Ministries

The St. Peter Chanel Samoan ministry joins together in prayer on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 12:00 pm. Afio Mai—Welcome!

About the Samoan Community

The goal of the St. Peter Chanel Samoan ministry is to create a central location for Samoan Catholics in Western Washington where they can unite in fellowship, strengthen their faith and celebrate liturgical celebrations in their native language. The ministry is committed to promoting harmonious relationships among all parishioners and to help nourish faith and spiritual growth.

Patron Saint

St. Peter Chanel is the patron saint of the Samoan community.  He was the first martyr from Oceania. Father Peter Chanel was killed on the island of Futuna in New Hebrides near New Zealand. He was beatified in 1889 and canonized in 1954. His Feast is April 28.

History of the Samoan Community in Western Washington

1970s – 1980s

The Samoan community has served the Archdiocese of Seattle for over 30 years. They first gathered in St. George Parish, Seattle in the 1970’s before the first Samoan priest arrived from the Archdiocese of Samoa, Apia. Fr. Poao served at St. George for several years before he was reassigned to St. Ann Parish in Tacoma. Realizing a significant number of Samoans at St. Ann, Fr. Poao alternated his time between the two parishes. Word of Samoan Masses being celebrated at the two parishes spread throughout western Washington and Samoans came from as far north as Everett and as far south as Vancouver. After serving over ten years with the Archdiocese of Seattle, Fr. Poao returned to Samoa, leaving the Samoan community without a Samoan priest. With the absence of a Samoan priest, the community missed the sense of belonging and the desire to worship in their language and culture. As a result, the community began to be scattered and families returned to their nearby parishes. Others, left the Catholic Church and look to non-Catholic faiths to fill the sense of belonging and to worship, culturally.

2016

Fr. Laga Olaaiga was the second Samoan priest assigned to the Archdiocese of Seattle after a lapse of over three years after Fr. Poao returned to Samoa. Fr. Laga’s assignment helped to bring the community back together again. At this point, a recommendation was made for the community to decide which of the two parishes, St. George or St. Ann, was to become the central location for the Samoan community. Overtime, the decision to centralize the Samoan community to either of the two parishes never came. In 2016, Fr. Laga returned to Samoa after serving ten years with the Archdiocese of Seattle. Without a Samoan priest, the Archdiocese assigned Deacon Sagato Pele, the only Samoan deacon in the Archdiocese, to be the clergy and leader for the community.

2018

In early 2018, the Seattle Archdiocese determined that the Samoan community would be part of the faithful at St. John of the Woods in Tacoma. In the process, the Archdiocese met with the community and a leadership committee was formed to provide better communication between the Seattle Archdiocese and the Samoan community. In the latter part of 2018, Deacon Sagato and his family relocated to Florida.

2019

Presently, St. Peter Chanel Samoan Ministry is comprised of Samoan Catholics from various parishes throughout western Washington, including St. Olaf, Poulsbo; Our Lady Star of the Sea, Bremerton; Sacred Heart, Lacey; St. John of the Woods, Tacoma; Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Spanaway; St. Francis and St. John, Tukwila. 

Holy Cross Catholic Church serves as the St. Peter Chanel Samoan community’s home parish. The St. Peter Chanel Samoan Ministry is now part of the ministries of Holy Cross.

Poasa Fa’aita Chairs the St. Peter Chanel Samoan Ministry (SPCSM).

The Knights of Columbus Council 16667 meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm in the Parish Hall at Holy Cross Catholic Church.

About

Since 1882, membership in the Knights of Columbus has been open to men 18 years of age or older who are Catholics.

Service and charity are at the heart of the Knights. Founded to meet the needs of immigrants, refugees and families suffering from the death of a breadwinner, the Knights began as a small service organization and has grown into a worldwide financial and charitable organization.

Court Blessed Mary of the Narrows #2003 Meetings are held on the 4th Sunday of the month at 11:30 am in the Parish Hall.

About

Formed in 1903 the Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic women in the Americas. We are a national organization, with 63,000 dues-paying members in 1,150 courts (local chapters) in 45 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

We provide local spirituality, sharing and activity under the support of a vibrant national organization. Members donate to charities, administer scholarship programs and strive “to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness.” They embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all.

Join together in song, under the talented direction of Music Director.

Weekly rehearsals on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the Choir Loft. Sing at 10:30 am Sunday Mass, as your schedule allows. 

The role of the altar server is integral to the celebration of the Mass.  At least one server always assists the priest and often two or more servers are present.

Responsibilities 

Altar Servers carry the cross, the processional candles during certain celebrations, hold the book for the priest celebrant when he is not at the altar, carry the incense and censer and assist him when he receives the gifts from the people, wash the hands of the priest, assist the deacon as necessary.

Altar servers wear albs and are seated in a place from which they can easily assist the priest celebrant and deacon, they respond to the prayers and dialogues of the priest along with the congregation and singing the hymns of the liturgy.

Formation

Training is held periodically. Servers receive proper formation, including instruction on the Mass and its parts and their meaning, the various liturgical objects, including their names and use, and the various functions of the server during the Mass and other liturgical celebrations.

Extraordinary Ministers of Communion serve the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and to the sick and homebound.

Help count the gifts collected at Mass each week.

Help care for and beautify the grounds and church.

Reader who proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and other services.

Prepare and care of the altar linens including washing and ironing of purificators, corporals, and altar linens.

Assist people to their seat if necessary and  take up the collection.

Preparing the altar for Mass and cleaning the altar following Mass.

The pro-life ministry aim to promote a "Culture of Life" by educating themselves and others regarding the sanctity and science of human life. They pray together for an end to abortion, and aim to serve as a voice for the unborn who have no voice. They support struggling mothers and those considering abortion.

First Sunday of each month

Sales support the ministry work of the parish. 

Volunteers meet every Tuesday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, in the sale building to prepare for upcoming  sales.

Altar Society is a women’s group that hosts funeral receptions and raises funds for altar flowers. All parish women are welcome.

They meet on the third Thursday of the month at 11 am in the Parish Hall, except in June, July, and August.