Greetings to you Gentlereader,This post was not going to appear until Sunday but it seems the cat is already well out of the bag judging from the number of people stopping me to ask about it. It is hard to understand why we need instant messaging when news like this can spread on its own so quickly. It is quite amazing.
On Monday, the Most Reverend Richard G. Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland called me to his office at the chancery to inform me that he is transferring me from the Church of Saint Clare to Saint Sebastian in Akron, Ohio. The effective date is Ju
ne 24th, less than three weeks away. The Reverend William Karg who has served the parish faithfully is now retiring and so the Bishop is sending me there as administrator with the intent of making me pastor once term limits for pastors are initiated in the diocese (which I suppose to be a few months).When I was assigned to St. Clare for a four-year term they said not to expect to be here longer than two years. But as it turned out I was graced to spend three years here under the pastorate of Fr. Stanley Klasinski and with the wonderful people who make up this parish.
Meeting for the first time yesterday with Fr. Karg and some of his staff I find that although it will be sad to be leaving such a great parish behind, I will be stepping from outstanding
parish to another. What a blessing. I thank the bishop for allowing me to serve him there in this capacity.As for the blog nothing has been decided as of yet. (This is coming quickly.) Just know that there may be blank days as I move and since I will be the only priest there, there may not be the opportunity post daily or at all. Time alone will tell.
I try to remind you from time to time that you readers are in my prayers. Today I ask you to pray for me that I might worthily serve God and this diocese in my new role.
God bless.
21 comments:
God Bless, Father.
I have enjoyed reading your blog, and hope to see you still writing in the future.
Rob
Congratulations, Fr. V., you're always in my prayers, and I'll miss you!
Oh..wait...I don't attend St. Clare's...
Hope you can keep writing! What you do here is an AMAZING tool for evangelization. I'll bet you're not even aware of the vast majority of your readers who likely never comment.
well, i know the people at St Clare will miss you. i was looking forward to attending mass there end of july. guess we'll have to go to akron, instead.
the people at st. sebastian will truly accept you and grow through you.
The Church is beautiful! Wow!
And from someone who attends St. Clare, St. Sebastian is getting one heck of a great Priest!
We will definitely miss you & your fabulous homilies! May have to take a road trip sometime.
Prayers coming your way, many times over. LM
Akron is lucky, as are you, I hope, but this, too, is the life of a priest: a movable feast. I'll keep you in prayer, as well as St. Clare's folks who surely feel devastated.
If it so ends up, it's enough to know that such as you are in the world.
(Carol)
Fr. V -
St. Clare's loss is St. Sebastian's gain!
It will be good to have you back home here in Akron (or almost home for you, since Barberton is just over the corp line!)
Susan from St. Bernard's (Akron)
Take a break to pack and move if you need to, Father, but please don't abandon the blog forever! I very much enjoy your "symbolic" post series, and the insights you frequently give.
Ah, so that's why I've been getting traffic from google searches for your name.
Beautiful building. Try to post pictures sometime.
Best to you, Father, and your new assignment.
I never did make it east to St. Clare. Not sure of the odds of going to Akron, although we do go to family camp each summer at Camp Christopher's, not too much further :)
St. Sebastian is blessed to have you as their pastor.
YOU'VE GOT A TRAFFIC CIRCLE!
That is SO Cool!
I'll have to pull a Griswald when we're there in July.
Congrats on the move, although they didn't give you a lot of time to pack.
As a blogger and as a member of St. Sebastian, let me say welcome! I hope you like it here!
Congratulations, Father!
Or, should I say, Pastor?
Congratulations and best wishes on your new assignment, Father. I'd say this speaks highly of the Bishop's confidence and trust in your abilities.
Father V, I'm so sad! I feel like you just got here. We don't want to see you go, but you're not getting away from us that easily! Don't be surprised if you see some familiar faces at St. Sebastian's some time!
They are really getting an amazing priest, and they're going to love you just as much as we do at St. Clare!
You're always in my prayers.
Father John,
Welcome to St Sebastians! We welcome you with open arms and want you to know you are coming to an amazing parish. I look forward to serving with you! God bless!
Father I will say an extra Rosary for you tonite! You will do a wonderful job! How long will the new term limits for pastors be?
Seriously, you are every day in my prayers. God bless.
I wish I had time to respond to each of you. You are very kind and I am deeply touched - long time readers, well wishers, and those of you writing from St. Sebastian. I'm going now to say mass and will remember you all.
God bless.
Too bad for those of us at St. Clare. Great news for my two youngest brothers at St. Sebastian! My brother, Matt, will begin his first term on parish council this year. When I called him with the news, he asked if we were sending "a hippie priest from the 1970's." My reply: "Not quite." ;)
LOL!
Welcome to St. Sebastian! We're so excited that you'll be part of our fantastic parish. Just wanted to post a little hello from a fellow blogger and proud Catholic, St. S. parishoner, and mom of a St. S. student. :)
Post a Comment