time to say goodbye

Paroisse Très-Sainte-Trinité, 2013
Rockland, On

"when you were so far away
i sit alone and dream of the horizon
then i know that you are here with me, with me
building bridges over land and sea
shine a blinding light for you and me
to see, for us to be."
(Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman - Time To Say Goodbye, 1996)

ouch!  this doesn't get any easier.  i am moving at the start of January.  yep, in 3 weeks i will be in a new parish, in Rockland.  that is the journey of a diocesan priest.

transitions are never easy, and should never be underestimated.  i am experiencing once again similar feelings to those times when God calls.  He says, "Go!", and i say, "no?"  of course, we are all afraid when He calls, when He expects something from us!  because, in our freedom, we can actually say, "no!"  we are invited on this journey of faith, to imitate Our Lady, and so many more - then, present, future - that say, "Yes!" to God with an undivided heart!  trust in God, always!  i continue to say Yes! to Him, and to love His People.  and so, when my spiritual father, ABp Prendergast, invited me to be the adminstrator for the next few months, i said yes!

Paroisse St-Pierre-Apôtre, 2013
Hawkesbury, On

my new parish as of January 6th, 2014:  Paroisse Très-Sainte-Trinité à Rockland, Ontario (or see wikipedia.org - EN, FR).  i feel joy, at the invitation to know and love my new family;  sadness at saying goodbye to my other family at Paroisse St-Pierre-Apôtre.  i have come to know a few well, and was beginning to take steps to know others better.  finally, maybe some fear + trembling?  entering into the unknown, it is natural to feel afraid.  however, "do not be afraid" is the chorus of the angels and Our Lord to his disciples.  among everything that is happening, i feel at peace, in Him!  i know the joy of God in Our Lord Jesus Christ, and He helps me on my path, my journey.  i know He takes care of me, and i know my new family will too!

i often hear the expression, "time heals all wounds".  ah, um, how do you say, "WRONG!" (side tangent:  i'm taken back to the early '90s, and Dana Carvey yelling "wrong" at everybody (à la The McLaughlin Group)!  remember?  it is genius!  eh?)  anywho, time does not heal all wounds.  God does!  it is God in Our Lord Jesus Christ who heals us in His Word and Sacraments.  i look forward in sharing my faith in Rockland!

et deux, trois p'tit mots pour ma nouvelle communauté, ma nouvelle Famille à Rockland, je repête ce que j'ai dit ça fait deux ans et demi:

j'ai hâte a vous connaitre/aimer, et de me laisser connaitre/aimer par vous, sur ce chemin vers Dieu en Jésus! comme le Curé d'Ars, je dis, "vous m'avez montrez le chemin pour Rockland, je vous montrerai le chemin du Ciel." (moi, 2011)

of course, it is never time to say goodbye!  i am still in the diocese, and we will see each other later!  union de prière.  peace.

ps.  the video: