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Religious education for children with special needs has grown more inclusive, but there’s room for improvement

Kaeli Hundley has a rare genetic disorder that affects her physical and intellectual development, leaving the 15-year-old at 4 feet, 9 inches tall and a mere 50 pounds. But her faith is mighty.
Christmas festivals raise $2.4 million for children’s health

The 37th annual Providence Festival of Trees concluded after 15,000 visitors attended the annual event at the Oregon Convention Center.
Still living at home

Have a 20- or 30-something still living at home? Are quarters getting tight and tempers short?

You’re not alone.
WATCH: Archbishop tells Vincentians: ‘Be the face of Christ’

TIGARD — Earlier in the day, Cyndi Kelly of St. Henry Parish in Gresham had paid a hotel bill for a woman just out of surgery. That evening, Kelly was one of about 300 members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society who gathered for Mass and dinner at St. Anthony Parish here to mark the society’s 150 years in Portland.

That’s life in St. Vincent de Paul — mercy, prayer and community.
Six fall championships for Catholic schools

Oregon Catholic high schools earned a half dozen state titles in fall sports, from the gridiron to the volleyball court to muddy cross country trails.
Northwest Catholic Counseling Center founders called to lead religious community

With the Nov. 24 departure of Servite Sisters Barbara Kennedy and Sarah Deeby, an era in Oregon church mental health services has ended. But the ministry they founded, the Northwest Catholic Counseling Center, is growing.
St. Vincent de Paul Portland benefit tourney sets record

The 2019 benefit golf tournament for the ministry of the St. Vincent de Paul Portland Council netted more than $53,000 for the emergency services program, a record.
WATCH: Oregon woman shares her journey from spiritual crisis to consecrated virginity

On a seemingly unremarkable winter day, a 21-year-old Miriam Marston was reading a book as music played in the background.

Then, in a mere moment, she fell — hard — in love. It was the sort of love that upends life, that changes everything.
PeaceHealth at RiverBend earns an ‘A’

SPRINGFIELD – PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend was awarded an ‘A’ by a national hospital rating group.
Rosary for immigrants set for Dec. 14

A Catholic group is holding monthly rosaries outside Portland’s St. Mary Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in solidarity with immigrants.

The next gathering of “Justice for Immigrants: We are one family under God” is set for Saturday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m. on the cathedral front steps, 1716 NW Davis.
Planned giving: Touching the world after death

To families struggling to make ends meet, it may seem counterintuitive. But experts say planning a charitable donation to be given after death can be a source of great joy. Estate gifts are a way to touch the future in just the way one wishes. And planned giving might even allow heirs to have a lifetime income and tax savings to boot.
Masses held in many prisons and jails

In the past year, Archbishop Alexander Sample has visited six of the eight Oregon Department of Corrections facilities in Western Oregon, reports the Archdiocese of Portland Office of Prison Ministry.
Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest has new leader

The Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest board of directors has chosen Greg Carpinello as the organization’s new executive director. He assumes the post Dec. 4.
Appeal helps religious communities care for aging members

The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held Dec. 7–8 in the parishes of western Oregon. The parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, and proceeds help hundreds of U.S. religious communities to care for aging members. Some 30,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests benefit.
Time to evangelize: Course of archdiocese being set on attracting and inviting others to Christ

SALEM — Clint Bentz, chairman of the Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Council, shared a quote from his father, the late Deacon Ron Bentz: “Evangelization is one beggar showing another beggar where to find the bread.”
Grant expands transport options

The Portland Bureau of Transportation this summer provided a grant for up to 70 residents of Catholic Charities low income housing to increase their options for getting around.
New bishop welcomed to region

HELENA, Montana — “Good things come to those who wait.” That was the sentiment delivered Nov. 20 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, to the packed house in St. Helen Cathedral here as they anxiously awaited the ordination and installation of their new bishop.
Archbishop Sample shares time, hospitality

Alongside students from St. Thomas More School, Archbishop Alexander Sample served lunch at Blanchet House in Portland Oct. 29.
Health workers urged to remain strong, confident in beliefs

Oregon’s Catholic health care workers heard Oct. 18 they should hew to their faith and do so proudly because the Catholic model of care is superior to the secular model.
Priest from Philippines becomes a US citizen

ASHLAND — Father Maro Escano, pastor of Our Lady of the Mountain Parish here, became a U.S. citizen Oct. 16.
A small-town firefighter for 60 years

BROWNSVILLE — It’s a good thing Neal Karo took his mother’s advice one autumn day in 1959.

