come follow me!” These are the words of Jesus to Matthew. These are also the words of Jesus to your son here in Tecomán – Jesus Alatorre. What might these words mean as we consider the priestly ordination of Jesus Alatorre?

"Come, follow me." On the most basic level, notes our Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the phrase “Come, follow me,” “…is the Christian vocation which is born from the Lord's proposal of love and can only be fulfilled in our loving response. Jesus invites his disciples to give their lives completely, without calculation or personal interest, with unreserved trust in God. Saints accept this demanding invitation and set out with humble docility in the following of the Crucified and Risen Christ. Their perfection, in the logic of faith sometimes humanly incomprehensible consists in no longer putting themselves at the center but in choosing to go against the tide, living in line with the Gospel.” (Homily October 11, 2009)

What does this “logic of faith” look like? Building on the insights of Pope Emeritus Benedict, Pope Francis uplifts the famous painting titled “The Call of Matthew” by the Italian painter Caravaggio. In this painting Jesus – and not Matthew – holds pride of prominence in the painting. What the viewer may first notice is the hand of Christ pointing to Matthew with two others at the table imitating and confirming the call of St. Matthew.

Yet, Pope Francis notes this: “‘It is the gesture of Matthew that strikes me: he holds on to his money as if to say, ‘No, not me! No, this money is mine.’ Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze. And this is what I said when they asked me if I would accept my election as pontiff.” Then the pope whispers in Latin to Fr. Spadaro who is interviewing him for a number of Jesuit publications: “I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept in a spirit of penance.” (Interview with Fr. Antonio Spadaro, September 19, 2013)

Ultimately, this invitation to “Come, follow me!” means we come as we are. We come with our gifts and our talents. We come with our sins and our human limitations. Even more, as a missionary in North America, to respond to this invitation, “Come, follow me!” means we let go of the bag of things we most value and most treasure. We let go of our language. We let go of our culture. We let go of our family in Mexico. We let go of our friends. We let go of our history. Like St. Matthew, we let go of the things we most treasure.

We do so, not because we no longer value the friends, the family, the language or the culture of our homeland. We do so in order that our hands are open to receive new friends, new languages, new cultures and a new family of faith. We let go of all we treasure in order to follow the great treasure who is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is why I come here today. I come here today not simply to accompany my newest brother, Jesús Alatorre, as he offers up to God all that he values and treasures in all of you. But I come today to accompany all of you as you offer up one of your great treasures – Jesús Alatorre. I come as a pilgrim to this sacred place. I come to thank you for letting go of a young man whom you greatly value – a native son from Tecomán who has become a priest in service to the Diocese of Yakima.

In all of this, I hope that you can see that you are not losing a priest. You are sending a missionary. Three-fourths of the parishioners in the Diocese of Yakima have Mexican heritage. Most of our parishioners attend Mass in Spanish. As a diocesan bishop I am rather unique. I was baptized in the Cathedral where I now serve as bishop. Spanish has always been spoken in Central Washington going back to the days of the Second World War. When the United States sent an army of men to fight in Europe and the Pacific, Mexico sent an army of agricultural workers to put food on our tables. This pattern of immigration into the Yakima Valley has been going on my entire life. This is why even though I am the first local diocesan bishop in the Diocese of Yakima I am also a missionary. I have had to learn to master Spanish in order to be a missionary in the place of my birth.

“Come, follow me!” These words of Jesus mark each of you as missionaries too. “Come follow me,” is an invitation from Jesus for each and every one of us. How can each of us better follow Jesus right where we are? How can each of us better follow Jesus right where we live? How can each of us follow Jesus in a way that builds bridges and not walls? How can each of us follow Jesus in a way that shares “Good News” and not “Fake News?” How can each of us follow Jesus, as we support and tend to refugees on our own Mexican-American border? How can each of us follow Jesus through the political and diplomatic tensions of our day? How can each of us follow Jesus in the midst of violence that rocks our political systems be they here in Tecomán or the gun violence in the United States? How can each of us become missionaries of peace and tranquility right in our own families and right in our own villages and communities? How can each of us become missionaries encouraging each other to look up from the table, let go of the money bag, do away with the corruption, turn away from gun violence in order to see the finger of Jesus pointing at each of us personally beckoning us to hear the command: “Come, follow me!”

