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Our Priest: Fr. Jeff Lewis

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Our Guy

Let me get right to the point: Fr. Jeff Lewis was the exact person my family needed when he entered our lives.

Fr. Jeff Lewis was the exact person my family needed in 2020.

When we met him for the first time in the St. Mary vestibule, we—and the world—were in a period of transition. It was the summer of 2020 and the Diocese of Spokane had just resumed in-person masses as the pandemic lingered. Our family had recently moved across the country and we were trying to gather our bearings. I had started a new job at Washington State University, Sidney was becoming accustomed to her role as a stay-at-home mom, Sloan was adjusting to life without her South Carolina grandparents, and Beau was a newborn.

We were also in a faith transition as well. Shortly before leaving Myrtle Beach and just days prior to the pandemic rocking our nation, Sidney had converted to Catholicism in a beautiful ceremony in which Beau was baptized as well. The momentum was on our side that February day but COVID would try to seize any spiritual gains my family had made over the coming months.

Thanks be to God, Fr. Jeff wasn’t going to let us slip through the cracks.

Meeting Fr. Jeff Lewis was an absolute blessing when we moved to Spokane. This was one of our first photos with him. It was taken at our house blessing in 2021.

The Seeds of Friendship

It didn’t take long for us to become acquainted with Fr. Jeff’s outgoing and humorous personality. The first time we met him in that vestibule, he quizzed us about what side of Pines Rd. we lived on. When we told him our house was situated on the side of the road that should have placed us in the jurisdiction of another parish, he assured us that he would take us anyway…just as long as we didn’t tell the other pastor.

When we returned the following week, Fr. Jeff remembered us. He cracked a joke about Beau being a football player due to the helmet therapy he was undergoing at the time to correct his misshapen head. Yep, we quickly learned that Fr. Jeff was a priest who wouldn’t shy away from injecting humor into a potentially delicate situation…and we loved him for it.

Those first personable and lighthearted encounters with Fr. Jeff would set the stage for a six-year friendship that would catapult us into ministry life within the Spokane Diocese, introduce us to some of the best people we have ever met, and, most importantly, energize the Catholic faith of our family.

By meeting Fr. Lewis, we would become very involved at St. Mary and the diocese at large while meeting amazing people.

An Endearing Style

Once we got past the vestibule and into the sanctuary, we quickly learned the reverent—yet welcoming—way that Fr. Jeff celebrated mass. From the way he held his hands in prayerful posture to the thorough way he cleaned the sacred vessels to the St. Michael prayer he led prior to the recessional, Fr. Jeff was always dialed in and deeply devoted to the holiness of the mass.

Fr. Jeff receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass. It didn’t matter if he was saying mass at the Cathedral or mass for the students, Fr. Jeff always did it reverently.

When it came to his preaching style, we always appreciated how prepared he was. He wrote his homilies and preached them from behind the lectern. Although different from the more spontaneous approach of his St. Mary predecessor, Fr. Jeff packed plenty of relatability and humor into his weekly Sunday addresses to the congregation. His self-deprecating humor combined with his signature “HA!” he would exclaim after telling a joke made him endearing to many.

Outside of mass and in the public view, he could mostly be found wearing a collar, oftentimes paired with his cassock. With his tall frame, he stuck out like a sore (or holy?) thumb. I always felt privileged and inspired to be around him during these times because people would call out “FATHER!” and flock to him. It became so plainly obvious how much priests are needed and the beacon of hope they provide—to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

It was always fun to be with Fr. Jeff in public as people would flock to him. During Hoopfest 2023 we spent the entire weekend with him, including when we rode the STA bus downtown. You wouldn’t believe all the people who approached him over those two days,

Needless to say, Fr. Jeff was the perfect example of priestly humility and approachability for our family. Totally devout yet totally an everyday guy, he was a role model in every sense of the phrase.

Fr. Jeff Lewis would become a trusted friend to Sid & me and an incredible role model to Sloan and Beau.

A Game Changer

Because of Fr. Jeff’s friendly demeanor and non-holier-than-thou attitude, people gravitated to him—including our family. Within the first couple months of us attending St. Mary, something in the bulletin caught our eye. It was an invitation to join a new young adult group. A joint venture between Fr. Jeff and his good friend and fellow Spokane Valley priest, Fr. Kevin Oiland, I signed Sid and me up that night.

Our Young Adult Catholic group proved to be invaluable to our family. It grew pretty quickly and thanks to Fr. Jeff it wasn’t long before Bishop Thomas Daly joined all of us for a special dinner.

Our first meeting took place at Arbor Crest, a Spokane-area winery with beautiful grounds and spectacular views. I might have pinched myself thinking how blessed I was to be in the presence of two priests who took a genuine interest in me as we enjoyed nature and drank wine.

That initial meeting was only the beginning. Each ensuing bi-weekly encounter proved to be richer than the previous. Fr. Jeff would divide the time between socializing, discussing a specific topic, and prayer. Other young adult couples joined and it didn’t take long before our group transformed into family.

We were one of the three original couples of the Valley Young Adult group. This is us with Fr. Jeff and Brian & Hailey Eames (not pictured: Ryan and Allyson Andrade).

This young adult group would stick together for the remainder of Fr. Jeff’s time at St. Mary. The constant throughout the entire 5.5 years? Fr. Jeff. He constantly evolved the group, tweaked the schedule as necessary, and kept showing up even when it seemed like busy lives and growing families might dissolve it.

Our Young Adult group forged unbreakable bonds thanks to Fr. Jeff. The Andrades, the other charter couple part of “the original three,” became our dear friends. They asked us to be the godparents of their son, Noble. (l-r) Ryan Andrade, Allyson Andrade, Sidney Reser, Noble Andrade, Brent Reser, and Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Building Friendship

By joining the young adult group, we made best friends with like-minded couples. If that was all that came from our decision to answer that bulletin ad, I would say we were beyond blessed. But we actually received so much more.

Members of our Young Adult/Young Family group gather around Fr. Jeff Lewis during a going-away party for him. Even up to his last week at St. Mary, he still made time for our special Young Adult/Young Family community.

