Friday, May 13, 2011

Time to Say Goodbye


Dear Parishioners,
One of the most difficult times for me as a priest is when I have to say goodbye to people that I love. Maybe they move away.  Perhaps I am being transferred to a new rectory or assignment.  Then there are those times when death strikes—undoubtedly the hardest goodbye of them all.   I admit that I am not good with these circumstances.  I would rather avoid the situation and just move on.  Maybe it will cause less pain.
Well I have come to one of those times again.
I have been at Queen of Angels (*now Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament) for almost six years now.  (Has it really been that long?) And I have walked the hallways of Sacred Heart High School even longer—14 years.  These have been great assignments because of the wonderful people!  I hope that I have been able to contribute a little to making both places a bit better.  I especially hope and pray that the presence of Jesus Christ was more apparent by something that I have tried to say or do.
Have I been able to accomplish everything that I wanted to do?  Unfortunately, the answer is no.  Many plans were left undone.  The merger of the parishes is still not completed.  All the unfinished business will have to be left to the next pastor.  Sorry for that.
Priests are all too humanWe struggleWe failWe hurt.  Unfortunately we sin as well.  I have realized both my fragile humanity and my mortality over the past few years.  I think that I attempted to bite off more than I could chew.  Regrettably I learned this the hard way.
So where am I going and what does my future look like?

Bishop Galante has appointed me as Pastor to St. Joseph Parish, Somers Point, NJ.  I will begin this new assignment sometime over the summer months.  I can also inform you that Fr. Allain Caparas, our former Parochial Vicar, will return to Queen of Angels as the new Pastor, effective June 13, 2011.  I know that you will show him your love, support and encouragement.   

I plan to continue writing.  I have posted some of my past parish bulletin articles online. The blog is entitled A Pastor's Thoughts (www.fr-ed-namiotka.com).  If my thoughts and writings were interesting, helpful or amusing to you, I invite you to check out my blog.
Otherwise, this is a preliminary goodbye to all of you.  I thank God if I have helped you in any way.  I ask His and your forgiveness if I have hurt you or caused pain or sorrow in your life in any way. I can honestly say it was never done intentionally.
I ask you once again for your prayers.  Just a little remembrance, every once in a whilePlease.  I will continue to remember all of you in this parish—my first assignment as pastor—in my prayers and at the altar during Mass.
I was told many years ago that when a priest leaves a parish 20% of the people will swear by him, 20% will swear at him, and for 60% it won’t make much of a difference at all.
I hope that this isn’t really true.
In Jesus and His Mother Mary,
Fr. Ed Namiotka
(Soon to be former) Pastor

1 comment:

  1. Father, I only recently started reading your blog. I am from the UK. Part of your global parish perhaps? May I just add, you mentioned leaving part of your plans undone, you missed out something; part of your accomplished plans remain unseen, by you. God sees them though.

    Every good wish in your new parish.Glad to hear you will still be blogging.

    "For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come."

    God bless you. Ros.

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