Archdiocesan officials say the move comes after considerable consultation with clergy and is meant to streamline a complicated process of joining parishes.

But some in the archdiocese have said the request was unsettling — and their concern points to the challenge of making diocesan changes amid dwindling clerical trust in diocesan bishops.

In an Aug 27 email, Seattle's vicar for clergy notified priests that the archdiocesan parish consolidation project, called Partners in the Gospel, would require that all priests in parish ministry be formally reassigned next year — even those who will continue serving the same community in which they are presently assigned.

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Archdiocesan officials say the relocation is necessary to accommodate guests better, but the decision has also garnered criticism.

"The move is breaking a promise that the archbishop made to us in a pretty major way," said Tim Law, a Seattle Catholic and attorney who is a member of Heal Our Church, a Washington-based alliance calling for a lay-led review of the Seattle Archdiocese's private records on clergy abuse.

In 2019, on Etienne's first day as head of the archdiocese, he told priests and deacons in a letter he would forgo the traditional archbishops' residence — a 9,000-square-foot mansion named the Connolly House — and "live a more simplified life.

"While the Connolly House has been home to the archbishops since 1920, it will not be home for me," wrote Etienne.

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The vision is to create an inspiring carbon-neutral community that enhances the future of Seattle's First Hill neighbourhood while also supporting the mission of the Catholic Church.

"Creatively thinking about how we can better use our properties to achieve the mission of the church is exactly what we need to do as good stewards of God's gifts," Archbishop Paul D Etienne said in a March 29 statement announcing the sale.

"This significant project is an investment in the First Hill community and in our future, ensuring we can continue the good work of the Catholic Church," he said.

The sales are an example of the archdiocese's Catholic Real Estate Initiative which was announced last November.

The initiative focuses on redeveloping underused church buildings and land so resources and energy can be directed toward the church's mission.

Global developer Westbank and its affiliate Creative Energy have partnered with Swedish Health Services on the project to redevelop the site.

Westbank plans to redevelop the properties over the next decade. They will create a series of high-rise residential buildings with more than 1,300 dwellings. These will be connected to an environmentally friendly energy system that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Swedish Health Services will divert excess heat from its First Hill Campus to an energy sharing platform as part of the project. Through this platform, Swedish will be able to share excess heat. This will become a source of heating for other buildings connected to the platform.

This heat exchange system will dramatically reduce the overall carbon footprint of the neighbourhood.

"We believe this project demonstrates the environmental values outlined in Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'. It also represents a strong commitment to the future of the First Hill neighbourhood," said a letter to archdiocesan Catholics signed by Archbishop Etienne, Father Michael G Ryan (pastor of St James Cathedral) and Joe Schick, the archdiocese's chief financial officer.

The proceeds from selling the ageing buildings, which are costly to maintain, will provide increased stability for the local church "so that we may continue to share Christ with others through outreach, evangelisation and key ministries," the letter stated.

Sources

UCA News

Business Wire

Robert Fuller, an HIV and cancer patient committed suicide on 10 May, five days after he was blessed at St Therese Parish in the Seattle archdiocese,

After the blessing, Fr Quentin Dupont led children who had just received their First Holy Communion to gather around Fuller.

Dupont, the children and members of the parish extended their hands in blessing over him.

An Associated Press (AP) journalist present at the Mass recorded and photographed the blessing ceremony.

The archdiocese, which was not aware of Fuller's intentions, says the AP story "is of great concern to the Archbishops because it may cause confusion among Catholics and others who share our reverence for human life".

A statement from the archdiocese outlines the way the events leading up to the blessing unfolded.

"That morning, Dupont was told .. Fuller was dying and wanted the blessing of the faith community. It wasn't until later that parish leaders learned of his plans..."

The archdiocese says another priest, Father Maurice Mamba, then met Fuller "to discuss the sacred gift of human life and how we are called to respect and revere that gift as disciples of Jesus."

The archdiocese is opening an investigation to find out what happened on and before Fuller's blessing and is "reviewing the [reported] events ... even though they took place several months ago."

Although the archdiocese says parish leaders weren't aware of Fuller's intention to end his life, the AP reported Fuller's plans were "widely known and accepted" among the parishioners at St Therese.

AP says Fuller, who was a long-standing assisted suicide advocate, attempted suicide in 1975 and claimed to have ended the life of a friend who had AIDS during the 1980s.

On May 10, Fuller injected lethal drugs, mixed with his favorite drink, into his feeding tube. Washington's assisted suicide laws mandate that the patient self-administer the medication.

Before he died, Fuller partied with friends and family and was civilly married in a non-Catholic ceremony to his partner.

He died about nine and a half hours later.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Catholic Herald Online
• Crux Now
• Image: Greenfield Recorder

One school is still operated by the archdiocese with involvement by the brothers; the other closed in the late 1960s.

The most recent cases are nearly 30 years old and some date back nearly 60 years

Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain said he deeply regretted the pain suffered by victims.

The settlement will be paid out of insurance by the archdiocese.

Victims will also receive settlement money from the Christian Brothers' bankruptcy proceeding.

Two groups that hold Christian Brothers' assets sought US federal bankruptcy protection in 2011 in the face of hundreds of abuse claims.

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