How does a parish become a welcoming community? Here at Assumption Catholic Church in Seattle, it has grown into exactly that over the last century. The 600 families here are known for providing outreach ministries. They help neighbors in northeast Seattle.
Assumption Parish celebrated its centennial on October 7. The celebration included Mass and a pasta dinner. The church organizes blood drives in the spring and fall. They provide Thanksgiving baskets. Assumption also organizes a Christmas giving tree.
Assumption Catholic Church’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference is very active. It helps many people. Most neighbors in need live near Magnuson Park. This area includes low-income housing. Residents often need help with rent. About 30 active members respond to around 10 calls for assistance each week. They run a food pantry at the parish. They also donate food to the Georgetown food bank.
Assumption-St. Bridget conference organizes monthly food drives. This is done with the parish school. The conference also helps the St. Vincent de Paul group at Holy Spirit Parish in Kent.
Bishop Edward O’Dea created Assumption Parish. He took the territory from Blessed Sacrament Parish. He chose Benedictine monks from St. Martin’s Abbey to serve the new parish. The site for the new church was chosen on May 26, 1923. A temporary church was built in March 1924. The present Assumption Catholic Church building was built in 1931.
In the 1980s, the seating was reduced. This allowed the altar to be moved closer to the people. The parish school opened in 1947 in temporary quarters. The permanent building was completed in 1949. A convent was built for the Tacoma Dominican sisters. They taught there for many years.
The area kept growing. In 1968, St. Bridget Parish was created. It came from part of Assumption’s parish boundaries. In 1995, both parishes started supporting the school. It is now known as Assumption-St. Bridget School.
In 1973, a large gymnasium and meeting hall was completed. In the early 2000s, a new social hall and a Blessed Sacrament chapel were added. Last summer, solar panels were installed on the church roof. The parish’s rebate from the Annual Catholic Appeal helped pay for the project. A 12-year-old parishioner inspired the project. The parishioner asked for solar panels to be installed. Pope Francis’ writings about care for the environment also inspired it.
Benedictine priests served as pastors of Assumption until 1982. Then, the first diocesan priest was assigned as pastor. Father Duggan arrived as pastor in 2001. Jan Alkire has been a parishioner since 1975. She joined so her twin daughters could attend the parish school. Over the years, she has been a choir member. She has also been an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. She currently serves as a lector. She said she expects to be a giver, not just a consumer, of parish life. She considers Assumption Catholic Church her spiritual family.
Assumption is more than just a building. It is a fellowship of believers. They share the Good News through learning and praying. They work together to actively reach out to their communities. Assumption is a place to believe, belong, and become.