Since our snowbirds are coming back and some summer residents are coming to spend the weekends, not everyone has heard that after eight years I am being transferred to Holy Redeemer Parish in Chatham as of Wednesday, June 28. I will be replaced by two priests who are members of the Society of Divine Vocations. This is the same religious order that Bishop Da Cunha belongs to. The new pastor will be Fr. Antonio Da Silva, SDV, and the parochial vicar’s name is Fr. Cyril Offiong, SDV.
There is no doubt about it this is going to be a major transition for St. Patrick’s Parish. In the past St. Patrick’s has been staffed by diocesan priests. The priests that have served here were mostly born and brought up in this area. Religious order priests, such as the Vocationist Priests, often come from throughout the world. They also bring a different spirituality or what is referred to as a charism. For the Vocationists, it is to foster vocations to the priesthood especially among the poor.
For the two priests, it will be a big change, too. Both of them are foreign born. Fr. Da Silva is a native of Brazil; Fr. Offiong is Nigerian by birth. While both have worked here in the United States for a number of years, it has been mostly in northern New Jersey. We know that is a whole different world! My point is St. Patrick’s new priests will need some time to adjust to their new surroundings. So please be patient and understanding as they adjust to not only a new parish community but some cultural differences, too.
As I am thinking of my own transition, I would like to present some ways that the parishioners of St. Patrick’s can help their new priests to adjust to the parish.
- Open your heart and decide that you are going to love your new priests.
- When you meet the new priests, use the language of hospitality and welcome. Help them know you are happy they are here.
- Offer help and explain to them how things are done here at St. Patrick’s. When a new priest comes to a parish, he wants to respect parish traditions and customs. Help the new priests get to know those traditions. If they feel the need to change them later, they will.
- Since the new priests have never been to Wareham, they won’t know their way around. Tell them where stores, cleaners, barbers, etc. are located and how to get to different parts of town.
- Introduce yourselves to them. Tell them your name and how you are involved in the parish. If you’re a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Greeter, involved in Bible Study or the Prayer Shawl Ministry, tell them.
- Tell them your name every time you meet them. Remember they are meeting many different people and trying to learn many names.
- If you are a member of a parish ministry or group, invite them to come and participate at a meeting. If you have expectations about what they are to do, tell them beforehand.
- Remember that they will have different talents and gifts than any priest that has been assigned here in the past. Let them use those gifts.
- Remember that just like you they are grieving the past, so don’t be offended if they compare this parish to the parish(es) they have served over the years.
- Last by not least, pray for them! They will need God’s grace to help them lead St. Patrick’s Parish.
Maybe you would like to send a card or message of welcome to Fr. Da Silva and Fr. Offiong. Here are their current addresses:
Fr. Antonio Da Silva, SDV
Visitation Rectory
192 Sandford Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Fr. Cyril Offiong, SDV
St. Michael Rectory
172 Broadway
Newark, NJ 07104
Fr. Da Silva will be coming to the parish on Tuesday, June 20, to have a little time to acquaint himself with the parish before I leave the parish. I don’t know exactly when Fr. Offiong will arrive in the parish.