The answers start here – at the Eucharist. In a famous passage from one of St. Augustine’s famous homilies, he states Estote quod videtis, et accipite quod estis. Estote quod videtis, et accipit quod estis roughly translates as “Be what you see, and receive what you are.”

Patristic scholar Fr. William Harmless, S.J. suggests that St. Augustine had a deep fascination with the connection St. Paul made between the Body of Christ received in the Eucharist and the Body of Christ gathered at worship. At worship, we not only receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in all of his humanity and all of his divinity but we also receive as brothers and sisters all those with whom we worship and pray.

No wonder that our own Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph 1396 specifically quotes St. Augustine: “If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord: it is your sacrament that you receive. To that which you respond ‘Amen’ (‘Yes it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it.” This paragraph of the catechism concludes: “Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true.”

So, permit me to close by thanking each of you. Thank you for your desire to follow Jesus. Thank you for your desire to become who you are – the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ – not only for each other, but for those around you, those living in darkness, those struggling against violence, those desiring peace and tranquility, those desiring a life worthy of the God-given dignity in which every man and every woman is made. Thank you for desiring to feed your brothers and sisters in the United States with the Eucharist. Thank you for showing Jesús Alatorre how to follow Jesus during his many formative years here in Tecomán and pointing him towards feeding other with the Eucharist. Thank you for sending him to us as a missionary. Thank you for sending countless missionaries to the United States who often come in the form of immigrant and migrant workers. Thank you for your gift of faith that enriches and renews the Catholic Church in the United States. Thank you for responding to the call of Jesus, “Come, follow me!”

On Thursday, July 12, Bishop Joseph Tyson celebrated Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City as part of a pilgrimage with priests and laity of the Diocese of Yakima to thank God for the recent ordinations of Fathers Jesús Alatorre, César Izquierdo, and Jesús Mariscal.  You can watch a video recording of the Mass at the link below.  Bishop Tyson preached in both English and Spanish.  To read the homilies, click here:  ENGLISH   SPANISH 

 From left: Fathers César Vega, Felipe Pulido, César Izquierdo, Bishop Joseph Tyson; Fathers Jesús Mariscal, Lalo Barragan, Jesús Alatorre.

Where are you going?

“Quo Vadis” is the Latin phrase for “Where are you going?” Legend tells us that St. Peter asked Jesus this question on the outskirts of Rome. And we know where Jesus went in response to His Father’s will.

Quo Vadis Days is a 3-day camp for young Catholic men to learn more about the priesthood, to deepen their faith, and to better discern God’s call in their lives.

 
What is the Father’s will for me?  How can I know what God wants?

Quo Vadis Days is a camp experience sponsored by the Diocese of Yakima Vocations Office to provide a time of fun, prayer, and talks to help you explore the Lord’s call in your life.

There will be priests, seminarians, and other young men like you gathered for these days.  Our activities will include prayer, soccer, games, talks and discussions.

We hope that you will consider taking time to discern the Lord’s will in your life with us at QV Days.  It is a great opportunity to let the Lord speak to you and to spend time listening to Him.

The number of participants is limited to 70 young men, so call or register soon!

Quo Vadis Days 2018

Young Men ages 13-19 are invited to the Second Annual Vocations Camp July 30th to August 1st. For more information and to register for the Yakima camp, call Father Felipe Pulido at 509-248-1911 or Seminarian Michael Kelly at (509) 367-5297 or via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

When:  The camp opens on Monday, July 30th at 12:00pm and concludes after lunch at 1:30 pm on Wednesday August 1st. 

Where: Holy Family Parish, Yakima WA.

After you register, someone will contact you with information about pick-up and drop off.

Cost:  $50 per camper. The Family rate is $50 for the first camper, $25 for his brother/brothers. 

Staff:  Seminarians and Priests of the Diocese. 

Questions?

Please call Michael Kelly at (509) 367-5297 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday, October 13th 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The Church Mission Congress provides inspiring speakers as well as networking of volunteers who can support each other in the mission of passing on the faith and building up the Church. The theme of the 2017 Congress is "Missionary Disciples - Witnesses of God’s Love." The Church Mission Congress is fast approaching. Please encourage all who are interested in bringing the Gospels to life to attend this event. At this time online registration has closed, please call the Pastoral center at 509-965-7117 to register over the phone.

