Change is good

Dear Parishioners
I would like to convey the greetings of Christmas to each one of you. This Christmas must have brought to you joy, hope and peace. My Christmas celebration was as good as it can be, and I enjoyed thoroughly. I have announced to you on the Christmas Eve Mass that my time as named pastor of the North Cluster of Parishes has come to end. I had met with the Parish Councils of both parishes in which Fr Paul Martin, Superior of the Jesuits announced that Fr. Packiaraj SJ will be the named pastor for the North Cluster with due blessings from the Bishop. In the same meeting, it was expressed that I would be going for my further formation as a young Jesuit priest. But, before that, I would be taking a break in India with my family.
Allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude. Firstly, I would like to thank the Almighty God for giving me an opportunity to minister to these parishes in the North Cluster and it couldn’t have been possible without your assistance. God has been good to me in these two and a half years of my service in the North Cluster. Secondly, I would like to thank the superior of the Jesuits, Fr Paul Martin for placing the trust and confidence in me and letting me to get on with my ministry by allowing me to make use of my gifts and blessings in the service of the people of God. Thirdly, I would like to thank each one of you for assisting me in my ministry as priest. You have been a wonderful parish to me and I will cherish your warmth and goodness. I would like to extend my thanks to you for giving me a prospect to serve you. It is truly admirable.
As a priest, I had been entrusted with two parishes of St Teresa and Holy Rosary on 10 July 2015 by Bishop Francis Alleyne. I had the task of sharing with the communities the functions of teaching, sanctifying and governing. The Canon Law 519 alludes, I have to carry out the task with the help of the other presbyterate or deacons and with the assistance of the lay members of the Christian faithful.”
I will always cherish your love and care for me. Although I have been quiet, you have always been in my prayers and thoughts. I will continue to so even if I am not with you physically. Now, I have time to savor and thank those experiences that I had during my stay with you. We have been a wonderful community of God’s people. We have been strong body of Christ and each one of us have been able to contribute to this strength.
I know some of you are disappointed that this happened so instantaneously that you did not have time say proper goodbye to me. Christmas is the time to celebrate because Christ is born so I did not want to disrupt your celebrations and as Jesuit I was informed by an elderly priest, ‘don’t ever get used to a place.’ I truly enjoyed being the priest of your communities. I have tried to bring Christ’s love to you. If I have hurt anyone, I beg your forgiveness. If I have disappointed at any time, I would like to seek your forgiveness. 
Let us begin our New Year with joy, hope and peace. May the New Year bring us closer to each other especially the people who may not like us or people who give us a royal run around. Let us trust in God and His Mercy so that we can move forward with same Apostolic Zeal and Aggressivity that Our Lady and St. Therese had. I would like to end with the motto of Jesuits, “For the Greater Glory of God.” Do keep me in your prayers and if you have time, drop a few lines of encouragement. I pray our paths may cross again sooner.