Tag Archives: Marie Bricher

A Cool Kingdom Party

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Hear ye, hear ye!

The 2026 St. Mary (Spokane Valley) Catholic Summer Camp theme is “A Cool Kingdom Party.” It is all about how Mary gets us closer to Jesus.

It is the last full week in June and that means one thing in our little corner of Spokane Valley: Catholic Summer Camp.

This year the theme at St. Mary’s (Spokane Valley) Catholic Summer Camp is “Cool Kingdom Party: Mary Leads Me Closer to Jesus.” I promise Beau is more excited for camp than how he looks in this photo 😂.

Yes, that glorious time of the summer has arrived where after an ever so brief respite from their friends, Sloan and Beau return to St. Mary and are re-united with their classmates (and others) for five days of camp filled with crafts, snacks, music, and faith. It just doesn’t get much better.

Marie Bricher once again is delivering incredible instruction to the campers. This year the theme is about how our Blessed Mother gets us closer to Jesus. I took this photo at the kickoff event on Sunday night.

Or perhaps it does. Because this year, the campers cross a moat each day to enter the Catello della Madonna. Who doesn’t love a medieval theme?

This year, Catholic Summer Camp is taking place in Catello della Madonna (aka the St. Mary gym)>

As per usual, Marie Bricher has taken a fun theme and leveraged it to the max with peak creativity and imagination. Aside from camp taking place in the Castle of the Madonna (aka the school gym), my kids are also creating art in the Crafters Hall, listening to stories in the Castle Garden, and trading in their “kingdom cash” at the Medieval Store. But the execution of the theme goes way beyond clever names because once again the gym is beautifully decorated in a way that would make any 1400s château blush.

A medieval bell tower, constructed by St. Mary teacher Kevin Schultz, stands in the center of the gym.

However, even though Marie aced the theme (again), the absolute best part of this year’s St. Mary Catholic Summer Camp is the content. This summer, it is all about helping the campers understand the importance of Mary and how she leads us closer to Jesus.

This year’s camp is focused on teaching the kids how Mary gets us closer to Jesus.

Sloan and Beau are learning how our Blessed Mother said “yes” to God, how she is pure and holy, how she is Queen (there is a throne for her in the castle), and how Jesus is King.

Inside the castle/gym is a worship area for the campers. Marie always thinks of it all!

Basically, the entire lesson of the camp can be summarized on what is written on the back of this year’s camp t-shirt. It is taken right from our Blessed Mother’s final words in the bible and should be used to guide us every day: Do whatever Jesus tells you (John 2:5).

The back of the t-shirts sum it all up at this year’s St. Mary (Spokane Valley) Summer Catholic Camp.

So as Catholic Summer Camp continues at St. Mary this week, let’s pray for the children and volunteers. May they follow Mary’s example of saying “yes” to God and follow her command of doing whatever Jesus tells us to do. Don’t Blink.

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.

————–

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

Closed Thursday Rundown

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Thursday always seems to come sooner when preceded by a Monday holiday. Tonight’s Thursday Rundown will be my last of the month so let’s send May out with a bang…

Fr. Jeff’s 15th Ordination Anniversary – Our family priest marked his 15th anniversary of his ordination this week. That’s right, Fr. Jeff Lewis has now been part of the priesthood for a decade and a half. We have enjoyed celebrating Fr. Jeff’s ordination anniversary (here and here) over the years and this latest one was bittersweet as he will leave St. Mary next month for an assignment in Walla Walla.

Fr. Jeff Lewis celebrated his 15th ordination anniversary on May 26. We celebrated the milestone with him at our young family group meeting.

Family Faith Night – Speaking of Fr. Jeff, he was in attendance with us last night at the final St. Mary Family Faith Night of the year. The theme centered on different Catholic religious orders, a topic that was of great interest to me. It is a gift from God that priests and others are able to live out their vocations under special spiritual missions. Once again, the evening was a complete masterpiece thanks to the organization, thought, and creativity of Marie Bricher.

Beau yells something at Fr. Jeff Lewis as we “try” to listen to Marie Bricher during the last Family Faith Night of the school year on May 27, 2026. The topic/theme centered on different Catholic religious orders.

