Archbishop Sample

Let us join our prayers today with the Holy Father and the Patriarchs of the Holy Land for peace in the Middle East. We pray especially for the innocent who suffer because of war, and we remember in a particular way our brothers and sisters in Christ who have endured in these lands since apostolic times. May the Lord Jesus grant them strength, protection, and the gift of peace.

I urge my fellow Christians to approach these matters not through the lens of personal ideology or political preference, but according to the moral principles handed on by Holy Mother Church and her magisterium. All Christians must reject unjust discrimination on the basis of religion or ethnicity. But that principle must not be misused to silence legitimate criticism of governments.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I invite you to join me for Holy Week at St. Mary’s Cathedral in northwest Portland. I extend a special invitation to those who will be received into full communion with the Church at the Easter Vigil to be present for these sacred liturgies, as we commemorate the Passion, Death, and glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Catholics are called to reject antisemitism and the lies and conspiracies that fuel it, and to stand clearly against hatred and violence directed toward our Jewish brothers and sisters. To defend religious freedom with integrity, we must also reject antisemitism. @ArchbishpSample @archdpdx Watch the full video at: ow.ly/sYF550Yw6cA

Let us join our prayers today with the Holy Father and the Patriarchs of the Holy Land for peace in the Middle East. We pray especially for the innocent who suffer because of war, and we remember in a particular way our brothers and sisters in Christ who have endured in these lands since apostolic times. May the Lord Jesus grant them strength, protection, and the gift of peace.

Archbishop Sample celebrated Mass last Friday at Jesuit High School in Portland with more than 800 students, family members, and faculty. In his homily on the day’s Gospel (Mark 12:28–34), where Jesus teaches that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself, the Archbishop reminded students that these two commands always go together. He noted that regardless of their backgrounds, the students share a great privilege in receiving a high quality education, and with that privilege comes a responsibility to serve others. Reflecting on Pope Leo’s document Dilexit Te, he emphasized Christ’s call to love the poor and those who suffer. The Archbishop encouraged students to reach out in love to those around them: among their peers, within their families, and in their communities. Charity, he reminded them, is not only about material giving but also about offering genuine care, attention, and compassion. He concluded by exhorting students to live not only according to their own ambitions and goals, but to keep their hearts attentive to those who are suffering around them

All Roman Catholics: mark your calendars for June 7, 2026 - the Feast of Corpus Christi. Let’s organize even larger Eucharistic processions in our cities and parishes this year.

The funeral of Father Pierre El-Rahi, Maronite parish priest of a Christian village, is celebrated today in #Lebanon, as these villages once again experience the tragedy of war. I am close to all the Lebanese people in this time of grave trial. Fr. Pierre was a true shepherd. As soon as he heard that parishioners had been wounded in a bombing, he rushed to help without hesitation. May the Lord grant that the blood he shed become a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon. #PrayTogether

Let us continue to pray for peace in #Iran and throughout the #Middle East, especially for the many civilian victims, including many innocent children. May our prayer offer comfort to those who suffer and a seed of hope for the future. #PrayTogether

Last year, Oregon’s governor proclaimed March 10 “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day.” Many remain deeply troubled by what this declaration represents. Rather than celebrating those who carry out infanticide, our society should be defending innocent human life and offering greater care, compassion, and support to women facing vulnerable or difficult circumstances. Mothers who choose to keep their children despite hardship should be honored and celebrated, not those who profit from fear and vulnerability. Abortion ends the life of a child in the womb. Pope Francis once compared those who perform abortion to a “hitman,” underscoring the grave moral reality of the act. No government proclamation can make the killing of a child worthy of praise. As St. John Paul II warned, recognizing a supposed right to abortion in law attributes to human freedom “a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others.” True freedom is not the power to destroy life, but the courage to protect it.

Would you imagine what a world without wars would be like? #PrayTogether

During the Cathedral’s Centennial Jubilee Year, St. Mary’s Cathedral is offering guided tours every Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. This is a wonderful opportunity to discover the beauty and treasures of this historic church. The tour explores the Cathedral’s art, history, architecture, and religious symbolism, as well as the important role this sacred place has played in the life of the Church and the city of Portland. Tours are led by a member of our knowledgeable staff. They are free of charge and open to everyone—parishioners and non-parishioners, believers and non-believers, neighbors, friends, visitors, and the simply curious. All are welcome. Register today: archdpdx.org/news/cathedral…

I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.

By mandate of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted a plenary indulgence for the Centennial Jubilee Year at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Portland, Oregon (February 14, 2026–February 13, 2027). The faithful who participate in the jubilee celebrations or who make a pilgrimage under the jubilee conditions may receive this special grace. The Holy Father has also granted to the Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample the faculty to impart the Papal Blessing, with the attached plenary indulgence, on a date of his choosing following the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. For the benefit of the faithful, this blessing will be imparted on Sunday, June 7, 2026, after the 2:00 PM Solemn Mass and before the consecration of the entire Archdiocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Eucharistic Procession. Read more and share: archdpdx.org/news/vatican-s…

This Sunday, I had the joy of celebrating Holy Mass at our cathedral and, a few hours later, presiding at the Rite of Election at Our Lady of La Vang in Happy Valley, a former Protestant megachurch now serving the Vietnamese Catholic community and hosting more than 8,000 at their Sunday Masses. Because our cathedral could not accommodate the more than 2,000 attendees, they graciously hosted us as we welcomed 615 of the 1,600 adults preparing for full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter. As a local Church, I ask all the faithful to keep these men and women in your prayers in a special way this Lent as they continue their journey of faith.

I offer my blessing and prayers to the more than 1,600 catechumens and candidates across our Archdiocese who are preparing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. As you continue your preparation to receive the sacraments, know that you are supported by your pastors and by the entire Catholic community of western Oregon. I ask all the faithful to deepen their prayer this Lenten season and to remember these men and women in a special way as they draw closer to new life in Christ.

This past Saturday, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the dedication of St. Mary’s Cathedral. In his homily, Archbishop Sample reflected on the importance of this sacred place as the spiritual home of all Catholics in western Oregon, and reminded us that while the Cathedral is a magnificent building, it is ultimately the faithful who are the Church - living stones who form the Mystical Body of Christ. He expressed the hope that 100 years from now, a future archbishop will look back with gratitude on the Catholics of today, who witnessed to the Gospel here and helped lay the foundation for generations to come, drawing souls ever more deeply to Christ.