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Dear Friends in Christ,
Today is my final day as your pastor and my heart is filled with gratitude for these very rich and full ten years at Our Lady of Lourdes. This time spent with you on our journey of faith and with our gracious God has been a gift I will not soon forget. I had the opportunity today to pray in our beautiful church and to thank God for our community of faith and for our historic church in which we have together worshipped the living God. As I depart, I would like to call your attention briefly to a number of important items.
First, please warmly welcome Fr. John Bauer as your new shepherd and pastor. His number one priority as he begins is to get to know parishioners at Lourdes so he can better serve you as pastor. Don’t miss those opportunities to connect with Fr. Bauer and please keep him, the staff, and the entire parish in your prayers during this time of transition.
Second, it is critical for Lourdes’ parishioners to get involved in the parish in the various ministries and opportunities that are offered here. I am so thankful for our parishioners and friends who generously share their gifts with our community – always lending a helping hand. You are the heart and soul of this parish. We need more of you – your generous service as ministers and volunteers constitute the vital heart of any parish.
Third, I thank those parishioners and friends who have given generously over the years, including during the pandemic, in our recent effort to “close the gap” as this fiscal year draws to a close, and in your support of various outreach ministries. After consulting the finance council and Fr. Bauer, the parish is announcing a new campaign called, “Securing Our Precious Jewel,” which will provide needed funds for important initiatives such as installing a new security system in the church, improving our beleaguered elevator, shoring up the front and back porches of the parish house, and tuck-pointing the east side of the church. This effort will coincide with the celebration of the 145th anniversary of the parish and will focus on the timeframe of July 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. More details will be forthcoming regarding “Securing Our Precious Jewel” and I ask you to be generous in your support.
Fourth, today, Our Lady of Lourdes sold its rectory townhome in Lauderdale to the Basilica of St. Mary. This sale was unanimously approved by both parish finance councils, the trustees of both parishes, and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The rationale for the sale was straightforward: Fr. Bauer currently owns his own home and thus Lourdes did not need clergy housing and the Basilica of St. Mary did not have clergy housing. I am happy to stay living where I am and I am thankful to all those who worked so hard on the transaction. The price that was negotiated was fair and the sale benefits both parishes.
Fifth, I thank the staff of Our Lady of Lourdes for their hard work and commitment. Mary Asp, Carol Burns, Marshall Collier, and Nicole Millner form the core of the Lourdes team, along with indispensable and generous volunteers. The parish staff will move to a new structure as of July 1, 2022. Mary Asp will shift to the position of Managing Director, Business Administration and Carol Burns will move to Managing Director, Ministries. There will essentially be two distinct buckets of responsibility more clearly delineated between administration and ministry. This shift will help to right size Mary’s role and relies on Carol’s vast experience in the area of parish ministries. Fr. Bauer will work with the staff and parish to further outline and delineate these new roles and will communicate this with the parish in due time.
Lastly, as I conclude my service at Lourdes as your pastor, I am so thankful to all of you for your faith, generosity, and commitment to Notre Dame de Lourdes. What a special place this is – a community and parish that will always remain very close to my heart. I ask for your prayers for me as I begin my pastorate at the Basilica of St. Mary, I pledge my prayers for you and for Fr. Bauer, and I want you to always know and not soon forget that God loves each of you and all of you with a deep and abiding love.
Gratefully,
Fr. Griffith