“There was a fire in town and she told me to ‘Go up town and help those firefighters,’” Karo recalls.
1,800 attend funeral for University of Portland freshman

The University of Portland used its sports dome for the funeral of a freshman whose body was found in the Willamette River Oct. 20, two weeks after he went missing.
Everyone belongs at the table

It was family experiences that brought Lori Irish Bauman to her position, leading the effort to bring the Germaine’s Café to life in the abandoned dining hall at the Southeast Portland Catholic Charities building.

The cafe, expected to open in 2020, will provide job training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
WATCH: A regular guy in Vietnam

Fifty years ago this month, a 19-year-old draftee from St. Louis boarded a plane to Vietnam. During his 11 months in the Army, Jeff Eirvin shot no one, nor was he shot. Instead, he operated radios and switchboards at an aircraft repair base near the border with North Vietnam. But like any soldier, his life changed both for good and for bad.
A timeline of the Portland Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society

1833

Responding to critics of church opulence, University of Paris student Frederic Ozanam begins a society to befriend and serve the poor. Ozanam places the society under the protection of the Virgin Mary and St. Vincent de Paul, a 17th-century French priest revered for goodness and generosity.
Advocates for life hold vigil outside Planned Parenthood

For the 11th year in a row, Portland took part in the annual Life Chain, a national movement of pro-life advocates in the United States and Canada. During the event, people all over North America line the streets, pray and speak out for 60 million babies already lost through abortion.
Hospice: Holistic care for the end of life’s journey

Approaching the end of life is the greatest transition a person makes. It’s a time for making important decisions regarding which treatments to accept or forego. It’s also a time for facing loss and redemption, finding caregivers, and seeking emotional and spiritual support. Hospice exists to accompany those who are dying and their loved ones on this journey at the end of life.
Central Catholic junior works to support Congolese victims of sexual violence and children in under-resourced schools

One of 16-year-old Asukulu Songolo’s favorite passages from the Bible is in the First Letter of St. John: “But if one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God abide in him? Children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
Society of St. Vincent de Paul a hub of innovative ideas

It’s easy to think of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul as the food box people. But since a council of the worldwide charitable organization was formed in Portland in 1869, it also has worked outside the box.
The grief of a child

They may be small, but young children experience big emotions following the death of a loved one. Here are common responses children have following a death and suggestions for helping them process their grief.
Catholic Community Services of Lane County gets high rating

SPRINGFIELD — Catholic Community Services of Lane County recently received the highest rating possible from a national evaluator of charities. Charity Navigator is the largest organization providing data on 1.8 million U.S. nonprofits. Investigating financial health, accountability and transparency, it accepts no advertising or donations from the groups it ranks.
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women day of recollection

BEAVERTON — Father Andrew Thomas led a day of recollection for the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Oct. 8. His talk gained full attention.
Northwest Catholic Counseling Center workshop teaches boundary skills

Who hasn’t, at one time or another, found themselves pulled in too many directions? This can leave a person feeling invisible or powerless, perhaps even experiencing emotional pain. Learn from a knowledgeable therapist about boundary types, healthy limits and maintenance tools to help improve physical, relational and mental well-being.
Young Catholics hear about financial healing

BEAVERTON — The Portland Chapter of Young Catholic Professionals gathered Sept. 10 at St. Cecilia Church here. Almost 70 young adults came to hear from Molly O’Donnell, director of “Save First Financial Wellness” at Catholic Charities of Oregon.
Demonstration outside Planned Parenthood set for Nov. 3

Advocates for the unborn join a national action Sunday, Nov. 3, 2:30 – 4 p.m. The Life Chain in Portland is a peaceful public vigil along the road near Planned Parenthood, 3727 NE MLK Jr. Boulevard.
St. Vincent de Paul pulls out the stops

Instead of a fancy 150th anniversary gala, the St. Vincent de Paul Portland Council spent Oct. 5 doing what Vincentians do best: serving people in need.
Pro-life rally slated for Jan. 25

Oregon’s 2020 Roe v. Wade memorial and march will mark 50 years since abortion became legal in the state. The rally and march have been held in Portland for almost a decade but for 2020 returns to the Oregon Capitol in Salem on Jan. 25. That’s where lawmakers passed Senate Bill 193 in 1969, making Oregon one of the first states to allow abortions.
Finishing the vision at Camp Howard

Sister Krista von Borstel’s fingerprints are all over Camp Howard.

