Tag Archives: Fr. Pat Kerst

Still Making It Look Easy: Fr. Pat Kerst

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A Smooth Delivery

It’s quite impressive. If you ever attend a mass celebrated by Fr. Pat Kerst, don’t expect him to use the pulpit during the homily. Rather, Fr. Pat will stroll to the front of the sanctuary and naturally engage the congregation. No notes, no hesitation, no ego.

He makes it look so easy. Sunday after Sunday, Fr. Pat preaches in a seemingly effortless way. But make no mistake about it, each homily is crafted with prayerful thought and preparation. But after that prep work is done and the gospel is proclaimed, Fr. Pat’s God-given talent takes over and he connects with those in the pews in his conversational and sincere way.

Congratulations to Fr. Pat Kerst on his 35th anniversary of his ordination.

Full Circle With Fr. Pat

Today, Fr. Pat marks 35 years of not just impactful homilies but overall dedicated and holy service to his vocation. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1990.

Today, Fr. Pat celebrates the 35th anniversary of his ordination. Last week I included this slide at the beginning of one of our Engaged Encounter presentations so our attendees could recognize his achievement.

If his 3.5 decades as a priest makes him feel old—don’t worry, Fr. Pat—it makes me feel old too! You see, some of my first vivid memories of Catholic clergy are of Fr. Pat. Early on in his priesthood, he served in Walla Walla at the three parishes in that community. When my family would make our frequent trips to town to visit grandparents and other relatives, Fr. Pat would be the celebrant when we attended Sunday mass at St. Francis of Assisi. A little bit later down the road, he would preside at my grandma’s funeral in that very same church.

I left the state for college and would eventually move across the country for my career, but Fr. Pat’s influence eventually caught up to me. In the late 2010s, nearly 3,000 miles away from Spokane in South Carolina, I found myself listening to Fr. Pat’s distinctive voice once again. It came via the Bishop and Vicars podcast, an outreach of the Spokane Diocese in which Fr. Pat would discuss topics with Bishop Thomas Daly and two other priests in diocesan leadership positions. By that time, Fr. Pat had ascended to the crucial Vicar of Priests post, a role he still holds today.

Fr. Pat Kerst has positively impacted me at different times and in different ways throughout the course of his priestly ministry.

Sharing the Stage

Eventually, the mileage between Fr. Pat and myself dwindled from 3,000 to 30. My family moved back to Spokane and I was delighted to find out that he was now the pastor at my parents’ home parish, St. Thomas More. On weekends when I needed a break from that priest at St. Mary in Spokane Valley (just kidding, Fr. Jeff 😉), we would drive “up north” to St. Thomas More. While there, it was obvious that Fr. Pat had not missed a beat from decades prior as I felt blessed to attend each mass that he celebrated.

A couple years after moving to Spokane, my family’s connection to Fr. Pat became even more profound. Sid and I were asked to join Spokane’s Engaged Encounter community, a ministry near and dear to Fr. Pat. If you ask him, he will say he jumped headfirst into EE after he was “pulled into it” a couple days after his ordination.

Fr. Pat Kerst joined the Engaged Encounter ministry soon after he was ordained and immediately started to make a difference in the relationships of engaged couples. This photo was from the March 2024 retreat.

Upon our inclusion in the group, we found ourselves now sitting at the same table as Fr. Pat during monthly EE team meetings. But our bond would soon become even closer. In March 2024, Sid and I presented at our first Engaged Encounter weekend retreat. The priest who teamed up with us during that weekend? Fr. Pat! What an incredible experience that first retreat was—thanks in large part to Fr. Pat’s experience, expertise, and support. Needless to say, we were ecstatic to serve another EE weekend retreat with him just last week.

Sid and I presented with Fr. Pat for the first time at the March 2024 Engaged Encounter retreat. What a pleasure it was to present with him and Joe & Natalie Schroeder.

