A Provisional Mass Schedule for starting August 1 is included in this bulletin for the one St. Monica Parish. The local pastors did this including what starting August 1 will be called the Chapels of St. Richard and St. John Bosco. This schedule will be revised in December. There have been additions and subtractions incorporating each parish’s practices. The new pastor of St. Monica, Fr. Sebastian Mundackal, did not produce this schedule. The important word is provisional, for the early period of the expanded parish’s life.
The latest Sunday Mass will be 10:30 A.M. for now. This is so each site can still have their largest Community Mass.
Saturday morning Mass is at 10:00 A.M. on the First Saturday, not 8:15 A.M.
On Patty, She’s been in the Parish Office for 23 years, since Msgr. Schneider asked her to come over from the school office. She’s done an immense amount of work for the parish in this time, over a wide range of areas. She’s been very generous and helpful to me, and others on the staff. Just as importantly, I see her talking to various parishioners on the phone or in person, with great tenderness and knowledge. Her relationships here have built around her warm and caring personality. While she’ll be available on some basis for St. Sebastian in the transition, her absence from everyday work here will be sorely felt.
And this is virtually my last column writing to you. It’s been a privilege to lead this historic community. I’m always grateful for the leadership you the parishioners allow me to have. I’ve done the best I could in again a bewildering range of duties and events. It’s something I enjoy doing, and no I’m not relieved to give up the pastor’s role for that of a fulltime associate. I will miss preaching to an eager and responsive congregation; the excellent music; and I’m sorry to be leaving right when we’re get- ting a number of fine new young families, several of whom have become friends. Mostly I too will miss the countless brief encounters of friendship, support, and sharing around Sunday Masses and other times.
This Sunday I leave for a family visit. I’ll be back to move and to celebrate the Archbishop’s visit, then leave “for good” after Masses Sunday the 30th (I will celebrate the 9:30 Mass). Next week here will just recap the timeline I put in last week. My e-mail will be turned off soon, but you can always get me a message through the Contact form of the parish website.
Love in Christ to all,
Fr. Tom Wyrsch