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Archdiocesan Announcements

Fire At St. Joseph’s in Salem

We know what it is like to have our parish burned and to be finding alternate locations for Mass. If you would like to donate to the repairs, please use the QR code below or find their website for more information.

A Catholic Response to Gender Indentity Theory

This link includes the update from Archbishop Sample to address inaccurate media reports associated with Gender Identity Theory.

Also contained in this link are other items (information or events) the archdiocese has given out for all our parishioners to share in. They come from the archdiocesan newletter CHURCH ALIVE. If you are interested in receiving this newsletter, there is a link for you to subscribe to it at the end of the linked document.

https://stmarysalbany.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/June-29-2023.pdf



Praise be Jesus Christ!
“Brothers and Sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ!” These words of St. Paul implore us to conduct ourselves as if God were appealing to his lost sheep through us. On a day like Ash Wednesday, this may seem obvious. By taking the ashes on our foreheads, we are literally marking ourselves as disciples of Christ; but what about the other days of the year? What marks us as representatives for Christ then? As Catholics, our words and actions should, like the ashes we wear today, declare us disciples of Christ every day.
Embrace these 40 days, embrace this opportunity to renew and strengthen your connection to Christ through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penance. Don’t think of these things as items to add to your “to do” list, but as gifts – because they are gifts of God’s grace. The Prophet Joel tells us, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me, with your whole heart.” I urge you, my brothers and sisters, embark on this Lenten season with your whole heart. If you commit to one thing this Lent, commit to going to confession. God is all merciful, all loving. He created you out of love and for love. Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Lent is our opportunity to surrender ourselves to him.
I invite you to pray the Surrender Novena with me, together as an Archdiocese, starting today on our social media channels (you can link to these through the icons below). I know many of you have heard me expound on the grace and transformative power the Surrender Novena has brought to my life. Won’t you join me by surrendering your heart and life to Jesus this Lent?
In Christ,Most Reverend Alexander K. SampleArchbishop of Portland in Oregon   
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon    On a computer, click the link to the left and then choose your form of media from the right side of the screen.

REFLEXIÓN CUARESMAL DEL ARZOBISPO ALEXANDER SAMPLE

febrero 22 del 2023

¡Alabado sea Jesucristo!

“Hermanos y hermanas: somos embajadores de Cristo”. Estas palabras de San Pablo nos imploran que nos comportemos como si Dios rogase por medio de nosotros a sus ovejas. En un día como Miércoles de Ceniza, esto puede parecer obvio. Al llevar las cenizas en nuestra frente, literalmente nos marcamos como discípulos de Cristo, ¿pero que pasa con el resto de los días del año? ¿Qué nos marca como representantes de Cristo? Como católicos, nuestras palabras y acciones deberían ser como las cenizas que nos declaran discípulos de Cristo todos los días.

Recibe con los brazos abiertos estos 40 días, aprovecha esta oportunidad para renovar y fortalecer tu conexión con Cristo mediante la oración, el ayuno, la limosna y la penitencia. No pienses en estas cosas como elementos para agregar a tu lista de “cosas por hacer”, sino como regalos, porque son dones de la gracia de Dios. El profeta Joel nos dice: “Incluso ahora, dice el Señor, vuelve a mí, con todo tu corazón”. Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas, en este tiempo de Cuaresma, los exhorto a embarcarse con todo vuestro corazón. Si te comprometes a una cosa esta Cuaresma, comprométete a confesarte. Dios es todo misericordioso, todo amoroso. Él te creó por amor y para amor. Jesús se sacrificó por nosotros. La Cuaresma es nuestra oportunidad de entregarnos a Él.

Los invito a rezar conmigo la Novena del Abandono a la voluntad de Dios, juntos como arquidiócesis, a partir de hoy en nuestros canales de las redes sociales. Sé que muchos de ustedes me han escuchado exponer sobre la gracia y el poder transformador que la Novena del Abandono a la voluntad de Dios ha traído a mi vida. ¿te unirás a mí entregando tu corazón y tu vida a Jesús esta Cuaresma?

