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Ste-Anne Parish ~ Pastor's Desk

A Message from the Pastor’s Desk - Dec 31, 2009

I would like to take this opportunity to express my most sincere thanks to all of you for the very beautiful letters, cards and notes that I have received over the past tow months since entering my betterment program. I most especially have enjoyed the most recent correspondence around Christmas. Such communication has been for me been both very encouraging and life-giving.

I want you to know that I am truly grateful to all of you for your prayers, your support and your love throughout this time. I simply ask that you continue to pray for me. I want you to know that I am doing well. I continue to remain hopeful that I will be returning to priestly ministry at Ste-Anne's Parish sometime in 2010.

In the meantime, I wish to thank Fr. Mike and the entire parish team at Ste-Anne’s who continue to serve the community well in my absence. May I take a moment on my behalf to wish all of you and your loved ones a Blessed and Happy New Year of 2010 with the hope that the Lord may grant you His Abundant Blessings throughout this year.

With Thanks, With Love, Père/Fr. Robert G. Couture
 


A Message from the Pastor’s Desk - Nov 15, 2009

Dear Beloved People of Ste-Anne’s Parish,

I am writing to you to inform you of a decision that I have made for my own personal betterment. As of November 9th, 2009, I am taking a Personal Health Leave and entering a betterment program out of town. While this was a very difficult decision to make, I truly believe in my heart that it was the right one for me at this time in my life. While I have been dealing with a number of challenges both personally and professionally, I thought that it was important to take ownership of the situation and take action sooner rather than later.

The program that I have signed myself up for is a minimum of 3 months and thus it is my hope that I will be home and back at Ste-Anne’s Parish by Easter. If I am permitted to come home sooner, then I will. Bishop Fabbro fully supports this decision and has committed himself as well as Fr. Brian Klooster, Director of Priest Personnel, to ensure the proper running of Ste-Anne’s Parish in my absence.

Bishop Fabbro has appointed Father Mike Graham as Administrator of Ste-Anne’s Parish until my return. The Bishop has also asked Fr. Richard Cartier who has recently retired in Tecumseh to help Fr. Mike with the varied sacramental celebrations. The Bishop has also asked Archbishop James MacDonald and Monsignor Patrick Morand to help with the French Mass every Sunday Morning @ 9:00 a.m. as well as the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day French Masses also @ 9:00 a.m. They will also celebrate the school confessions at both French Elementary Schools as well as the three French school masses for Advent. I was able to celebrate the confessions @ école secondaire l’Essor before leaving.

During my absence, my staff has assured me that they will do everything possible to make sure that things run smoothly and I have no doubt in my mind that they will rise to the challenge. I ask the same from you as this will be a transitional period and one that with your help and cooperation will go well. I truly believe that Fr. Mike will receive the same support and dedication that you have shown me in the past 7 years. It is my hope that this will be a seamless transition. As I was preparing for this over the last little while, we did everything possible to make this period as quiet as possible. The vast majority of the weddings have taken place; the 150th Anniversary celebration went off magnificently and will be one that we will all cherish for years to come.

I am grateful for that wonderful opportunity to have led the community through such a monumental moment in the history of the parish. We have also delayed other activities to the Spring. Confirmation will not take place until after Easter {April 12 & 13}. We have also placed our second Marriage Prep Weekend also in April {16-17-18} in hopes that I would be back for both of these events.

I am sure that one of the questions that you may have is why did I not mention this before I left. The answer is for several reasons. The first reason was that I did not want to take away from the euphoria of the 150th Anniversary of our parish on Sunday, October 25th. It was a truly magnificent day: the mass, the banquet, the people, the meal, etc. We are not going to live such a moment for quite a while and I was determined that I was not going to take away from that with my own personal reality. The weekend after October 25th was wonderful with the opportunity for people to share their experience of the event and the memories that came from that. It was truly good and life-giving to hear it and to celebrate it throughout that weekend.

The second reason is far more personal. I was not prepared to enter into the dialogue which undoubtedly would have been very emotional for me. I am asking you to appreciate that this decision was not an easy one but in the end a necessary one. This is not a simple thing to talk about and I was not prepared to put myself or you through that. I sincerely hope that you understand and support my decision.

What I ask of you is your prayers, your love and your support during this difficult time in my life. While you cannot call me, you are more than welcomed to write to me and send or drop off your note or letter to the office and either Cheryl or Géralyn will receive it and it will be forwarded to me. I in turn will do my best to write back to you. If you have found me difficult recently, then I apologize and seek your forgiveness. It has never been my intention to be hurtful or harmful to anyone. This past year has been extremely difficult for a variety of reasons but I was determined to see the year through until this point. I wish to thank you for your love and support over the years. It is what has carried me to this point in my life and I could not have done it without you. You will continue to remain in my prayers.

 
Sincerely yours in Christ,

Père/Fr. Robert G. Couture, Pastor/Curé
Fr./Père Robert G. Couture,
Pastor/Curé
 


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