This page lists upcoming events taking place in the St. Monica Church Community and around the Archdiocese of Seattle. For information on additional Catholics events, retreats, and programs in the greater Seattle area, we recommend checking out the Archdiocese of Seattle Event Webpage and the Sacred Heart Radio Event Webpage. If you have any questions about this page, please contact Tony Brooks, PA for Communication, 206-232-2900 x.131; tony@stmonicami.org.
National Fall 2025 40 Days For Life Campaign
40 Days for Life has accomplished wonderful results across the world by their peaceful prayer to end abortion. There are now 1000 cities registered to participate in the national campaign. This Fall’s 40 Days For Life campaign began on September 24 and will continue through November 2. The campaign location nearest to our community is in Renton. If you would like to participate in this cause or learn more, we invite you to visit their webpage: 40daysforlife.com/renton
October is Respect Life Month!
As Catholics we are called to welcome, care for, and protect God’s gift of human life, with special concern for those who are most vulnerable. Click here to read a short reflection which unpacks this Jubilee year’s focus on hope within the context of respect for human life.
Join us for a Chinese Buffet!
The Chinese community, in union with the Knights of Columbus, will be hosting a Chinese buffet on Saturday, October 11, from 6PM to 8PM, in the St. Monica gym. This event will be free, with an ask for donations during dinner. Donations will go to support the following charities: Alpha (Catholic edition), CISC Charity serving our emigrant community, and the KIN ON retirement community. With any questions, please contact the Knights of Columbus via their ministry page.
We want you to join the choir!
The choir sings at the 9AM Mass on Sundays, practices are held the hour before. If Catholic hymns bring joy to your heart, we want you to sing with us! The choir needs singers for all parts; more volume, and more opportunities to add harmony would greatly enhance what we can do at Mass. We will soon start looking at Christmas music! Please contact Gretchen Rillos, PA for Music at gretchen@stmonicami.org with questions or if you would like to join the choir!
OCIA Classes Have Begun
Interested In Becoming Catholic? Fr. Nagel would like to invite all those interested in becoming Catholic to learn more about the Faith. OCIA classes started on September 15, but it's not too late to join! Father will be teaching a combined class with St. Monica and Sacred Heart from 6:30-7:30PM on Mondays at Sacred Heart Church (9460 NE 14th St, Bellevue, WA 98004). Interested? Please call Heather at 206-232-2900 ext. 130 or click here to sign up.
Youth Fall Fun Day THIS SUNDAY!
Weren't able to make it to our kickoff last week? That's okay! Join us at Swan's Trail Farms in Snohomish this Sunday the 12th from 12:30-5:30! We'll meet at Sacred Heart Church in Bellevue and drive there and back as a group. The leaves are turning, the corn maze is winding, the apples are ripe for picking, and the pumpkins are getting bigger by the minute!
Associated Catholic Cemeteries Open House
Plan with faith and leave a legacy of love. Join Associated Catholic Cemeteries on Sunday, October 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at any of their four locations—Calvary (Seattle), Holyrood (Shoreline), or Gethsemane (Federal Way)—for a welcoming Open House. Learn about Catholic burial and cremation options, receive a free pre-planning guide, and discover how pre-planning is a loving act of mercy for your family.
For more information visit www.mycatholiccemetery.org or call (206) 366-8834.
Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) Events
Looking for a community with a professional focus grounded in Catholic values? Your 20s and 30s can be a confusing and lonely time, but they don't have to be. Come and see. Attend a YCP event and join like-minded, mission-driven peers to find God in all things and seek excellence and joy in every area of your life. YCP brings together young workers and seasoned business professionals in a variety of programs to foster Catholic identity, encourage community, and inspire action. Learn more about YCP at youngcatholicprofessionals.org.
Operation Nightwatch “Lighting the Path” Dinner 2025
Nightwatch will host their “Lighting the Path” dinner gathering on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Seattle Center's iconic Fisher Pavilion, where they will reflect on the role of Nightwatch in collaborating with the broader faith community of Seattle. All funds raised will go to providing food, shelter, housing and hope to our unhoused neighbors in Seattle.
This year, in addition to their street chaplaincy, nightly meals and senior housing, Nightwatch will particularly celebrate the success of their newer emergency shelter for women, which offers chaplaincy, free medical care and case management. Hundreds of women have already benefitted this year! Learn more and RSVP at seattlenightwatch.org/lighting-the-path.
