Fr. Matt's Letter

Dear Parish Family,
 
Praise be Jesus Christ! I would like to share with you a few brief updates. First, I know many of you are wondering where we stand with the unification process between our two churches. On Wednesday, October 4^th, the Unification Committee from St. Matthew & St. Hubert Parish met for the first time with Sarah Pelrine and Edith Martinez from the Renew My Church Team from the Archdiocese of Chicago. This committee, made up of representatives from both sites, serves as the “transition team” providing support and counsel to Fr. Tim Fairman, the Parish Administrator, and me during this first year of unification. There will be many more meetings this year. Please look to the bulletin for updates. Please pray for our team, that we will be guided by the Holy Spirit as we move forward to help address whatever challenges are presented as we continue our progress of uniting our parish together. Second, many of you already know by now that Bishop Kevin Birmingham, who not a month ago was transferred from our Vicariate to replace Bishop Perry after his retirement in Vicariate VI, suddenly passed away this last week. It came a shock to many, not the least of which among the episcopate and the priests of the Archdiocese. Please pray for the repose of Bishop Birmingham’s soul and for his family as they grieve during this difficult time. Bishop Birmingham was 51 years old, just days before his 52^nd birthday. He will be truly missed.
 
I have come back repeatedly in my thoughts and in my prayers over the last few things that Fr. Mike told me before he passed. I wrote about it in my first bulletin after his funeral. Fr. Mike had a clear vision, a desire which he expressed with earnest, that our community be a people of prayer – not just in large or even small settings, but even beyond those, and within the personal confines of our own private time. I often think, “what is my job, my identity, as an associate pastor where there is no active pastor?” I’m not going to lie, this has been quite the exercise in faith and humility, and for that I’m very thankful to God and for you. I certainly would have never been able to do what a pastor of this large endeavor can do and having Fr. Tim as Administrator has relieved me of so much anxiety. His friendship and yours has been an anchor in my own personal life. But I am still on the edge of the same question: “what is an associate pastor in our particular situation?” Fr. Mike’s words over the summer came back to remind me that I don’t have to make up anything new, I only have to be a priest of Jesus Christ. Fr. Mike’s desire for a prayerful assembly mingled with what I believe to be Fr. Glab’s vision of a well-catechized community: these two things have become my subconscious and deepest desires. I don’t exactly know what that means right now, but as the unification process continues, I’m certain our Lord will reveal to my heart what He desires of me and for the community, which He has given me charge to take care of. But even this will have its limits. I’m not the pastor here, and I am trying to remain respectful of that fact, albeit current circumstances have required me to take on roles that I have had to learn slowly and painfully.
 
With that being said, I want you to know what is in my heart and mind these days. I want you to succeed. Our previous pastors from Fr. Mike to Fr. Bob, to Fr. Gene, all have pastored the community of St. Hubert so beautifully in the progress of community. I don’t want that to change, and I pray and hope that what you’ve built together in friendship never ruptures or becomes undone by any circumstances that may surround decisions during the unification process. Fr. Glab has done such amazing work with the community of St. Matthew, and I know of the tireless love he poured out in his work in making St. Matthews the rock that it is in the community. I don’t want that familiarity to be severed, nor do I want it to be harmed in any way. Knowing changes are inevitable, these two key factors between both churches, I feel, must remain elemental glues that keep us together: lives of prayer and community; that is, the vertical and horizontal beams that make up our life together in Christ. I too desire that we pray and teach and love each other the way that our previous leaders have paved for our churches from years upon years of wisdom and friendship between God and brethren, not just in our own local churches, but in the Universal Church, which is ever so expansive, ever ancient and ever new. I have no agenda, only those things which are strung together in my own spirituality, which is the only gift I can really offer this newly merged community. I can’t be the pastor you desire and deserve, because God will yet reveal who that is, but I am nevertheless here to help for whatever length of time God has sent me to you both as your spiritual father and spiritual brother, that is, a father for your sake, and a brother for mine.
 
With the peace and love of Christ our God,
 
     Fr. Matt