About St. Edward · Seattle, Washington
St. Edward Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood (South Seattle), founded in 1906 and part of the Archdiocese of Seattle. The parish serves roughly 650 households and is known as one of Seattle's most ethnically diverse Catholic parishes, with strong communities of Filipino, Vietnamese, Tongan, and Hispanic/Latino Catholics alongside English-speaking parishioners. Since 2024, St. Edward has been grouped into Parish Family 22 of the Archdiocese's Partners in the Gospel initiative alongside St. George, St. Paul, and St. Peter parishes under one pastor. The parish grounds include the main church on S Orcas Street and the smaller San Damiano Chapel, where most weekday Masses and perpetual-style adoration are celebrated.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- St. Edward (the Confessor, King of England)
- Rector
- Rev. Armando S. Perez
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seattle), South Seattle Deanery
Why belong here
St. Edward is a multi-cultural South Seattle parish where parishioners can worship in English or Spanish and pray alongside active Filipino (Fil-Am), Vietnamese, Tongan, and Hispanic communities, each with their own choirs and devotions. The parish offers the full sacramental life — daily Mass in the San Damiano Chapel, a weekly Spanish Mass, Wednesday adoration and Benediction, Saturday confessions, and faith formation for children, youth, and adults (including RCIA / OCIA). St. Edward families support Seattle Nativity School, a Jesuit middle school on or near the campus, and the parish participates in the Archdiocese's Partners in the Gospel parish family with St. George, St. Paul, and St. Peter — making it a welcoming place both for long-time South Seattle Catholics and newer arrivals looking for an active, diverse community.
Mass times at St. Edward
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:15 pm (and by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Benediction and Mass) in San Damiano Chapel
About St. Edward Parish
St. Edward Catholic Parish is a South Seattle Roman Catholic community in the Columbia City neighborhood, founded in 1906 and part of the Archdiocese of Seattle. The parish serves approximately 650 households and is one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in the Archdiocese, with active English, Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese, Tongan, and other cultural communities worshipping side by side. The parish campus includes the main church on South Orcas Street and the smaller San Damiano Chapel used for most weekday liturgies and adoration.
- Founded 1906
- Approximately 650 households
- Columbia City / South Seattle (ZIP 98118)
- Part of the Archdiocese of Seattle, South Seattle Deanery
- Church: 4205 S Orcas Street, Seattle, WA 98118
- Parish office: 4212 S Mead St, Seattle, WA 98118-2702
History
Established in 1906 as South Seattle grew from agricultural land into a residential neighborhood, St. Edward originally drew Irish and other immigrant Catholic families. Membership surged during the 1940s South Seattle population boom, and from the 1970s and 1980s Asian, Pacific Islander, African American, and Hispanic Catholics joined in growing numbers. The parish's bilingual and multicultural identity became so well established that by the late 1990s roughly 44% of members were Asian, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic, with multiple language communities maintaining their own choirs and devotions.
- 1906 — Parish founded
- 1940s — Rapid membership growth with South Seattle's population boom
- 1970s–1980s — Increasing Asian, African American, and other minority Catholic membership
- 1990s — Profiled by The Seattle Times as one of Seattle's most ethnically diverse Catholic parishes
- 2024 — Placed in Parish Family 22 under Archbishop Etienne's Partners in the Gospel initiative
Parish Family 22 (Partners in the Gospel)
In 2024 Archbishop Paul D. Etienne promulgated the final parish families for the Archdiocese of Seattle under the Partners in the Gospel strategic pastoral planning process. St. Edward was grouped into Parish Family 22 alongside St. George (Seattle, 98108), St. Paul (Seattle, 98178), and St. Peter (Seattle, 98144). The four parishes share one pastor — Rev. Armando S. Perez — with Fr. K. Scott Connolly serving as parochial vicar. Over roughly three years, the parish family is expected to grow into one canonical parish sharing staff, ministries, and outreach.
- St. Edward (98118) — anchor parish
- St. George (98108)
- St. Paul (98178)
- St. Peter (98144)
- Pastor: Rev. Armando S. Perez
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. K. Scott Connolly
Clergy & Staff
Parish leadership is shared across the parish family. In addition to clergy, St. Edward's staff includes a Director of Operations, Director of Pastoral Ministry, Parish Family Office Manager, Pastoral Assistants for Stewardship and Faith Formation, a Parish Family Office Coordinator, and a Facilities Manager. The parish also references a St. George School Principal among parish family staff.
