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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.
Blanchet House has new executive director

The board of directors from Portland’s Blanchet House of Hospitality has hired a longtime education administrator as new executive director. The Catholic-founded nonprofit, in its 67th year, provides free meals to thousands of homeless people, plus job training, housing, addiction treatment and experience of farm life.
Some wounds of gun violence are invisible

Firearm attacks have changed society in the United States. Mass shootings are becoming more frequent and the helpless public is forced to face the psychological consequences, often silently.
Millennials and health

Andrew Bodmer often gets calls from his millennial-aged brother asking for medical advice. Recently, Bodmer, a physician assistant at Providence Medical Group’s Bridgeport Clinic, told his brother to go to see his primary care provider or regular doctor. “I should have one of those?” his brother asked.
Cardinal Levada, former Portland archbishop, dies at 83

UPDATED: Sept. 27, 9:50 a.m. “Many people thought Cardinal Levada was a bit aloof, but I think he was actually rather shy. Once you got to know him, you discovered a man who was quite warm and loving, always ready to help in any way he could."
During immigration crackdown, undocumented domestic abuse victims fear reporting abuse, seeking assistance

Amid changing immigration laws and deportation threats, advocates and lawyers have observed a decrease in undocumented victims of domestic violence reporting the abuse to law enforcement and reaching out for help. Staff and partner agencies of Catholic Charities of Oregon — the largest nonprofit immigration legal services provider in the state — have witnessed the fallout from fear in their work across the region.
Thrift stores emerged at time of need

When Portland saw a surge in corporate thrift stores in the 1990s — think Value Village — the homegrown St. Vincent de Paul thrifts could not stay in business. The last stores closed in 2004, sold to pay off debts.

But for more than 70 years, St. Vincent de Paul was synonymous with second-hand savings for Portlanders in need. For St. Vincent de Paul, the stores were more ministry than business.
Champions of Faith benefit dinner chairs say CYO and Camp Howard are grounded by faith, generate joy

Champions of Faith benefit dinner chairs say CYO and Camp Howard are grounded by faith and generate joy

Tim O’Neill has spent his career providing prostheses and orthopedic braces to give life-changing mobility to patients. His wife, Gina, is business director of the prosthetics and orthotics company Tim founded, and she volunteers countless hours in the community.
Chief shepherd a fan of CYO/Camp Howard

In 2014, Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample was invited to say Mass for his first visit to Camp Howard in the foothills of Mount Hood. There were so many young campers that the large enthusiastic congregation could not fit in the little chapel.
Affording assisted living

A retired editor of the Catholic Sentinel is fond of saying, “Getting old isn’t for wimps.” Now it seems that getting old isn’t for low-income people or even the middle class.
Priest who evangelized with intellect dies at 93

UPDATED SEPT. 27, 12:32 P.M. Father Edmond Bliven, an intellectual giant of the Archdiocese of Portland, died Sept. 22 at age 93. An apostle of Catholic common sense with an uproarious laugh, Father Bliven served in western Oregon parishes and was longtime editorial page editor of the Catholic Sentinel. He attended a session of the Second Vatican Council and was active in the ecumenical movement.
Camp Howard connects across generations

Maddi Parvankin’s memories of Camp Howard begin when she was about 3 years old. She remembers how after several rounds of songs at the campfire, her sleepy, dirt-covered, happy little self would reach out for her father’s hand, and the two would walk from the glowing flames back to their cabin.
Catholics join courthouse protest

HILLSBORO — A faith-based protest against immigration arrests at courthouses drew 500 people to the Hillsboro Civic Center and Washington County Courthouse Aug. 12. Enacting the theme “circle of protection,” demonstrators ringed the courthouse and then formed a human loop on the courthouse lawn around presenters.
New Catholic Community Services head chosen for Mid-Willamette

SALEM — The Catholic Community Services board of directors has appointed longtime employee Joshua Graves to lead the 80-year-old Salem-based social services agency. Longtime executive director Jim Seymour will retire in January 2020.
Oregon group attends social action conference

A team of Portland-area Catholics attended the Social Action Summer Institute in Salt Lake City in July.

On top of the agenda was low-cost housing, plus the immigration crisis and climate change.
The quintessential Catholic family

ALBANY — There aren’t many dull moments in the Krebs family of Albany.

With eight children ranging in age from 2 to 18, something is always stirring for Joe and Nicole Krebs.
Faith amid wildfire

MOLALLA — As a young boy, Scott West dreamed of fighting wildfires like his dad. After he helped extinguish his first at age 20, it became a vocation.
A garlicky time had by all

NORTH PLAINS — The Knights of Columbus from Tigard had another successful fundraising event at the North Plains Garlic Festival in August.
Camp Howard’s summer is in the books

CORBETT — More than 1,200 youths from around the Portland area and nearby states attended Camp Howard this summer.
Grief and loss workshop offered

Everyone experiences loss. However, not everyone recognizes grief when it affects them. The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center in Portland invites people to examine the depths of grief and loss that are part of all lives.