Deacon Andy’s Farewell Letter

The season of Advent, the sense of anticipation and preparation for the coming arrival of the Christ child took on another dimension this year in my family. We had made a decision to relocate to the Milwaukee area to be closer to our children and grandchildren. That decision for a variety of reasons assumed the characteristics of the advent journey, looking for places to live and then at the last minute having the pieces fall into place and relocating. Unfortunately, through this process I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to a lot of people at St Paul of the Cross — the people who shared with me and my family the rich faith community that is St Paul of the Cross. Those who entrusted me with the education of the junior high students in catechesis for 16 years, inspiring for me the call to the deaconate. Those who shared in the evolution of the worship community of the family mass in the Holy Family Chapel. Those who invited me to the opportunity to serve through the parish pastoral council and trusted my leadership for four years. Following my ordination, those many people with whom I celebrated the sacramental and spiritual life of the church by preparing and presiding at numerous baptisms, weddings, wakes and funerals and assisting at Confirmations and First Communions and the RCIA/OCIA program. And then those who I, with others, supported through the grieving process in the GriefShare program. Thank you all for your warmth and generosity in sharing your lives with me and my family. You will forever be remembered and recalled by me and my family in our thoughts and prayers as we all continue on our respective journeys to glorify the Lord. So, my message to you, as I have often said in my homilies, is not “goodbye” but rather, “until we meet again.”

Deacon Andy