Pastor’s Corner
Parish Column 4/27/25
Dear Parishioners,
Newness abounds from the Resurrection of Jesus. In those first days following the revelation that he is truly risen, his followers had so much to learn and grasp about the whole reality of the Resurrection. What did it mean for his disciples? Did the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead have any importance for their life, their destiny, their perspective? It had to! In today’s Gospel, we hear the account of the Risen Lord coming into the midst of the apprehensive disciples and declaring words of peace and reconciliation. Instead of scolding his disciples for scattering during his Passion and Death, Jesus comes into their midst to bring about healing, renewal, and forgiveness. It’s the reality of the Risen Lord’s mercy for his followers. As he has risen from the dead, he imparts now the power of forgiveness in the Christian community, led by his apostles. Here is the divine power of forgiveness of sins, bestowed on every follower of Jesus. This is the great newness that the Resurrection accomplishes: we need no longer be bound by our sins. The new life of the Risen Lord is available, overflowing, ready to meet us in our need for mercy.
To recall the Risen Lord’s mercy is also to remember the soul of Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, who was called to return to the house of the heavenly Father earlier this week. In so many ways—bold, radical, and passionate—Pope Francis expressed what the mercy of the heavenly Father looks like for us and a hurting, wounded world. We lift our prayers to the Risen Lord that this servant encounter the fullness of God’s mercy and peace in the heavenly kingdom. We stand grateful for his ministry, generosity, humility, and witness to the Risen Lord. Please continue to pray for him and for our Church that the Holy Spirit accompany, guide, and lead us.
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 4/20/25
A happy Easter to all!
Have you ever felt as if some roads and avenues are blocked off to you? I remember years back in my home town when the local municipality was doing some significant work on the major roadway that led to my house. It seemed like ages that this way back home—the simplest and most direct way—was blocked off, and motorists like myself had to take a very lengthy detour around. Such an experience is not limited to our driving. More profoundly, we can have moments in which we feel cut off, unable to proceed, locked out of opportunities, possibilities, and a genuine future. We may attempt to go in some direction in life, and we find that it’s blocked, obstructed, or restricted. It leaves us feeling incomplete and frustrated. It can make us lose hope. It can drive us to unhelpful patterns. And we ultimately want to know if any of those roads will be opened. Easter today is the celebration once more for us that God has opened the ultimate road for us to friendship and eternal life with him. Beneath all our longings, we can find that we want this ultimate road opened: the road to full life and friendship with God. On our own, we find it impossible. In the Resurrection of Jesus, that road is opened. The road to lifelong friendship with Jesus. The road to receiving God’s grace, forgiveness, and assistance. The road to a community of believers who together carry out Jesus’ work. The road opened up that leads us to eternal life, the true, abundant life that God gives to us. May this Easter re-open this road to all of us: the road that Jesus has thrown open by his Resurrection, giving us life, light, and divine love. A blessed Easter!
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 4/13/25
Dear Parishioners:
The narrative on this Palm Sunday presents us with the full magnitude of Jesus’ passion and death. We hear of his Last Supper and parting words to the disciples, his agony in the Garden, his betrayal and arrest, the violence and hostility of the people, his journey to Calvary and horrid death on the Cross. This is the utterly true story of the road that Jesus has taken to save us, to save the world. He came to pronounce and inaugurate the Kingdom of God, and here now, he expresses this Kingdom in its fullness: through trusting acceptance in suffering, loving one’s enemies, urging unity among his disciples, persistent, active faith in God’s presence even when everything indicates hope is gone. Jesus lives out the values of the Kingdom of God that he preached—and by his passion, death, and resurrection, we come to see that there is to be one King, one Kingdom, one Way. It is the Way of the Cross, in which Jesus the King reigns supreme and encourages us to come after him, take up our cross, and witness the splendor of God’s Kingdom.
I also want to thank a group of parishioners from the Hispanic community who recently donated extensive time to relocate the outdoor Stations of the Cross from St. Clare campus to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. You may have noticed these wooden crosses now installed along the border of Old Eastern Ave. I am glad to renew this outdoor Way of the Cross in our community of faith.
