Brian Mittge: Time to celebrate renewed life at Winlock Catholic church

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle
Posted 11/15/24

For 10 years the former Sacred Heart Church in Winlock sat vacant. This Sunday it will again be filled with the joyful sounds of prayer, liturgy and life abundant.

T his moment has been years in …

You've reached your limit of
free articles this month!

Unlock unlimited access for just $1 for your first month

Click here to start a digital subscription

Please log in to continue

Log in

Brian Mittge: Time to celebrate renewed life at Winlock Catholic church

Posted

For 10 years the former Sacred Heart Church in Winlock sat vacant. This Sunday it will again be filled with the joyful sounds of prayer, liturgy and life abundant.

This moment has been years in the making, as volunteers worked tirelessly to raise money and buy the church. It has had a succession of owners since it was decommissioned a decade ago by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle.

Huge congratulations are in order for the Sacred Heart Preservation Foundation of Winlock for fulfilling this dream of reopening their community’s Catholic church. 

Starting this Sunday, divine liturgy (the Byzantine Catholic Mass) will be held every 1 p.m. under the auspices of Saint George Byzantine Catholic Church in Olympia. 

According to their website, “the Byzantine Catholic Church traces its foundation to the 12 Apostles of Christ who were the companions of Jesus as he walked on this earth some 2,000 years ago... [It] shares in the inheritance of the first Greek-speaking Christian communities of the Eastern Mediterranean world, founded by the Apostles of Jesus Christ.”

Its services are sung in English. The church calls itself “Faithfully Eastern and Fully Catholic” and says it is in full communion with the Pope of Rome. 

As the Winlock congregation marks the renewal of weekly services this Sunday they will also have tours of the building at 2:30 p.m., a chili potluck at 3 p.m. and a Q&A with the board members of their preservation foundation at 3:30. While they have raised enough money to buy the building, they continue to fundraise to replace the roof and keep up maintenance on the 1908 structure. Learn more and donate at www.winlock.church

In addition to Sunday afternoon services, they will also have a compline service every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. I’ve attended compline services elsewhere, and have always appreciated their beautiful solemnity.

While I’m not Catholic, I joyfully celebrate with the good people of Winlock who worked hard and kept the faith. What a wonderful day as they reopen a beloved center to praise God together to practice their beliefs in their hometown. 

The Sacred Heart Church is a gorgeous building, but I think the return of vibrant life to the temple is even more beautiful.



•••

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

— William Arthur Ward. 

That topical quote of the Thanksgiving season was shared with me and the good folks of the Boistfort Valley by Boyd J. Calder, assistant principal of the Boistfort School. 

He recently sent me a recent email that was heartening. It was a blurb he wrote for their school’s newsletter as they entered the month of November, which he noted is the month for being grateful. 

It starts with Veterans Day, he told students, when we celebrate those whose service to our country helps preserve the freedoms we hold sacred. 

”Then we  remember, celebrate, and commemorate the sacrifice of pilgrims who sought freedom by coming to a new land,” he wrote. “In our home we have a sign that reminds us that ‘Gratitude turns what we have into enough.’ May we all be grateful for the many blessings we have and enjoy.”

He closed his blurb with the type of comment that I feel for everyone in Lewis County: “I am grateful for Boistfort and for all who help make it what it is.”

Brian Mittge can be reached at brianmittge@hotmail.com