Faith Formation

Spiritual Direction is Available by Appointment.

Fr. Bruce is a trained Spiritual Director in the Benedictine Tradition

as well as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. 

Please call 503 266 1981 for a confidential appointment

Bible Study and/or Catechism Discussion

Discussions are held every Wednesday evening starting at 7:30 pm following Evening Prayers except for the Summer season, holidays, the Lenten Season, and during inclement weather.  For more information see News and Updates.

Evening Prayers start at 7:00 pm sharp and then there is time to share and ask questions and talk about the Scriptures and the Catechism.

Please come - we have a wonderful relaxed and informative group.
__________

Mass Moments: Come to the Wednesday Evening Prayers at 7 pm

Curious about the sacraments,  liturgical worship, and  the Sunday morning liturgy rite?  Please plan to join us Sunday early before Mass or Wednesday evenings as we are always willing to take a few minutes to answer questions about Catholic spirituality, liturgical and sacramental worship, and the history of our tradition and the current modern/postmodern climate we experience here in the United States.

We have some  great discussions, and people have the opportunity to ask questions and actually receive some answers. 

For example, "Did the early church use liturgical worship with written or memorized prayers?"  Answer, "Yes, the early church was formed out of Judaism and the Jewish worship of those days.  The early Jewish/Christian leaders (remember some of them were Scribes and Pharisees like St Paul and most likely Nicodemus)  took what they already knew and formatted their Christian worship in a similar matter along with the addition of glorifying Jesus as the long awaited Messiah (The Christ) and the celebration of the Eucharist as instituted by Jesus the night before He suffered. 

Another question, "Why do Catholics always recite the Lord's Prayer during  the Liturgy while other churches do not?  Answer, Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them how to pray; plus, the Lord's Prayer summarizes the 'blessing prayers" they were all used to praying during Synagogue worship.  They asked and  Jesus gave them instructions, and they continued to practice what He taught. 

So you see, there are good reasons why we worship the way we do.  Why do other groups fail to use the Lord's Prayer during worship services . . . well truthfully, this is one of those mysteries we cannot answer.

Here is a common response from those who attend, "Oh, so that's why we do that, now I get it.  It sure does make sense when you put it that way."

 Come and see if you agree.
__________