- Rev. Armando S. Perez — Pastor
- Rev. K. Scott Connolly — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Asipeli Tuifua
- Anne Stanton — Director Of Operations
- Rita Alcatara — Director of Pastoral Ministry
- Rodney Cunningham — Parish Family Office Manager
- Elisa Cooper — Pastoral Assistant for Stewardship
- Ana Juguilon — Pastoral Assistant for Faith Formation
- Monica Wingard — Parish Family Office Coordinator
- Jennifer Ibach — Facilities Manager
- Marc Pollard — St. George School Principal
San Damiano Chapel
The San Damiano Chapel, named for the chapel where St. Francis of Assisi received his call to rebuild the Church, sits on the parish grounds and is the home of St. Edward's weekday liturgical life. Most weekday Masses, the Monday Word & Communion service, Wednesday Adoration, and the Healing Mass are all celebrated in this intimate chapel space, distinct from the main worship space on S Orcas Street.
- Site of all weekday Masses
- Site of Monday Word & Communion Service
- Site of Wednesday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (2:00–6:00 pm) and Benediction
- Site of First Friday Healing Mass
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Edward runs a parish Religious Education program for children who are not in the parish school, with registration open to students age 7 and older who have not yet been baptized. The program tracks the school-year calendar and prepares children for the sacraments. The parish also runs OCIA / RCIA for adults and children seeking Christian initiation, and a Middle School Youth Group.
- Religious Education (K-6 faith formation) — 2024–2025 classes in session; open registration for children 7+
- OCIA / RCIA — adult and child Christian Initiation
- Middle School Youth Group — weekly Wednesday evening meetings
Baptism
St. Edward offers Baptism Preparation classes in both English and Spanish, generally held every second Saturday of the month (the English class fee is $50). Families must be registered and active in the parish and attend the preparation class with both godparents before scheduling the Baptism. Children 7 and older first participate in Religious Education classes before being baptized.
- English Baptism Preparation Class — 9:30 am – 11:30 am in the Parish Hall
- Spanish Baptism Preparation Class — 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- $50 class fee; registration at the parish office
- Children 7+ attend Religious Education first
Cultural Communities & Ministries
St. Edward's identity is shaped by several active cultural and devotional communities that worship together as one parish. The Filipino-American community hosts the annual Bayanihan dinner-dance fundraiser; the Hispanic community celebrates the Misa en Español at 1:00 pm on Sundays and runs the Grupo de Oración prayer group; the Tongan community gathers for Mass and First Communion celebrations; and the Vietnamese community participates in devotional life and choirs. Devotional and prayer groups include the Legion of Mary (which prays the Catena at Mass and meets weekly) and a Spanish-language prayer group.
- Filipino-American (Fil-Am) — Bayanihan fundraiser, dinner dance, choir
- Hispanic / Spanish-speaking — Misa en Español, Spanish choir, Grupo de Oración, Hispanic Communion celebrations
- Tongan community — Tongan Mass and First Communion celebrations
- Vietnamese community — devotional life and choirs
- Legion of Mary — Catena at Mass; weekly meeting
- Grupo de Oración — Tuesday 7:00 pm Spanish prayer group
- Lamet-Khmu Lenten small group
School — Seattle Nativity School
The parish campus is associated with Seattle Nativity School (SNS), a Jesuit-sponsored middle school. The parish has historically also operated St. Edward School, which was nationally accredited through the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NWAAS), and has more than a century of history providing Catholic education in South Seattle.
- Seattle Nativity School — Jesuit middle school
- Historic St. Edward School — WCEA- and NWAAS-accredited; 100+ year history
- Mission: excellence in Catholic education, service, faith formation, and global perspective
Stewardship & Giving
St. Edward Parish practices stewardship of time, talent, and treasure, with an annual pledge drive each fall that supports the parish operating budget. The parish also participates in the Archdiocese of Seattle's Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA), which supports more than 60 ministries and services across Western Washington. Online giving is now managed through PushPay, which is linked to the Archdiocese's church management system.
- Annual parish pledge drive (Stewardship of Treasure)
- Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) — Archdiocese of Seattle
- Online giving via PushPay
- Stewardship of Time and Talent — volunteer opportunities listed under Parish & School Ministries
- Matching-gift and IRA-giving options referenced
Bulletin, Calendar & News
The parish's website highlights an actively updated parish calendar listing daily Mass intentions, devotions (e.g., LOM Novenas, Spanish choir rehearsals, OCIA sessions, Holy Week rehearsals), community events such as the Bayanihan dinner-dance and Fil-Am dinner dance, and sacramental milestones like Baptisms and First Communion photos. A Partners in the Gospel Listening Session was hosted in the parish hall in May 2025.
- Weekly parish calendar with daily Mass/devotion listings
- Bayanihan 2025 — May 3, 2025 in St. Edward Parish Hall
- Fil-Am Dinner Dance
- Spanish and English Baptism Preparation classes on the calendar
- OCIA / RCIA sessions scheduled throughout the year
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email and visit in person at either the parish office on S Mead Street or the church on S Orcas Street. The website links to Google Maps for directions.
- Parish office: 4212 S Mead St, Seattle, WA 98118
- Phone: 206-722-7888
- Email: [email protected]
- Church: 4205 S Orcas Street, Seattle, WA 98118
- Website: https://www.stedwardparish.net/