Tag Archives: Fr. David Gaines

Fr. David Gaines Dispensing Healing and Forgiveness

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It is always interesting and uplifting how a seemingly disturbing incident can produce fruit.

On Tuesday evening, Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral held the second day of prayer for the Lourdes Novena for Healing. Our Lady of Lourdes is the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane to which our family belongs. It is always a blessing and a treat when we attend mass at the Cathedral as it is a magnificent and beautiful house of worship. As is the case with most mother churches in dioceses across the world, things are usually done on a grander scale—or how us Catholics describe it—with extra “smells and bells.”

Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral is the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane. It is a beautiful place of worship and attracts people from all walks of life.

Our Lady of Lourdes is located in the heart of downtown Spokane in a very urban area. The throngs of worshippers who attend the parish come from all walks of life. Attend any service at the Cathedral and you are bound to see a vast representation of all God’s children. Many people who walk through the grand cathedral doors are suffering greatly.

During the prayer service on Tuesday, a shocking episode happened. As the celebrants knelt to pray in front of the Mary statue nestled in the makeshift grotto, someone rushed the sanctuary. The individual sprinted from his pew, ascended the stairs, and attacked Fr. David Gaines who knelt directly behind Bishop Thomas Daly. The assailant threw wild punches at Fr. Gaines as he managed to make contact with varying degrees of success. I have watched the stream numerous times and one thing is for sure: it is tough to watch. It is near impossible to defend yourself when someone is charging you from your blind spot while on your knees.

A screenshot from the Our Lady of Lourdes livestream of the attack on Fr. Gaines (edited photo courtesy of Metro).

Thanks be to God, parishioners and Cathedral staff quickly overpowered the 40-year-old mentally ill individual and removed him from Fr. Gaines.

Two things from the incident stand out that exemplify the compassion taught by Jesus Christ.

1. While he is literally being attacked, Fr. Gaines is calmly telling his attacker, “It’s okay buddy. It’s all right, just calm down.” With someone trying to seriously injure him, this warmhearted priest is trying his best to comfort the troubled gentleman.

2. After the man was removed, Fr. Darrin Connall, who was leading the Novena, didn’t scorn him. Instead, he prayed for him. He led the congregation in a “Hail Mary” for the guy who tried to harm his brother priest.

I met Fr. David Gaines during Hoopfest 2023. He came and watched our team play and then we got to hang out with him afterwards.

The aftermath has been just as inspirational. Thanks to the live streaming capabilities of Our Lady of Lourdes, the local media ran the video and covered the incident. It didn’t take long for the national media to follow suit. Media giants like TMZ and the New York Post latched on. NBC News did too—and they even interviewed Fr. Gaines.

Fr. David Gaines speaks with Camila Bernal of NBC News. What a great ambassador of the faith that Fr. Gaines has been.

In his humble and Christ-like nature, Fr. Gaines didn’t hesitate to express his forgiveness for the man. In fact, he even went beyond. In his own Pope John Paul II moment (the former pope/now-saint met with the person who shot him), Fr. Gaines said he would also like to meet with the person who sought to do him harm.

My brother and I received a blessing from Fr. David Gaines right outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral during Bloomsday 2024.

What an amazing example of what it means to be a Christian! I am proud to be Catholic, proud to be part of the Diocese of Spokane, and proud to know Fr. Gaines. Please pray for the healing of everyone, especially those dealing with mental illness. Don’t Blink.

Bloomsday 2024: A Bit Damp

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Perhaps this year’s Bloomsday experience was dampened a bit. Why do I write this? Well, it was literally damp—like really damp. For the seven days leading up to the race, the forecast called for cold temperatures and a constant rain. Unfortunately, for once, the weather people got it right. The rain started by the time we made it downtown and continued throughout the race.

Despite pleas from Sloan and Beau, they couldn’t get KREM 2 meteorologist Jeremy LaGoo to change his rainy forecast for Bloomsday. My kids talked to Jeremy at the Bloomsday Trade Show.

My experience was also dampened in a more figurative sense because I failed to PR this year. I hoped to run faster than my personal course record of 1:09:34. Instead, I ran 86 seconds slower than last year, crossing the finish line at 1:11:00. Although I still beat my 2022 time of 1:11:27, I wanted to be under the 70-minute mark and notch another PR.

A look at me as I near the finish line. Wish I would have ran a little faster!

But enough of the complaining, I still had fun! With my sister-in-law pregnant, it was just my brother and me this year. We hopped on the STA shuttle at Ferris High School and rode the bus downtown. To avoid standing in the rain for an extended period of time, we arrived at our starting line a little later this year. Although we always enjoy passing time by spiking beach balls and listening to the pre-race music, the enjoyment lessens under heavy rain.

My brother and I wear our ponchos at the Bloomsday starting line as we wait for the race to start.

When we crossed the starting line, that unmistakable first mile Bloomsday adrenaline kicked in. My boss calls it “race energy” and there really isn’t anything like it. As the contagious excitement engulfed us and we ran shoulder-to-shoulder with the masses, Glen and I veered to the side as we came upon Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral. By pulling over, we were able to receive a blessing from Fr. David Gaines who was on-hand to minister to Bloomies. After receiving God’s protection, we were set to cover the next seven miles.

My brother and I receive a blessing from Fr. David Gaines right outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral during Bloomsday 2024.

Glen and I soon separated as we ran our own races. By this time, the steady precipitation didn’t matter anymore. With my focus fixed on putting one foot in front of the other combined with the sense of community that was ever present, the wet weather didn’t register with me. I was cruising.

Even though my final time suggests otherwise, Bloomsday didn’t seem as taxing this year. I didn’t battle cramps like I did in 2023 and Doomsday Hill didn’t seem as daunting. When I crossed the finish line, I wasn’t gasping for air.

A photo of me just about to cross the finish line (I am far right).

After the race, my bro and I continued a now three-year tradition of hitting up Flatstick Pub (which is super close to the finish line) for a celebratory beer. Once we downed those brews, we boarded the shuttle and headed back to Ferris High School and extended the second half of our post-Bloomsday tradition of finding a random dive to eat a greasy lunch and drink another round of beers. I then went home to rest on the couch.

Cheers! Glen and I share a celebratory beer at Flatstick Pub after Bloomsday 2024.

Race energy. I go back to that term from my boss. Although I wish I ran a couple minutes faster, I wasn’t deprived of the community excitement that was so abundant on Sunday morning. In the end, getting a heavy dose of race energy and crossing the finish line is all that matters. And when you experience both of those things, nothing can rain on your parade. Don’t Blink.