Flight 509 – I felt for the Spokane business community when Flight 509 announced its closure on Tuesday night. The entertainment center is closing after just two years in business. Those owners poured a lot of money, time, and effort into making Flight 509 a clean and fun place with all the bells and whistles. It truly had everything from laser tag to a ropes course to bumper cars to bowling lanes to robots who delivered pizza. Even the adults felt at home with a swanky bar and large TVs. The kids did receive Flight 509 gift cards for Christmas so we will be making one final trip before the business closes its doors to the public on June 13.

Flight 509 was fun. Photos are from our first ever visit and from when we found free passes in a geocache. I thought Flight 509 did excellent community outreach. It is sad to see them close.

Hard Mt. Dew – Normally I wouldn’t purchase something like this, but I wanted to enjoy a fun beverage with my brother before we headed to the Ron White show this past Saturday. On my way to his house, I stopped at a convenient store and couldn’t help but reach into the cooler for two of the Hard Mt. Dew Baja Blasts. When I handed one of the cans to Glen with a mile-wide grin, he knew he had no choice but to indulge with me. It tasted pleasant and tropical but much to my dismay it contained no caffeine. That was a head scratcher to me. How could any Mt. Dew beverage—alcoholic or virgin—not have any caffeine? Anyway, it was definitely a change from the rare light beer I drink every now and then.

Cheers! Glen and I hold the Hard Mt. Dews we drank before the Ron White show.

National Hamburger Day – Today is a big day in Americana as it is National Hamburger Day. I wrote my ode to the burger two years ago on this date that I felt served as my mic drop when it comes to our nation’s favorite food. But if you are still hungry for more, I once wrote about my top five favorite hamburger toppings, the freshest hamburger I ever ate, and one of the most unique hamburgers I ever ordered. Hope you celebrate with a burger tonight!

I love a good burger. Happy National Hamburger Day!

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Hope everyone has a great weekend. June will be here on Monday as it will kickoff what promises to be a very busy and memorable month for Sid and me. Don’t Blink.

Sacramentally Gifted

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Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:53-54)

Even though we had prepared for nine months, it was a sight that seemed a tad foreign. On Monday, May 11, 2026, Sloan waited her turn in the communion line at St. Mary Catholic Church. Once at the front, she approached Bishop Thomas Daly as he distributed Holy Eucharist. However, instead of crossing her arms across her chest and receiving a blessing, she received Jesus instead.

Sloan received the sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist last night at St. Mary Catholic Church. This is her with Fr. Jeff Lewis and Bishop Thomas Daly (Photo Credit: Paola Muela).

It was a surreal but very proud moment to watch Sloan make her First Holy Communion. In classes since September to prepare for the sacrament but genuinely yearning to receive it for the past few years, it truly was a holy moment to witness her reach the source and summit of Christian life.

Sloan receives Holy Communion for the first time. This is her drinking from the Blessed Blood.

But it wasn’t just Holy Eucharist that our daughter received last night. She also received the Holy Spirit via the sacrament of Confirmation. Prior to partaking in the Lord’s Supper, Sloan stood in front of the congregation and publicly renewed her baptismal promises, affirming her Catholic faith.

Sloan stands in our yard before we drove to St. Mary Catholic Church for her First Eucharist/Confirmation mass.

With family friend Fidela Perry by Sloan’s side as her Confirmation sponsor, Bishop Daly anointed Sloan with sacred chrism oil, sealing her with the Holy Spirit. The sacrament instilled in Sloan the same grace and charge bestowed upon the apostles and other followers at Pentecost.

With Fidela by Sloan’s side, Bishop Thomas Daly confirms Sloan by sealing her with the Holy Spirit.

Not bad for a Monday night, right?

Sloan and some of her St. Mary (Spokane Valley) third grade classmates. The bond these kids have is truly special and it was a blessing that they were able to receive the sacraments together.

Sloan has now received all the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) plus the Sacrament of Reconciliation she received for the first time last year. These sacraments are truly gifts from God and I don’t know how to describe Sloan as anything else but sacramentally gifted 😉.

This is the banner Sloan made at the retreat held just a week prior to the First Eucharist/Confirmation mass. It was placed on the pew that our family sat in. I can’t thank Marie Bricher enough for all she does to prepare individuals to receive the sacraments.

But back to the two sacraments she received yesterday. On Monday morning, I crept into her bedroom for a few moments to gently wake her up (I was feeling nice 😂). As she started to slowly come to consciousness, I told her it was a big day and then I spoke from the heart as I started to become a little emotional. Stating what I wrote above, I told her I knew how much she was looking forward to tonight and how happy I was that she would finally receive Jesus. Luckily, she was still half asleep and couldn’t see my eyes watering up.

Sloan stands in the long line for her First Communion at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley). It was worth the wait.

For the Sacrament of Confirmation, Sloan chose Fidela as her confirmation sponsor because—make no mistake about it—9-year-old girls can recognize and appreciate authenticity from a mile away. Sloan is inspired by Fidela, a convert to Catholicism (just like her mommy), who is on fire for the faith and a tremendous positive influence. When Fidela introduced Sloan to Bishop Daly, she used Sloan’s Confirmation name, St. Lucy. A martyr who turned away from her family’s wealth, Sloan was attracted to St. Lucy’s devotion and bravery.

Sloan’s confirmation sponsor was Fidela Perry, a family friend who has always been an incredible influence on Sloan.

As Sloan continues to walk in her faith, I hope she maintains the same devotion to the Holy Eucharist that she so passionately and genuinely had on Monday night. I also pray that she shows bravery when it comes to practicing her now-confirmed faith, even when it might be difficult or unpopular to do. In those difficult times, Sloan has the Holy Spirit to draw strength from. As Bishop Daly told the children last night, the Holy Spirit is like a coach or teacher ready to help and direct. May my daughter never hesitate to invoke this sacred member of the trinity. 

Words can’t describe how special Sloan’s St. Mary (Spokane Valley) third grade class is and the strong bond they all share. It was a joy and a blessing to watch these children receive the sacraments alongside by daughter as well (Photo Credit: Paola Muela).

Thanks be to God for the sacramental gifts bestowed upon Sloan. Pray for me as her father to always put her in a position to maximize their graces. Sid and I send our heartfelt appreciation to Marie Bricher and her team for preparing Sloan (and us!!) for these blessed sacraments. Come Holy Spirit! Don’t Blink.

Laser Lemon Thursday Rundown

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Did you know there are FIVE Thursdays in April? Seriously, that’s not an April Fools’ Joke even though April 1 was on a Thursday this year. What I am trying to say is that this isn’t the last Thursday Rundown of the month…you will get a “bonus” one next week.

Sloan’s Surgery Anniversary – I want to start with one of the most important anniversaries in my family. Yesterday marked nine years since Sloan’s successful pyloric stenosis surgery. An extremely rare condition that occurs mostly in newborn boys, Sloan’s gender led to her misdiagnosis and a few really tough weeks where she threw up every time she ate. Dr. Robert Cina, the rockstar surgeon who saved Sloan’s life, is in our prayers on a nightly basis. You can learn more about Sloan’s battle by watching this video I made or by reading one of the several blog posts I have written about it. Thanks be to God!

During Sloan’s bout with Pyloric Stenosis and for over a year afterwards, we kept it between immediate family. Sidney and I are so thankful for the support of our parents. This photo shows our moms and dads with Sloan at MUSC on surgery day.

Family Faith Night: SCIENCE – Speaking of God, it was a coincidence that I wrote about the harmonious union of science and religion last week. Why? Because this past weekend my family attended the latest St. Mary Family Faith Night that happened to be exclusively about science, God, and the Church. Our kids had the opportunity to perform a lot of cool experiments and learn how God and science are complementary of each other. The major takeway was that science is not the Church’s enemy, it is actually one of her children. You wouldn’t believe how many of the prominent scientists who made some of the most groundbreaking discoveries were Catholics. If you only watch one thing on YouTube this entire week, please watch this five minute video—it will blow your mind!

It was another fabulous Family Faith Night at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley). The topic was how science and the Church are harmonious. Thanks to Marie Bricher for putting so much thought and work toward this event.

Have a Picnic! – Today is National Picnic Day but in my opinion I think it should be pushed back to May, June, or even later in the summer. If there is one thing that can ruin a picnic it is rain and we all know what April is synonymous with (April showers bring…). But I digress. I LOVE picnics. One of the best things about moving back west was the opportunity to have more of them. When we lived in South Carolina, the humidity and high concentration of bugs discouraged eating outside but the state of Washington provides perfect conditions for constant picnicking. Nearly six years ago I provided five tips on how to have a perfect picnic…hope you reference it as you start to plan your summer activities.

The Inland Northwest is perfect for picnics. This is Sloan and her cousins enjoying lunch at one of Spokane’s many parks in 2020.

Face Paint Season – But picnic season isn’t the only season right around the corner. With festivals and outdoor events about to enter high gear, keep your eye out (and your cheeks ready) for face painting opportunities! We entered into the fun this past weekend at the Spring on the Ave event organized by the Sprague Union District in east central Spokane. Although face painting does have many drawbacks for parents (as I wrote about a couple years ago), you can’t deny the happiness it brings to kids.

Beau and Sloan each got their faces painted at the Spring on the Ave event that took place within the Union District in east central Spokane.

Answer the Phone – It has been too long since I shared a meme from my friend Lindsi so let’s put an end to the dry streak. Back in the day, answering the phone was an anxiety-inducing affair and the Russian roulette comparison has merit. Even when Caller I.D. was introduced, my parents naturally refused to invest in it so whenever the landline rang at the Reser household it truly was a major gamble to answer it. With the precision that I screen incoming calls these days, I can’t believe I had the guts to blindly answer the phone back in 1999.

I stole this meme from my friend, Lindsi. How did we have the guts to pick up the phone back in the late 1990s?

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Hope those five topics were to your liking. Thanks for your readership and have a delightful weekend. Don’t Blink.

A Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer

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Look up! If you see a plane flying gracefully in the sky with possibly some doves trailing it, Sloan and Beau may very well be on it. At the start of this week, they punched their tickets for a Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer.

This summer, Sloan and Beau are taking off from the St. Mary Airport on the Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer.

It is that time of the year—Catholic Summer Camp! For the fourth time since we moved to Spokane, our family is involved with St. Mary Catholic Church’s spectacular twist on vacation bible school. However, this year our involvement doesn’t extend to just one camper. Beau is making his camp debut as he joins Sloan for what has already been a memorable camp.

Sloan and Beau have loved putting on their camp shirts the past few days as they hop on the radical ride of prayer.

But if you have followed my past posts on Catholic Summer Camp (here, here, and here), you already know that this week-long adventure can’t be anything but memorable. When you have the world’s best vacation bible school director, you really can’t expect anything less. Marie Bricher makes sure the campers receive the complete VBS experience with music, skits, snacks, and games. She also takes themes to complete extremes (in a good way) and she has outdone herself once again by transforming the St. Mary gym into the St. Mary International Airport.

The St. Mary gym in the Spokane Valley has been transformed into the St. Mary International Airport.

However, there is something more important than the fun activities and clever theme—yes, I am talking about the content. This summer, it is all about prayer. Throughout this week, Sloan and Beau are learning more about prayer and how to put it into action (as Fr. Jeff Lewis says, “Just pray, baby!”). Each day, they are “flying” on the wings of prayer to a different country to learn about a specific type of prayer and a saint native to the nation they are visiting.

Upon entering the St. Mary International Airport, you naturally have to go through the metal detector.

Whether it be Lectio Divina, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or just quiet contemplation in Eucharistic Adoration, these kids are learning a lot and growing spiritually. And this is absolutely crucial because let’s be honest: our society is anti-prayer. It has become popular to discredit and shun “thoughts and prayers” as worthless. People are so impatient and misinformed that they feel prayer is useless if if doesn’t end in an immediate miracle.

At the opening kickoff for Catholic Summer Camp on Sunday, a large contingent of saints “flew” into St. Mary International Airport to be part of the festivities. Camp volunteers stand on the gym steps with photos of these holy men and women.

Try telling that to the campers at St. Mary. I can tell you that they will be moving mountains in front of the blessed sacrament tomorrow.

Marie Bricher is making sure Sloan, Beau, and the rest of the campers know the power of prayer. Her love for a theme even extends to the pilot hat she is wearing.

