SPIRIT SPEAKER

Last week I took two of our Shaw children to a parish on the mainland north of us so they could be confirmed. Our charismatic Seattle Archbishop was on hand for the ceremony, even though it was a small group of 25.  If I could sum him up it would be “joyous energy radiating Christ".

ARCHBISHOP JAMES PETER SARTAIN was born June 6, 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee, the youngest of five children, as well as the only boy.  He is the first priest of the Diocese of Memphis to become a bishop.   He selected as his episcopal motto: "Of You My Heart Has Spoken" (Ps. 27:8).

The Archbishop studied chemistry for one year before transferring to St. Meinrad (Benedictine) College in Indiana, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1974. He then earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology at the Angelicum in Rome.

He was ordained to the priesthood on July 15, 1978, after which he returned to his studies in Rome. He earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology with specialization in sacramental theology from the Pontifical University of St. Anselmo in 1979. This is the active cradle of Benedictine study.

In 2000, he was appointed the sixth Bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas, by (St.) Pope John Paul II.

Due to the increasing Hispanic population in Arkansas, Archbishop Sartain took a course in Spanish in San Antonio, Texas, in 2001, and established Hispanic ministries throughout the state. He also ordained Arkansas's first Mexican-born priest. He worked to increase vocations. The diocese had ten seminarians and no ordinations in 2000, but fifteen seminarians and two ordinations in 2005

In 2006, he was appointed as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet. In 2010, he was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Like Our new Holy Father his message often focuses on the general need for humanity to fully manifest God's love by living for what is good, beyond themselves. His words to the youth had them riveted in their seats. His final message was: 

this is not graduation, but a jumping off place for the rest of your lies!

St. Joseph's, Ferndale, WA Confirmation 2014