As we prepare for Holy Week, I sincerely invite everyone to the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. While these do tend to be longer services and incorporate bilingual elements, I earnestly commend these moments to you as once-in-a-year holy opportunities to unite with each other in faith, pray with Christ, and give a collective testimony to the truth that grounds us as Christians: by his holy Cross, Jesus has redeemed the world—has redeemed each and all of us!
God’s Peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 4/5/25
Dear Parishioners:
Maybe in this Lenten season, you’ve had the chance to pick up a good spiritual read or reflection resource that’s offered nourishment for the soul. One of those books for me is Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement: The Wisdom and Spiritual Power of Venerable Bruno Lanteri by Fr. Timothy Gallagher. In it, he brings the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola (through the writings of the saintly 19th century Italian, Bruno Lanteri) to bear on our daily spiritual lives, particularly that all-too-common feeling of being spiritually dry or exhausted. Amid many nuggets of wisdom, he consistently offers this counsel: God gives us, in each moment, the graced opportunity to begin anew. No matter our past, no matter our failings, no matter our course or trajectory, God gives us the present moment to embrace, to turn to him, and receive new grace. This is totally within our doing! Such is the merciful forgiveness of God! It’s right in line with these readings today—in which Isaiah states: “Remember not the events of the past…see, I am doing something new” and the woman in the Gospel is uplifted, forgiven, and sent forth truly as a new person by Jesus. As Lent approaches its home stretch, have the spiritual audacity to believe that God really does give us a whole new start each time we come to him and rededicate ourselves to his love and service.
Also, as we celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend with our young people, I express our collective joy and gratitude for this pivotal moment in their life of faith. I am thankful to those who have guided their preparation, particularly Janine Kramer (Director of Religious Education) and all the parents, sponsors, and family who are amazing champions of these young people. May the Holy Spirit send them out to continually give witness to Jesus’ love!
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 3/30/25
Dear Parishioners:
The second reading today from St. Paul urges us to be reconciled to God. That prompting comes out of the work of salvation that God has accomplished in Christ Jesus. The Lord has laid out his life to open up the gift of our salvation, our reconciliation with God, and thus we are called into responding to that gift. It reminds us that the gift of salvation, the work that Jesus has offered to redeem us, is so powerful that it calls us to act. It calls us to continue reconciling, renewing, purifying, restoring our relationship with God and one another. In this Lenten season, now about at the halfway mark, we hear these words with great encouragement: be reconciled to God. Keep striving, even in the midst of our failures and weaknesses, to return to God with our whole heart, to give him our very best, to love others with the same love Christ has shown us. This call comes from the heart of God himself as he calls each one of us by name in these Lenten days and invites us to mercy, reconciliation, and peace.
Also, I want to take a moment to offer my gratitude to our Transition Team. Recently, we held our last formal meeting after having navigated through these initial months of bringing the communities of St. Clare and OLMC together. I cannot thank each of them and all of them enough. Over this period of significant change and newness, they stepped up to the plate to plan, prepare, discuss difficult issues, and most of all, become a living example of what it means to build real unity in our common Christian faith. As we now move forward, I will soon be outlining an upcoming process through which we will establish a pastoral council to assist in the unfolding of our mission as Catholics in this community.
En la segunda lectura, San Pablo nos habla de lo que es reconciliarse con Dios. Se presenta como una invitación, una exhortación de responder a la gracia de salvación en Jesus. Nos hace recordar del gran don de salvación que Jesus ha abierto por su Cruz y Resurrección. Esto ha sido la maravilla de nuestro Dios: salvando y redimiéndonos en Jesus. Por lo tanto, San Pablo quiere que respondamos. Que vivamos en una manera de acuerdo con este don de salvación, esta manera en que Dios ha extendido su mano hacia humanidad y nos ha ofrecido misericordia y restauración. Entonces, déjense reconciliar con Dios. Esta Cuaresma es momento de seguir haciendo esto. Jesus nos ha ofrecido este tiempo cuaresmal—cada momento una oportunidad de responder al llamado de Jesus y encontrar reconciliación. Es decir, Dios quiere que nosotros acerquemos para hacer mejor las cosas. Busquen y encuentren esta reconciliación.
