Message from the Presiding Archbishop

To the people of the Archdiocese of the Sacred Heart,

     The first thing people are eager to know is my vision for the Archdiocese of the Sacred Heart. I’ve been prayerfully discerning this over the past few months as I’ve begun to get to know the people, the history and needs of Archdiocese Community and its parishes. As your Presiding Archbishop, I have a role of leadership to play, and giving voice to a vision is important. At the same time, I look forward to a collaborative process of developing a clear mission and vision for the Archdiocese with appropriate priorities to fulfill them.

Community

     I also want to emphasize the importance of community within our parishes — not just at a fundamental level, but especially in living and practicing our faith.

     One of my main concerns — not just for the Archdiocese of the Sacred Heart, but for people globally — is the lack of community. Isolation is damaging for our parishes, our schools and our people. Living solely as individuals is not Catholic living. Catholics live in community with each other and grow in the love of Christ.

     We have so much to offer to one another, especially support in living and giving expression to our faith. Let us be intentional about bringing Christ into every level of our lives, from our friendships, to our marriages, to our families, to our parishes, to our broader communities.

Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ

     Proclaiming Jesus Christ is the first priority of the Church at large, and must be ours as well. How are we to communicate Christ in action to the world through bringing His presence, comfort, hope, and love to the world? How do we accomplish this through our ministries? How are we personally living our lives according to His Word and to help others encounter Christ? This comes down to the priorities and values that we have. To me, this should be our first priority and where we need to focus our efforts.

     To help align our efforts and make meaningful progress across the Archdiocese, it is important we have a strategic ministerial plan. We need to ensure it is not only relevant and actionable, but that it ignites our parishioners and their families and inspires them to lead a Christ-focused life. My goal is to design a robust plan in partnership with you, the people of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Archdiocesan Pastoral Council

     One way to ensure we’re listening to you is to provide more forums for feedback. I would like input from lay representatives across the archdiocese who reflect the diversity of our archdiocese — both culturally and geographically. While the details of such a council are not solidified, I envision a board of elected and/or appointed members who will echo the voices of people in their regions.

     Thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality. Please be patient as we continue to grow and learn. Please be open and honest with me in sharing your hopes and desires for how we can advance God’s kingdom together as a family of God.

Please continue to pray for me and for our archdiocese, and know I will continue to pray for you and for all those entrusted to my care.

In the heart of Christ,

Most Reverend Sean Alexander, DD, OCSO
Presiding Archbishop
Archdiocese of the Sacred Heart