En Cristo,
Rvdmo. Sr Alexander K. Sample
Arquidiocesis de Portland en Oregon

Lenten Resources

Lenten Retreat with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

ST. EDWARD’S, KEIZER

Begin your Lenten Season with a special retreat led by Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.

The retreat, “Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement” will explore the ups and downs in our daily spiritual lives. Join us Saturday, March 11th from 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM at St. Edward Catholic Church.

Learn more…

YCP Portland: Lenten Retreat

MT. ANGEL ABBEY, ST. BENEDICT

Young adults in their 20s and 30s are invited to join the Portland Chapter of Young Catholic Professionals for our Saint Joseph Saturday: Lenten Retreat at Mount Angel Abbey on Saturday, March 18. This day retreat, led by Fr. Matt Libra, is the perfect opportunity to help you enter more deeply into the Lenten season, reflect upon the role of faith in our work, and enjoy fellowship with other young adults. 

Learn more…

Mater Dei Radio Lenten Resources

Our friends at Mater Dei Radio offer numerous free resources this Lent. They are especially excited to offer the new Return audio/video series from Fr. John Burns and Ave Maria Press directly on the Hail Mary Media app.

Download the app…

Additional Lenten Resources

Archdiocese Resources…

USCCB Resources…

Simply Catholic Resources…

Parish Finder

NEW! Catholics in Recovery Retreat – March 24-26 
Strengthen your recovery or begin your journey to find help in overcoming addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments at this healing retreat.
Register today…
NEW!CHURCH ALIVE Newsletter
We have relaunched our Thursday newsletter under the name, CHURCH ALIVE, a name suggested by Archbishop Emeritus John Vlazny! CHURCH ALIVE will serve to inform, educate, and inspire the faithful throughout Western Oregon. Thank you Archbishop Emeritus Vlazny for the winning name suggestion!

CHURCH ALIVE is for everyone! Please encourage your friends and family to sign up!
Sign Up Now

Need to make a Will?

It’s free to do it through the Archdiocese!

Use the following link to find out more:  https://www.freewill.com/archdpdx

WE HAVE BEEN RESCUED

As Christians, the heart of Our Story can be summarized in four words: Created, Captured, Rescued, and Response. During this Advent season, we have been talking about the Kerygma, our salvation story. We invite you watch Archbishop Sample’s latest installment in his four-part series. Click the image to play the message.

AN ADVENT MESSAGE FROM ARCHBISHOP SAMPLE
If you have not already, please watch this very special Advent message from our Archbishop. In it, Archbishop Sample discusses the importance of our being watchful and preparing ourselves for Christ’s coming. Click the image to play the message.

Archbishop Sample’s Powerful Spiritual Insight

Archbishop Sample shares a simple, powerful insight into a well-known gospel story. Watch this new video to learn what he discovered and what you can do to stop fearing and begin trusting more.

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

A PRAYER FOR EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL 

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who promised to stay with us always, until the end of the age.
Reawaken our wonder at His presence in the Most Holy Eucharist. May our hearts burn within us as He opens the Scriptures and breaks the bread.
Give us the eyes of faith to recognize His presence in our brothers and sisters, especially in the face of the poor and the suffering.
Nourished by the Eucharist, send us forth to walk faithfully as missionary disciples, proclaiming the Gospel to every heart and extending Your kingdom to every land. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival

Reject God (for the Right Reasons) – Archbishop Sample

Click Here to see video

Archdiocesan Report on the Synod

August 9, 2022

“Last year, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, called for a global Synod on Synodality, For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. He asked every diocese in the world to participate in this consultation process. CLICK HERE for full report

Archbishop Sample on Abortion

Click here for the video

The Archbishop on denying Communion

Click here to see the video

The Archbishop’s statement on the reversal of Roe v Wade

https://archdpdx.org/news/pastoral-statement-us-supreme-court-ruling-in-dobbs-v-jackson

Finding Peace During Conflict and Anxiety

“Sometimes, it feels like the world is full of chaos, confusion, conflict. Enemies seem to be multiplying. Trouble always seems to be coming our way. Our fears, our anxieties, our uncertainties, they can be debilitating. How should a Christian respond? The answer is simple, run to Jesus.”