Sábado, 13 de octubre 9:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m
El Congreso de la Misión de la Iglesia ofrece a oradores inspiradores, así como la creación de redes de voluntarios que pueden apoyarse mutuamente en la misión de transmitir la fe y la construcción de la Iglesia. El tema del Congreso de 2018 es "Discípulos Misioneros – Testigos del Amor de Dios". El Congreso de Misión de la Iglesia se acerca rápidamente. Por favor anime a todos los que están interesados ​​en traer los Evangelios a la vida para asistir a este evento. En este momento se ha cerrado el registro en línea, por favor llame al Centro Pastoral al 509-965-7117 para registrarse por teléfono.

Rev. William Watson, S.J.
Founder of The Sacred Story Institute

The Sacred Story Institute researches and develops a new class of Christian spiritual resources and is dedicated to revitalizing the classic 15-minute Ignatian Examination of Conscience. The mission of the Sacred Story Institute for this powerful daily spiritual discipline is to help adults, teens and youth encounter Christ, the Divine Physician, who heals us in body, mind and spirit, transforming our lives into a Sacred Story!                                                                                                   

Koren Ruiz has served over the past eighteen years as Youth minister, Multicultural Educator, School Administrator, Loan Officer, Music Composer, Professional Translator, Choir Director, Liturgical Presenter, and Fundraising Consultant. He is a bilingual/bicultural native Spanish speaker originally from Sinaloa Mexico; but he has resided in the United States for the past 17 years. In addition to his work with Stewardship in different parishes, Koren is currently a Published Composer, Artist, and Workshop Presenter for Oregon Catholic Press. He holds true that music is the best evangelical tool given to us. With a passion for service and stewardship, Koren has embodied that belief through more than a decade of involvement in music ministry and composition. Often ministering alongside his wife Jessica, Koren leads parishes across the nation in concerts, music for liturgical prayer events, formational events, and workshops on Christian Stewardship, as well as Guitar-centered skill building like “Guitar Rhythms” and “The guitar Player in the Liturgical Setting.” He has about a dozen songs published with OCP, and recently released his first OCP published album titled “Tu Me Sosten.

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

(haz clic aquí para leer en español)

Homily for the Ordination to Priesthood if Father Jesús Alatorre,
Father César Izquierdo and Father Jesús Mariscal for the Diocese of Yakima 

Christ the King Catholic Church, Richland, Washington, July 3, 2018

Jeremiah 1:4-9; Hebrews 5: 1-10; Matthew 22:41-50

Most Reverend Joseph J. Tyson, Bishop of Yakima

Christ the King! Long Live Christ the King! ¡Viva Cristo Rey! How do we understand this liturgical cry? Let’s start with reality: Refugees flooding across the southern border. Unaccompanied minors fleeing for their lives. The border zone awash in financial corruption and bribery. Boisterous, ineffective, and immoral politicians. Racist language and rhetoric. Political polarization. This is the reality – the reality of 1925.

In 1925, Pope Pius XI in his encyclical “Quas Primas” designates the Feast of Christ the King as the final feast at the end of the liturgical year centering on Jesus Christ as the high priest and the eternal king. He does so with a watchful eye on the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, its growing political influence across Europe and its sweeping persecution of the Church. He also does so with a careful eye to the parallel threat with the Mexican Revolution and its 1917 constitution outlawing the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XI will go on to write three more encyclicals condemning the religious persecution in Mexico.

The year before this new Feast of Christ the King is proclaimed, the bloodiest and most murderous of the Mexican revolutionary leaders becomes president: Plutarco Elías Calles. He implements the most radical provisions of the 1917 Mexican constitution. Churches are closed. Priests are murdered. The Knight of Columbus chapters in Mexico are outlawed. The racist and anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan sends money over the border to Mexico in support of the church persecution.  President Calles demands that Mexican citizens renounce their baptism and make a secular faith promise to him. Thousands upon thousands refuse the oath. Their response: Long Live Christ the King! Viva Cristo Rey!