Please take it from me: Fr. Pat is exceptional at these retreats. The way he connects with the engaged couples and pours all his energy into the weekend is inspiring. During the presentations we give about various marital/spiritual topics, Fr. Pat talks to the attendees in a relatable, knowledgeable, and—oftentimes—humorous way. Throughout the weekend he makes himself available for confession, sits with the couples during meals, runs the epic Yes/No game, sums up the key to marriage using a song, and presides over an intimate Saturday evening mass with a homily beautifully custom-made for the engaged couples in attendance.

Fr. Pat Kerst had fun with the engaged couples as he directs the infamous “Yes/No” game.

A Superb Priest

But there is a lot more to Fr. Pat besides his chops as an expert homilist, involvement with EE, and his privileged relationship with the Reser family (sorry, had to slip in another cringe-worthy joke 😂).

Fr. Pay stands with the engaged couples from last week’s Engaged Encounter retreat (May 2025). However, the Engaged Encounter ministry is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to all he does.

Where do I begin?

He is fluent in Spanish, a major asset in a diocese with a large Hispanic population. He serves on numerous boards while still making time to attend the sporting competitions of the parish school. He is on speed dial at hospitals because nurses know he will always answer when a Catholic patient need him. He is an effective administrator and authentic relationship-builder as evidenced by his assignments at the largest and most complex parishes in the diocese. He willingly travels long distances to distribute the sacraments—sometimes out-of-state and on his own dime. He owns a memory that would make an elephant envious (just ask any parishioner at St. Thomas More if the pastor knows their name 😉).

And I could keep on going but I want to make sure I wrap this up before the 36th ordination anniversary comes around.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

But there is something I admire about Fr. Pat even more than the many ways he excels as a priest. For me, it is his faith. Many people might not know this—and I am at no liberty to elaborate—but he has gone through some painful stuff that would have shaken me to my core if the events happened to me. Still, he pursued the priesthood with vigor and has continued to be dedicated to his vocation and faithful to God. Talk about an awe-inspiring example!

What a blessing it is for Sid and me to know Fr. Pat Kerst.

Setting Himself Apart

He makes it look so easy. That’s how I started this tribute to Fr. Pat. But when I mentioned it, I was alluding to his homily delivery style. He is calm, cool, and composed—the golden standard when it comes to public speaking.

However, a favorable stage presence can only get you so far. The big reason why Fr. Pat has been such a blessing to the Diocese of Spokane over the past 35 years is because of how he frames the content he pairs with his delivery. There is no doubt about it, he conveys the word of God with simplicity and straightforwardness. He speaks in terms that anyone can understand. In a world where religious leaders can lose followers within two minutes, Fr. Pat can relate biblical principles and church doctrine with accuracy and ease.

So let’s celebrate Fr. Pat Kerst today. Take a moment in prayer to thank God for a talented and kind man who has brilliantly answered the call of his vocation for the past 12,775 days. And trust me: Make the effort to visit St. Thomas More one of these weekends. Not only will you hear an epic homily but from that point forward, Fr. Pat will most likely never forget your name 😊. Don’t Blink.

A Shattered Thursday Rundown

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I understand that this blog post might be the last thing between you and a four-day Memorial Day weekend so let me try to move fast. Thankfully, it is a Thursday Rundown so you don’t have to worry about reading a novel. But I guess continuing on with this introduction isn’t helping much so let’s get right to the five topics…

Olivia Is 1 – Last week my niece turned 1-year-old. Olivia, who was born on May 15, is the daughter of my brother and sister-in-law. I remember the day she was born I picked up the kids from school and surprised them by taking them to the hospital to meet Olivia. A strawberry-themed birthday party was thrown at my parents’ house to celebrate her first 365 days.

Olivia at her 1st birthday party.

Basketball Hoop Destroyed – Speaking of my parents’ house, I must convey some really tough news. Our family basketball hoop was recently ripped from its pole and rendered completely unusable. If you remember, we celebrated the hoop’s 30th anniversary last September and the post I wrote to commemorate the milestone was chosen as my #1 blog post of 2024. On Sunday, I helped my dad pick up the detached backboard/basket and place it in his truck for transport to the dump. My parents plan to purchase a new basketball hoop and I will update you when it is installed.