Eritrean Catholic’s Annual Fundraising Dinner
Please join Fr. Negusse & the Eritrean Geez Rite Catholics for a fundraising dinner on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Immaculate Conception Church (820 18th Ave. Seattle, Washington 98122). This buffet dinner will begin at 5PM. Tickets are $30 per person and will be sold at the door. Enjoy the cultural cuisine: Alicha, Zegni, Lentils, Enjera, Traditional Coffee Ceremony, and much more. Additional donations are appreciated to help support: Future Eritrean Catholic Church, Culture, Catechism as well as Fr. Negusse’s various ministries. For more information, please call 206-397-2952.
Youth Mass + Dinner!
Join us next Sunday the 19th for our October Youth Mass and Dinner! Come to our youth mass at Sacred Heart’s 5pm Sunday Mass and join us after from 6-7pm for dinner! Fill out the RSVP form by clicking here!
World Mission Sunday
Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday, a day when Catholics around the globe unite in prayer and generosity for the Church’s missionary work. Pope Leo XIV has called us to be Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples. Please consider how you will participate next Sunday through your prayer and support. Learn more about the Pontifical Mission Societies by visiting pontificalmissions.org.
All Souls Novena of Masses
Our annual All Souls Novena begins on Friday, October 24, and will continue through Saturday, November 1. To have your loved one remembered in this Novena of Nine Masses, fill out one of the envelopes in the church vestibule and return it in the general collection or the parish office. You can also submit your intentions and stipend online by clicking here. Please have all intentions submitted by October 23.
Legion of Mary Retreat
Join the Legion of Mary for a Retreat on October 24–26, 2025 at Black Diamond Camp – Glacier Peak Lodge in Auburn, WA. Led by Fr. Michael Barry, SS.CC., this retreat is a powerful opportunity to experience inner healing and spiritual renewal through a deeper encounter with Christ through Mary. Fr. Michael Barry is a charismatic priest with over 50 years of experience in education, leadership, and healing ministry. His retreats are best known for their powerful healing services, which are a central part of the weekend.
Retreat Highlights:
- Talks, Prayer, Mass, and Adoration
- Sacrament of Reconciliation
- Healing Service with Fr. Barry
- Silence and Reflection
Room Rates (per person):
- Single Room: $440
- Double Room: $280
- Triple Room: $244
Includes 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, and retreat materials. Please submit a $25 deposit to secure your spot.
Retreat Contact: Claudia Dickinson 206-427-3413 claudiad169@gmail.com
NW Catholic Women's Retreat
October 25, 2025 | Holy Family Parish
Oh my sisters, you need a retreat! Enjoy a day of sharing and growing in faith with other women through Sacraments, fellowship, and two powerful talks led by Catholic writer and speaker Elizabeth Kelly. Liz’s talks explore our womanhood and the wounds that only Christ’s hope and tender heart can heal. Register today and join us October!
Fr. Jim Sichko at Sacred Heart for Parish Mission
Sacred Heart Parish invites our parish family of St. Monica to join us for our Parish Mission led by Fr. Jim Sichko! Fr. Sichko previously visited St. Monica in June, 2024 and is returning to the area to lead another Mission. Fr. Jim Sichko is a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington, KY, and has been an internationally known preacher, evangelist, and motivational speaker for over 25 years. In 2015, Pope Francis commissioned Fr. Jim as a Papal Missionary of Mercy in conjunction with the Extraordinary Jubilee Year, making him one of 100 in the United States and 1,000 in the world. Known for his presentations entitled "60 minutes for Jesus" Fr. Jim's talks and parish missions are geared for every member of the household, from youth to adulthood, and for anyone, regardless of religious affiliation or not. Known as “the best opening act ever” by Dolly Parton, Fr. Jim uses real-life experiences, personal stories, and humor to motivate any audience to recognize the good within themselves and others, while challenging them to make the world a better place. Each night of the mission is a stand-alone talk. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing, you’ll be inspired! parish.sacredheart.org
When: October 27 -29, 2025. Each night at 7:00PM.
Where: Sacred Heart Church 9460 NE 14th Street Bellevue WA 98004
To learn more about Fr. Jim Sichko visit here.
