It’s been quite a fun year full of activity! Thanks to a suggestion by Betsy Willing (and her skillful management), we started a women’s bible study that regularly had between 100-150 women attending (you can find the videos and notes on our website
http://stceciliachurch.org/womens-bible-basics ). In Advent, we returned the tabernacle to the center of the sanctuary space to emphasize that Jesus is the center of our worship and our life, and that has had tremendous spiritual ramifications for our community. We also had an enormously successful Lenten soup and supper series on the Mass hosted by Fr. Cary and yours truly. Our Young Adult group had a great kickoff in May and continues to grow, thanks to our new leaders, Amber and Griffin Ramsdell. To top it all off, we were one of the few parishes in Oregon that hosted the travelling relic of St. John Paul II—a visit that brought much grace and healing into our midst. I feel privileged to be a part of such a dynamic and “happening” parish. However, more than the quality events are the truly wonderful people here who make St. Cecilia a powerhouse of faith as well as service. From the Pro-life group, to St. Vincent de Paul, Social concerns, Hospitality, Men’s Club, Ministry to the Homebound, Knights of Columbus, Spanish prayer ministry, and a multitude of other service and prayer groups, St. Cecilia truly is a place of prayer and service. It is a great honor to serve in your midst as your priest. God bless you and let’s make this next year even better!
-Fr. Mark Bentz