The Reser basketball hoop after it was taken to the ground.

Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day – It is Spirit Week at St. Mary Catholic School as Sloan and Beau have thrown their full participation behind it. Yesterday happened to be Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day and while both children were able to check the “tie dye” portion, my youngest struggled with the “crazy hair” part. Sidney recently cut his hair extremely short and when he asked for a mohawk, we couldn’t exactly swing it. Maybe next year, Beau!

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo before going to St. Mary Catholic School for Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day.

Fun and Original Pizza – Before heading to the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center on Friday night, our Engaged Encounter ministry team went out for dinner. At the recommendation of Fr. Pat Kerst, the five of us went to Republic Pi on the South Hill. What a great choice! The sandwiches were made with the freshest bread, the service was great, and the atmosphere was on-point. But the best part was the restaurant’s signature item—pizza! I ordered the Wilson pie which consisted of garlic cream sauce, smoked chicken, Yukon potatoes, cheese blend, green onion, and roasted garlic. It was excellent and worth another trip one of these days.

This was the Wilson pizza I ordered from Republic Pi. It was good!

Peanut Butter Sandwiches for Days – In another example of how some things seldom change, I want to flashback to a blog post I wrote 11 years ago on May 21, 2014. It chronicled my obsession with eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. In this particular blog post, I outlined the long history I had with eating the classic staple and shared some of the reaction from co-workers who became astonished with my consistent hobby. Well, guess what I ate for lunch today? Yep, you know.

A peanut butter sandwich I devoured 11 years ago. I still eat these delicacies every day.

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I am pumped for the Memorial Day weekend. The weather is going to be gorgeous and I am looking forward to just relaxing. After a couple big trips and a retreat, I am ready to stay home and rest. Please enjoy and be safe! Don’t Blink.

A Marital Lesson I Recently Accepted

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This past weekend, Sidney and I had the blessing of serving at an Engaged Encounter retreat. We teamed up with another couple and a priest to help prepare a group of engaged couples for marriage.

Sid and I presented at our third Engaged Encounter retreat this past weekend.

Throughout the weekend, numerous presentations were given. Sidney and I delivered half of them while our partner couple delivered the other half. The priest participated in all the talks, leveraging everything us couples presented with biblical context, teachings of the Church, and his own personal examples.

For this particular weekend, our presenting team was identical to the first weekend Sid and I attended back in March 2024. We served as Couple A (the “younger” couple), Joe and Natalie Schroeder served as Couple B (the “senior” couple), and Fr. Pat Kerst joined as the weekend priest.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

The weekend was full of blessings and special moments. However, I wanted to focus on one specific sentiment conveyed by the Schroeders on the final day of the retreat.

Joe captivated my attention when he said the following to all the soon-to-be husbands in the room: The greatest gift to your family is to prioritize your relationship with your wife.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at this past weekend’s Engaged Encounter retreat.

This hit me hard because I usually think and act the opposite. Over the course of my marriage with Sid, I have put our children first, usually believing it to be the right and noble thing to do.

But could my good intentions be misguided? Joe explained that when the relationship between a husband and wife is prioritized before all other earthly relationships, everything else—children, extended families, friends, in-laws—will seamlessly and orderly fall right in line behind it.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at a precious Engaged Encounter retreat.

I guess there is a reason why a marriage rooted in the Church is a sacramental bond, right?

Again, in the past I have made it my mission to drop everything for our kids above all else. If it meant Sid and I missed out on time together then so be it! I did this even when my wife preached the same knowledge that Joe delivered over the weekend.

Why am I re-considering my priorities only after a fellow brother-in-Christ mentioned it? After all, Sid has urged this approach for years. However, I don’t think my wife’s past pleas have been made in vain—they simply set the foundation and the Schroeder’s presentation sealed the deal and drove the point home for me.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder are an inspiring couple!

