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March 3, 2026
Please view Archbishop Etienne's response on appellate court ruling here:
Response to court ruling 3.3.26
January 20, 2026A Well-Ordered Society Rooted in Truth, Justice, and Peace
A Pastoral Letter by Archbishop Paul D. Etienne
+January 26, 2026, Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in Our Lord Jesus Christ.
In these turbulent times — marked by conflict abroad, fragmentation at home, and profound questions about our shared moral life — the Church once again lifts high the Gospel as the light by which we must walk....
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January 2026
A message from Archbishop Etienne:Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Like many of you, I take time at the start of the new year to reflect on the previous year and pray about priorities for the future — not just for myself as your archbishop, but for the archdiocese as well. I take my ministry as your archbishop very seriously. While it can be challenging at times, I am grateful and honored to serve God and you in this way.
This past year has been full — full of grace, of joy, of stress, of hardship, of laughter and many other emotions. I remain incredibly grateful to our priests, deacons and women religious, our staff, lay leaders and volunteers who selflessly serve the people of God. Our Church is not one of buildings and historic artifacts — rather, together we make up the mystical Body of Christ, living our faith in the world each day.
There are clear signs that God is blessing our efforts of proclaiming Christ and forming more disciples to serve in his name. Here is an overview of a few major initiatives from this past year.
You can read Archbishop Etienne's Annual Letter here.
November 2025
The bishops at their Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore issued a Special Message addressing their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States. You can read that full statement here.Los obispos, en su Asamblea Plenaria de Otoño celebrada en Baltimore, emitieron un mensaje especial en el que expresaban su preocupación por la evolución de la situación que afecta a los inmigrantes en Estados Unidos. Puede leer la declaración completa aquí. October 10, 2024
Please click the links below to read a letter from the Washington State Bishops regarding the lawsuit over the sacred seal of confession:
Settlement reached in lawsuit over sacred seal of confession
Haga clic en los enlaces siguientes para leer una carta de los obispos del estado de Washington sobre la demanda relacionada con el secreto de confesión:
Acuerdo alcanzado en una demanda sobre el secreto sacramental de la confesiónJune 27, 2025
Preserve Access to Health Care and Food for FamiliesMay, 28, 2025
Archbishop's Note to the Faithful RE: Senate Bill 5375
Nota de los arzobispos a los fieles RE: Proyecto de ley 5375 del SenadoMay 6, 2025
Archbishop on Clergy Reporting (SB5375)
April 3, 2025
Bishops' Statement about the Bellingham Raids
Declaración de los obispos sobre las redadas de BellinghamJanuary 14, 2025
The annual letter from Archbishop Etienne
La carta anual del arzobispo EtienneJanuary 4, 2025
Please find the letter from the Washington Catholic Conference of Bishops on Immigration in English and here in Spanish. July 12, 2024 Archbishop Etienne's statement after the Attorney General's hearing on Friday July 12th can be found here . July 11, 2024 Archbishop Etienne's Please find Archbishop Etienne's statements on this hearing here andstatements prior to the Attorney General's hearing here .
February 14, 2024
Archbishop Etienne's statement (along with many women's religious communities and other bishops in the PNW) calling for peace in the middle east can be found here
January 24, 2024
Archbishop Etienne's statement of support on treaty to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons can be found here
To read information and take action on SB 5280, please click here.
April 15, 2023
Protect Clergy-Penitent Privilege in SB 5280
To read information and take action on SB 5280, please click here.
To read Archbishop Etienne's blog regarding this issue, please click here.
To watch Bishop Schuster's testimony regarding this issue, please click here.
March 28, 2023
Some of you may have heard recent media about a new lawsuit that just arose involving our founding pastor Fr. Lavelle, who served here at St. Louise parish in the 1960s. This topic is a very difficult and challenging one for everyone involved. Please know we take all allegations very seriously, and we have a process to seek justice for all involved. Also, it’s important to share that the Archdiocese of Seattle has taken a proactive approach to addressing abuse since the 1980s. The history of our approach, our victim support services, our public list, our Review Board and a comprehensive Q&A are all on the dedicated Protect & Heal website if you’d like to learn more. We continually invite anyone who believes they may have been harmed by anyone working on behalf of the Church to come forward by reaching out to the helpline at 800-446-7762. I ask that we continue to pray for everyone impacted by the sin of abuse. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Fr. Gary Zender
Pastor