In the United States, the Knights of Columbus raise over a million dollars – an extraordinary amount of money at that time – to support the estimated 250,000 refugees that flooded north across the border. The Knight of Columbus help fund St. Philip seminary in Castroville, Texas to form and educate seminarians expelled from Mexico – today we might term them “unaccompanied minors.”  These men become Mexico’s future priests.

In a three-year period, from 1926 to 1929, 30,000 Cristeros die.  After the 1929 peace accord brokered by the Vatican and the United States, the Mexican Revolutionary government violates the agreement and proceeds to kill another 5,000 Cristeros, including 500 key Cristero leaders. It takes another decade and the election of a practicing Catholic to the office of president in 1940 for the peace to truly take effect.   In the year 2000 Pope Saint John Paul the Second canonized 25 of the Cristero martyrs – nine of whom were members of the Knights of Columbus. Their cry: “Long Live Christ the King!” “Viva Cristo Rey!”

“Viva Cristo Rey!” That cry: Long Live Christ the King – where does it come from?  It comes from the cry in the opening lines from the Gospel of St. Mark.  When St. Mark opens his account of Jesus with the words: “Here begins the Gospel of Jesus Christ...” the original Greek is “εὐαγγέλιον” – “euangélion.”  “Good News!”  This “εὐαγγέλιον” was the cry of the Roman Caesar’s messengers send to carry the “good news” of his latest military victory or conquest.  But gutsy St. Mark begins by saying: No!  That news from the Roman Caesar – that’s “Fake News!”  Mark is telling us right at the beginning of the Gospel, I’ve got the real news – the “Good News” the truthful “εὐαγγέλιον”.  That “εὐαγγέλιον” is Jesus Christ! Jesus is Lord!  Jesus – not your pagan god Caesar – but Jesus – Jesus is Lord! Christ is King! Viva Cristo Rey!

Is this cry of the “Cristeros” – this echo of St. Mark’s Gospel – political? No! Quite the contrary. It pushes back against the “Caesars” of the Sacred Scriptures and the “Caesars” of every age. As Father Jacques Philippe notes: “No circumstance in the world can ever prevent us from believing in God, from placing all our trust in him, from loving him with our whole heart, or from loving our neighbor. Faith, hope, and charity are free because, if they are rooted in us deeply enough, they can draw strength from whatever opposed them! If someone sought to prevent us from believing by persecuting us, we always would retain the option of forgiving our enemies and transforming the situation of oppression into one of great love. If someone tried to silence our faith by killing us, our death would be the best possible proclamation of our faith! Love, and only love, can overcome evil by good and draw good out of evil.”

This cry of the Cristeros “Viva Cristo Rey!” is not the lifting up of a political slogan.  It’s about lifting high the cross!  Lifting high the banner of the cross who is Jesus Christ! Unique to the Church’s Rite of Ordination, after their families present me the bread and the wine for the sacrifice of the Mass, I will turn to the newly ordained priests and say:

Receive the oblation of the holy people

to be offered to God.

Understand what you do,

imitate what you celebrate

and conform your life

to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.

“…the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.” As priests, we conform our lives to the mystery of the Lord’s cross. This is core to our ordination into the singular and eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ dies a slow, agonizing and painfully excruciating death on the ultimate instrument of human torture: the cross. Jesus – fully human and fully divine – travels to the most horrific and forsaken places of our humanity. Jesus – as God – brings God into the darkest and most sinful aspects of the world.  This is what you are ordained to do! As we heard proclaimed today from the Book of Hebrews:

“Every high priest…is able to deal patiently with sinners, for he himself is beset by weakness and so he must make sin offerings for himself as well as for his people.”

Why sin offerings? Because, as Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI notes in his book, “Jesus of Nazareth,” the sin and the struggles of the world today are not that much different from those Jesus faced. “What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought?”

“The answer is very simple: God. … He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny: faith, hope, and love.  It is only because of our hardness of heart that we think this is too little.”

