Messages from Father Neil and Father Josh

Faith Formation Committee - One position for a 3 yr term is open.

 

Faith Formation Committee -
Many may be unfamiliar with this committee at Epiphany. This committee (which also includes membership from Sacred Heart, Manly) is concerned with sacramental preparation, religious education, youth and young adult ministry and adult formation, eg, ARISE, opportunities at Epiphany. We cooperate with Sacred Heart in some areas. Basically, it is concerned with all formation outside of our school programs at Newman Catholic. One member from the committee serves as a voting member on the Pastoral Council. While we are looking to elect a member to serve on this board, some members are also appointed. If you want to learn more, talk with Jennifer Clancy or Sr. Annette Kestel. They are both staff members serving the Faith Formation Committee.

 

PARISH STAFF CHANGES

Fr. Josh Announces New Assignment - Be sure to read Fr. Josh’s announcement (included below). He has served us so very well in his two years here with us at Epiphany. Having him with us for two years and his leadership while I was on sabbatical last fall gave us even better opportunity to know and appreciate him. He remains with us until new assignments begin in July.

Karen Byrne Retires - “Retires” is not really the right word since Karen has many plans as she finishes her work as pastoral associate at Epiphany on Friday, April 16th. Karen has served on our parish staff for twelve years with great dedication and energy. She has led and directed our RCIA process, worked with liturgy, visitation and our baptism program. In the past several years she has headed our funeral ministry to families. Karen has touched a remarkable number of people in very significant ways in her twelve years serving us. We are so grateful!

New Associate Named - It was publicly announced this week, that after he is ordained a priest, Jacob Dunne will be assigned here in July as our new associate pastor. Jacob who was ordained a deacon last May is completing his final semester at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in  Mundelein. He will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, May 29th in Dubuque. We can all look forward to him joining us in July! In the meantime, please keep him in your prayers.

New Staff Member Hired - We have hired Tammy Stanton to join our staff in our Evangelization and Outreach Leader position. Tammy will be familiar to some of you. Though she is moving back here from Texas, she previously served as a religion teacher and campus minister at Newman. Tammy was also a youth minister at St. Joseph parish before that. We are happy to welcome her back to our area and look forward to her joining our staff in mid-May.

From Father Josh

I can’t imagine how Jesus’ apostles felt after spending 3 years with Jesus, experiencing many wonderful things and also experiencing many tragic difficult things together. Espe-cially after the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus the apostles must have gone through a period of extreme sadness. One because their friend is no longer with them in the same way and two, because life now will be different, and honestly...Who likes different? Speaking of different, I have an announcement that will make things very different for me. Archbishop Jackels has asked me to become the Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Clear Lake, Sacred Heart Catho-lic Church in Rockwell, and he has also made me the official Chaplain of the Newman Catholic School System. After much prayer, feelings of unworthiness, and discussion with my priest group I have accepted my new assignment. With a new assignment ahead of me, I cannot move forward without acknowledging my gratitude, my appreciation, and most importantly my love for my current assignment. When I opened my first assignment letter telling me I was coming here 2 years ago as a new priest, I thought it was a joke! That dreams lie that never come true! But, God has something in store for all of us and indeed it was not joke. I am so grateful for the past 2 years to have been with you all! My appreciation for all of you and what you have done for me, will never be able to be expressed in words. And my love for all of you is great and will never end! And now I know how the Jesus’ apostles felt all those years ago...In the beginning I mentioned that I can’t imagine how Jesus’ apostles felt after spending 3 years with Jesus, experiencing many wonderful things and also experiencing many tragic and difficult things together. I brought that up as metaphor for what is happening here. We are just like the apostles and Jesus. We have been with each other for some time, experienced some wonderful things as well as some very difficult and tragic things. But it is very easy to see yourselves as the apostles and me as Jesus in this metaphor. But how wrong we can be some-times! I said I can’t imagine how the apostles must have felt losing Jesus, because I am not Jesus in this example, but rather you are! Jesus is the one who is constant, Jesus is the one who teaches how to love and Jesus is the one who teaches how to serve! And that is exactly what you all have done for me these past 2 years! Priests come and go but you all remain constant, you all show how to love and how to serve. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything! I am a better priest because I have had the privilege of serving here! Thank you so much!
- Fr. Josh