Name of Church St. Monica
Address 4301 88th Avenue SE, Mercer Island, Washington 98040
Phone number (206) 232-2900
Website www.stmonica.cc
Mass Schedule Saturday vigil, 5 p.m. Sundays, 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., noon. Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m.; Fridays during the school year, 9 a.m. There is also a 2 p.m. Sunday Mass in the Ge’ez rite (African).
Confessions Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m. Also, first Fridays, after 7 p.m. devotions.
Names of priests Father Patrick Freitag, pastor. Father Negusse Keleta, parochial vicar. In a region of the country known for its liberalism, the St. Monica’s priests have remained reliably orthodox through the years.
Special activities and groups Friends of the Needy & Monica’s Table (feeds the needy), Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Legion of Mary, Respect Life, Scripture study, Rosary Makers, SacraMentors men’s group, Treasure Hunters spirituality group, Catholic Youth Organization sports, coffee & donuts after the morning Masses, youth programs, a variety of catechetical programs.
Music No music for the vigil & 8 a.m. Masses, traditional choir at the 9:30 a.m., and guitar and piano at the noon Mass.
Fellow parishioners Mercer Island is an English-speaking, wealthy community (for example, former Microsoft head, Bill Gates, lives there). The parish also draws conservative Catholics from the surrounding communities.
School Yes, K-8.
Parking Ample.
Cry room No. But parents with noisy children can sit in vestibule, which is separated from the main body of the church by glass.
Acoustics Fine.
Additional observations St. Monica’s is located in the Archdiocese of Seattle, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Seattle. It is Mercer Island’s only Catholic church, surrounded by beautiful trees and expensive homes. The church is more traditional in style; there are some small shrines on the grounds as well. There is a perpetual adoration chapel to the right of the front entrance; ask the parish office for the code to get in.