From a self-standing deck for viewing heavenly bodies to covered basketball courts to a zip line to a giant swing to the new Mary’s Lodge, the executive director has given shape to her ideas so children can have a richer encounter with the natural world.
Clothing drive underway in Lane County

SPRINGFIELD — Through the end of the year, Catholic Community Services of Lane County is collecting warm clothing for neighbors in need.
For 150 years, St. Vincent de Paul in the Portland area has creatively lived out the Gospel

During its 150-year arc of history in Portland, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul consistently has done two things: follow the Gospel and read the signs of the times.
Coach Salazar banned from coaching for doping violations

Alberto Salazar, a former Central Catholic cross-country coach who’s trained Olympic medalist Galen Rupp, has been banned from coaching for four years due to doping violations.
Cardinal Levada recalled as skilled and joyful servant of God

Ashby Collinson had never met Cardinal William Levada, who died Sept. 26 in Rome. But the recent Catholic convert was eager to attend the memorial Mass for the former leader of the Portland Archdiocese.
At CYO/Camp Howard benefit, spiritual formation and lasting lessons are the focus

The first faces many guests saw as they stepped out of the elevator and into the Oregon Convention Center in Northeast Portland Oct. 15 belonged to 11-year-olds Zachery El Youssef and Drew Carter.
Parishioners stepping forward to help build family a home

BEAVERTON — A Willamette West Habitat for Humanity donor who is Catholic wanted to make an impact and unite Catholics to address the housing needs faced by families in Washington County.
Lower refugee cap concerns Catholic groups

Francis Kham waited 10 years in a Malaysian refugee camp for a chance to come to the United States, the land of his dreams. That was when the country was admitting 50,000 to 75,000 refugees per year. Now, the Trump administration plans to cap refugee admissions at 18,000.
Man arrested after sneaking into pastoral center

An intruder dashed to follow an employee into the Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center the afternoon of Oct. 17 and a scuffle ensued, with one church worker punched and several others sent to the ground. No one was seriously injured.
Body of missing student found in Willamette

A Mass for Owen Klinger is set for 12:05 p.m. Oct. 22 in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on campus.
Dog foils a kiss and becomes famous on America’s Funniest Home Videos

SWEET HOME — Sara Windom would have been happy to receive a T-shirt for submitting a video to America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Welcoming children a life issue

A dozen lay Catholics met earlier this month by the steps of St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Portland to pray the rosary in solidarity with detained children at the United States’ border with Mexico. The group was part of a national Catholic campaign calling for the end to such detentions, which are “contrary to Gospel values as written in Matthew chapter 25, where we are called to welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, and care for the sick,” say the organizers.
Staying active is part of the formation plan

ST. BENEDICT — Seminarians spend hours each day at prayer and study. But some also crash the boards, send headers into the corner or beast it up in the weight room.
Mobile kitchen brings warm food and hospitality to outlying areas

ESTACADA — “Oh, hello girls, I’ve been waiting for you.”

The smell of baking chocolate chip cookies and the cheery welcome of diner Barbara Jordan, 78, greet two women who sit down to enjoy a lunch of pizza, fruit and juice — plus a cookie for dessert.
Veronica Kennedy: SVDP’s ambassador to parishes

With the 150th anniversary of the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Portland ministry approaching, Veronica Kennedy was devoting more than her usual over-the-top energy last month to wrapping up a symbolically important task.
PeaceHealth builds house for out-of-towners

SPRINGFIELD — Out-of-town families now have a tranquil, no-cost place to call home in Springfield should their loved ones need specialized care at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, or University District in Eugene.
‘God is with Owen, wherever he is’

“In this very moment God is with Owen, wherever he is,” said Holy Cross Father Jim Gallagher, campus minister. “A part of our being is not connected with us as he should be, as we desire him to be.”
Narcissism a hallmark of religious abusers

It’s a Friday evening at Kennedy School, a pub in Northeast Portland. Revelers lift their glasses and guffaw.

But in a quiet back room, two dozen spiritually serious people have gathered quietly. They are grappling with the feeling that they have been manipulated and conned by leaders they saw as conduits to God.
A retired paper plant worker develops a passion for toy castles

SWEET HOME — When Leo Fernandez attended a yard sale here four years ago, he was looking for a bargain or two. He never dreamed his prize find would be a set of building blocks often used by children to build castles.
University of Portland freshman missing

Portland law enforcement is asking for help finding a University of Portland freshman who went missing the evening of Oct. 6.
New program director for Camp Howard

Sister Colleen Schmitt is the new Camp Howard summer program director. She joined the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 2014.
Oregon Boy Scouts’ effort prevents wildfire

LANE COUNTY — The Boy Scouts’ motto is “Be prepared,” but when a Stayton-area troop embarked on a 25-mile backpacking trip, they didn’t anticipate that would mean saving a forest from wildfire.
Rosary to be held outside cathedral for immigrant children

A group plans to pray the rosary and process around St. Mary Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Oct. 12 as an act of solidarity for immigrant children.