Skylstad Family Haven rises behind Rosauer's in Twisp. Photo by Julia Babkina

Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington (CCEW) held a land blessing ceremony June 3 at the Skylstad Family Haven, formerly known as Twisp Family Haven. Father Pedro Bautista Peraza, who serves St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Twisp, blessed the housing project with CCEW CEO Rob McCann in attendance. McCann visited Twisp from Spokane.

McCann said there are about 100 people who have shown interest in residing in the housing project. They will be contacted this summer. The 72 unit development is expected to be completed this fall.

McCann said most of the people interested are from the Methow Valley area. Room One is handling applications from interested parties in the Methow Valley while CCEW is handling applications from outside the area. Housing laws prohibit discrimination based on an applicant’s place of residence.

The project includes 48 affordable and 24 market rate apartments. CCEW will not pay property taxes on the affordable housing units, only on the market rate apartments. CCEW currently owns over 3,000 apartment units. According their home page, “our footprint of service, especially in rural communities, is set to grow exponentially.”

CCEW is using the same architectural designs as their housing developments in Stevens, Spokane, and Asotin Counties.

Who is Bishop Skylstad?

William Skylstad, for whom the development is named, was born in Omak in 1934. He served as Bishop of Yakima from 1977 to 1990 and Bishop of Spokane from 1990 to 2010. He also served in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, becoming president in 2004.

According to a 2004 article in the Seattle Times, Skylstad faced accusations of ignoring child sexual abuse while he was pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Spokane.

Former Archbishop of Boston Bernard Law, who received national media attention in 2002 for ignoring child sexual abuse by dozens of priests in his archdiocese, was one of the people that consecrated Skylstad Bishop of Yakima.

CCEW owns another housing development honoring Skylstad- Bishop Skylstad Commons in Pasco, Franklin County.

Father Pedro Bautista Peraza performs a blessing ceremony at Skylstad Family Haven in Twisp. Photo by Julia Babkina
Father Pedro Bautista Peraza, who commutes to St Genevieve’s Catholic Church on Sundays from Brewster, blesses a hockey puck held by CEO of Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington Rob McCann. The hockey puck will be buried at the site of Skylstad Family Haven, a tradition at new housing developments built by Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington. Photo by Julia Babkina
People gather for a blessing ceremony of Skylstad Family Haven on Lombard Avenue behind Rosauer’s. Photo by Julia Babkina
Father Pedro Bautista Peraza, who lived in Belgium for four years, wears a stole made in Belgium. In his left hand is holy water. Photo by Julia Babkina

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