Dear Parishioners of Precious Blood Parish:
This marks the inaugural issue of the new bulletin for our new parish. As the pastor of Precious Blood, I look forward to working together with all of you, the other parish clergy and the members of the parish staff as we come together as a new community of faith. It is my strong hope that we, as former members of St. Mary Parish and St. Agnes Parish, will come to know each other, learn the traditions of each parish, and seek to know, love and serve the Lord as a vibrant community of faith that encompasses the eastern two-thirds of Milford.
I am keenly aware that I can not do this alone. I am thankful that Archbishop Blair has assigned two priests to assist me in serving the people of Precious Blood. Father Sam John comes to us from the Diocese of Pathanamhitta in India. Fr. Sam was ordained as a priest on April 6, 2010 and since his ordination he has served capably in several pastoral assignments in his home diocese before coming to the United States and the Archdiocese of Hartford. Fr. Deny Varghese comes from Kerala, India. He is also a priest of the Diocese of Pathanamhitta and was ordained priest on February 23, 2013. Fr. Deny served as secretary to the Bishop of his diocese and as a pastor of a parish as well. I know that you will welcome Fr. Sam and Fr. Deny and that you will come to appreciate their warmth and gentleness as representatives of Christ to his people.
A bit of housekeeping is in order. The canonical establishment of Precious Blood Parish took place this past Thursday, June 29. However, the legal paperwork that is needed to establish the Precious Blood Parish Corporation has not yet come to us. Thus, we ask that, until further notice, that if you make a contribution or pay for anything by check connected with the parish, that you continue to make your check payable to either St. Mary’s Church or St. Agnes Church, as you have been doing. When the parish corporation is legally established, we will ask that all checks be made payable to Precious Blood Parish.
I am delighted to be the first pastor of the newly-merged parish. I am equally delighted that Fr. Francis Callahan will continue to live at St. Agnes and assist as he is able to do so. If there are any concerns, questions or suggestions, please feel free to call me at (203) 878-3571, write to me, or speak to me after any of the Masses.
