EVERETT – Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishes will become one parish with a new name: Our Lady of Hope Parish. The merger is effective July 1, 2022.
“Together as one new community, Our Lady of Hope Parish will be on a stronger foundation to meet the pastoral needs of its people, to increase its outreach efforts, to joyfully share the Gospel of the Lord with robust evangelization efforts and to help bring Christ to the people of Everett,” Archbishop Paul D. Etienne said in a May 2 news release. “This is a significant step that gives me great hope for the future.”
The decision to merge the parishes — which are located a mile apart, share a pastor and school, and have consolidated some operations in recent years — is the result of a multiyear consultative planning process led by leaders of the two parishes and the archdiocese’s Strategic Planning Committee. The process involved reports about the vibrancy of each parish and multiple listening sessions with parishioners and school families for feedback and ideas.
“I am excited that we have an incredible opportunity to re-envision our parish,” said Father Joseph Altenhofen, pastor of Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, who will remain pastor of the merged parish.
“Together we have the opportunity to form something new — something inspired by the Holy Spirit,” Father Altenhofen said. “We are on an important journey to build a stronger, united community of faith.”
According to decrees signed April 29 by Archbishop Etienne:
- Since 2015, membership has decreased 47% at Immaculate Conception (established in 1904) and 29% at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (established in 1891). Only one parish is now needed in north Everett to serve the current and forecasted Catholic community and school.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help is in “a challenging financial position,” with only seven weeks of cash reserves and an estimated $700,000 in deferred building maintenance needed over the next five years.
- Consolidating the two parishes “would create a stronger community of the faithful for worship, ministry and outreach.”
Our Lady of Hope Parish will operate on the current Immaculate Conception campus. Most Masses will be celebrated at the current Immaculate Conception Church, but the Saturday vigil will be celebrated in the current Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, which will become a chapel.
Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Perpetual Help School will change its name to Our Lady of Hope and will continue operating in its current building on Hoyt Avenue.
In an April 29 letter to parishioners, Archbishop Etienne thanked all of those involved in the process “who have joined together to envision a better future for the parish, the school and the community. It is through their dedication, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the love of our Lord, that we can build a vibrant and engaged Catholic community in Everett,” the archbishop said.
The merger of the Everett parishes is part of strategic planning efforts to help ensure the archdiocese has vibrant parish communities that are effectively achieving the Church’s mission. Strategic planning efforts are under way at some parishes in Tacoma and Seattle.
Read the new release in English and Spanish.
Read Archbishop Etienne’s decrees and April 29 letter to parishioners.