Happy 1st Anniversary Fr. Tom!
"It is hard to believe that it has only been a year", as our volunteer Patty says, "It feels like ten!" This was her response when Nancy mentioned it was Fr. Tom's first anniversary.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to have 7-8 months to try and get to know the people of the parish you pastor, only to have a pandemic force you to close your doors during one of the most communally active times of the year; Lent. Then to have to quarantine yourself alone in an all but abandoned downtown Utica during that time must have had a flavor all of it's own. (And we thought the boiler dying during Advent was bad! Ha!) It has been interesting to say the least. But through all of it, Fr. Tom never took his eye off the mission and well-being of the parish.
Sandwiches continued as the need for it increased with so many out of work and having their children home. Our Outreach continued to provide its' services and daily Masses were still said, albeit alone.
He looked for ways to stay connected to his parish and quickly decided he would put his homily online, Zoom Pastoral Council, and help the parish stay connected with email and mailings. With the office closed, day to day tasks were mostly left to him until he was able to send it off to Nancy or Gail. But the highlight of his day were the phone conversations he'd have with parishioners!
As time went on, focus was on reopening St. John's safely. With all of the uncertainty surrounding the timeline for reopening, he spent weeks researching about best practices and collaborating with Gary and Eulace to address how to implement procedures to ensure that when it was time to open up we could do so as safely as possible. His primary concern right along has been the safety and well-being of our people.
But honestly, the part I am most grateful for is the attention he gave to those receiving their sacraments. From those completing their RCIA to the kids who were receiving their First Communion, he has made himself continuously available for the needs of others. We have had 15 Masses for what would normally be 2 Masses and we aren't even done. In addition, he has attended those families mourning the loss of a loved one either with a friendly phone call or a funeral.
It has been a crazy and busy first year to say the least. I think the one thing that Fr. Tom has seen clearly though is the consistently loving and giving spirit of our parish family. The generosity, the caring, and the concern for those in our parish or for those who God sends us never stopped. People kept showing up to bring sandwich stuff, Ella still planted the flowers, life still went on. It hasn't been easy on any of us, but we continue to be a people of prayer, of hope and of faith. I am grateful that no matter what is happening, we have a pastor who points us toward the healing love of Jesus Christ.
Lol! That is the truth!
I can't imagine what it must have been like to have 7-8 months to try and get to know the people of the parish you pastor, only to have a pandemic force you to close your doors during one of the most communally active times of the year; Lent. Then to have to quarantine yourself alone in an all but abandoned downtown Utica during that time must have had a flavor all of it's own. (And we thought the boiler dying during Advent was bad! Ha!) It has been interesting to say the least. But through all of it, Fr. Tom never took his eye off the mission and well-being of the parish.
Sandwiches continued as the need for it increased with so many out of work and having their children home. Our Outreach continued to provide its' services and daily Masses were still said, albeit alone.
He looked for ways to stay connected to his parish and quickly decided he would put his homily online, Zoom Pastoral Council, and help the parish stay connected with email and mailings. With the office closed, day to day tasks were mostly left to him until he was able to send it off to Nancy or Gail. But the highlight of his day were the phone conversations he'd have with parishioners!
As time went on, focus was on reopening St. John's safely. With all of the uncertainty surrounding the timeline for reopening, he spent weeks researching about best practices and collaborating with Gary and Eulace to address how to implement procedures to ensure that when it was time to open up we could do so as safely as possible. His primary concern right along has been the safety and well-being of our people.
But honestly, the part I am most grateful for is the attention he gave to those receiving their sacraments. From those completing their RCIA to the kids who were receiving their First Communion, he has made himself continuously available for the needs of others. We have had 15 Masses for what would normally be 2 Masses and we aren't even done. In addition, he has attended those families mourning the loss of a loved one either with a friendly phone call or a funeral.
It has been a crazy and busy first year to say the least. I think the one thing that Fr. Tom has seen clearly though is the consistently loving and giving spirit of our parish family. The generosity, the caring, and the concern for those in our parish or for those who God sends us never stopped. People kept showing up to bring sandwich stuff, Ella still planted the flowers, life still went on. It hasn't been easy on any of us, but we continue to be a people of prayer, of hope and of faith. I am grateful that no matter what is happening, we have a pastor who points us toward the healing love of Jesus Christ.
We hope you get a vacation soon!
Happy 1st anninersary, Fr. Tom
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