As courageous and intuitive as it might seem to boldly claim that nothing comes before the needs and wants of our children, I need to walk back on that seemingly innate thought. After all, being a parent is not a sacrament—but entering into holy matrimony is. The sacramental bond between Sid and me needs to be prioritized and nourished at all times…or at least most of the time.

Because when it is, our marriage will continue to thrive. And marriages that thrive illuminate the light of God’s love to those gathered around the husband and wife. That is why Joe told the guys that the greatest gift we can give our kids is to prioritize the relationship we have with our wives. When we do this, God’s love is on full display to our children and they come to know, respect, and appreciate the holy bond between their parents.

Although Sidney and I hold positions as leaders/presenters at these Engaged Encounter retreats, we aren’t experts. And because we aren’t experts, that means there is plenty for us to still learn. In addition to Fr. Pat Kerst’s incredible wisdom and the bursts of inspiration I absorbed from the engaged couples, I am especially thankful for the 39 years of marriage that Joe and Natalie Schroeder brought to the table. Even beyond the prioritization of the husband/wife relationship, I learned so much from them this weekend.

It won’t happen overnight because old habits die hard, but I am going to try harder to put Sidney first, even when it doesn’t seem instinctive. Because again, God didn’t institute marriage to play second fiddle to any other relationship on earth. Also, if I truly am trying to do the absolute best for my kids—like the Schroeders said—I need to honor and take care of their mom first. 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.

The Servant Song

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Do you ever have an epiphany when it comes to the lyrics of a song? Hmm, let me ask a more pointed question. Have you ever thought you liked a song only to like it even more once you actually understood the lyrics?

As I mentioned in last night’s blog post, Sidney and I had the blessing of presenting at an Engaged Encounter weekend. But it just wasn’t us or our partner couple doing all the talking. A priest is always assigned to the weekend retreat team and plays a major role in conveying lessons and Catholic doctrine. We had the great fortune of having Fr. Pat Kerst on our squad.

At one point on Saturday, Fr. Pat passed out half sheets to all the couples. Copied on each sheet was a Catholic hymn called The Servant Song. Fr. Pat explained that the hymn wasn’t made with marriage specifically in mind but that he didn’t know of a better resource that so accurately depicted the essence and vocation of marriage.

The lyrics to “The Servant Song” are profound.

I was very familiar with The Servant Song, having heard it at mass on random Sundays throughout most of my life. But I had not taken the initiative to take a deep dive into the actual lyrics. I am so glad Fr. Pat brought it to my attention.

The song promotes the willingness to assume a Christ-like servant’s role to others over the course of a lifetime. It frames this service in the context of a journey that is filled with empathy, grace, suffering, and companionship. As I read the lyrics and digested them in context with my marriage to Sid, I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two.

After we dismissed the engaged couples to reflect on the lesson that was just completed, I played The Servant Song on my computer. It was even more beautiful than usual as I now knew and understood the profoundness of the lyrics. A couple more tears may have formed in my eyes 😉.

The half sheet with the song that Fr. Pat gave us is now on our refrigerator.

I encourage you tonight to listen to The Servant Song on YouTube. Listen carefully to each lyric and frame it within the context of your own marriage. I guarantee that you will go to bed with a greater conviction to “bear the load” for your spouse.

And, oh yeah, guess what? After Fr. Pat has brought up the song to couples at past retreats, some have actually decided to include The Servant Song in their weddings. I think Sid and I would have too. Don’t Blink.

Presenting With My Wife At Engaged Encounter

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This past weekend, Sidney and I strengthened our marital vocation in the most blessed way. We presented at our first Engaged Encounter retreat. 🙏

Many of you know that Sid and I prepare engaged couples within our parish for marriage on an individual basis. But in June 2022, we joined another marriage-based ministry—Engaged Encounter. This is an international Catholic organization that stages weekend-long retreats for engaged couples. Our pastor, Fr. Jeff Lewis, invited us to join the Spokane Diocese chapter.

