What is Partners in the Gospel?
Partners in Gospel is the next stage of the strategic pastoral planning effort taking place across the Archdiocese of Seattle to reinvigorate and renew our local Catholic Church. The Holy Rosary and St. Thomas More Parish Family is led by pastor Fr. Matthew O’Leary. Together, over the next few years, our parish family will work to form one new canonical parish, while creatively re-envisioning how we will serve our community.
Continue scrolling for all the parish news and links to archdiocesan communications from Archbishop Paul D. Etienne.
Latest News:
AN UPDATE ON PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL FOR PARISH FAMILY 11 - July 2026
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
On July 1, 2024, Holy Rosary Parish in Edmonds and St. Thomas More Parish in Lynnwood came together as Parish Family 11 through the Archdiocese of Seattle's Partners in the Gospel strategic planning effort. As part of this process, a Parish Family Advisory Council (PFAC) was formed from members of each parish's pastoral council, along with a Parish Leadership Team (PLT) to assist the pastor in developing our One Parish Plan. This plan will guide the transition of our two parishes into one canonical parish by July 1, 2027.
Over the past two years, we have focused on getting to know one another and listening to our parish communities. Through surveys, staff meetings, listening sessions at both campuses, and online opportunities, parishioners shared their experiences, hopes, concerns, and ideas for the future. We explored the unique strengths of each community and identified opportunities for growth as we move forward together. Summaries of this feedback are available on the Partners in the Gospel page of our parish websites.
At the same time, we've already begun laying the foundation for becoming one parish. Several staff members now serve both campuses, our ministries are combined or planned collaboratively, our parish websites share the same platform, and we publish a combined bulletin. These are important first steps in living as one parish family while continuing to celebrate the unique character of each campus.
Throughout 2026, our focus has been on discerning “Who Is God Calling Us To Become?” Guided by prayer and the feedback we have received, the PFAC and PLT have developed a shared vision for our future and drafted a series of initiatives that will help bring that vision to life.
WHERE WE ARE
Below you'll find our proposed vision statement and the draft initiatives that will guide our One Parish Plan. We invite you to take time to read through them and prayerfully consider how we, as one parish family worshipping, growing in faith, and serving across two campuses, can bring this vision to life through new ministries, programs, and opportunities.
Between now and October, we will continue gathering feedback from parishioners while developing detailed action plans for each initiative. These plans will include goals, staffing needs, budget considerations, timelines, and measures of success. As the work progresses, we will continue sharing updates and draft materials so that everyone can follow along and participate in shaping our future together.
WHERE WE ARE GOING
Late this fall, we'll enter the final phase of the One Parish Plan: “What Should We Be Called?” discerning the name of our new canonical parish.
After the initiatives are finalized in November, we will begin inviting parishioners to suggest possible names for our new parish. Then, at our Advent Retreat on Thursday, December 3, we will spend time reflecting on the lives of our current patrons as well as the saints and titles represented in the proposed names. Together, through prayer, conversation, and discernment, we will seek a name that reflects who God is calling us to become as one parish community.
It is important to remember that while our new canonical parish will receive a new name, both campuses will retain their longstanding identities. The Edmonds campus will continue to be known as Holy Rosary Campus, and the Lynnwood campus will remain St. Thomas More Campus. Likewise, both schools will continue to bear their current names.
Vision Statement for Parish Family 11(Finalized June 2026)
We are a Catholic community inviting all people to encounter Jesus Christ,
be transformed by the Gospel and become lifelong disciples.
Initiatives – Draft 3 (July 14, 2026)
Initiative 1: Develop and integrate communication systems and leverage technology to deliver timely, consistent, and accessible information that helps parishioners stay informed, connected, and involved in the mission of the parish.
Initiative 2: Create a welcoming Family of God by ensuring every person encounters Christ's love through accessible facilities, intentional hospitality, meaningful connections, rooted in a supportive Sunday experience—from the parking lot to the pew.
Initiative 3: Strengthen and expand our outreach and pastoral care by building coordinated ministries that intentionally accompanies people in need, reaches those on the margins, and extends Christ's love and presence throughout the wider community.
Initiative 4: Form an overarching parish culture of intentional discipleship and stewardship where every parishioner understands their call to follow Christ, grow in faith, and generously share their gifts in service to God's mission.
Initiative 5: Develop and implement a youth ministry that leads young people to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, equips them to share their faith with their peers, and accompanies them along the path of discipleship from childhood into young adulthood, forming courageous witnesses for Christ and his Church.
Initiative 6: Build a thriving regional young adult ministry that fosters belonging, deepens faith, develops authentic community, and accompanies young adults as they discern their unique vocation, respond generously, and become missionary disciples as leaders in the Church and the world.
Initiative 7: Strengthen marriages and families by accompanying them through the joys and challenges of life, providing formation, support, community, and resources that foster spiritual growth and deeper engagement in the sacramental life of the Church.
Initiative 8: Develop a comprehensive formation ministry that fosters lifelong discipleship by accompanying adults in their spiritual, human, intellectual, and pastoral growth, providing deeper encounters with Christ through small groups, faith formation, retreats, mentoring, leadership development and service.
Initiative 9: Develop a sustainable pastoral ministry model by discerning the evolving needs of the parish community and adapting as necessary the liturgical and sacramental schedules and ministry practices in a way that supports the health, well-being and effectiveness of our clergy and pastoral staff as they serve God’s people.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! You can provide feedback, input and suggestions through our website, by emailing paa@hre-stmo.org, by calling the parish office, or in person after Mass on the weekend of August 1st and 2nd (members of the PFAC and PLT will be in the narthex).
Parish Family 11 Demographic Synopsis - Compiled in December 2025.
Review the details here. Contact Marti Lundberg or Angela Antonson
with questions.
Parish Family Listening Session #2
Who is God Calling Us to Become?
If you missed the opportunity to attend one of our Listening Sessions in person,
you can still provide your input through this online form.
Please submit your thoughts and ideas by June 8th at 9am.
Feedback Link has been closed.
Complete Synthesis of January 2026
Listening Session
Complete Summary
Results of our ‘What Are Our Gifts?” survey from Fall, 2025
General Information:
