In the parish hall of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Northwest Portland, nearly 140 people gather by candle light for dinner each week during Lent.
The group is not your typical Bible study. It's not the week's readings or the latest papal encyclical being discussed. The discussion is foundational. Who is Jesus? Why does my relationship with him matter? These are just a couple of the questions asked during the 10-week course, called Quest.
Quest is designed to draw people from all backgrounds. And it does. The gently lit room on the evening of February 3 was packed with people. Tables dressed with linens and candles spread across the entire floor.
Not all of the attendees are parishioners of St. Patrick's. Not all of them are Catholic. But they were all there for an evening of dinner, song, discussion, and prayer.
Quest was born as a place for seekers to learn about Catholic beliefs, to encounter God, and to sit with others who may be on a similar journey.
"We want to provide an entry door for people to go back to church," said Father Lucas Laborde, St. Patrick's pastor.
Bob Lowry, a parishioner here, has been involved with Quest since its inception at the parish over four years ago. Today, Lowry is the rector for Quest. He fills the roles of Master of Ceremonies and pastoral assistant for the program.
Lowry says Quest allows Catholics to reconnect or to connect more deeply with the Church.
"There's a hunger that brings people here," he said.
The program has grown substantially since it originated. Lowry noted that more people would come to Quest if there was room. The crowd is limited to the parish hall's maximum capacity of 140 people.
"The success is to some extent measured in numbers, but it's really not a numbers game. It's a question of 'Is it feeding people? Is it reaching people?' And it is," he said.
Quest's success stems from its combination of the different elements of faith, says Father Laborde.
These elements include reason, a non-threatening, social environment, an appealing and beautiful setting, and prayer.
"We are trying to present the faith with conviction and power but also with a professional quality that makes it successful," says Father Laborde.
Aixa Perez was originally pushed to go to Quest.
"I didn't really want to go, but I went," she said. "It was an amazing experience. That person knew exactly what I needed: an encounter with God."
This year, Perez sits as a discussion leader at a table of new Quest attendees.
Perez said that Quest has been an opportunity for her to find a sense of community and meet new friends who are also seeking God.
Its importance to her, however, lies in its outreach to those who are searching for answers.
"Why am I here? I think that's a question that we all have," said Perez. "Quest doesn't tell you the answer, but it gives you the tools to figure it out."
When asked why she keeps attending Quest, Perez responded, "I get to experience God's love again and again every time I come."
How has this program helped the parish of St. Patrick's? As people seek to find similar Sunday communities that they have found in Quest, the parish has grown. But that is not its intent, says Father Laborde.
"Our goal is not to grow our parish. Our goal is to evangelize and to be an evangelizing parish," he said.
That evangelizing spirit has reached hundreds of people.
I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...