Saturday, December 30, 2006

Another goodbye



This is an entry I've put off writing until after Christmas Day.

Father J made the announcement he will be leaving, going to a parish up in the Midwest, where he's from.

Sigh.

I've become fond of him over the past three years, and though his leaving will leave me sad, I can't help thinking, "Good for him."

Apart from any desire to be closer to home, this isn't a diocese in which it's easy to head a parish, except maybe for Network types who just march to the tune with blinders on. The average rector gets headaches and heartburn, I suspect, trying to hold his or her parish together.

In this parish, people have left because Father J hasn't stood up to the bishop. People have left because he hasn't made a firm conservative stand (even though his views on sexuality are pretty conservative), and he's even had female clergy in the parish. He voted against joining the Network.

In a polarized diocese like this one in Central Florida, it's hard to take a moderate stand.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Take heart, young lady. You never know what plan God is working on.

Caminante said...

Prayers for you and your parish as you enter this period. I hope the waters of baptism will smooth over the waters of turbulence.

Lisa Fox said...

My prayers go up for you and your parish! It must be so hard to be down there in Network land!

Strength & courage --
Lisa