Finalmente, quiero agradecer a los miembros del Equipo de Transición, que han reunido durante estos meses en que las comunidades de Santa Clara y la Virgen del Carmen han fusionado. Recientemente, este equipo tuvo su última reunión, y estoy lleno de gratitud por sus esfuerzos, dedicación, y ejemplo de como unirnos en nuestra fe cristiana, especialmente en medio de transición y cambio. Pronto voy a presentar pasos y un plan hacia el establecimiento de un consejo pastoral para esta comunidad renovada.
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 3/23/25
Dear Parishioners,
We all have gone long in our Lenten Journey as we begin the third week of the wonderful season when God continuously reaching out to us to have a wonderful conversation with him; conversations that would strengthen our relationship with him.
The readings for the third Sunday of lent speak of God as merciful and compassionate Father, who occasionally discipline his children as a means of bringing them closer to himself, giving them second chances to repent from their sins and to embrace lives of holiness. The first reading presents to us the wonderful encounter Moses had with God and God’s willingness to rescue his people from their various afflictions. This message is applicable to many of us who might be passing through different lives challenges; the reading calls us to reflect that we have a wonderful and merciful God who never abandon us in our different afflictions. The season of lent offers us a great opportunity to return to God not only with all our heart and soul but to present before him our various afflictions.
Peace & God’s blessings,
Fr. Sampson.
Parish Column 3/16/25
Dear Parishioners:
How is your spiritual perception? 20/20? Or maybe it varies from day to day. What I refer to is the graced ability for us to “see into,” to “peer into” any moment of our lives with the eyes of faith and understand God’s presence. At times, this is natural and forthcoming. We welcome a newborn child into our family or we behold a majestic sunset, and we almost immediately find words of praise to God on our lips. At other times, it might not be too evident. We go through a very mundane day or a prolonged spell of melancholy and we wonder if God is anywhere nearby. We can also pass through tragedy, loss, and severe suffering, both physical and emotional. That’s where our spiritual perception comes in: do we have eyes of faith to glimpse deeper into that moment and find God’s presence? The experience of the Transfiguration in the Gospel today is meant to sharpen this perception. The disciples are journeying with Jesus up to Jerusalem, to the moment of the Cross, yet they aren’t quite sure of it all. They have questions, doubts, grumblings. They even become disengaged and inattentive. And Jesus opens the experience of the Transfiguration, in which he is revealed fully in the glory of his Father, so that these disciples might truly see. So that as they walk forward, they can be assured that every moment—even unto the horrific moment of the Cross— is a moment to behold the glory of God in his Son, Jesus Christ. This kind of spiritual perception, seeing into things with faith in Jesus’ glory, will transfigure our own hearts, minds, and lives.
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 3/2/25:
Dear Parishioners,
There’s a rather direct saying that goes: “garbage in, garbage out.” I believe that its original usage developed in the world of computing, as it became very evident that when data machines were fed “bad data,” their programs would be tainted and generate “bad results.” Hence, garbage that goes in, spits out garbage as a product. It also can relate more broadly to our living, to our lives as Christians. It’s what Jesus speaks about in the Gospel today: a good tree is seen to bear good fruit. A well-nourished, cared-for tree will naturally give forth a healthy, fresh produce. Conversely, when a tree is malnourished, when a tree is in a poor environment, when a tree is infected with harmful substances, it will fail to bring forth good fruit. We can easily see what Jesus means to say for our lives. What we take in, what we ingest into our hearts, is a good indicator of what actions we will do and how we will do them. We are continually, at every moment, taking in so much in the way of opinions, information, perceptions, choices, and content. Can we take a deeper moment to pause and consider what is going “in” to us? Is it “garbage in,” or is it the Word of God, unfiltered and received from Jesus himself as the Word of life for us, meant to transform us and bring forth a harvest of goodness worthy of Christ? That way, it becomes “grace in, grace out.”
As Lent is right around the corner, I do encourage you to consider taking part in our Lenten group series this year occurring on Wednesdays. To sign up, please contact our parish office. Also, please note the schedule for Masses on Ash Wednesday (Wed, March 5).
