St. Barbara
Catholic Church
Black Diamond, WA

An Invitation To ChristLife This fall our parish will offer ChristLife, a parish-centered evangelization and discipleship program designed to help people encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and learn to share the Gospel in everyday life. Whether you’re new to church, returning after time away, or a long-time parishioner seeking to go deeper, ChristLife meets you where you are and helps you take the next step. What is ChristLife? A simple, three-part process focused on relat

Growing In Discernment In our first reading this weekend we hear the impressive story of Solomon being offered anything he wished from the Lord. He chose the gift of wisdom (knowledge of God) instead of material riches. The Lord rewarded this choice, and his kingship began on a very good footing. Unfortunately, Solomon took many foreign wives and concubines (700 wives, 300 concubines; 1 Kings 11:3). These marriages led him to tolerate and ultimately participate in the wor

The Knights of Columbus and Random Acts of Kindness I just returned from the Chalet Theatre in Enumclaw after my 11th viewing of the Knights of Columbus production, The Face of Mercy. I still get choked up during parts of it. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. A huge thanks to all the Knights in our parish family for the many great things you do. I am a proud lifetime member and joined while I was in the seminary. The Knights showed tremendous kindness and

Putting God First Our Scripture readings this weekend speak of the necessity of dying to ourselves and taking up our cross. Without the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, this teaching can seem harsh. For those growing toward spiritual maturity, it is foundational to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. What the Lord is actually teaching us is that God must come first in our lives, not be a secondary consideration. I remember reading a warning years ago about this perennial

Yoked with Christ I am writing at the close of a deeply blessed five-day retreat at Franciscan University in Steubenville. The talks, Adoration, and prayer have been consoling and restorative. I leave rejuvenated and eager to share what the Lord has poured into me. On the first night one presenter spoke about acedia, a spiritual weariness that pushes us to substitute activity and busyness for real intimacy with God. The remedy he offered comes straight from Matthew 11:28–30: