St. Philip Neri Catholic Church - Portland, Oregon

05/19/2026

05/17/2026

The family ask that you RSVP for Barbara Harrison memorial service that will be held on Tuesday, May 19 @ 11AM @ St. Philip Neri Catholic.

We regret to inform you that parishioner Barbara Harrison passed away very recently. Her memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 19 @ 11AM @ St. Philip Neri Catholic Church. The family asks that you RSVP HERE > . There will be a reception following the service.

05/13/2026

“He is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17:27)

St. Paul had arrived in Athens, the cultural heart of the Greek world. His preaching in the synagogue and even “in the public square” had attracted the attention of some of the city’s leading philosophers, who invited him to address them (17:18-19). Finding an entry point in the existence of a shrine in the city dedicated “to an Unknown God,” Paul proclaimed that this “unknown” god has revealed himself through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (17:23). He assured them that if they turned away from all their false idols and toward this God, they would find him because “he is not far from any one of us” (17:27).

Have you ever felt like the Athenians, groping in the dark and seeking a distant, unknown, and unknowable God?

Maybe you knew, from the magnificence of creation, that God exists, but the huge scale of creation made him seem impressive yet hard to relate to. Or maybe you just felt that he wouldn’t bother to show himself to you because of your past sins. Or maybe this describes a friend or loved one. Whatever the case, we can all rely on Paul’s amazing proclamation that this God is not far from any one of us!

Dwell on this for a moment. The Creator of all space and time is not far from you.

Or as St. Augustine wrote, God is interior intimo meo—he is more inward than your innermost self. What’s more, the God who is present in you looks on you with love, mercy, and goodwill. His presence within you is not for condemnation, even though he knows the complete truth about you. Even when he sees your sins and weaknesses, he sees a child whom he loves and longs to heal and restore.

In the quiet of prayer today, know that your Father is with you. Believe that he loves you personally and with a joy-filled, sin-forgiving, transforming love. It’s this love that moved God to become man in Jesus Christ, that propelled Paul and all the apostles to preach to the nations, and that is now available to you today.

It’s true; the One who created the galaxies knows you individually. He is filled with love for you. He wants nothing but good for you. So seek him today; he is not far from you!

(Today’s devotional is courtesy of The Word Among Us, May 2026, and comes from the Book of Acts 17:15, 22–18:1)

Image courtesy of https://stockcake.com/i/sunlit-forest-beauty_999119_1055866

05/11/2026

Longtime parishioner and employee as Faith Formation Director, for may years Barbara Harrison has past away. Her funeral will be here at St Philip Neri on Tuesday, May 19th at 11:00 a.m. and reception to follow in Carvlin Hall.

05/08/2026

“Many cry to the Lord that they may win riches, that they may avoid losses; they cry that their family may be established, they ask for temporal happiness, for worldly dignities; and, lastly, they cry for bodily health, which is the patrimony of the poor. For these and suchlike things many cry to the Lord; hardly one cries for the Lord Himself!
How easy it is for a man to desire all manner of things from the Lord and yet not desire the Lord Himself! As though the gift could be sweeter than the Giver!”

—Thomas Aquinas, On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

05/04/2026

“We will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14:23)

The Gospels tell us that Jesus spent a lot of time in other people’s houses. What kind of guest do you imagine he was? It’s easy to picture him sharing wisdom with his hosts around the dinner table. But we might also picture him offering advice on upcoming DIY projects, joining in songs and prayers, and maybe even telling a few good jokes! It must surely have been a privilege to be able to host him!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus promises something even more awesome than a promise to visit for a few hours. Visitors eventually leave, but Jesus offers his constant presence. And not just him: both he and his Father will come and live with anyone who loves him. They will choose to make a home in you.

Do you believe that Jesus wants to be close to you? Not just when you are praying or when you’re at Mass, but all the time?

When he speaks about making a dwelling in your heart, Jesus means that he can be with you in every situation. What a great reminder to speak to him throughout your day: he’s already there!

So Jesus is more than a guest. He’s a resident. And unlike a guest, someone who lives in a home will naturally feel some responsibility for its upkeep. They might even have some good suggestions for how to improve it. That means that, with your cooperation, Jesus can renovate your heart.

The indwelling of the Lord is not passive. He is an attentive occupant who knows the very structure of your heart—your priorities, attachments, and thoughts.

He cares deeply about you.

He delights in the parts that are working well, and he calls for improvements to the parts that don’t: the moments when your mouth has run like a leaky tap or your self-control has crumbled like old plaster.

At times these internal repairs may feel like too much. But don’t be overwhelmed; you are not working alone! Jesus is eager to work with you. He’s just waiting for you to invite him to help. So identify one “internal DIY project” you’d like to work on today, and ask him to roll up his sleeves and join you.

Let’s pray together: “Lord, I welcome you into my heart. Shape it and make it your home.”

(Today’s devotional is courtesy of The Word Among Us, May 2026, and comes from the Gospel of John 14:21-26)

05/03/2026

“The things you say to other people contribute to the story they listen to over and over again in their minds. Your words may contribute positively or negatively to that narrative.”
The Forgotten Way by Matthew Kelly

(Get your copy of this fantastic little book in the foyer!)

04/28/2026

“Those who had been scattered by the persecution . . . went. . . , preaching the word.”(Acts 11:19)

There is an adage that says, “God writes straight with crooked lines.” It means that God has a way of accomplishing his plans through—and perhaps despite—the twists and turns of human history. Surely, when a severe persecution arose after the death of Stephen, the first martyr, it looked like a premature and swift end to the Church. How could this band of believers survive such violent opposition?

But the passion and rage of men and women cannot defeat God. As Paul told the Corinthians, had the rulers of Jesus’ day understood God’s wisdom, they would never have crucified Jesus—but they did, and God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead (1 Corinthians 2:8). Similarly, though the persecution in Jerusalem was meant to put an end to these upstart followers of Christ, it actually spread the proclamation of the gospel so that “a large number of people was added to the Lord” (Acts 11:24).

The same is true in your life.

Twists, turns, and crooked lines are sure to occur. They weren’t in your plans, and some of them may seem to have set you back impossibly. Yet none of them can thwart God’s plan for you. No matter what developments arise in your life, he is infinitely creative and always able to bring about his deepest desires for you. He wants you to serve him now and to live with him forever, and he will do everything to help you get there.

But what can you do when all that you can see is the bend in the road?

Start by reminding yourself as you face that curve: God always has a plan in mind. Hold fast to what you know, despite what you can’t see. Those early believers, though hounded out of Jerusalem, continued to proclaim the good news. In the same way, you can continue to love and serve the Lord, wherever you are, whatever has happened. Cling to the truths you know, even as you wait for God to show you the next steps he has planned for you. As you pray, listen for the Lord’s gentle encouragement. He will help you negotiate all of life’s curves.

Let’s pray together:
“Lord, I can’t see where you’re leading me, but I trust that you will work out your good plan for my life.”

04/28/2026

“The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.”
(John 10:3-4)
As a Christian, I believe that in following Jesus, his values, his example, I will find life - life to the full.
But the example of Jesus, the values of Jesus are not easy to live. I am a sinful person. I make mistake mistakes. Sometimes my instincts are wrong.

I need a shepherd. I need to be shepherded.

I need the support, the correction, the challenge, the reminders of others in the Christian community, the teachings of the Church, spiritual leaders, prayer, the scriptures…

I can’t do it alone.
I don’t have to do it alone.

Now, let’s spend some quiet time with the Lord.

04/20/2026

Oregon does gothic grandeur right. No passport needed, just a sense of awe and a quiet voice inside these walls.