After a year of attending our Engaged Encounter monthly meetings and serving in support roles at the retreats, we timidly told our chapter’s leadership that we wanted to present at one. In June of 2023, Ric and Cindy Gaunt came to our house and planted the seeds for doing so. They ran us through what was expected, highlighted the presentations we would be responsible for, and provided us the materials to start preparing. We circled the March 1-3 retreat on our calendar!

We told our Engaged Encounter leadership that we wanted to present.

The next eight months passed quickly, with the latter half of those months heavily devoted to Engaged Encounter retreat prep. Sidney and I had to write our presentations, build slide decks, and practice! By the time this past Friday rolled around, although nervous, we were chomping at the bit to present.

The retreat took place at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in south Spokane. Although the quarters were a little cramped, I sure enjoyed having the time away with Sid.

Engaged Encounter retreats are presented by two couples and a priest at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in south Spokane. There is a senior couple and a junior couple. We served as the junior couple and were paired with an incredible senior couple with 38 years of marriage under their belts—Joe and Natalie Schroeder.

Sidney and I at our Engaged Encounter weekend retreat. After months of preparing, we got to present!

Completing our weekend team was a priest who I had looked up to for a long time. Fr. Pat Kerst, who will celebrate his 34th anniversary of ordination in May, sacrificed a busy Lenten weekend at his home parish of St. Thomas More to serve at this retreat. As a boy, I would listen to him say mass at St. Francis of Assisi in Walla Walla while I sat in the pew with my grandparents (a decade later he would preside at my grandma’s funeral). During my last couple years in Myrtle Beach I would listen to a podcast he contributed to. By the time I moved back to Spokane, he was the pastor at my parents’ home parish. Known for his personal and impactful preaching style, Sidney and I knew we would have to bring our “A” games to keep up with him.

We had 13 couples attend our retreat weekend, a healthy number for the current state of the Engaged Encounter ministry in eastern Washington. It was a lot of fun to meet these 26 soon-to-be newlyweds and learn about when and what church they were going to get married in. But after the introductions and the well-wishes concluded, reality set in: We now had to actually provide these couples with something useful.

Sidney and I were responsible for six presentations throughout the weekend. Using specific examples from our own marriage, we delivered talks on understanding oneself, communication, decision-making, unity, conflict resolution, and betrothal. The Schroeders presented on a host of other equally important marital topics while Fr. Pat provided his invaluable insight during each presentation. As a person who can get nervous enough just doing one presentation, doing a half dozen seemed pretty daunting. But with Sidney on my team and God’s abundant grace, it was much more of a blessed experience as opposed to a scary one.

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

But the weekend wasn’t just about presentations. We watched videos, shared meals, and did activities. Confession was offered and the chapel was always open for prayer. On Saturday night, Fr. Pat offered mass. It was an intimate and beautiful way for our group to come together and celebrate the source and summit of Christian life.

It was gratifying to see the 13 engaged couples respond so well to everything we threw at them. Sidney and I really enjoyed getting to know the couples better as the weekend went on. We admired the overall humility, appreciation, and faith that was displayed. It wasn’t lost on us that they were giving up an entire weekend to sit inside the walls of a 1950s retreat house when they could be doing so many other things. Thanks be to God for their prioritization.

We had an incredible group of committed couples who brought plenty of faith and willingness to learn to the retreat.

Besides becoming acquainted with the couples preparing to be married, it was a complete pleasure to bond with the other members of our team. Collaborating with the Schroeders was extremely rewarding. They supported us immensely through our first weekend and we learned so much from the presentations they gave. The marriage that Joe and Natalie live out is one that Sid and I aspire to emulate. To share the stage with Fr. Pat was a thrill. Like I said, I have spent my whole life watching him and listening to him. But those nearly 34 years in front of congregation after congregation has surely not inflated his ego—Fr. Pat is as humble as they come! It was so special to see that up close.

This was our March 1-3, 2024 Engaged Encounter weekend team. What a pleasure it was to present with the Shroeders and Fr. Pat Kearst.