The group also gave us regular access to our rather tall parish priest 😉. Because we were around and I guess seemingly normal (debatable for me, I know), Fr. Jeff gave us opportunities in St. Mary and diocesan ministries. He asked us to become a marriage prep mentor couple and he also invited us to join the Spokane Engaged Encounter ministry. He commonly gave us the opportunity to bring down the gifts at mass, sought us out for our opinions on various matters, and asked us to make certain newcomers to the parish feel welcome.

Little did we know that by accepting Fr. Jeff Lewis’ invite to join the Engaged Encounter ministry that we would be discerned as the Spokane leaders just a few years later. Some of the best times with Fr. Jeff have been presenting with him at Engaged Encounter retreats. Sid and I stand with Natalie Schroeder, Joe Schroeder while Fr. Jeff stands in the middle. We served as the ministry team at the May 2026 Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend that took place at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center.

But for as much as we tried to answer “yes” to Fr. Jeff, he naturally did so much more for us. Aside from readily giving us the sacraments when needed, he always went above and beyond. Whether it was blessing our house (twice!), answering our text messages, unlocking parish meetings rooms for us, or appearing in videos, he always cheerfully helped us out. I don’t even know how many times I opened our mailbox to see a card from Fr. Jeff indicating an upcoming date when he would say a mass for our family. Or the special times he would invite me and other men in the parish to the rectory for cigars and discussion.

Fr. Jeff Lwwis takes a photo with our family after he blessed our house in 2023. He blessed the house we rented in 2021 as well.

We will never forget the way he treated our children. Never too busy to playfully banter with Sloan or hold out his hand for a high five from Beau, we couldn’t have asked for a better role model. When Fr. Jeff told us the Bishop was transferring him, we knew we would have to drop the news very delicately to the kids. That was a tough conversation.

Outside our family, Beau and Sloan could not have had a better person in their lives than Fr. Jeff Lewis.

The kids weren’t the only ones who took it hard. Even though I prepped Sidney for the past few years that Catholic priests don’t stay at a parish forever and that Fr. Jeff would probably leave St. Mary soon, his announcement still rattled my wife. She waited a few days before she could gather herself to tell Fr. Jeff how much she would miss him.

Sid and Fr. Jeff Lewis were tight.

It’s hard when friends leave.

A Priest on the Rise

As we became friends with Fr. Jeff on a personal level, it was gratifying to see him succeed on a professional level. St. Mary is a very large parish with very diverse parishioners. No matter what decision you make or how you celebrate mass, seemingly a segment of the congregation will take issue. Incredibly, Fr. Jeff effectively embraced an approach that attracted traditionalists to the parish while not alienating those with an affinity for Vatican II reform. He talked about this fine line often with our young adult group and was very cognizant of the ramifications of leaning too far one way—and he navigated it beautifully.

The way he lovingly and strategically ran the parish showed in the pews. Weekend mass attendance has soared and is back at pre-pandemic levels. But it just isn’t the church that is thriving. St. Mary Catholic School, which Fr. Jeff oversees, is also a beacon of health. Knowing the need for strong, Catholic-centered leadership, Fr. Jeff took what some might have perceived as a gamble and hired a teacher from a public school district to serve as principal. The hire of Stephen Hart might very well be one of the best decisions Fr. Jeff made during his tenure at St. Mary.

Stephen Hart stands by Fr. Jeff Lewis as he blesses a religious item for Beau. Hiring Stephen as principal of St. Mary Catholic School was one of the best things Fr. Jeff ever did.

With Fr. Jeff doing a stellar job with his localized parish assignment, he also garnered attention at the diocesan and even national levels as well. From a stint helping Bishop Daly with personnel assignments to appearing in Inland Catholic to making regular appearances on Tom Curran’s radio program, Fr. Jeff made himself known to the Catholic community of eastern Washington.

However, Fr. Jeff became known outside the state as well. In 2024 he gave a talk at our country’s most popular Catholic conference—SEEK. What pride many of us at St. Mary felt as our pastor spoke to an esteemed national audience about the evangelization program he introduced at our parish. His ambitious plan earned him attention from major Catholic personalities as he spent time at Edward Siri’s house and attended a private meet-and-greet with then-FOCUS CEO Curtis Martin when he visited Spokane in 2025.

Fr. Jeff Lewis speaks at SEEK in 2024.

No doubt about it, Fr. Jeff’s influence was felt far beyond the St. Mary campus over the past six years.

Fr. Jeff Lewis has lit the world on fire with his ministry (this photo was taken at a sunrise mass he took several of us on in June 2025).

Staying Humble

Although Fr. Jeff might joke about future titles (Cardinal Lewis) or assignments from Rome, don’t think for a second that his successful ministry has gone to his head. Because no matter how well-known his name becomes outside of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, he is still committed to his flock at the localized parish level.

Fr. Jeff Lewis would present at SEEK but still love to do nothing more than preside over a Mary Crowning ceremony (Sloan and Claire Hart help Fr. Jeff out).

We know this firsthand. Even though he is the pastor of a large parish and is known to the Catholic World outside the state of Washington, he has still made time for a very normal family like ours. Whether that has manifested itself in going to a football game together, coming over for dinner, or openly debating me about the merits of digital media to promote good, he has always made time for us.

Fr. Jeff Lewis and members of our Young Adult group went to a WSU football game in November 2023.

And we are hardly alone. Fr. Jeff has given this attention to countless other “very normal” St. Mary families. We often joke that he doesn’t need to cook at the rectory because he is always over at a parishioner’s house for dinner. If there is anyone who has a stereotypical idea of a priest being an aloof, egocentric hermit, they have never met Fr. Jeff.

It must also to be said that he shows up to everything. From Family Faith Nights to Knights of Columbus meetings to turkey bingo to school sporting events, Fr. Jeff prioritizes it all (now is definitely the time to enter a Padre Pio reference about bi-locating). There is no event too small or insignificant for this truly humble priest.  

Fr. Jeff plays some Bingo with us at a Knights of Columbus event. (photo courtesy of Carl Lockwood).

Legacy

Inside the St. Mary vestibule is a nursing room. The exterior wall of the nursing room displays the rich history of the parish as portraits of past St. Mary priests hang. Soon, Fr. Jeff’s picture will move from the spot designated for the current pastor to the space reserved for those whose vocations have taken them elsewhere. As the years pass and a new generation of St. Mary parishioners settle in our church, there is no doubt that their attention will settle upon the portrait of Fr. Jeff. If it isn’t me, I am sure someone else will be on-hand to educate our newcomers on the lasting impact made by the tall, bespectacled man in the photo.