Why sin offerings? Because our people need God. You will bring them God.  And this is never too little. You will bring God amid their sins, their sufferings and their struggles. As priests you will feed them the very presence of God as you place their heartaches – and yes – their persecutions separations and deportations alongside the bread and the wine in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Why sin offerings? Refugees flooding across the southern border. Unaccompanied minors fleeing for their lives. The border zone awash in financial corruption and bribery. Boisterous, ineffective, and immoral politicians. Racist language and rhetoric. Political polarization. That was the reality in 1925 and in many ways it’s still our reality today in 2018.  What’s our answer? What’s our answer to these ongoing and recurring struggles? Jesus!  Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ in his Body and his Blood.  Jesus Christ in the Eucharist!  Jesus Christ in all his humanity and all his divinity. Jesus is Lord! Christ is our King! Viva Cristo Rey!

That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.

Pope Francis - July 2018

The tiredness of priests... Do you know how often I think about it?
Priests, with their virtues and defects, work in many different areas.
Working on so many active fronts, they cannot remain inactive after a disappointment.
At such times, it's good for them to remember that the people love their priests, need them, and trust in them.
Let us pray together that priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.

Para que los sacerdotes que viven con fatiga y en la soledad el trabajo pastoral se sientan ayudados y confortados por la amistad con el Señor y con los hermanos.

Papa Francisco - Julio 2018

El cansancio de los sacerdotes... ¿Saben cuántas veces pienso en eso?
Los sacerdotes, con sus virtudes, con sus defectos, desarrollan su labor en tantos campos.
Y ante tantos frentes abiertos no se pueden quedar parados después de una desilusión.
En esos momentos es bueno que recuerden que la gente quiere a sus pastores, los necesita, confía en ellos.
Recemos juntos para que los sacerdotes que viven con fatiga y en la soledad el trabajo pastoral se sientan ayudados y confortados por la amistad con el Señor y con los hermanos.

The Central Washington Catholic Foundation has announced Msgr. John Ecker has been selected as this year’s 2018 Champion of Catholic Education Special Honoree. The Celebration of Faith event will be held at the Yakima Convention Center on October 13, 2018. The keynote speaker this year will be Fr. Bill Watson, S.J, and founder of Sacred Story Institute. The purpose of this event is to honor champions of Catholic education and generously support Catholic education. With professional development for Catechists and teachers, college, scholarships, and tuition assistance for children (regardless of faith) to attend a Catholic school. For more information, visit the CWCF website, cwcatholicfoundation.org 

Bishop Joseph Tyson has announced the following new assignments for priests within the Diocese of Yakima, with effective dates July 21, 2018, or as otherwise noted.

Father Van Nguyen, parochial vicar of Christ the King Parish in Richland, moved to senior priest status on June 1, 2018.

Father Juan Flores, who had been on a sabbatical for health reasons, became parochial vicar of Christ the King Parish on June 1, 2018.

Father Robert Himes, pastor of St. Henry Parish, Grand Coulee and Queen Of Angels Mission, Coulee City, will move to senior priest status while continuing to reside in Grand Coulee.  

Father Brooks Beaulaurier, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Cle Elum and Immaculate Conception Parish in Roslyn, will become pastor of St. Henry Parish, Grand Coulee, Queen Of Angels Mission, Coulee City, and St. Joseph Parish, Waterville, while residing in Waterville.

Father Francisco Higuera, parochial vicar of St. Paul Cathedral Parish in Yakima, will become pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Cle Elum and Immaculate Conception Parish in Roslyn, while residing in Roslyn. 

Deacon Jesús Alatorre, following his ordination to the priesthood July 3, will become parochial vicar of St. Paul Cathedral Parish in Yakima, effectiveJuly 28, 2018.

Deacon César Izquierdo, following his ordination to the priesthood July 3, will return to Rome for advanced studies.

Deacon Jesús Mariscal, following his ordination to the priesthood July 3, will return to Rome for advanced studies.

Please keep these men and their parishioners and teachers in your prayers as these transitions take place.

Imagine a place full of wonders. In which many Christian middle schoolers gather to grow in their faith, have fun, and get a new change in scenery. One would answer “Impossible!” But, nevertheless, it is true. This place does exist, and it is called Camp Breakaway!

Sponsored by Parish of the Holy Spirit Youth Ministry, Camp Breakaway began in July 20000 and is a five-day summer camp open to all incoming 6th through 9th grade youth (as of Fall 2018). It is currently held at Camp Touchet in Dayton, WA. Campers sleep in cabins on bunkbeds and have access to bathrooms and showers. New friends, prayer and worship, hiking, campfires, crafts, and music are just a few of the great experiences campers can expect.  This year the dates are July 30 – August 3, 2018, and cost is $150 if paid by June 30 or $175 after June 30.  To register or get more information, contact Pat Moore at (509) 735-8558 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to the parish website:

holyspiritkennewick.org under Youth Faith Formation.  