As I write this after allowing the weekend’s adrenaline to wear off and the significance to sink in, I just feel blessed for the opportunity Sidney and I were given. Thanks to Fr. Jeff for inviting us into the Engaged Encounter community, Ric and Cindy Gaunt for giving us the opportunity to present, Joe and Natalie Schroeder for teaming up with us, Fr. Pat for leading our weekend team, and everyone else in our EE chapter who so warmly welcomed us. Special thanks to my wife for being the best presenting partner ever! And, of course, praise to God for the grace to undertake such an intensive but worthwhile ministry. We can’t wait to present again. Don’t Blink.

Beau Bear Eve Thursday Rundown

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It is Beau’s Birthday Eve! Tomorrow we will have a 1-year-old. As I come to grips with this upcoming milestone, I decided to write a Thursday Rundown. Let’s go…

Latest Blizzard – The Thursday Rundown is a landing spot for my Dairy Queen Blizzard reviews (here and here). In honor of Sidney’s birthday weekend, we picked up dessert on Saturday night. I opted for the red velvet flavor which happened to be the Blizzard of the Month. The DQ famous vanilla ice cream was blended with red velvet cake pieces and cream cheese icing. It had really good texture and really good flavor…for the first few bites. After I scratched the surface of my blizzard, it was just pure white the rest of the way. Unfortunately the classic problem plagued me—all the toppings and mix-ins were at the very top with plain vanilla ice cream the rest of the day.

This was my red velvet Dairy Queen Blizzard from Saturday night.

Super Bowl Hope/Prediction – Last week I humbled myself and gave mad respect to Tom Brady and the mesmerizing career he has enjoyed. Although I will savor the chance to watch a legend play on Sunday, it doesn’t mean I want him to win. I hope the Kansas City Chiefs will repeat as Super Bowl champs? Do I think they will do it? Actually, I do. Chiefs beat Bucs, 28-24.

I will be rooting for Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Preparing to Sleep – Please use your imagination and read the below meme from my wife’s point of view. Okay, did you do it? This explains Sid and I exactly. Out of the numerous fluffy pillows that Sid keeps on the bed, I take the oldest and skinniest. I also have a bad habit of throwing some of the excess pillows on the floor, which will get me a prompt scolding. I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow whereas Sid needs pretty much everything listed in this meme, plus the TV turned on. I know Sid thinks it is unfair that I can simply shut my eyes and go to sleep but perhaps this is the way it is for many married couples.

This nailed it.

Heart’s On Fire Men’s Conference – Last Saturday, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Heart’s On Fire Men’s Conference sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Spokane. Having enjoyed the South Carolina Catholic Men’s Conference, I knew that attending a similar event out west was a must. The conference took into account social distancing. Instead of everyone meeting at a designated spot, different parishes in the diocese served as satellite locations where guys could go to watch the livestreamed presentations with a small group. I attended the conference at St. Thomas More, the parish I actually grew up in. Fr. Pat Kerst celebrated mass with our group in the morning and heard confessions at lunch. During the morning and afternoon we listened to Dr. John Bergsma, a professor at Franciscan University, deliver four different talks. After each talk, we gathered in our small groups at our satellite location to discuss the content. Thanks to the Diocese of Spokane for putting this conference on during difficult times, I sure got a lot out of it.

I took this photo at St Thomas More Parish in Spokane. Although a premium was placed on social distancing at the Diocese of Spokane Men’s Conference, it was still a very worthwhile experience.

Soups – Who out there loves a flavorful, piping hot bowl of soup? Your favorite blogger sure does! If I am given a choice between soup or salad at a restaurant, 9/10 times I am opting for the former. A few years ago, I actually ranked my top five favorite soups. My list consisted of clam chowder (#5), chili (#4), butternut squash (#3), potato (#2), and pasta fagioli (#1). Oh yeah, Italian wedding was included as an honorable mention. Happy National Soup Day! 

I love a good bowl of soup.

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Time to cuddle my baby boy tonight before he wakes up a man tomorrow. Okay, I exaggerate, but do you get the picture? I got to go. Have a wonderful night, my friends. Don’t Blink.