Hello! This is another introduction. I did so by video, which apparently a lot of you have seen; and at liturgy, weekdays and especially Sunday Mass. This column is another way I’ll communicate with you regularly. It’s been good here so far! So many have reached out to me with friendly welcomes and introducing yourselves. I don’t have a photographic-type memory, so you’ll see that it’ll take me a few times to remember your name, though I’ll remember the face (harder though with the masks.) So please don’t be bashful about introducing yourself again.
Thanks to Fr. Weber and the Archdiocese, I haven’t been really surprised by anything I’ve seen in my whopping 10 days here. I’m still commuting every morning—and sometimes several times a day—from St. Rose rectory in Florissant. It’s not unusual that some work is being done here on the pastor’s area, as is happening in the quarters there, since things are discovered or are just overdue when these changes happen. So, my weekdays begin with a commute to be here for the 6:30 A.M. Mass, and then for the Saturday and Sunday Mass schedules. I don’t yet have a set office place to work from but have been using several places in the rectory to work by phone, laptop, or iPad. I’ll soon have had a round of most of the typical meetings, in person or virtual.
Again, I really enjoyed meeting so many of you last weekend, including whole families and children. As expected, I found the liturgies to be done really well, with well-prepared ministers and quality music and participation. I’ve been involved with school matters here since June, and I’m really looking forward to the kids being around. We’re doing our best in the strange situation to provide quality education with safety.
The staff here has been especially helpful. They’ve done countless acts of kindness and accommodation, and they acclimate me to the practices and personnel here. And we’ve had relaxed, enjoyable lunches.
I hope this gives you a flavor of my merging into the parish, and especially of my appreciation for being at St. Monica Parish.