Northern Deanery High School
A quick update on something I mentioned several months ago: We have put together a steering committee to work on bringing a Catholic High School to the Northern Deanery. At this point, we are meeting every other week, to try to keep progress going. Right now, we are interviewing firms to carry out a feasibility study, to check our assumptions about the desire and sustainability of such an enterprise. We are also looking forward to next steps beyond the study, like initial fundraising or hiring an employee.
PREPARES
I was recently asked by someone to comment on our PREPARES program. I told the person I do not really have much insight into how the program is going, and received a reply from CCS about the good work PREPARES is doing in the area.
A reflection: I am not sure why everyone assumes the pastor knows everything that is going on in his parish. As I told CCS, “As parishes get bigger and bigger (both pre- and post- Partners) we should expect to see a lot of good work going on that the priest is not directly involved with or even aware of. That just means that people are living out their Christianity on their own initiative, rather than waiting for the clergy or parish staff to coordinate for them. This is an attitude I have been pushing hard at Assumption, since we have fewer priests and parish resources as the years go by. How wonderful that PREPARES can model this kind of personal initiative for us!”
The report: CCS provided this excellent update about PREPARES in our area.
“In the last 4 months, alone [they have been] working with about 28 to 30 families a month, with an average of 3 new or expectant mothers a month. Your PREPARES program has 7 specially trained Direct volunteers, who are able to accompany families one on one. This sometimes looks like a ride to the Dr or other appointment, or keeping in touch with them via phone call or text when they ask for advice or assistance, or helping to connect them with services they may need in the community.
“Assumption was the recipient of a large private donation of diapers this August which is helping to get them through this fall. Moving into January, they will reapply to the Washington State Commerce Grant administered through CCS, which will also help them with $1600 worth of diapers, about enough to last a couple of months.
“Assumption PREPARES has recently forged a new referral relationship with Whatcom County Pregnancy Aid, and we are working toward developing a partnership with Hope House beyond just exchanging referrals with each other.
“I am not sure if you are familiar with Villa Santa Fe, in Bellingham? This is a Catholic Community Services 50-unit apartment building, complete with a community room, which serves farmworkers and their families. Your PREPARES Volunteer Coordinator has made connections there as I believe there are about 10 PREPARES families served in that building alone! It is a great Outreach resource, not only because of the PREPARES Families, but your group’s ingenuity saw the opportunity to use the community room to provide classes like a baby massage to engage new families and bring them into the program. CCS now has a Community Health office in the same building which can serve families we work with.
“Looking to the future, Assumption PREPARES is planning a Play with Love preschool class and a class on Post-Partum Depression for new moms.
“As far as CCS is concerned, the PREPARES program at Assumption serving their area, Sacred Heart, and Ferndale is one of the Shining Star PREPARES programs of the Seattle Archdiocese!”
You can keep up with PREPARES of Western Washington on Facebook or Instagram.
Fr. Moore 