Quote from a Breakaway camper now in high school: “Ever since sixth grade, I have LOVED Breakaway.  I look forward to going every year.  Not only is it a fun place where I get to grow in faith and the love of God, but I always leave full of life and knowing a little more about myself.”

Courage of Priesthood

Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time on the 60th Anniversary Celebration of Fr. Robert Himes
at St. Henry Catholic Church, Grand Coulee, Washington
Genesis 3:9-15; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35

Most Reverend Joseph J. Tyson, Bishop of Yakima

Peace be with you! “We look not to what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is transitory and what is unseen is eternal.” It seems to me that these words of St. Paul written for the early Christian community and Corinth might be words that summarize 60 years of priestly ministry for our honored Father Robert Himes. Sixty years ago, Father Robert Himes was ordained into the eternal ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ for a transitory world.

How transitory? Permit me to remind you of the world of 1958. In 1958 the average house cost about $12,750. The average monthly rent: $92. Average yearly wages: $4,600. Gas: $.25 per gallon! 1958 also saw the launch of Explorer 1 – the first United States satellite. In 1958, the United States was deep into a “Cold War” between the United States and the Soviet Union. Considerable concern grew after the Soviet Union launched the first satellite – before the United States – in 1957. Demands grew for more math and science in the schools. With the upcoming construction of a huge dam on the Volga River, national politics and growing shortages of electrical power meant for more plans and more construction of more power houses and generators. In 1958, Grand Coulee was a growing town with a population larger than today. Indeed, our own construction of this church here in Grand Coulee coincided with the construction of the power plants.

This is why – in the midst of change – “We look not to what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is transitory and what is unseen is eternal.” When St. Paul wrote these words, he wrote them to a very small Christian community. The city, itself, boasted a population of about 200,000 free men and another 700,000 slaves. It was a major seaport and trade center. Yet, scripture scholar Wayne Meeks in one of his early works, “The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul,” suggests that the early Christian community at Corinth was very small. The Christians in Corinth at the time of St. Paul numbered about the same as the number of Catholics here in Grand Coulee and Coulee City. Indeed, Wayne Meeks’ research suggests a Christian community of fewer than 200 people.

That research by Dr. Wayne Meeks suggests not only the importance of the ministry Father Robert Himes has shared over these many years in serving smaller and more outlying rural communities, but the importance that you – the parishioners here in the upper Coulee – have for the wider, larger and more populated areas of the Church. You are leaven. You are not only leaven for each other. You are leaven for the wider community. You are leaven for the larger Church. Your smallness forces you to consider how to cut to the essential in living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your smallness pushes you to focus – not on the transitory – but on the eternal.

“We look not to what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is transitory and what is unseen is eternal.” In speaking these words, St. Paul wants to uplift the small Christian community at Corinth so that – though small in number – they can leaven the surrounding city with the timeless gift that is Jesus Christ.

This is why the Church deliberately opens our second reading from Second Corinthians with a clear and direct teaching from St. Paul to the Corinthians on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: “Brothers and sisters: Since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we too believe and therefore we speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence.”

That phrase of St. Paul, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” seems lifted from Psalm 116, a psalm of thanksgiving prayed during a time of need and affliction. What St. Paul is suggesting to the Corinthian community is that being small in the midst of a secular Greek world and being afflicted in the midst of a Roman occupation is the very stuff of the resurrection. In leaving us this record, the Church suggests that what’s true for the community of Corinth is true for us too.

Sixty years ago, when Fr. Himes was ordained, the diocese was new, young and overwhelmingly English speaking with a strong mixture of German-speaking rural parishioners with English-speaking children. There was but a small scattering of “braceros” from Mexico stemming from the Second World War helping us get the crops in. Today it’s new and young in a different way. The Diocese of Yakima is overwhelming Hispanic with the average age of a Catholic being 23 years old. We are very young on the Hispanic side. But we are elderly and declining in population on the English-speaking side. This can feel to us as a kind of affliction and death. The cultural shifts, the language mixtures, the social and political climate in which this is now taking place can heighten this sense of affliction. But the overall growth and the coming of age of a new generation of young and more bilingual Catholics points to the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and gives witness to the words of Pope St. John Paul the Second who spoke of the Church as “eternally young.”

