FāVS Religion News Roundup: Feb. 7
News Story by FāVS Staff
Man attacks priest during Lady of Lourdes service
Joshua J. Sommers was arrested Tuesday after attacking a priest during a service at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane. Security footage shows the suspect, who was seated in the front row, charging the altar and attacking the Rev. David Gaines as he rose from prayer. While the priest was unharmed, the incident rattled the approximately 400 parishioners in attendance. Police arrested him on suspicion of misdemeanor of fourth-degree assault and on felony warrants for other crimes, reported The Spokesman-Review.
The attack occurred during a nine-day prayer service for healing leading up to the Feb. 11 Lady of Lourdes Feast Day. Rev. Darrin Connall, the cathedral’s rector, said the church has received an outpouring of support and prayers, both for the priests involved and for the suspect, who is scheduled for an arraignment on his felony charges on Feb. 19.
Rally for immigrant rights
Latinos en Spokane is hosting a Rally for Immigrant Rights at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Spokane City Council meeting. The group will be presenting a resolution to the Council to uphold the Keep Washington Working Act, which was created to protect the privacy, civil rights and safety of all Washington residents, while promoting fairness and inclusion for immigrants.
Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR) and the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane (PJALS) are helping get the word out about the rally and encourage endorsement of the resolution. Community members can also send testimonies and endorsements to testimony@spokanecity.org.
Plans to remove Monaghan statue in progress and without fanfare
The removal of the controversial statue of John Monaghan in downtown Spokane has been gradually progressing since the city approved a process for reviewing offensive landmarks. Although the city is not legally required to consult the Monaghan family, discussions are ongoing about relocation. The statue, commissioned in 1906, has faced criticism for racist and historically inaccurate depictions of Samoans. In January 2024, the Spokane City Council formalized a process for reviewing removal requests, with the Human Rights Commission assessing whether a landmark causes harm. While there is no fixed timeline for removal, officials expect it to happen within the year.
Bilingual volunteer medicare benefits advisors needed
The Office of Insurance Commissioner’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors program is seeking bilingual volunteers with computer skills in Spokane and Whitman counties to counsel Medicare beneficiaries. SHIBA volunteers help people of all ages, including adults with disabilities and pre-retirees, understand their Medicare options through free, unbiased counseling.
The program’s 400 statewide volunteers provide Medicare education in their local communities, facilitate meetings, give presentations and offer translation assistance. Volunteers must maintain client confidentiality and cannot be affiliated with insurance companies or products. Those interested can call 509-625-4801 or visit www.altcew.org/volunteer/statewide-health-insurance-benefits-advisors for more information.
Whitworth students develop water purification method to help NGOs around the world
Three Whitworth University seniors have developed a solution for global water purification through their startup, Boss Moss LLC. The company’s innovative product uses genetically-modified moss to remove and detoxify arsenic from water while preserving essential nutrients. Lance Dunn, Darren Melville and Ty Patterson created the sustainable, bio-based filter to address a crisis affecting more than 170 million people worldwide who consume water with dangerous arsenic levels.
After winning first place at Whitworth’s Startup Weekend competition last November, the team is pursuing patent protection and seeking investors. Boss Moss plans to distribute its low-cost filtration system through NGOs in heavily-affected regions including South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and the Philippines, with future expansion planned for the U.S. commercial market. The company says its biodegradable solution will be more cost-effective than existing competitors while maintaining water’s beneficial properties.
Two new scatter-site model homeless shelters open
Spokane has added two new small-capacity homeless shelters, expanding Mayor Lisa Brown’s “scatter-site model” for more personalized care. One shelter, a 15-bed facility operated by Family Promise of Spokane, focuses on families with children, while the other, run by Compassionate Addiction Treatment (CAT), serves individuals recovering from addiction. The new shelters bring the city’s total to seven. Family Promise’s expansion aims to replace 45 beds lost last year, with all new beds already full. CAT, entering the shelter space for the first time, emphasizes support for people in recovery.
Some summaries created with help of AI. Staff still carefully edited material for content quality and publication standards.