This wall inside St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) depicts the photos of all pastors of St. Mary. Fr. Jeff Lewis’ photo will glow for a long time.

Fr. Jeff will be remembered for a long and successful seven-year ministry at St. Mary. History will note that he ushered the parish through the pandemic and somehow made it even stronger in the ensuing post-virus years. While he enforced necessary safety protocols and took COVID seriously, he also didn’t allow it to cripple his vocation—he was one of the only priests within the diocese who made hospital visits during the pandemic. The way he handled such a turbulent time in our history will be commended.

Fr. Jeff Lewis led St. Mary with compassion and faith during a very uncertain time (photo courtesy of Allyson Andrade).

The way he approached envangelization will be remembered. Taking the FOCUS model and launching his 50,000-soul challenge by urging each St. Mary parishioner to reach out to two non-practicing people was bold. Speaking of FOCUS, the way he incorporated the ministry into the parish—to the point of adding two missionaries to our community—was innovative. Known for ministering on college campuses, Fr. Jeff saw that the FOCUS approach could be effective and scalable at the parish level as well.

No doubt his influence on young people will be remembered. The positive impact he had on St. Mary School can’t be overstated. He made a slam dunk principal hire with Stephen Hart and then actively partnered with him to provide a school that offered a challenging, empowering, and authentically Catholic education. Fr. Jeff had a profound impact on the youth group program as he put the right leaders in place and attended every gathering he could. The freedom he gave Marie Bricher to do “crazy things” (her words) to engage children at events such as Catholic Summer Camp and Family Faith Nights won’t be forgotten and hopefully carried on by the incoming pastor.

Fr. Jeff Lewis showed up to EVERYTHING…including any event that catered to the youth. This is a photo from a Family Faith night where he partnered with Sloan in a demonstration.

For years to come, the beautiful sanctuary we now have will also be part of Fr. Jeff’s legacy. Thanks to his leadership the worship space was completely transformed. Among other things, a new altar was brought in and a crucifix added. Additionally, although the execution phase and ribbon cutting will be past his time, Fr. Jeff will be credited with actually putting into place plans for a new parish hall and school.

The way Fr. Jeff led the charge the beautify the sanctuary space behind us in this picture will continue to be appreciated by many.

And I could go on and on. But let me summarize when it comes to Fr. Jeff’s legacy at St. Mary: he was a priest with BIG ideas who put them into practice while both shepherding and empowering his flock.

Perhaps this photo of Fr. Jeff Lewis throwing his head back and laughing is a better indicator of the legacy he will leave behind than anything I could put into words.

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Little did my family know the role that Fr. Jeff would play in our lives when we met him for that first time nearly six years ago. That initial conversation in the St. Mary vestibule would lead to our inclusion in a Catholic community that profoundly changed our lives for the better.

Sloan and Beau take a photo with Fr. Jeff Lewis after he concluded his last school mass on June 12, 2026.

It has been a blessing to not just watch Fr. Jeff thrive at his vocation but to personally benefit from it as well. His earthly legacy at St. Mary will shine brightly for years to come but eventually that light will dim as the decades go on and people forget. However, the fruit he has helped produce through the grace of God in the souls of himself and others will hopefully have eternal lasting power.

We will simply miss the times our group of friends would gather around a table with Fr. Jeff Lewis and talk about life, hot topics, and God.

Thank you, Fr. Jeff. You have been the best priest, an incredible influence on my children, and an inspiring leader. You have also been a dear friend. I look forward to following your ministry from afar as I know you will do special things in Walla Walla. My family is praying for you and we will miss you very much. Don’t Blink.

Tap here to read my family’s top 10 moments with Fr. Jeff Lewis

The Extraordinary

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Last week, my family found ourselves as visitors at a parish on the South Hill.

Although it was our first time attending mass at St. Peter Catholic Church, the priest was an old friend. When it came time to deliver his homily, Fr. Kevin Oiland led with a quote that is still top-of-mind for me.

We attended mass at St. Peter Catholic Church (Spokane South Hill) on Dec. 27 and our family friend, Fr. Kevin Oiland, delivered a homily about family that really hit home.

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.”

The quote, uttered by Christian apologist G.K. Chesterton, reverberated my ears with beauty and purpose. It made me take notice that my little clan of four might be more significant than originally thought. Perhaps our unit comprised of two parents who work regular jobs and two children who go to normal school and do normal activities could offer more than meets the eye.

A photo of my family with Fr. Kevin Oiland. It was a blessing to hear our friend preach recently. 

The first Sunday after Christmas is always reserved for the Feast of the Holy Family. On this day we take special care to reflect on the familial unit of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. While reflecting, it is ideal to challenge oneself to emulate the sacred trio and to incorporate their own holiness into our own families. 

The joke is that Joseph must have had it tough being the only sinner in the family. But I guess that allows me to relate to Jesus’ foster dad even more given my status as a serial sinner. However, Joseph’s other traits provide me with the example and inspiration needed to be the best father possible. His words were few (in fact, he doesn’t speak once in the bible) but his actions were powerful. He provided for his family and listened to God. When you boil it down, that pretty much gets to the crux of fatherhood, right?

As we begin 2026, perhaps there isn’t a better resolution than to embrace the holiness that God has intended and expected for families. And like G.K. Chesterton reminds us, this holiness isn’t necessarily reflected by grandiose gestures or trailblazing pursuits. Rather, it is simply an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children doing ordinary things in the name of Christ. Don’t Blink.

Marky Mark

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It was a Mark Wahlberg weekend for us. On Friday night, Sidney and I had the opportunity to enjoy a date night together. We ventured to downtown Spokane where we ate at P.F. Chang’s and then we went across the street to River Park Square where we visited the AMC Theater to watch “Flight Risk.” Wahlberg plays a bald-headed villain who pilots a plane with a U.S. marshal and captured fugitive on board with the hopes of leading them astray. Sid and I appreciated the rare chance to watch a move in the theater and were quite entertained by what transpired on the big screen.

Our tickets for “Flight Risk.”

