A Journey of Renewal: April 2016

After five years serving as Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization I have been offered and have accepted a similar yet more diverse and challenging position within our diocese. I have learned so much at the parish of Incarnation Catholic Church in Tampa.

When I started five years ago little did I realize the role that so many people would play in my work who I now consider friends, in fact, truly sisters and brothers in Christ. If I started to name them I am sure I would leave someone out, so I won’t do that. However, please know that if you are reading this, it is probably because you were one of those important people. In your own way, perhaps you did not even realize how, your smile, your email or texts, your presence at our catechist meetings, retreats, staff lunches, workshops, modules, religious classes, prepping food in the kitchen, stacking up chairs in the classrooms, coordinating ministry fairs under the pavilion,

Sunday School under the Pavilion

in the sacristy cleaning up after an event at church, parking lot conversations on the way out of or to Mass, and so many other ways, you affected how I grew to love more deeply my work in parish life.

No better place could I have found to begin a new direction that God had planned for my life five short years ago. And no better collaborator could I have picked other than Philomena Johnson (ok, I will name one person!). She and I clicked from day one. What I was weak at, she excelled. What a team we became. Together we spent many long nights and weekends planning for our year. Yes, we do work hard, even during our summer months! Together we overcame many challenges and many fears. Together we laughed at ourselves and together we cried during those rare times we felt we had “hit a wall”. Together we prayed as we always moved forward and trusted that God would provide, and to our surprise he did, he always did!! (We had our moments of weak faith, but God taught us to totally trust in him, no one else but him.) Thank you Phil for being that person who could shine a light each morning in our work day. I love you so much.

I must mention my RCIA Core team and my Faith Formation team of catechists. Some of you are now at other parishes, because like me now, God has called you to new territory to minister in, yet you will always be a part of my team. Faithfully we met, prayed, reflected, and worked. I have learned to collaborate in our diversity. I have learned to be more humble and more patient with myself because of each of you. In your own ways you demonstrated to me how generous and how grace filled our parish of Incarnation is; through your love for our community and your presence to me each and every time I needed you.

Youth Group

Lastly, there are those new friends who became like family after being initiated into our parish life. I can never forget the relationships that I have personally benefited from because I was privileged enough to walk with each of you through your own journey of faith. My life is better because of each one of you. I remember each story, from the first phone call, our first interview, and the joy we celebrated once you were initiated into the body of Christ. The journey of faith is not easy, but it is always joy filled because God is present. Each one of you made God so visible to me, and for that, I am truly humbled. How blessed I am that you welcomed me into your hearts and homes.

All Saints Procession

There is no easy way to say goodbye. So let’s not. Let’s celebrate God’s goodness, faithfulness and that through Him and because of Him, our friendship has come into being. Thank you for being a part of my journey at Incarnation. Please pray for me as I prepare to continue to serve God’s people at St. Paul’s Church in Tampa.

In Peace, I remain your friend and sister in Christ.