Spiritual Mentorship — School of Faith
Holy Family School of Faith Institute offers a two-year course of study combining self-paced distance learning courses with in-person sessions offered at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. The program aims to form Spiritual Mentors to serve as guide and companion to others on their journey to holiness. It is designed for Catholics who have a desire to develop a deep prayer and sacramental life, to increase their knowledge of the Catholic faith, to grow in the virtues and a desire to help others do the same. For more information on this program, please visit: schooloffaith.com/spiritual-mentorship
Friday Evening Adoration
Don’t forget Friday Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions are offered every Friday, 6PM-7PM in the church. End your work week and start off your weekend right by spending some time in the church adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament!
Feeling too ill for Mass?
The general obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is excused for those who are ill or are homebound. If you are unable to attend Mass for valid reason, we encourage you to make use of our Mass Livestream which can be accessed at stmonicami.org/livestream.
It’s much more than just Coffee & Donuts!
Don’t pass on the opportunity to join us every Sunday after Mass for an hour of Coffee & Donuts. More than simply an opportunity for a sugary treat and a cup of coffee, this time is an important chance for each of us to form deeper connections with the other members of our parish community. We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.
Want to help host Coffee and Donuts? Volunteers set-up, facilitate, and clean-up each Coffee & Donuts hour to cultivate an environment where our faith can grow in relationship with each other. If you’d like to help, please contact Gloria Hardy at the parish office at gloria@stmonicami.org or simply talk to one of the volunteers hosting coffee and donuts on a given Sunday.
Knights of Columbus Meetings
No Summer KOC Meetings: In previous communications, we advertised that the Knights of Columbus would be having a council meeting in July. This was incorrect, as the Knights will have no general member meetings in the months of July and August.
Knights of Columbus want to invite all men of the Parish to join them at their Council meetings held on the first Monday of every month. The meetings are held at 6:30PM in the Parish Office dining room (accessed via the front office entrance).
A life of faith in action, a life of boldness in brotherhood, a life worth living.
For more information, please contact:
Grand Knight Reed Nagel at jacknreed@hotmail.com.
Legion of Mary Meetings
The Legion of Mary group meets every Tuesday morning after the 7:45AM Mass in the St. Augustine Room. Legion of Mary is a world-wide movement of lay people, who propose making Faith the goal of their life in an effort to achieve personal sanctity. The virtue of Holiness in the life of the members of the Legion is promoted under the influence of Mary and the Holy Spirit. This becomes the source of inspiration for Legion work, which is under the direction of our Pastor, Fr. Nagel. He has asked the Legion to take Holy Communion to the homebound, providing the Real Presence of Jesus to them.
For more information, please contact:
Francis Chang
(Parishioner) 425-442-3478
Helga Osborn (Parishioner) 206-232-2328
Cooking for the Homeless
Every Tuesday, volunteers of the Friends of the Needy ministry meet at St. Monica’s kitchen at 10:30AM to cook a four-course hot dinner for later delivery. Want to volunteer? Come for an hour or the afternoon, every Tuesday or as often as you like. Experience the joyful camaraderie in the kitchen from preparing the ingredients to washing the dishes. For more information, please contact:
Karen Zimmer (Head Cook) karenzimmer@comcast.net 253-273-6704
Rosary Makers
Rosary Makers is a wonderful group of people who get together every week on Wednesdays in the St. Augustine Room to make Rosaries for the Catholic missions. All are welcome to come and make rosaries or gather the materials to work at home.
For more information, please contact:
Joyce Kaifer (Parishioner) 425-644-2518
Bringing Holy Communion to the Homebound
Every Wednesday morning immediately after the 7:45AM Mass, members of the Legion of Mary bring the Communion to homebound parishioners who are unable to attend Mass in person. If you or a loved one are physically unable to attend Mass and would like to receive Communion, please contact the parish office to receive more information on this ministry.
Friends of the Needy Drivers Needed
Is there anyone who would not help their brother or sister? Christ has said, “the less fortunate are our bothers and sisters”. We are in need of 5 more drivers to help feed the 12 different shelter and food banks that we now deliver food to from our most generous donor Metropolitan Market!
If you could spare just 2 or 3 hours once a month that would fulfill our obligation to feed the hungry. If you volunteer you can choose the day of the month that you would drive each month. Please give this some thought and if you would like to just discuss the opportunity, please call me, Bob Kessler, at (206) 276-0515 or email rar811@me.com. Thank you!