But off my soap box and back to St. Mary International Airport. You seriously have to see inside the gym. Campers check in for their flight, walk through a metal detector, and find their airline. A large plane constructed by 8th grade teacher Kevin Schultz hangs from the ceiling. Aviation-themed photo backdrops are affixed to the walls. Sloan and Beau made their own carry-on bags and were issued passports. There is even a baggage claim where the kids can put their lunch boxes!

St. Mary School 8th grade teacher Kevin Schultz created the centerpiece airplane that hangs in the gym.

With the week more than halfway over, the radical ride will start making its initial descent soon. The final physical destination will be a Friday afternoon picnic lunch for all campers and families on the St. Mary blacktop. The ultimate destination? Well, Heaven of course. And if there is one thing that Marie Bricher and her volunteer staff has taught the 120+ campers this week, it is that prayer does provide some powerful fuel for that journey. Don’t Blink.

Sloan’s First Confession

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“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20:23)

It is a big day for Sloan. Tonight she will make her first confession.

Sloan has been preparing herself for the Sacrament of Reconciliation since the start of the year. At the beginning of January, she attended her first class with her peers to learn more about this incredible grace instituted by Jesus himself.

While engaged in these lessons, she learned how the sacrament reconciles her with God, fills her with peace, strengthens the Church, and showers her with healing. Sloan attended each session with reverence, curiosity, and—yes—some nerves.

Well, let me tell you, those nerves are even more pronounced this morning. Over the past few days, she has been honest about the anxiety she feels to confess for the first time. But you know what? That is a good sign because it shows contrition. And, let’s be honest, I still get nervous before confession myself, so how do you expect an 8-year-old to feel?

As a way to calm some nerves, St. Mary Religious Ed Director Marie Bricher allowed Sloan’s reconciliation prep class to walk inside the confessional at this past weekend’s retreat.

But the butterflies and nerves will all be worth it when she receives absolution tonight. The glorious joy of receiving God’s forgiveness for one’s sins outweighs any discomfort or anguish.

Thank you to Marie Bricher and her staff at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) for preparing Sloan and her friends to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Much gratitude to the same crew for helping us parents enhance our love and understanding for this sacred grace (we took classes too!).

Please pray for the St. Mary children who will be entering the confessional tonight. Don’t Blink.

Easter 2025

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This Easter 2025 post is dedicated to Pope Francis. What a witness he was during this past Lent. He suffered greatly but was rewarded with one final Easter. Eternal rest grant unto Pope Francis, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Easter was late this year so perhaps that made yesterday even a little sweeter. After a challenging but much-needed Lent, we used this past Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As always, Easter Sunday is a very special day for my family so I make it a point to document it. Here is a look at how the Resers celebrated Easter 2025…

Easter Sunday started at our house with Sloan and Beau in hot pursuit of possible Easter treats. They arose at 6:30 a.m. and navigated their way downstairs where they found what they were looking for. There might have even been a smaller Easter treat arrangement for yours truly from the Sid Bunny.

Beau and Sloan hold their Easter baskets.

The most significant part of our day came at 9 a.m. when we attended Easter Sunday mass at St. Mary Catholic Church. The sanctuary was packed as Fr. Jeff Lewis presided and proclaimed that the empty tomb was the most welcome and triumphant site that Christians could have hoped for. After attending all the rich masses and services of Holy Week, including last night’s powerful Easter Vigil, the Easter Sunday mass was so fulfilling and encompassing.

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo inside the vestibule of St. Mary Catholic Church in Spokane Valley prior to Easter Sunday mass.

After mass we headed to the reception in the church gym. We sat with our good friends, the Andrades, and savored Jesus’ victory over death. Everything about the beautiful reception—including an elaborate photo backdrop—screamed the handiwork of Marie Bricher.

Our family posed for a photo in front of the backdrop in the St. Mary gym after mass.

We then came home to enjoy the late morning/early afternoon of Easter. While the kids hung out downstairs with their Easter candy and new games, Sid and I retreated upstairs to watch “The Chosen.” With the significance of Easter, the season 4 episodes we watched just seemed to hit even harder than usual.

Walking through the St. Mary parking lot on Easter morning.