On Saturday night, we watched “The Union” on Netflix. Wahlberg had a full head of hair in this one as he is recruited by his high school sweetheart (Halle Berry) into a covert organization to embark on an espionage mission. Let’s just say we didn’t gain much by watching it.

Even though the second Wahlberg movie of the weekend was a dud, it doesn’t mean that we won’t ever watch another film with him in it. My wife is a huge Marky Mark fan. In fact, her dad is too. Whenever those two get a chance to watch a Wahlberg movie together, you better believe they are going to cook up the popcorn and remain glued to the TV from start to finish.

I have grown to be a Mark Wahlberg fan, too. He is a versatile actor but also a faith-filled person. Wahlberg is a devout Catholic who has used his platform to evangelize and bring others closer to Christ. Talk about a role model!

When I think of Mark Wahlberg, three favorite movies come to mind…

We are Mark Wahlberg fans!

3. The Departed – Talk about a trip! This film has you guessing the whole way through and nothing beats the final 20 minutes when the cops and gangsters are both trying to figure out who infiltrated their respective organizations. Wahlberg didn’t need to carry the cast because he had Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, and Alec Baldwin helping him out.

2. Fr. Stu – This movie is a true story about a rough-around-the-edges guy who dabbled in boxing, acting, and plenty of booze before meeting a special girl. They started dating and her faith influenced Stu so much that he converted to Catholicism. After a near death motorcycle accident, Stu decides to end the relationship and begin the process of becoming a priest. Watching “Fr. Stu” was so powerful because you could tell Wahlberg was playing it with authenticity and reverence. One cool fact: My friend, Fr. Kevin Oiland, actually went to seminary with Fr. Stu.

1. Lone Survivor – Possibly my favorite war movie ever, Mark Wahlberg plays Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrel. The film had me on pins and needles the entire time and the scene where he thanks the local Afghan tribe for shielding him from the Taliban after his rescue gives me goosebumps. It is possibly the most memorable movie I have ever watched in a theater. After a stoic and respectful audience watched in silence from beginning to end, a thunderous ovation endued the moment the credits rolled.

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After that ode to Mark Wahlberg, I feel like Sidney and I need to find another movie of his to watch tonight. Any suggestions? Don’t Blink.

2024: Making Moves

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It was a questionable start. On January 1, I attended mass at St. Paschal Catholic Church. As Fr. Kevin Oiland chanted the Eucharistic prayer, a point in the mass that requires the faithful to be dialed in and reverent, I couldn’t take it anymore. Asking God for his forgiveness, I did the unthinkable and dashed out of the service.

I was sick.

The rest of my New Year’s Day was spent in bed or at the toilet throwing up. It was quite the miserable way to begin 2024 and I couldn’t shake what it might mean for the remaining 365 days (leap year) to follow. I wondered aloud to Sidney: Hopefully this isn’t an omen for the rest of the year…

Thankfully, it wasn’t.

2024 has been a blessed year for our family.

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I always say that even-numbered years bring about more change and surprises for my family than odd-numbered years. In 2024, this observation held true once again, at least from a professional standpoint. Duties, habits, commutes, and school drop-off routines were dramatically altered when I accepted the director of marketing position with Eastern Washington University.

But aside from that somewhat major development, the rest of our year was pretty low key. How low key? Consider that our family, at least up through yesterday, didn’t get on an airplane once nor did we visit any other state besides neighboring Idaho. Despite the lack of travel, we still managed to stay busy…

In January, Sloan figured a new way to generate revenue when she lost her first tooth. Speaking of my first-born, the next month Sloan asked me for the third-straight year to be her date at the St. Mary daddy-daughter dance. Also in February, Beau celebrated his fourth birthday with a Bluey-themed party and a few weeks later, Sid and I would present at our first Engaged Encounter retreat. Spring arrived and Beau played t-ball while Sloan hit the soccer field again. A Taylor Swift-themed birthday party for a certain 7-year-old was epically pulled off by Sidney. A new niece arrived in May when my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first child, Olivia.

In January, Sloan lost her first tooth!

As is typically the case, things sped up during the second half of the year. A trip to Walla Walla to celebrate my aunt’s 60th birthday in June unofficially kicked off our summer. Wedding season also commenced this month as multiple couples Sid and I mentored entered into the sacrament of holy matrimony. Our family made memories volunteering at Hoopfest. In July, Sid’s parents visited from South Carolina and had their stay happily extended due to the CrowdStrike snafu. When the month ended, so did my employment with Washington State University. I would begin at EWU on August 1. After working my first week, we took a family vacation to Leavenworth. The fall was filled with festivals, galas, and birthday parties. Thanksgiving and Christmas were both celebrated with my family but the year is ending in South Carolina as the kids were given a surprise trip to visit “Gami and Dada” in South Carolina.

Sid’s parents visited us in July.

So that is the quick two-paragraph rundown of the events of 2024 but what about the themes? I am glad you asked. I can pinpoint two…

The first theme is emergence. Sid and I “put ourselves out there” by leading retreats and honing our public speaking skills. From a work perspective, taking a higher level job and overseeing more people also took a leap of faith. Sloan’s bravery increased as she became more comfortable in the water and fearless when it came to thrill rides. Beau shook off nerves and competed on his first sports team.

Sidney presenting at the March 1-3 Engaged Encounter weekend while Fr. Pat Kerst and Joe Schroeder look on.

We also faced disruption in 2024. As I mentioned earlier, our solid routines were turned upside down when I changed jobs. Sidney and I pretty much flip-flopped the household/kid duties we championed for the past couple years. It was tough at times but we managed and are now relatively comfortable with our roles. While we faced our own personal disruption, the nation was simultaneously facing its own. The presidential election was bitter and it polarized Americans. I followed the race extremely closely and was shocked when President-Elect Trump cruised to an 86-point Electoral College landslide victory over Kamala Harris.

Taking a job at Eastern Washington University caused some major adjustments to our daily routines and how we care for the kids.