Indeed, this reference to the resurrection by St. Paul points us straight to the Eucharist. As paragraph 1000 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, the Eucharist is a “foretaste” of the resurrection. For sixty years, Fr. Robert Himes has dedicated himself to this reality. Day by day and Sunday after Sunday he celebrates the Eucharist, providing an eternal anchor in a transitory world. Gathering the sufferings and struggles of his parishioners, Fr. Himes places these on the paten alongside the bread and the wine, offering them to God as our sacrifice of praise for the promise that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In giving of himself to the reality of the Eucharist, as a priest Fr. Himes points us back to these words of St. Paul: “We look not to what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is transitory and what is unseen is eternal.”

Sixty years is a long time to be a priest. Note that St. Paul also seems to suggest the wear and tear of ministry to the Gospel when he notes: “Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Fr. Himes, this is what your parishioners have seen in you. This is what former students from Carroll High School and former parishioners from across the Diocese of Yakima see in you every time I post your picture on Facebook. They comment on you, on what you taught, on what you gave and how you pointed them to the eternal. Even as your body ages and your mind may fade you do not grow discouraged in the charge of the Gospel God has given you to the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. You allow your inner self to be renewed even in the midst of outer afflictions. Your fidelity and your constant presence here is what so many have so appreciated in you. It is the way your life points all of us to the life of Christ.

The world of 1958, the world into which you were ordained sixty years ago is certainly not the world of today. But know how grateful we all are for the way you enter into our lives as a humble servant-priest. Know of how grateful we all are for the way you have helped us live the words of St. Paul in our scriptures today: May all of, “…look not to what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” Peace be with you! Congratulations on sixty years of priestly ministry.

Giving the Gospel

(haz clic aquí para leer en español)

Homily for the Ordination of Kurt Hadley for the Transitional Diaconate

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kennewick Washington, June 1st, 2018

Numbers 3:5-9; Acts 8:26-40; John 15:9-17

Most Reverend Joseph J. Tyson, Bishop of Yakima

Peace be with you! “Do you understand what you are reading?” That’s the question the apostle Philip poses in our scriptures from the Acts of the Apostles. On the road Philip encounters a court emissary traveling on behalf of the Queen of Ethiopia. He was reading from the book of Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” That’s the question Philip poses to this royal courtier. “How can I, unless someone instructs me?”

“Do you understanding what you are reading?” In a few short moments, as bishop, I will hand Kurt Hadley the book of the Gospels with these words: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Kurt Hadley’s public acceptance in his hands of the book of the Gospel means that – like Philip – he will initiate the question for all those he serves: “Do you understand what you are reading?”

In Holy Orders we speak in Latin of three “munera”: Teach, govern and sanctify. “Munera” often translates as “gifts” but its incorporation into modern languages provides richer layers of meaning: In German it refers to “münze” as coins received. In English we have the word “mint” where coins are stamped. Teach, govern and sanctify: that’s the stamp – the sacramental mark – of Holy Orders. Our coinage is Christ. Indeed, the liturgical gesture of handing the Gospel of Christ suggests that the teaching “munera” is the leading edge of all evangelization. “Do you understand what you are reading?”

As bishop I have become rather famous for assigning summer reading for the seminarians. At the top of the required list is Fr. Servais Pinckaers, who is perhaps the leading moral theologian of the post Vatican Council era. I was not always sure they understood what they were reading. Indeed, I was not always sure they were actually reading!

But Fr. Dan Steele, here with us today, did select a quote from the writings of Fr. Servais Pinckaers for one of our first seminarians posters: “We need no teachers to tell us that good fortune and joy will make us happy. But what we could never have discovered for ourselves is that poverty and suffering could be the most direct road to happiness and that Christ has chosen them as our way to the Kingdom.”

