As we pray for the happy repose of the soul of Pope Francis and give thanks to God for his priesthood and leadership of the Catholic Church for the last 12 years as the Supreme Pontiff, it is also the case that we should also be praying for the Cardinals who will elect (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit), his successor.
With the change, there will be a lot of questions that will be posed about the new pope in terms of his background, leadership style and of course his emphasis in both the religious and secular worlds. There will also be an adjustment period that will affect many people especially those who have regular or even daily dealings and encounters with the new pope.
On a much smaller scale, such adjustments will be happening starting June 18 when Fr. George Sanders (current pastor at St. John's in Hot Springs) takes over as pastor here at Sacred Heart Parish (as by now, hopefully, you know that this will be taking place). He will need your cooperation and at times patience with him as he feels his way around the people, the ministries and the activities of this very busy parish. I pray it will be a smooth transition for him and for the parish as this change happens after 15 years of my time as your pastor.
As I begin to ponder the end of my time as your pastor, I do want to focus firstly on all the blessings that have come to the parish and personally and professionally to me since I became your pastor in June of 2010. There will be time for me to express that in another column before I leave on June 17.
I'm sure at least some are wondering what the Lord has in mind for me in the future. I can tell you a few things about the immediate future for me. I will not have a parish assignment for the first time in my 39 years as a priest. Instead, I will be residing in Hot Springs at the Elser family home at 422 Trivista Left (the same home I was raised in and was occupied by my mom for almost 67 years until her death in June of 2023). I will firstly be available to provide help for Masses and other sacraments for priests who take vacation time and for other possible reasons. I hope to do some part-time hospital ministry at CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs. I will offer myself in doing prison ministry as needed, and maybe do a day or days of recollection in parishes who might request it. Other ministry opportunities may open up that I am not aware of at the present time. I also look forward to growing in my relationship with the Lord with more Holy Hours (especially at the Eucharistic Chapel at St. John's in Hot Springs). Finally, I will try to relax more and stay active in ways outside of ministry especially through tennis, pickelball, and maybe golf especially in the Village where I have been a property owner since 1996.
I ask your prayers as I step away from daily parish ministry and serve the Lord and his people in a new way at least for now. I hope to encounter Sacred Heart parishioners at times (though I hope not in the hospital). Some changes can indeed be challenging, but I am comforted always in the knowledge that the Lord is leading the way and always showing the way for all of us to do His work and live in His Peace. God bless you all!
With the change, there will be a lot of questions that will be posed about the new pope in terms of his background, leadership style and of course his emphasis in both the religious and secular worlds. There will also be an adjustment period that will affect many people especially those who have regular or even daily dealings and encounters with the new pope.
On a much smaller scale, such adjustments will be happening starting June 18 when Fr. George Sanders (current pastor at St. John's in Hot Springs) takes over as pastor here at Sacred Heart Parish (as by now, hopefully, you know that this will be taking place). He will need your cooperation and at times patience with him as he feels his way around the people, the ministries and the activities of this very busy parish. I pray it will be a smooth transition for him and for the parish as this change happens after 15 years of my time as your pastor.
As I begin to ponder the end of my time as your pastor, I do want to focus firstly on all the blessings that have come to the parish and personally and professionally to me since I became your pastor in June of 2010. There will be time for me to express that in another column before I leave on June 17.
I'm sure at least some are wondering what the Lord has in mind for me in the future. I can tell you a few things about the immediate future for me. I will not have a parish assignment for the first time in my 39 years as a priest. Instead, I will be residing in Hot Springs at the Elser family home at 422 Trivista Left (the same home I was raised in and was occupied by my mom for almost 67 years until her death in June of 2023). I will firstly be available to provide help for Masses and other sacraments for priests who take vacation time and for other possible reasons. I hope to do some part-time hospital ministry at CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs. I will offer myself in doing prison ministry as needed, and maybe do a day or days of recollection in parishes who might request it. Other ministry opportunities may open up that I am not aware of at the present time. I also look forward to growing in my relationship with the Lord with more Holy Hours (especially at the Eucharistic Chapel at St. John's in Hot Springs). Finally, I will try to relax more and stay active in ways outside of ministry especially through tennis, pickelball, and maybe golf especially in the Village where I have been a property owner since 1996.
I ask your prayers as I step away from daily parish ministry and serve the Lord and his people in a new way at least for now. I hope to encounter Sacred Heart parishioners at times (though I hope not in the hospital). Some changes can indeed be challenging, but I am comforted always in the knowledge that the Lord is leading the way and always showing the way for all of us to do His work and live in His Peace. God bless you all!