Parish Marker Dedication and Reception 

The Maryknoll Society, the Missions Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle, Swedish Hospital Center, and the Sabey Corporation invite you to join us on June 8th, for the dedication and blessing of the historical marker remembering the former Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish. Archbishop J. Peter Sartain will preside.

Established and administered by the Maryknoll Sociey at the invitation of Bishop Edward O'Dea of Seattle, the parish served the local Japanese-American immigrant community beginning in 1920, and later also the Filipino-American immigrant community.  Following the December 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, all people of Japanese descent living on the West Coast of the United States were forcibly detained at relocation camps.  Japanese-American members of the Maryknoll parish and school were accompanied by their pastor, Maryknoll Father Leopold Tibesar, as well as by two Maryknoll sisters from the parish, Sisters Thomas Marie (Regina) Johnson and Marie Rosaire Greaney.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs was formally closed in 1953 by Archbishop Thomas Connolly.  The plaque commemorating this important piece of local and national history now stands at the original site of the parish and school.  Please join us at the blessing and dedication of this plaque.  Reception to follow in the foyer of Jefferson Tower.