In addition to those two unique themes of 2024, the same three values I highlight every year continued to be key for the Resers…

It all starts with family. With the four of us pretty much staying put this year, we had lots of time to spend together. Our house was a refuge as we spent lots of time reading, baking, and praying inside it. We cheered each other on at sporting events, volunteered together, and explored our Spokane community. A couple road trips resulted in precious bonding and our vacation to Leavenworth provided us with memories we will always hold dear. The Summer Olympics captivated our household and gave us hours of entertainment in which we learned about competition, the world, and pride for our country. Holidays, family dinners, and watch parties for my extended family became a tad more crowded this year. My niece, Olivia, was born in May but don’t worry—my parents had no issue finding extra room to accommodate the Reser family’s newest addition 😂. Sidney’s family also added a new face with nephew Patrick! I couldn’t be happier that Sid and the kids are spending time with him and everyone else in Myrtle Beach as this year comes to a close.

Sloan and Beau meet Olivia for the first time.

When it comes to our faith, it was another solid year. There might not be a greater blessing than sending our kids to the school that is connected to our parish. I’ll tell you what, Jesus was spot on when he lauded the purity of a child’s faith. It seems like each day that Sloan and Beau attend St. Mary School, they come home and teach me something about the bible or saints. Speaking of saints, Sloan was named a Future Saint of the Week in 2024. She also served as a lector, attended Catholic Summer Camp, and spoke of her faith development in the St. Mary promotional video. As a family we made a pilgrimage to the St. Francis of Assisi crèche in Spokane, attended every St. Mary Family Faith Night we could, and served as greeters at mass. Sid and I continued to grow with our Young Adult Catholic group, mentored more engaged couples for marriage, and presented at Engaged Encounter retreats. We celebrated the 13th ordination of Fr. Jeff Lewis, said goodbye to Fr. Kevin Oiland, and collaborated with Fr. Pat Kerst. Although I still continue to ask God every night to increase my faith, I feel I am making progress thanks in large part because of those I have around me.

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

Because of my supportive family and a strong faith, it allows Sid and me to pursue our careers with zeal. I couldn’t be prouder of the year my wife had with Traveler’s Insurance. She led multiple teams of international customer service employees, helped launch brand new software, participated in the company’s 24-hour Innovation Jam, and added so much to the daily workplace culture. I split my year between two great public Washington higher ed institutions. At WSU, my strategy to revamp our YouTube presence and the effort I led to recognize our system’s top graduating seniors earned award recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). I was also proud of the #CougCounties social media campaign I introduced that spanned the state of Washington. At EWU I played a role in our brand evolution, assisted with the launch of our comprehensive fundraising campaign, and produced our holiday video. Over the past 12 months, the accomplishments at both universities were made possible by empowering bosses and talented team members.

Just like at WSU, when I started at EWU, I was connected with some awesome colleagues. This photo is of our film crew for the holiday video (L-R: Luke Kenneally, Sean Nelms, Me, Ginny Baxter).

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Wow, have I gone on long enough? I think so. But what do you expect? Like I said in my first blog post of the year, 2024 was an “every four years type of year.” As we lived our busy lives, a slate of 12 months highlighted by an extra day, the Summer Olympics, and a Presidential Election transpired in the background. It was a lot.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year a great one for my family.

As 2024 comes to a close, I am thankful for the many fruits yielded over the past 365 days (with the 366th day coming tomorrow). I am also mindful of the sorrows. Sidney lost her Uncle Tony and although he was mostly out of my family’s picture for the past 23 years, my Uncle Cliff passed away earlier this month. With 2025 almost here, let’s pray for health and peace. Thank you to my readers for an awesome year and I will see you all on the other side of the ball dropping. Don’t Blink.

Continuing His Journey: Fr. Kevin Oiland

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It started with a text. Shortly after moving to Spokane, Sidney and I were looking for a way to find community. We got word that a Spokane Valley Catholic young adult group was starting so I didn’t hesitate to text the phone number listed on the bulletin advertisement. The person who the number belonged to, Fr. Kevin Oiland, responded immediately. That text would dramatically shape the next Reser chapter in our new corner of the country.

This text exchange with Fr. Kevin in September 2020 would lead to so much fruit.

When I think of Fr. Kevin, I immediately feel a debt of gratitude. His work with Fr. Jeff Lewis to create a Catholic young adult group came at the perfect moment for my wife and me. The people we met would become our best friends and companions in Christ. Although simply getting the group off the ground was noteworthy enough for Fr. Kevin to always remain in our prayers, we were spoiled enough to be in his consistent presence for nearly four years after I first exchanged texts with him.

A photo of my family with Fr. Kevin Oiland at a going-away party our young adult group hosted for him.

Fr. Kevin Oiland served as pastor at the Spokane Valley Catholic parishes of St. John Vianney and St. Paschal from July 1, 2018 up through this past Sunday. As is custom in the Roman Catholic Church, priests are given new assignments throughout their ministries. In Fr. Kevin’s case, he recently moved to Walla Walla to become pastor at St. Patrick and St. Francis of Assisi. All I can say is that those parishes landed an incredible priest.

I am sad to see Fr. Kevin go. I truly appreciated his demeanor, kindness, and talents. A soft-spoken priest who was humble to the core, Fr. Kevin made me feel at ease and secure in his presence. In fact, although I wasn’t a parishioner at his parishes, I would occasionally watch the livestreams of his masses just to hear his relatable and conversational homilies. I admired his approach to spiritual warfare in that it is better to make preemptive preparations instead of leaving it all up to the moment of attack. For those more connected to a traditional form of Catholicism, Fr. Kevin shared with the Spokane Valley community his reverent skill of offering the Latin mass at various different times. He also brought an unmatchable passion for/knowledge of G.K. Chesterton.

Fr. Kevin Oiland speaks to our Catholic young adult group at a special retreat in April 2023.

I have a couple of Fr. Kevin stories that will stay with me. A couple years ago, a group of us from our young adult group played flag football on Saturdays during the fall. My birthday fell on one of those Saturdays and Sidney helped coordinate a surprise party for me at the field. Besides the flag football players I expected to see, there was also a redhead in a cassock who joined the celebration. Yep, Fr. Kevin devoted part of his Saturday morning solely to show up in-person to wish me a happy birthday.

Fr. Kevin Oiland celebrated his 15th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood in June (graphic courtesy of the Diocese of Spokane).