Next, we headed over to my parents’ house for our Easter celebration. My siblings and their families also joined us as we rejoiced in the resurrection of our Lord. We shared a delicious ham meal and had some pretty entertaining dinner table conversation.

Delicious food and great conversation at the Reser Easter dinner table.

With our bellies full, we tried to burn some of those calories by staging the annual Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt (watch video here). It was once again a competitive affair that saw a new participant this year—11-month-old cousin Olivia.

The Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt participants after all the eggs were found.

Any calories that were burned from the hunt were promptly added back on with dessert. We gathered in the living room and kitchen to eat a brownie whipped pie and lemon blueberry cake. Conversation and bonding continued to take place during dessert and well beyond it.

Conversations in my parents’ living room lasted long beyond the dessert was consumed.

At a little before 8 p.m., we started the 34-minute drive home. Once we arrived at the house, we started to prepare for the week ahead while still feeling extremely thankful for the greatest gift ever given.

Rejoice! He is risen.

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On the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski challenged us to look in the spiritual mirror. If we didn’t like what we saw, he questioned, could we improve that reflection by Easter? Much in the same way that you can take measures to improve your physical reflection, the same idea holds true for the spiritual reflection. Taking the Lenten season to pray, fast, and give alms results in spiritual reflection growth. Do I see any positive changes in my own spiritual reflection after Lent 2025? Sure, some. Is it enough? Hardly!  Thanks be to God that the Easter season lasts for 50 days and provides plenty more time to improve that reflection. Rejoice my friends, He is risen! Don’t Blink.

Easter 2024
Easter 2023
Easter 2022
Easter 2021
Easter 2020
Easter 2019
Easter 2018

Fantastic Thursday Rundown

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After getting back into the swing of things with the first Thursday Rundown of 2025 last week, I am stoked to begin a streak. Let’s get started with tonight’s five topics…

Baptism Birthday Bash – This past weekend, we attended the latest Family Faith Night at our parish. The theme this month was Baptism Birthday Bash as it coincided with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday. Marie Bricher, our director of religious education at St. Mary, once again did a phenomenal job of presenting the content. She covered the significance of baptism, the necessity of baptizing infants, and the importance of celebrating our own baptismal birthdays (I was baptized by Fr. Adrian Van der Hyden on Nov. 30, 1986, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Walla Walla). The kids played games, took photos in front of the “happy birthday” backdrop with their favorite priest, and decorated cupcakes.

My family had a really nice time at the latest St. Mary (Spokane Valley) Family Faith Night. It was a baptism theme.

Fargo – Over the weekend, Sidney and I decided to make a super random movie choice. We decided to give Peacock a chance and I pretty much blindly chose “Fargo.” I had heard of the movie before (mostly thanks to the song “Hey Leonardo”) but had no idea what it was about. Turns out the 1996 film is about a family man who hires a couple of outcasts to kidnap his wife so he can scheme ransom money out of his father-in-law. “Fargo” actually exceeded my expectations as I got a big kick out of the “Minnesota Nice” midwestern accents and solid performance from Frances McDormand. Also, as a marketer, I enjoyed how product placement was inserted into the movie. If you have nothing else to watch and you subscribe to Peacock, give “Fargo” a shot.

It took me long enough, but Sid and I watched “Fargo” this past weekend.

Decade Ago – On this date 10 years ago, Sidney and I went to the movie theater to watch “American Sniper.” To this day, I categorize it as one of the best acting jobs turned in by Bradley Cooper. The amount of preparation he devoted to playing the role of Chris Kyle was evident. But what I want to focus on is the price of a movie ticket. As you can see from the stub below, a single ticket in 2015 was $8.75. When Sidney and Sloan went to “Wicked” at the end of December, it was $15.99 for an adult ticket. Heck, when we went to “Moana” on Thanksgiving, the adult matinee price was $11.99. If movie ticket prices increase the same way they did the previous 10 years, we could be looking at movie tickets that are north of $30 in 2034.

My ticket from “American Sniper” back in 2015. It was a superb movie.

TBT – Thought I would share a throwback photo in tonight’s rundown. I chose this image because my dad always mentions that one of his favorite memories of me as a little boy was when I would throw on my favorite white hat and “mow the lawn.” What caught my eye about this photo was how old the cars in our garage look! Talk about dating myself. On the other side of the coin, check out the camcorder my dad is holding. For this photo to have been taken probably in the 1989-1991 range, I would have expected it to be some gigantic video camera resting on his shoulder.