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

The Problem with the Real Presence

Houston, We Have a Problem

There’s a problem with the Real Presence in the Eucharist, and it demands a decision. There’s no middle ground—right or wrong—the logic of our beliefs calls out for a response. Get engaged. Watch the video.

Our Story

To Find Great Answers We Need to Ask Great Questions

Why Is There Something Rather than Nothing?
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

If you were to ask the average high school or college student where they would go to get spiritual enlightenment—to better understand the meaning and purpose to their lives—few, if any, would say the Catholic Church. And that, of course, we should want to change. Because the Catholic story—Our Story—is a love story. It is THE Love story—the greatest love story ever told. And every person has a God-given right to hear it and understand it. Today’s video is about the first part of Our Story—the story of our creation.

Let your understanding be transformed in Christ.

Jesus Changes Everything

Click here for part 1 – CREATED

Why Is Everything So Messed Up?

Because YOU Have an Enemy Who Hates You
This video shows how to identify and resist his tactics. Be Hopeful, friends. I promise…
JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Click here for part 2 – CAPTURED

A RADICAL CLAIM. AN INVASION. A SACRIFICE.

If you were to ask the average high school or college student where they would go to get spiritual enlightenment—to better understand the meaning and purpose of their lives—few would say the Catholic Church. And that, of course, we should want to change. Because the Catholic story—Our Story—is a love story. It is THE Love story—the greatest love story ever told. Every person has a God-given right to hear it and understand it. Today’s video is about the third part of Our Story—the story of our rescue.

Let your understanding be transformed in Christ.

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Click here for part 3 – RESCUED

The One Thing Necessary to Live Your Life Fully

Living an incredible life is simple. The key is making the decision to believe. The truth is, the response of faith is a choice and it’s the greatest choice you can make. It will change everything in your life for the better.

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Click here for part 4 – RESPONSE

I’m truly excited to share this series of videos with you! Designed to help you share the love of Jesus, it begins with a simple “Elevator Pitch” of our faith that helps answer the question: “If you had only 1-minute to explain the story of Christianity, how would you do it!?”

The rest of the videos in the series go a bit deeper.

Archbishop Sample answers the question “What is Evangelization?” First of a four-part series.

WATCH HERE

“What is Evangelization?” Second of a four-part series.

WATCH HERE

“What is Evangelization?” Third of a four-part series.

WATCH HERE

“What is Evangelization?” Last of a four-part series.

WATCH HERE

“By living our lives in Christ and showing that in the way we live, it draws others and attracts others. But how do we get there?

Watch Archbishop Sample’s recent homily where he talks about the importance of evangelism in our everyday lives.

WATCH HERE

Dive in! Let’s live this together!

Archbishop Sample
Jesus Changes Everything

P.S. Want to stay inspired? Learn life-changing truths to feed your soul? Know the peace, joy, love, truth, and eternal life for which you’ve been looking?

Then SUBSCRIBEto my YouTube channel and never miss an update! And drop me a note in the comments…say Hi sometime!

Resources on Abuse

A Letter from Archbishop Alexander K. Sample Regarding the Latest Reports of Clergy Abuse: English

Pope Francis’ “Letter to the People of God”: ENGLISH  & SPANISH

August 16, 2018: President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Announces Effort That Will Involve Laity, Experts, and the Vatican as U.S. Bishops Resolve to Address “Moral Catastrophe”

Word on Fire – Bishop Barron

Child Protection/Victim Assistant for the Archdiocese

CONTACT NUMBERS: Child Protection: 503-233-8302, Victim Assistance: 503-416-8810