Then there was the death of Fr. Kevin’s mom, Laura Oiland. Any words would fail to convey the closeness of that mother-son relationship. I had the opportunity to attend the rosary vigil and I won’t forget walking into Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral and seeing Fr. Kevin up front kneeling in front of his mom’s casket in deep prayer. I was immediately touched by a sense of sadness yet peace. Fr. Kevin would then lead a beautiful and profound rosary service for his mom. I walked out thinking, if only all of us could be commended to God in such a holy way.

Fr. Kevin Oiland (right), baptizes Eden, the daughter of one of the flagship couples of our young adult group. Although most of us weren’t parishioners of Fr. Kevin’s parishes, we still asked him to celebrate one-time sacraments such as baptisms and marriages for us.

Finally, I just want to relate how much Fr. Kevin cared for his flock. He sincerely considers the soul of everyone. Just this year he organized a local pilgrimage for our young adult group to visit St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane so we could obtain a special indulgence for praying at a creche run by Franciscans. Although not the parish priest for most of us in our group, he still presided over some of our marriages and baptisms of our children. He never ceased praying for us and our causes. When my aunt died (just a couple weeks after his mom died), he offered comfort.

Our Catholic young adult group poses inside St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane for a photo after praying at the parish’s creche. Fr. Kevin Oiland is on the left side of the photo in the top row.

Fr. Kevin once addressed our group about life. He likened it to a journey with the final destination hopefully being Heaven. I know his new assignment in Walla Walla is just the latest step on his own journey to eternal joy with God. Please make sure to pray for him. Don’t Blink.

Another Special Holiday Break At Home

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Alright, I made it through the first couple days of work for 2024. I think we can agree that returning to the office after the holidays can be tough. But I believe that working those initial days of the new year can give you a better appreciation of what you got to experience while on break. Such is the case for me.

For the second consecutive year, I had the relaxing advantage of staying put in Spokane for the holiday break. My children completed their last school day of the calendar year on Friday, Dec. 15, and I worked my last day of the calendar year on Tuesday, Dec. 19. From the evening of that Tuesday through New Year’s Day, we had a spectacular time together. As I did last year, I want to offer up 10 of the activities we engaged in during our holiday break…

Ornament Craft – As I said in my intro, we literally started doing fun stuff on that Tuesday night. Our kickoff event was at the North Spokane County Library where Sloan and Beau joined their cousins for an ornament craft. The kids made sleigh decorations with Sloan placing a snowman in her sled while cousin Mikayla crafted a Santa to ride in hers.

Sloan and her cousin, Mikayla, making Christmas crafts at the library.

Geocache – At Sloan’s request, we ventured into the world of geocaching during break. We devoted an entire afternoon to finding them. Although we couldn’t seem to find the geocache at the first location as Beau’s bladder forced us to stop sooner than desired, we did find the capsule at the second geocache location we visited.

Sloan holds her first-ever Geocache capsule.

Flying High – After my kids expressed their desire to get strapped into a bungee and jump high, my parents told Sloan and Beau they would take them during winter break. Grandma and Papa lived up to their word when they met us at Fanorama Bungee in the Spokane Valley Mall. With cousins Mikayla and Johnny in tow, the four kids had an excellent time jumping for the stars. Wait a second—scratch that—Beau wanted out the moment he was strapped in 😂. But the other three kids definitely had fun.

Sloan jumping her heart out at Fanorama Bungee

Bowling – I took Sloan and Beau to Lilac Lanes for 60 minutes of bowling mania. We set up the bumpers and Beau had a ball ramp so they could each have the chance to actually knock down pins. Much to my surprise, we only had to call the staff over once to retrieve a ball that stopped in the middle of the lane.

We bowled a few strikes at Lilac Lanes.

The Grinch – Spokane’s old-fashioned Garland Theater welcomed the three of us for a showing of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” starring Jim Carrey. Sloan and Beau had a fun time eating popcorn and “stretching their legs” as they took a couple “breaks” from the movie to walk around our section of the majestic theater. Me? I walked in thinking I didn’t like the Jim Carrey version but actually thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

I actually really enjoyed watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Garland Theater.

We Play – Thanks to the generosity of Numerica, Spokane’s best play center opened its doors for free over winter break. On Dec. 22, admission was complimentary for the entire community. You better believe we took advantage! My sister and her two kids (you are very familiar with them by now…Mikayla and Johnny) met us at the facility for a hardcore play session that left the kids very entertained but surprisingly (and unfortunately) not very tired.

Thanks to Numerica, the kids played free at We Play.

Baptism – On the Saturday before Christmas Eve, the three of us (Sid had to work) went to St. John Vianney Catholic Church for the baptism of Eden Rose, the baby daughter of our friends, Brian and Hailey. Fr. Kevin Oiland performed the baptism as Fr. Jeff Lewis had the blessing of being selected as the godfather! Eden did a great job remaining calm for most of the ceremony, even when the holy water was poured over her head.

Hailey looks over her daughter, Eden, during the baptismal ceremony. Fr. Jeff Lewis, Eden’s godfather, is on the left. Fr. Kevin Oiland, who performed the baptism, is on the right.

Hibachi – As a Christmas gift from me to Sid and the kids, we ate at Fujiyama Japanese Steak House. What a fun and cozy place to eat! Our friends, Dylan and Fidela, joined us for the evening as our cook entertained and amazed us. Although Beau was a little afraid of the flames at first, he warmed up to it all. And oh yes…it was delicious!

Entertainment and delicious food is a great combination. We had a lot of fun at Fujiyama.

Mobius Discovery Center – Who says education can’t be cool? To be honest, visiting this children’s museum may have been the most fun activity that the kids did the entire break. I couldn’t believe how engaged Beau was with everything from the “launch it” stations, excavation pit, bubble area, and costume corner. When it came to Sloan, I literally let her loose and didn’t see her until it was time to go.

The kids may have had the most fun this break at Mobius Discovery Center.

Trampoline Park – It wouldn’t be a winter break without a trampoline park visit, right? On New Year’s Eve weekend I took the kids to Flying Squirrel. The best part? Sloan and Beau actually honored my request that they just jump and NOT hassle me about the arcade games.

Is it even winter break if you don’t go to a trampoline park? This is Beau at Flying Squirrel.

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It was a dad’s dream to have so much quality time with his kids. I am very fortunate to have a job where I am able to take an extended period of time during the holidays to re-charge and be with family. As I predicted in my Dec. 19 blog post, memories were made! Don’t Blink.

