For those who might be out of town, or who attended Mass elsewhere this weekend, here’s the text of Fr. Trask’s announcement that was printed in this weekends bulletin – as well as delivered by him during the announcements.
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I can still vividly remember my first weekend at OLG. As I stood in the foyer greeting you on the way into church, most everyone knew my name … but I remember how clueless I felt not knowing anyone’s name; I asked myself: “Why did I listen to Fr. Kraig” (my former pastor) “when he told me I’d be a perfect fit for OLG???” Over these last 16 years I’ve been invited into your lives as I’ve baptized your children, as we’ve met in preparation for your wedding, as we’ve spoken in both the confessional and my office, and as we’ve together grieved your losses I’ve come to know you well and love you deeply. I’ve grown to enjoy praying for you every day – and specifically praying for you on your birthday and/or anniversary. Today I know a majority of you by name, and am deeply grateful for the ways you’ve warmly invited me into your homes and into your lives.
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In 2011, during my 25th anniversary year, I wasn’t sure I wanted a celebration – but a number of you convinced me otherwise, and I’m grateful you did. That celebration wasn’t so much about me as it was about you. The events and conversations of that day brought me to a deeper appreciation of how God has worked in and through me throughout my years of priesthood. It was very humbling to have people quote me phrases I don’t remember uttering – phrases that you found so helpful; it truly made me appreciate how God uses each of us, in his own way, and gives us His words at the right time to share with the right people. For me, it seems that God has done this time and again.
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I am the priest I am today because of you – and the ways the Lord has worked in and through all of us these last 16 years. Hopefully we have each grown closer to the Lord with each passing year.
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Throughout my years at OLG, I’ve heeded the words my spiritual director spoke back in June of 2000: “Never stop looking at the ‘parish descriptors.’” Any time a pastorate in one of the 185 parishes of the diocese becomes available, the Diocesan Clergy Personnel Office (DCPO) send out a descriptor about the parish. Priests of the diocese are then asked to prayerfully consider whether their talents, abilities, and ministerial skills are aptly suited to meet the pastoral and administrative needs of the open pastorate.
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When asked why I should continue to peruse them now that I’m a pastor, my spiritual director smiled and said: “A priest is always called to grow.” He then went on to talk about how lessons and growth in one parish help us better serve the needs of the next assignment. I had learned this lesson as an associate: lessons learned from two prior pastors help me administer our own diocesan cathedral for five months when it was awaiting a new rector. My spiritual director also highlighted the itinerant nature of priesthood and quoted the Lord who, when His disciples told Him that the townspeople were looking for Him, told them: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.” (Mk 1:38)
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Heedful of how I’ve grown these last many years, my attention was drawn to a descriptor that all priests received last December. There’s a parish in Lorain county whose pastor, at 92, is retiring. He’s a true grandfather to his people and loves them dearly. But age and health necessitate his stepping down. After long hours of prayer, I felt I possessed the qualities necessary to support the retiring pastor as well as help the parish transition and grow. Having to choose between my desire to remain at OLG or embrace the promptings of the Spirit to allow God to use my talents and abilities in another corner of the diocese was not an easy one to make.
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In early January I told the head of the DCPO that, if the Clergy Personnel Board (CPB) believed I was the best suited candidate available to meet the needs of the open pastorate, I would be willing to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. On Jan 22nd I sat before the CPB and assured the members that I thoroughly enjoy being pastor at OLG. I went on to say that although I have no desire to leave OLG, I would be willing to do so if they felt my ministry would help to fill the void left by the retiring pastor. The board indicated that, should I be the selected candidate, the transfer would happen in rapid order. When asked if a fast paced transition would be possible, I simply replied: “It is what it is. If the bishop wants things to happen very quickly, then I’ll make them happen quickly.”
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This past Tuesday, 9 February – the day before Ash Wednesday – I met with Fr. Oleksiak. At that time he, acting in the name of Bp. Lennon (who had heart surgery a week ago Thursday), appointed me as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Wellington, OH, effective Monday, February 29th. (I did tell you Bp Lennon wants things to happen quickly, didn’t I?) I realize I could have informed you of this rapidly-approaching transfer on Ash Wednesday, but I didn’t feel the character of that first day of Lent lent itself to such an announcement and/or distraction.
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It’s probably a good thing I chose to wait on the announcement. When I spoke with Fr. Oleksiak on Tuesday, I asked about what I should tell the people of OLG about my successor; he said he hoped, but couldn’t promise, an answer by Feb 28th. Three days later, on Friday evening at 5:30, I spoke with Fr. Kevin Shemuga – the associate pastor at St. Basil the Great in Brecksville. Earlier that day Bp. Lennon appointed him to succeed me as pastor of OLG … with an effective date of Feb 29th.
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I know this comes as a surprise. Actually, it came as a total shock to me – as I wasn’t expecting to be the chosen candidate. And although I’ve known about this transfer for nearly two weeks, it’s not making my departure from OLG any easier. If anything, these last two weeks have emphasized to me how difficult it’s going to be to say good bye to a people and parish I’ve grown to love deeply over the last sixteen years – which is more than half of my nearly thirty years of priesthood!
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I find great consolation and comfort from the words of Fr Lloyd Boymer – our founding pastor. He’d often remind me, especially as he was getting older and his health was declining, that: “I may not know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds the future!” As you and I each walk into the unknowns of our futures – may we all place our unconditional trust in the One who knows and holds that future.
Change of Priests at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Macedonia