The cars look old but my dad’s camcorder looks surprisingly modern.

Dry January – It seems like “Dry January” is a real thing this year. A couple nights ago, Sid remarked to me that she knows many people who are doing it. This morning, we threw out a bunch of beer in the garbage. However, I can’t claim it was because we jumped on the Dry January band wagon. Rather, it was because the beer expired long ago! When readers learn that it was Bud Light beer that was tossed, I am sure many of my IPA-loving friends will reach out and say that is where it belongs (expired or not!). Kudos and support to all those at the halfway point of Dry January.

We threw away Bud Light this morning simply because we didn’t drink it in time.

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Thank you for reading. Let’s continue to pray for those impacted by the California fires, especially those who have lost their homes and those who are first responders. May we never know the hell they are experiencing. Don’t Blink.

Angel Thursday Rundown

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If you read one of my blog posts from earlier this week, you know how much I love October! So far, just three days into the month, it is living up to its billing. Hopefully this latest Thursday Rundown will live up to its billing as well. Here we go…

Angels – Once a month, our parish hosts Family Faith Night. These events revolve around a single topic and include lessons, food, games, and fellowship. This past Saturday, our Director of Religious Education Marie Bricher presented “Angel Flight Academy,” an evening all about angels. It was so enlightening to learn about these spiritual beings and how they help and protect us every single day. Although the content was superb, Beau’s favorite part was decorating the homemade angel food cake that was cut into—you guessed it—angels.

Beau and Sloan having a great time at St. Mary’s angel-themed Family Faith Night.

Mr. McMahon – Even for someone who doesn’t typically binge shows like myself, it took me very little time to rip through the six episodes in the Netflix documentary series “Mr. McMahon.” The episodes resonated with me because throughout my childhood I was a big professional wrestling fan so it packed a lot of nostalgia. Besides learning about some of the truly despicable things done by Vince McMahon, I was also surprised by how obsessed he was with success and the lengths he would go to “win.” It was really interesting hearing insight from Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Dwayne Johnson, The Undertaker, and more. Also, all of the footage incorporated into the documentary will have you traveling down memory lane. If you are/were a pro wrestling fan or if business interests you, I recommend “Mr. McMahon.”

Vince McMahon is a complex and win-at-all-costs person.

Friday Night Lights – This past Friday I had the thrill of attending my first high school football game of the fall. And it wasn’t just any football game, it was the Battle of the Bell rivalry game between the two high schools in the Mead School District—Mead High School and Mt. Spokane High School. As an alumnus of both Mead High School and its football program, I naturally cheered for my Panthers. In front of 6,000+ people on a beautiful evening, Mead defeated Mt. Spokane, 27-7. The victory nudged Mead ahead in the overall head-to-head record as the Panthers now lead the Wildcats 14-13 in the rivalry.

It was a beautiful scene at Union Stadium as Mead High School defeated Mt. Spokane High School in the 2024 Battle of the Bell.

Social Circle – One thing I miss from earlier in my career was the chance to work on a campus television show. This month marks 10 years since we launched Coastal Now, the revamped campus show at Coastal Carolina University. When we debuted the fresh version a decade ago, it was a breath of fresh air as we used a digital-first blueprint that was popular in pop culture at the time. The launch of Coastal Now included a segment that was written and delivered by me. Called the Social Circle, I was able to highlight the cool stuff our social media program was doing. To see that first Social Circle segment, tap here.

Me on set of Coastal Now.

Reading Rainbow – It is always ideal when I can end with something fun and wholesome. My niece, Olivia, was born last May. Not even six months yet, she is already starting to follow in the footsteps of her niece when it comes to reading prowess. Last Sunday when everyone was over at my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, I had the pleasure of reading “Five Little Pumpkins” to her. She was engaged the entire time and my brother (Olivia’s dad) managed to take this special candid shot.

I read a book to Olivia while her Aunt Sidney holds her and cousin John looks on.

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Thanks for taking time to read Don’t Blink. Hope your enjoy your first October weekend. Don’t Blink.