Happy 12th Ordination Anniversary, Fr. Jeff

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It is a date that Sidney and I now celebrate just like family birthdays and our wedding anniversary. When May 26 rolls around we immediately recognize it for one reason: The ordination anniversary of our pastor, Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Today, Friday, May 26, 2023, Fr. Jeff Lewis celebrates his 12th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Earlier this week we got a head start on the celebrating as we recognized his anniversary at our Engaged Encounter meeting.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of when Fr. Jeff was ordained to the priesthood. We are proud to say we have known “Papa J” for almost a quarter of those dozen years.

During the nearly three years we have known Fr. Jeff, he has helped get us involved in different ministries. One of those is St. Mary’s marriage prep Pre-Cana program where we get the opportunity to mentor engaged couples. This photo is of Sid, Fr. Jeff. and I with Sarah and Brendan–a couple we mentored who will get married in July.

The first time we walked through the doors of St. Mary Catholic Church, Fr. Jeff greeted us immediately. After some small talk he asked us where we lived in the Spokane Valley. We told him the area where we had recently settled and even though we were on the wrong side of Pines Road and thus outside the parish lines, Fr. Jeff laughed and said, “It’s okay, you’re welcome here anyway…just don’t tell Fr. Kevin” (Fr. Kevin Oiland is the pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, the Catholic community we technically should have attended based on geography).

Fr. Jeff and Fr. Kevin Oiland started a Young Adult Group for Spokane Valley Catholics. It launched 2.5 years ago and because of the time and energy that Fr. Jeff and Fr. Kevin devoted to it, our group continues to grow and thrive. This effort by the two priests really helped Sidney and I find friends and grow in our faith upon moving to Washington.

Fr. Jeff was exactly what we needed after our cross country move and Sidney’s recent conversion to Catholicism. We joined his Young Adult Group that he started with Fr. Kevin and from there he kept getting us more and more involved in other ministries—both at the parish and diocesan levels. Just a text message away, Fr. Jeff has always been there for us. Whether we have needed him for the sacraments, a house blessing, prayer support, his presence at retreats/events, a Hoopfest sponsorship, or a host of other things, he continues to be that constant rock in our daily drive to grow closer to God.

Fr. Jeff Lewis with us at our house blessing.

We admire Fr. Jeff for his faith, self-deprecating sense of humor, and the insane schedule he maintains. Sidney and I are grateful for how much he cares about St. Mary School and its mission to deliver the best Catholic education possible. Speaking of children, it warms our hearts how he always makes time for Sloan and Beau, effortlessly connecting with them no matter the situation. I am inspired by his ambitious goals for evangelization, his commitment to his parishioners, and his love/defense of the Catholic Church.

Fr. Jeff has a genuine love for children…and the relationship is reciprocal! You should see how excited Sloan and Beau get when they see Fr. Jeff.

In my life, I have never had a priest as invested in me as Fr. Jeff. Because of this, I can only say Thanks Be To God. Let us pray that impactful and holy priests like Fr. Jeff Lewis continue to be invigorated by their vocation. Happy anniversary to our very special pastor. Don’t Blink.

Our Spokane Valley Young Adult Retreat

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What a blessed Saturday it was! Yesterday, Sidney and I traveled to the majestic Clearwater Lodge near Newport, Washington, for a special retreat. But what made this particular Catholic retreat so “special,” you ask? Well, two reasons…

1. This was a retreat sponsored by our Spokane Valley Young Adult Catholic Group, the same group that has meant so much to our family over the past 2.5 years.

2. The retreat was my wife’s idea and she served as co-organizer alongside Hailey Eames, the chief go-getter extraordinaire of our group.

Our retreat took place at Clearwater Lodge, an area near Newport, Washington, that is situated right on Davis Lake (photo courtesy of Fidela)

By 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, 20 of us showed up inside the Creekside Pavilion for a day of sacramental nourishment, spiritual growth, and fellowship. The retreat would be based on the theme of living in the world, not of the world. As we gathered and took our seats, it was obvious that Sid’s idea, Hailey’s tireless work, and God’s will had positioned us for a faith-filled experience.

While at Clearwater Lodge our group was assigned to the Creekside Pavilion.

The day started with mass. With the scenic Davis Lake as a backdrop, Fr. Jeff Lewis and Fr. Kevin Oiland, the two priests who started our young adult group, presided over a makeshift altar. As they processed in and our talented young adult singers proclaimed the entrance antiphon, I tapped Sidney and showed her my arm…goosebumps. Fr. Jeff set the tone for the day by delivering a homily that encouraged us to turn to God for all things—big and small.

Everything set just prior to mass. As the mass went on, the fog you see over the lake would burn off and a spectacular morning view would take shape.

When mass concluded, we ate breakfast and then Sidney was up! She outlined the day’s itinerary and then spoke from the heart. Using the Beatitude of Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Sidney challenged us throughout the course of the day to recognize our spiritual bankruptcy and embrace the Holy Spirit. I couldn’t help but admire my wife. After just three years since becoming Catholic, Sidney was already organizing retreats and delivering reflections. Thanks be to God!

Sidney delivers the opening talk at our retreat. I was so proud of her!

After Sidney finished, it was time for our retreat headliner. Sister Christiana Marie was kind enough to spend her day with our group and impart her wisdom upon us. Challenging us to humbly recognize that God establishes our identity while our earthly circumstances merely shape it, Sister Christiana reminded us to be full in spirit and dependent on the Lord. We then broke into small groups and discussed how Sister’s principles of identity, humility, and fidelity fit into our own lives.

Sister Christiana Marie delivers the keynote address at our retreat.

The next phase of the retreat took us outside where we gathered for Lectio Divina, a type of prayer that focuses on examining scripture in an in-depth and immersive manner. Hailey masterfully led the exercise as we prayed through St. Luke’s account of the paralytic who was lowered down to Jesus into a crowded room through the roof. With the lake in front of us and the birds chirping above us, it was a soothing and reflective experience.

Hailey leads us in Lectio Divina.

