If Father Shaun reads this post, please know that you are in our prayers as you make this journey. God bless you for making this step of faith! Welcome Home!
Sunday 6th June 2010 AD
Sunday 6th June 2010 AD
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I have often spoken to you about the need to listen to what God is saying about life and how he wants you to follow him.
I have also been listening to the Lord and trying to work out what he wants from me. It's a difficult thing to listen and discern and naturally it takes time and prayer.
Over the past eighteen months God has been asking me to explore again my vocation as a priest. It has been a restless time because there has been so much going on, especially with our pioneering solar roof.
Saint Silas has been my home for nine years, and its true what people say - time really flies when you are having fun! I've had the best of times with you. This is also the longest time I have ever stayed in one place and it has been blessed and holy. We have built up our prayer life together, redeveloped our building and grown in many different ways.
I can hardly imagine not being here, but I have come to recognise after much prayer and some heartache, that God is asking me to change direction and to work in another part of his vineyard. So the time has come for me to prepare to leave Saint Silas Church and say goodbye.
There is never an ideal time to leave a church, and the thought of leaving you all is very painful for me, but Bishop John has agreed to let me go. My last Mass here will be on Sunday 25th July. I hope we can all be together on that day.
My new post will not be as a priest right away. I will be catching up on an overdue holiday and hope to work as a layman in the Roman Catholic Church. Eventually I may continue my priestly ministry there, but that is some time away.
I have thoroughly loved being your parish priest and friend; you have taught me so much. I ask you now, to support our church wardens and church council and to set about the important task of praying for the swift appointment of a new parish priest.
You remain in my prayers. I hope that you will pray for me too.
Stay blessed, keep the faith!
5 comments:
God bless him for his courageous decision. I shall keep him in my prayers.
Thanks for sharing.
I promise to keep him in my poor prayers too.
What a brave man! I shall pray for hia future happiness in the Church, solar panels or no solar panels. May the sun of righteousness shine upon him.
St Silas, Pentonville, seems to be a route into the Church. His predecessor was received some time ago.
Thanks for such kind comments, I truely look forward to returning home.
Shaun, it's been too long. May God walk close with you and bless this very brave and exciting time in your vocation.
Vincent Finnegan, Friary, Killarney
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