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 2/22/25
Dear Parishioners,
Have you ever had that sneaking suspicion, deep in your heart, that you have more to give? Sometimes it’s a nagging feeling, or it can be a whispering, little voice that wants to urge us into new territory of giving, loving, serving, and living the fullness of our Christian faith. That can be an interesting moment because it puts us at a significant crossroads: do we follow that intuition to go further, or do we return to our very normal, habituated ways? Even a small step in that deeper direction can really begin to transform us. The words of Jesus in the Gospel today probably are behind those sneaking suspicions that we experience in our hearts because he is laying out the full picture of Christian love. Love surely involves caring for our family, being forgiving to our friends, and generally contributing to our community. These are all tremendously important ways of demonstrating love. And at the same time, these words of Jesus about “loving enemies,” “blessing our persecutors,” and ceasing judgements, are meant to urge our love go deeper. It’s the love that Jesus shows on the Cross, poured out for all across the face of the world and all time. We all know the moments when our capacity to love like Jesus is challenged to grow. We live in times when it is incredibly easy—dare I say, it is the default tone and content—to unfairly judge others from a distance, demonize the “other” who has a different background or ethnicity, and consider the gift of our love only for those within our own orbit. Do you sense God’s Spirit urging you to a deeper love, to the love that Christ has for you—and for all people? That’s the kind of love lived now that guides us into the eternal kingdom.
God’s peace,
Fr. John
Parish Column 2/15/25
Dear Parishioners:
Jesus presents the Beatitudes in the Gospel today, coming from Luke’s version of these declarations that Jesus makes about blessedness and happiness. In case we’ve blunt their impact, they really are a reversal of our usual expectations. Jesus declares that the disciple who is poor, hungry, and rejected will in fact find true satisfaction. Contrary even to common sense, Jesus proclaims to his followers that they are blessed as they encounter loss, failure, and external adversity. I think what shocks us is that we ordinary think that “more is better.” We tend to believe very strongly that our lives are like material containers that constantly need to be filled up with “stuff.” Yet the key that Jesus conveys is that our full humanity before God is something entirely different. We are not like car engines that constantly need to be on “full.” We are sons and daughters, children of God, who find true blessedness by not cramming our lives with “stuff” but remaining open to the powerful effect of God’s grace in our lives who fills us with that which truly matters.
I also want to formally announce that we will draw a close to the “Transition Column.” I am particularly grateful to all who contributed their reflections over these past few weeks. As we journey forward as a renewed community, may we hold in mind our continued call to hospitality, faith, and service to God and one another.
Finally, as an important reminder to all who serve in any volunteer role in our community (i.e. lector, Eucharistic minister, sacristan, catechist, church cleaner, prayer group leader, etc.), we are ensuring that all volunteers are up to date in required safe environment training. This includes a series of steps to make sure that all our volunteers are equip to foster a safe, accountable, and virtuous environment in our community. If you are a volunteer and have not completed this process, or need to update your training, contact the parish office as soon as possible to do so. We will be reviewing all volunteer positions to ensure everyone is brought up to speed in this important matter.
God’s peace,
Fr. John
New Parish Column 12/22/24
One of the uplifting trends, which we’ve seen in the first couple weeks as a joined community, is the increase in the size of our worship community. While cumulative attendance at Masses is not the only important indicator of parish vitality, it has shown that our worship together can take on new fruitfulness. As we join together with our fellow Catholics, there’s an encouragement, joy, and spiritual strength that comes from being united in the same place, lifting our hearts and voices up to God, and reclaiming ourselves as Christians who are assembled to serve God and neighbor, together. I’m grateful for the patience, openness, and hospitality that has been shown in these first weeks together. I’m also mindful that the Lord continues to do this work in our midst, to call us farther along the path of sharing our common faith and drawing others into his Church. One of the things that I always note when I’m celebrating Mass and look out at the pews is: who isn’t yet with us? In those spaces where people are not sitting, who does God want in those pews, right next to us? Who is God calling us to reach out to share our faith, to pray for, to help along the journey of a relationship with the living God? Maybe it’s people who have been with us yet are now elsewhere. Perhaps it’s the person in our life struggling with faith. So perhaps some food for thought, as we approach Christmas: who else is God calling to be with us, to worship and serve with us? Our joining together as this renewed community is not the end point—it’s the launch point.
New Parish Column 11/27/24
On this weekend that we mark the first Masses of the people of St. Clare and OLMC together, I want to offer heartfelt words of gratitude. As many of you recall, last weekend marked farewell events at St. Clare campus, and I am extremely grateful for all those who were present, helped in the planning, and served in many ways to make it a positive, meaningful, and truly blessed moment. Although there is sadness in parting, we know that God continues to guide, strengthen, and bless us as his family, his people. I am also very thankful for those who, this first weekend at OLMC, have helped to serve, minister, and prepare a time in which we can come together and get to know one another. This is a new time and a time in which we find the call to grow and strengthen community. If you see someone you don’t know (or you do recognize), take the moment at Mass to say hello. Let’s see the power of coming together around our worship and service to the Lord Jesus—it will renew us and strengthen our faith.
Also, we will be introducing the transition prayer at our Masses. This prayer, which I shared with you a few weeks back, will prayed as a spiritual practice to keep our hearts and minds centered on what matters most in this time of transition: God’s desire, plan, and grace for us.
Transition Column: 11/17/24
As the time for this transition grows closer, I hear from some parishioners about the choice that lies before them. For some, particularly those from St. Clare, there can be a hesitation and indecision about “where we are going.” This time of transition ahead means doing things di@erently, adjusting to change, and forming new community bonds. I can surely understand how many of you may feel concerned, undecided, or simply curious about where things will be heading. And to tell you the truth, neither do I. I do not have all the answers or a complete roadmap. What we do have is the power of our common faith in Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and our shared mission to proclaim the goodness of God to the world. As I listen to parishioners, I also hear something that I am positive is God’s grace. It’s the faith, generosity, humility, and openness from both communities that says: God is with us and will see us through. I hear the good will and love of parishioners who want to work together, who are excited about what can be ahead, and who trust in God. I see people who are committed to unity, fellowship, and a welcoming spirit. I pray and invite each of you to take this step with me and this new parish community.
Finally, I ask for your continued and earnest prayers as St. Clare’s prepares for the weekend of Nov. 23-24 on which farewell Masses and events will be o@ered. All are invited to those Masses (Nov. 23 at 6PM in Spanish & Nov. 24 at 11AM). Due to capacity constraints, the receptions to follow are being managed through a ticketing process. May God sustain us, and St. Clare pray for us!
Transition Column 10/13/24
As we continue to look out toward the official launch of our new life as gathered parish community, I want to remind everyone that it will take place on the weekend of November 30- December 1. This will mark the first time that we come together in worship, faith and community. Once we have finally determined a revised Mass schedule (for which we have distributed a feedback form this weekend at Masses), we will be able to publish more of the coming details. Although I recognize the bumps and challenges, we’ll have along the way, I think it's important to note what truly is meant to bring us together. We may have come from worshiping in churches and spaces that look different, but we receive the one Lord. We may have been baptized in different looking founts, but we all share the same baptism and calling. We may have varying ideas of service, yet we all serve the one Lord. That is to say, in this movement together, can we see our faith building us into a renewed community? Relatedly, on a practical level, our transition team has been discussing the ways in which we will be able to express, foster, and build community among ourselves. We are quite hopeful and confident that into the year to come, we will be able to offer gatherings, activities, and a spirit of loving community that builds us up.
Finally, if by chance you missed the opportunity in Mass this weekend to submit feedback on the revised Mass schedule, please feel free to email us at parishoffice@saintclare.org. If you need assistance with recalling the two options that were presented for consideration, please give our office a call or email us.
Transition Column 10/6/24
One of the questions that we might each ask ourselves—or I hope we will ask!— is how can I be of help in this transition? Whether I’m currently at OLMC or St. Clare, what can I do to be of positive help, to contribute, to be a “builder” and not a detractor. Well, plenty of things come to mind, and perhaps one of the most important is this: growing in our communal practice of hospitality. Let me illustrate with a personal story. When I travel, it’s one of my secret joys to go to churches for Mass to “see what it’s like.” Often as a priest it’s hard for me to get an “outside” sense of what my own parish communities are like, so such an experience can be eye-opening. On one such church visit, I walked in around the time of confessions on a Saturday afternoon. I didn’t see anyone at that time, nor did I expect to at that hour. Several minutes after sitting and praying for a while, a gentleman came down the aisle. He looked to be “on a mission,” and as he came closer, I reasonably thought he would exchange words of greeting. And yet, to my surprise, he rather sharply asked me “do you know where Father is?” Caught entirely off guard, I mumbled something, but I of course didn’t know where the priest was at that moment—I was a visitor and had no clue about the priest’s schedule! The gentleman shrugged his shoulders and lumbered on off to conduct his business (I assume he was a minister or staff). It was all rather off-putting. I recall that moment as a poorly missed opportunity for welcome, hospitality, true encounter among us as Christian-Catholics who come together for the same purpose, same mission, the same Lord Jesus. What can we do? No matter who we are, we are the people who gather together in the name of Jesus. In our interactions, in our conversations, in our ministries and service, can we see ourselves as active agents of hospitality? What will someone new say after visiting us on a Sunday?