Next up was adoration and confession. We went back inside the Creekside Pavilion and spent a holy hour in front of the blessed sacrament. As adoration took place, Fr. Jeff and Fr. Kevin took their places outside the pavilion to hear confessions. It was my first time ever confessing outdoors and it felt so freeing to be “one with nature” while receiving this holy sacrament.

This cross was at the top of a rocky cliff area and was visible from the Creekside Pavilion at Clearwater Lodge. We would hike to it later in the day.

At lunch, Sidney and I sat at a table with Sister Christiana. She possesses such an engaging personality and it was such a pleasure to listen to her speak about her life and vocation.

Our group enjoys lunch in the Clearwater Lodge dining hall. We shared lunch with another group who was also on retreat.

The afternoon portion of the retreat started with a talk from Fr. Kevin Oiland about spiritual warfare. He took a refreshing approach of teaching us ways to be preemptive in our spiritual battles. For a topic that is mostly discussed via an “in the moment” situational context it was interesting to hear a perspective that was more preparative than reactive.

Fr. Kevin Oiland delivers his talk on spiritual warfare as Fr. Jeff Lewis (left) looks on.

Fr. Kevin was followed by our friend and neighbor, Dylan Perry. We had the honor of listening to his testimony. It is not my place to discuss specifics about what he talked about but it did center on how he has grown with evangelization and how we can too. I admired his courage to stand up in front of us all!

Dylan had the guts to stand up in front of us all and deliver his testimony.

With the content portion of the retreat starting to wind down, we broke into small groups for prayer. In these groups, we each took different roles in fostering a collaborative and holy session as one person would express their intentions, another person would pray for them, and the third person would call upon the Holy Spirit.

What a blessing it was for us to all get together for our retreat. I didn’t have a photo from our small group so you get a second photo of Sidney presenting in the morning 🙂

Once our prayer groups concluded, it would have been perfectly understandable for people to head home. However, we all wanted to extend the time we had together. While some stayed in the pavilion to chat, I joined a group that toured the premises of Clearwater Lodge. We took a short hike to a cross that was erected on top of an elevated rocky area that overlooked the lake. Much respect and admiration to Mother Kathryn Joseph for making the hike with us!

Members of our retreat group pose for a photo after completing a hike. Mother Kathryn Joseph was such a rockstar for keeping up with us! (photo courtesy of Fidela)

We also explored another rocky area with scenic lake views that required us crossing a shaky bridge. While admiring the water on the beautiful day, we took time to talk and laugh as a group.

A photo I took of some of us just having a good time after our second hike. What a blessed time this whole day was!

By 4 p.m. we re-convened in the pavilion and said a closing prayer. We promised to do the retreat again next year and commented on what a fulfilling day it had been. I am proud of Sidney for pursuing the retreat and grateful to Hailey for doing so much work to make it happen. I am also thankful to Fr. Jeff and Fr. Kevin for the time, prayers, and guidance they consistently devote to our group. The Lord is at work and I am blessed to be around people who are answering his call and challenging me to do the same. Thanks be to God for our Spokane Valley Young Adult Catholic Group! Don’t Blink.

Softball and Camaraderie

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The best thing I did this weekend was definitely play softball. On Saturday morning, Sidney and I seized the opportunity to hit the diamond with some of our favorite friends. But our weekend fun would not have happened without the vision and hard work of others.

Our pastor at St. Mary Parish in the Spokane Valley, Fr. Jeff Lewis, loosely challenged our Young Adult Catholic group to develop a recreational opportunity, such as softball, for parishioners and others to partake in. Brian and Hailey Eames, a dynamic couple in our group, took Fr. Jeff’s challenge and ran with it.

Members of our Young Adult Catholic group surround Bishop Thomas Daly (center, with hands in pockets). Also pictured is Fr. Jeff Lewis (back row, tallest person in photo). People in this picture who played on the softball team include Dylan, Fidela, Brian, Hailey, Sidney, and myself.

Brian and Hailey chatted with their neighbors who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They pitched them (no pun intended) the idea of parishioners from our church playing a softball game against members of their church. The planning took place in June and a date for the matchup was set for August.

Toward the second half of July, Brian and Hailey held practices for us. Man, how nice it was to pick up a glove and bat again. Our coaches were so organized and encouraging that it made the practices a blast and instilled confidence in us for gameday.

A look at one of our practices held on a ball field at St. Mary Parish in the Spokane Valley.

At about 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sid and I left the house and headed in the direction of the Mormon temple. Our Latter-day Saints brothers and sisters were gracious enough to host us on their fields. Our worthy opponents generated a lot of interest among their ward, attracting enough players to field three teams compared to our one Catholic team. Although outnumbered, the arrangement allowed us to play a tournament.

Sidney up at the plate. It was nice to play on a team with her.

Our team won our first game. The team that was victorious on the other field then came over to play us. In a competitive nail-biter, our Catholic squad hung on for an 8-7 victory and a tournament championship.

Yeah, it was cool to win, but the morning was more special for various other reasons. Fr. Lewis and Fr. Kevin Oiland, the other priest who founded our Young Adult Catholic group, were both present to cheer us on. Also, Sidney and I got to play on an organized team together! Not only that, but we batted back-to-back in the lineup and played right next to each other in the field (me at first, Sid at second). I even got to meet some St. Mary parishioners for the first time.

Another person in the crowd was my brother. He took this photo of me. When our team was at-bat, I would serve as the catcher.

But the absolute best part of the day was the fellowship with our new friends. Everyone on the Latter-day Saints teams were kind, supportive, and humble. Players from both sides played hard but there was a lot of humor and encouraging words mixed in. After the softball concluded, our two groups walked to the picnic area for a joint cookout. Does it get any better?

What a thrill it was to play softball with our Latter-day Saints brothers and sisters.

On a sunny Saturday morning, Catholics and Latter-day Saints prayed, competed, and ate together. As we enjoyed the cookout, one lady approached us and mentioned that cars driving down the road by the fields were literally stopping to watch the action taking place on the diamonds. Of course they wouldn’t know that two faith communities had voluntarily come together in such a meaningful way, but that would be cool if they did. In a day and age where division is so strong and toxic, the example that was set over the weekend was a powerful one.

After the softball was played, there was a cookout for players, families, and spectators.

Thanks to Brian and Hailey and their Latter-day Saints counterparts who worked so hard to make this thing work out. What a success! Don’t Blink.