Sunday — The Lord's Day
Traditional Latin Mass at North American Martyrs · St. James Cathedral · Fellowship before the drive home.
Sunday plans and times are not final and may change as we get closer to the retreat.
North American Martyrs Parish
Traditional Latin Mass (Low Mass) served by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
- Address
- 9924 232nd St SW, Edmonds, WA 98020
- Phone
- (206) 641-6504
- Our Mass
- 7:00 AM Low Mass
- Sunday schedule
- 7:00 · 8:30 · 10:00 · 11:30 · 1:00 (for reference)
- Pastor
- Fr. Joseph Heffernan, FSSP
- Order
- Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP)
Who are the North American Martyrs?
The North American Martyrs are eight Jesuit missionaries — six priests and two lay brothers — who were martyred between 1642 and 1649 while evangelizing indigenous peoples in present-day New York and Canada. They include St. Isaac Jogues, St. Jean de Brébeuf, and six companions.
Canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930, their feast day is October 19. They are the patron saints of North America — men who gave their lives to bring the Gospel to a new continent.
About this parish
North American Martyrs Parish in Edmonds is a personal parish of the Archdiocese of Seattle, served by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). The FSSP is a society of apostolic life founded in 1988, dedicated to the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.
NAM is one of the few parishes in the Pacific Northwest offering the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively. The community is known for its reverent liturgy, traditional devotions, and vibrant parish life — a living witness to the beauty of the Church's liturgical heritage.
About the Traditional Latin Mass
The Traditional Latin Mass (also called the Extraordinary Form) is the Roman Rite Mass as it was celebrated for centuries before the Second Vatican Council. It is prayed in Latin, with reverent silence and traditional chant.
Missals and booklets are available at the back of the church to help you follow along. Don't worry about keeping up word-for-word — let the ritual carry you.
What to expect
- Arrive by 6:40 AM so you can find seats and grab a booklet
- Ladies may wear a chapel veil — not required, but traditional
- Silence before and after Mass is normal here — no chit-chat in the nave
- Communion is received kneeling at the altar rail, on the tongue
- If this is your first Latin Mass, simply kneel when others kneel and let the prayers wash over you
Parts of the Traditional Latin Mass
A Low Mass follows this general structure — your booklet will help you follow along:
- Prayers at the Foot of the Altar — the priest and server pray the Confiteor and psalm verses as a preparation
- Liturgy of the Word — the Epistle and Gospel, read in Latin (English translations in your booklet)
- Offertory — the bread and wine are prepared and offered to God
- Canon of the Mass — the Consecration, prayed silently by the priest facing the altar (ad orientem). This is the heart of the Mass.
- Communion — received kneeling at the altar rail, on the tongue
- Last Gospel & Dismissal — the prologue of St. John's Gospel closes the Mass
A Low Mass typically lasts 45–60 minutes. Don't try to follow every word — let the prayers carry you. The silence, the incense, the ritual: it is all prayer.
Meeting the second Yakima group
A second group from Yakima is driving up Sunday morning to join us for the 7:00 AM Latin Mass. We'll meet them outside the church after Mass for fellowship and a group photo.
Second group lead driver: [PLACEHOLDER: contact info for second group's lead driver]
Breakfast
After Mass and fellowship, we head to breakfast together.
- Time
- ~8:45 AM
- Location
- [PLACEHOLDER: restaurant near Edmonds — Bright Minds to confirm]
St. James Cathedral
Mother church of the Archdiocese of Seattle — one of the most beautiful churches in the Pacific Northwest.
- Address
- 804 9th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
- Website
- stjames-cathedral.org →
- Our visit
- ~10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
What to do there
- Enter quietly — even if there is no Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle
- Light a candle before the Blessed Mother
- Visit the side chapels and pray before the relics
- Confession may be available — check the bulletin at the entrance
- Take a few minutes in silence with the Lord
History of St. James Cathedral
St. James Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Seattle. The current building was dedicated in 1907, designed in the Italian Renaissance style by the New York architects Heins & LaFarge — the same firm that designed the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
The twin towers and central dome are landmarks of Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. The interior was extensively renovated in 1994 under Archbishop Thomas Murphy, with new furnishings, lighting, and artwork that honor the building's original vision while serving the modern parish.
What to see inside
- The Blessed Sacrament Chapel — a quiet space for prayer before the tabernacle
- The baptismal font — a large bronze font near the entrance, evoking the waters of new life
- Side chapels — dedicated to various saints, with candles you can light
- Stained glass — the windows tell the story of salvation history
- The organ — one of the finest church organs in the Pacific Northwest
- Relics — ask at the entrance about any relics available for veneration
After St. James
- ~11:15 AM
- Depart St. James — [PLACEHOLDER: destination after cathedral — TBD by Bright Minds]
- ~12:00 PM
- Lunch — [PLACEHOLDER: location TBD — Bright Minds to confirm]
- Afternoon
- [PLACEHOLDER: afternoon fellowship — TBD by Bright Minds]
The drive home
- ~4:30 PM
- Depart Seattle for Yakima · I-5 S → I-90 E → I-82 E → US-12 E
- ~7:15 PM
- Arrive home · Deo gratias