Dear Parishioners,
It is with a heavy heart that I announce to you that I will be leaving St. Francis Xavier Parish at the end of June this year.
I am being transferred to the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon as the Director of the Office of Divine Worship.
Bishop Da Cunha has given me on loan to Archbishop Alexander Sample, the Archbishop of Portland, initially for a period of three years.
I will be announcing my departure at the end of Masses this weekend (22/23 April).
Although this assignment has come as somewhat of a surprise to me, I am excited about the opportunity to work for Archbishop Sample whose liturgical vision is one with which I am fully aligned.
Your new Pastor (Administrator) will be Father Riley Williams who comes to us from Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich where he has been the Parochial Vicar for the last two years. He’s one lucky lad!
Your support of me in the last nine years has been nothing more than exemplary.
If you continue this support for your new pastor, I am sure that this parish will continue it’s growth in love for Our Lord Jesus Christ – and that is all a good parish should ever do.
We will have the opportunity to share our goodbyes over the next few weeks and to celebrate the parish that we all love so much.
I will miss you – but my loss will be eased knowing that SFX is in good hands; yours and those of Fr. Williams.
With prayers and best wishes.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Msgr. Gerard O’Connor
https://www.sfxparish.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/New-Director-Announcement-OConnor.pdf