Dear Friends:
I am pleased to announce that I have hired Lisa Monahan to serve as the new Director of Faith Formation for our parish. She will take up her duties September 15 and will oversee the catechetical program for the elementary and middle school level. Lisa is a parishioner of Precious Blood Parish. She is married and has two children. She is an administrator in the Hamden Public Schools and brings with her both a commitment to our faith and a broad expertise in education. Registration for the parish faith formation program will begin after Labor Day. It is best for parents to consult the parish website beginning this coming week.
At the same time, I also announce that, after a number of years in the full-time position of Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation, Deacon John Hoffman will be stepping down effective September 30. Deacon John turned 70 in April and has expressed a desire to have more time to spend with his children and grandchildren. We certainly cannot begrudge him for wanting that. He has been an invaluable collaborator with me for these years and I cannot thank him enough for the work that he has done. He retires from his full-time position in the parish, which means necessarily that he will not be as available as he has been. I am happy to say, however, that he will not be leaving us entirely. He will still be with us on weekends, assisting at Mass and preaching as scheduled. He will assist at funerals when and if he is able to do so. I wish him well as he enters into a new phase in his life, and I know that all of you will express your gratitude and appreciation to him.
At the same time, I would be remiss if I were not to mention the good work that Deacon Nicholas Genovese does in the parish, particularly at St. Agnes. He is officially a deacon of the Archdiocese with Senior Status, which is a way of saying that he is past the retirement age, which is 75. Happily, he continues to assist at St. Agnes and even at St. Mary’s, by serving as deacon at Mass, preaching as scheduled, assisting at funerals, and more. The work of both of the deacons in our parish is invaluable to me and, I know, to all of us.
Have a good week!