Transition Column 9/29/24
This week, I’d like to provide a few general updates on the transition work. We are underway with preparations for farewell events at St. Clare, to take place according to below schedule:
Saturday, November 23: 6PM Mass (in SPANISH), with reception to follow in Hall sponsored by Hispanic Community. **NOTE: there will be no regular 4p Mass at St. Clare this Saturday, 11/23.
Sunday, November 24: 11AM Mass (in English), with reception to follow. For St. Clare parishioners interested in attending reception, we are in the process of setting up a system to manage space capacity.
Please do note, no other Masses will be held that weekend (Nov. 23-24) at St. Clare as we concentrate our community efforts on being together as we remember, support one another, and journey forward.
In addition, our transition team is diving into designing and planning our inaugural weekend together, Nov. 30 – Dec. 1. We hope soon to finalize a revised Mass schedule as well as communicate the special ways that we will mark those weekend celebrations. Our earnest hope is that this inaugural weekend, celebrated on the First Sunday of Advent, will draw us together as Catholics awaiting and already discovering here and now the glorious presence and power of Christ in our midst.
In the coming weekends, we are inviting and welcoming members of the transition team to be present at Masses of their counterpart parish. That is, members from OLMC will be visiting St. Clare, and vice-versa. I hope this will be an informal, “low-entry” way for these two communities to know one another better, foster mutual respect and goodwill, and start to build lasting connections of faith and love. I encourage you to say hello to these folks in the coming weeks.
Transition Column 9/22/24
Amid the significant changes that this transition process is bringing into play, it’s quite easy to default into perceiving all such change as negative or undesirable. There’s a human tendency for us all to stay as it is, to protect what we have, and remain rather comfortable. And yet change, hard as it is on the practical level, also can hold great possibility. Pope Francis has often said that God is masterful at bringing growth out of situations of crisis and change. It’s what he has continued to do with his people and his church over the centuries. When times of transition and newness arrive, God is seeking to do something, to work something, in our midst. And the question for us all in this time is to ask and pray about what that is. What is God seeking to do in the midst of our communities as we join together? What does God want to see as the fruits of this work of rebuilding, renewal, and unity? I hope each of you can ponder and reflect on this question in a most serious and consequential way. Let me say this: I see this process as a prime opportunity for us as Catholics in this area to grow stronger in our commitment to share and spread our faith. While we can become focused inward, God continues to call us outward, to witness to his love, to serve the poor and needy, to draw others into the light of God’s love for them. If we can positively pursue this conversion of our own hearts and in our practice of the faith, I believe we will see God’s grace in new and wonderful ways.
Transition Column 9/15/24
This weekend, I’d like to pass along at few informational updates in this time of transition. We’re ready to announce the farewell events at the St. Clare campus. I do thank everyone for their patience over these past weeks. These moments will take place on the weekend of November 23-24, 2024 according to the following schedule:
Saturday, November 23: 6PM Mass (in SPANISH)
Sunday, November 24: 11AM Mass (in English)
No other Masses will take place at St. Clare that weekend. Following each Mass of farewell, there will be a reception to take place. Due to capacity limitations, we will have a ticketing system so that we can plan and prepare accordingly. Soon we’ll publicize steps to request those tickets. I also do respectfully ask that given the nature of this farewell moment, those parishioners associated with St. Clare would be afforded the first priority for attending the reception. There will be open seating at both the Masses.
Also, I want to formally present the members of the working transition team. We have met several times to discuss a variety of topics in this time, and I am deeply grateful for their commitment, service, and desire to make this transition faith-filled, hopeful, and an experience of community.
