Dear Friends,
On June 29, 2021, I officially became the Pastor of both Saint Catherine of Siena and the Church of the Transfiguration.
When Bishop Matano called to tell me of this appointment I was very humbled, honored, thrilled and excited. This new role was something I was not going to take for granted and I thanked the Lord for having faith in me to carry on my pastoral ministry in two wonderful faith communities.
The very first weekend of being Pastor of both parishes I shared in my homily that I would give my best and 100% to each parish. With prayer, spiritual guidance, faith in the Lord and love of my vocation I was going to trust Jesus and follow to the best of my abilities where He was leading me.
From the beginning, I was blessed to have the support and affirmation of the parishioners, Parish Pastoral Councils, Finance Ministries, the Cluster Committee and Parish Staffs. I have been very grateful for this support and it has made this new year a gift and blessing.
We have all made adjustments with our mass schedule, a new Pastor coming on, a beloved pastor, Father Mike retiring, our seasons of Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter and getting to know one another better. Overall, it has been a blessed gift.
Before I became the Pastor of Transfiguration, we were already sharing some Parish Staff, Laura Cutter, Meg Kastner and Maureen O'Connor. As two parishes, we have shared over the years various spiritual opportunities and other occasions that gave us reason to come together. We had a blessed beginning of some of us already knowing one another.
Certainly, in the midst of all the encouragement and support there are challenges that we all address as being “two separate parishes with one Pastor". We are doing our best being prayerful disciples. Jesus openly shared that if we were going to follow Him we could expect joys, sorrows, happiness, sadness, peace, struggles and through all of this, Him being right beside us. Somedays it is so comforting and somedays it is so challenging.
Last weekend in my homily, as we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi, I mentioned that as we begin three years of Eucharistic Revival, the Bishops had chosen the theme of "Christ Always With Us". I certainly believe that He is. This gift of the Eucharist is a mystery. It can be a challenge spiritually and mentally. The Eucharist can nourish physically and spiritually. Days may be different in where we are in this mystery but with faith we go forward.
I am praying, as we do go forward with one another we may be present to the Lord and truly receive His will as two blessed faith communities.
Thank you sincerely for your faith and confidence in my vocation serving Saint Catherine of Siena and the Church of the Transfiguration.
God bless us all,
Father Rob