A Concord Pastor Comments: Transition...

Thought I'd catch you up on my comings and goings...

My assignment as pastor at Holy Family in Concord ends on May 31 but contrary to what everyone is saying, I am not retiring. Retirement in the Archdiocese of Boston is at 75 so I still have three years until that time comes.

I will become a senior vicar at New Roads Catholic Community, the collaborative of St. Joseph and St. Luke Parishes in Belmont where Fr. Thom Mahoney, a good friend of mine, is the pastor.

What's a senior vicar, you ask? It's an older priest who's assigned to assist in a parish. My work will be pastoral and not administrative - praise God! I will also have a lighter schedule, three days off a week instead of two. It won't be easy to leave Concord after 25 years but I'm very pleased about where I'm going and challenged by the work I'll be doing.

Although I'll be working in Concord until May 31, my last weekend masses will be this coming Saturday and Sunday, May 18/19 - the 19th being the 46th anniversary of my ordination! (I didn't want my last weekend to be the long weekend of Memorial Day when many people will be away so I have another priest covering masses on the 25/26th.)

So, my time in Concord ends on May 31 - and then I'm taking a month's break: 2 weeks in Georgetown, Colorado where my sister and brother-in-law make their home and two weeks on the Cape. My work in Belmont will officially begin on July 1.

Yes, I'll continue to blog! I've already spoken to Fr. Frank Silva, the new pastor in Concord, who has no problem with my continuing to blog under the title of Concord Pastor. I've been writing under that head for 12 years now - it's my brand!

Please keep me in your prayers as I make this transition and be sure that you're in my prayers, too!