Kurt – with his biting sense of humor – simplified this quote to the simple phrase: “We need no teachers.” There is a kind of truth behind Kurt’s raw humor here. The world is awash in false teachers. False teachers today promote a Gospel of prosperity. False teachers today substitute the richness of Church community with a sectarian tribalism that cherry-picks selected Church teachings in support of political ideologies of the left and the right. In the highest places of society false teachers want to divide us in a variety of ways labeling Mexicans as rapists and North American whites as racists. Note well: the very word “Devil” in English and “Diablos” in Spanish come from the same Greek root as our English word “divide” and our Spanish word “dividir.” The devil is always behind false teachers.

Long before the chattering classes coined the term “fake news,” our emeritus Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI while still a cardinal warned of a “dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one’s own ego and desires.” “Ego and desires.” I would suggest that these words of Pope Benedict hold more import today than when he spoke them a little more than 13 years ago at the conclave that would later elect him pope.

“Do you understanding what you are reading?” The moral requirement for every teacher to ask this question is underscored with considerable weight in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Like all the corporal and spiritual works of mercy the imperative to instruct is listed under the seventh commandment: “You shall not steal.” Our failure to pass on the Gospel of Christ, our failure to ask the question of Philip means we are stealing. We are stealing from the poor in spirit and we are stealing from the materially poor. Our failure to counter “fake news” with the Truth who is Jesus Christ means we are stealing. As I have repeatedly stressed to our seminarians as well as our priests in advanced studies: You are the best teachers the poor will ever have. You are the best teachers any of us will ever have.

“Do you understand what you are reading?” The area between Jerusalem and Gaza where Philip asked this question remains in the headlines of today. Political and religious strife, violence, prejudice and misunderstanding suggest that that Gospel attitudes so essential for peace among people of every faith and every people still need to be taught and modeled by us as teachers.

This is why I am so grateful that Kurt Hadley came to us from the profession of teaching having served as a teacher in rural Alaska as well as here in Washington State. I am grateful for his mother and father here with us today – his first teachers of the faith. I am grateful to his family – what we might call the domestic church or teaching church. I am grateful to the band of brothers comprised by the seminarians of the Diocese of Yakima for the ongoing common prayer as well as the peer instruction you give each other. I am grateful to the many religious educators and teachers who taught Kurt how to read the Gospel in both English and Spanish. I am grateful to the seminary formators who deepened Kurt’s moral, spiritual and theological literacy. I am grateful to the permanent deacons and their spouses for their witness to permanent diaconal ministry. I am grateful to the many great priests here in the Diocese of Yakima who spark Kurt’s desire to be a priest.

As bishop I am grateful to all of you for making this Jerusalem to Gaza journey for all of us here in Central Washington and, Kurt, I am grateful to share with you the journey of faith yet to unfold. Peace be with you!

        Click on image to read                        Haz clic en imagen para leer

        Click on image to read                        Haz clic en imagen para leer

The Central Washington Catholic Youth Camp is scheduled for August 19 through the 24th at YMCA Camp Dudley, west of Yakima near White Pass! This is a quality weeklong summer camp for your kids or grandkids, including daily Mass and Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Reconciliation, priests and sisters, seminarians, and daily faith talks PLUS all the goofy songs and games, swimming, canoeing, rock climbing, zipline, campfire every night!

For more info and to make reservations, see our website, cwcyc.org “Like” our FB page, CWCYCclick. Why “click”? C-L-I-C-K stands for Christ Lives in Catholic Kids!

Dear Friends,

We are here in Rome on pilgrimage and are with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, at his Wednesday general audience. By happy coincidence today marks the start of the Holy Father's global campaign, "Share the Journey," where he invites us to walk with migrants refugees and – in his Spanish comments – "campesinos" – something quite particular to our Diocese of Yakima. Today's kickoff points to a Week of Prayer and Action October 7-13. For an overview of the campaign, including personal stories, click here.  For ideas and resources for Catholic leaders planning events for the week, click here.  For a parish toolkit put together by Catholic Relief Services, click here. For ideas for social media, click here. Para recursos en español, haz click aquí.

Here in the Diocese of Yakima we are uniquely positioned to share the journey as Spanish and English speakers forming a single Church witness. Let's "Share the Journey" with each other – especially the migrants and undocumented as well as those young people impacted by DACA. Many prayers.

+Bishop Joseph Tyson