Rita Kurek (OLMC)
Kathy Wandishin (St. Clare)
Carmelina Mosier (OLMC—se habla español)
Ivan Rios (St. Clare—se habla español)
Dave Czawlytko (OLMC)
Tom Grzymski (St. Clare)
Gil Lookingland Jr. (OLMC)
Paul Blitz (St. Clare)
Nkem Okagbue (OLMC)
Barb Smith (St. Clare)
Beverly Perkey (OLMC)
Vicki DeRuggiero (St. Clare)
Transition Column 9/8/24
As we move toward this transition, one of the topics on the minds of many is about space. That is, in this new arrangement, what will things look like in the church, where will parking be, what is the process for accessibility, and how will everyone be accommodated? Admittedly, it is a challenge ahead to take the existing campus and facilities of OLMC and creatively adapt them such that we together make an atmosphere that is mutually welcoming, accessible, safe, and functional. Over the last few months, I have sought to give planning and resources to these matters. It is important to ensure that the spaces we will be utilizing as a new parish community will bring out the best in us and serve as vehicles (not impediments) to worship, unity, and hospitality. We have recently added several new handicap parking spaces in close proximity to the handicap entrance to OLMC Church, which is found at the base of the bell tower. Once inside that entrance, there is a stairlift platform that transports a person standing, sitting, or in a wheelchair. This is meant to decrease the effort needed to find a handicap space, enter the church, and reach the upper level for Mass. We also are in the midst of cleaning the front exterior of OLMC Church by removing aging trees, renewing and painting major surfaces, and increasing visibility. Our ongoing planning has also sought to ensure that we will be utilizing the available public spaces (i.e. gathering spaces, meeting rooms, etc.) most effectively.
Of particular note is the space of the church, the most important location where we are called to worship God together as a community of faith. Whether you’ve been at OLMC for years or you’re coming from St. Clare and don’t know what to expect, my hope is that the church will become a living reflection of both parish communities. This means that we can all anticipate adjustments to the existing worship space at OLMC so that it visibly reflects and balances the spiritual heritage of each parish. While I do not yet have any firm deadline for this project, I am in contact with a consultant to determine a plan forward. I also will be in communication as things move ahead.
I also ask for your patience in these matters. Believe me, there is a lot that can be done to enhance this transition onto one campus. As it is, it all takes time, resources, and effort. I remain committed to dedicating planning and resources to these areas so that over time we can experience a smooth transition.
Transition Column 9/1/24
New Parish Transition: “What’s new?”
Welcome to this section of the bulletin that will help to communicate information, updates, and expectations as we approach the joining together of the parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Clare later this year. As most of us know, this decision of merging was announced earlier this summer, and now we are beginning the significant work of preparing, planning, and undertaking the necessary steps. Let me first once more acknowledge—and ask that all of us be aware— that this transition is hard. It means loss, change, pain, and newness for everyone, whether you’re from St. Clare or Our Lady of Mount Carmel. There are no “winners and losers” here. Our first task as Christians is to be understanding, have compassion, and truly walk with one another as people of faith.
What is happening now and what can we expect? Recently, I have called together a transition team, a 12-member group of parishioners who equally represent both OLMC and St. Clare. Their job will be to assist me with the planning, discernment, and implementation of this merger. I am grateful for their generous service and will also soon communicate how to be in touch with this team with any questions or comments. One of our first discussions is about the final Mass and farewell celebration at St. Clare campus. Those deliberations are underway with a final date and details forthcoming. Along with the transition team, I recognize the need to ensure that everyone, particularly those yet unacquainted with the OLMC campus, knows how to navigate: where is parking, how does handicap accessibility work, where can I get more information. Finally, we can expect, as we anticipate the full joining together of the communities on the first Sunday of Advent, Dec. 1, a revised Mass schedule. I will be looking for ways to collect input in this area as we seek to address the needs of this newly established community.
Please continue to look here every week for more…and in the meantime, and I say this in all seriousness: please, pray for one another. Pray that God, who gives us all we need, will help us along this new path, giving us his grace, his unity, his Spirit to make us more faithful, fruitful followers of Christ.
-Fr. John