Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Life can throw us the occasional curveball. Whether it’s the random snowstorm that changes the weekend schedule, or a sudden illness of ourselves or a loved one, or hundreds of other things that can happen without much warning, there are many ways that our daily lives can be thrown for a loop. And while all of us try and navigate such things without it affecting other aspects of our lives, the reality is that a significant event does impact how many of us handle going through our day to day. And I’m the same.
It’s a bit of a tricky thing to write about, but in fairness to all of you, I think you should be aware, that my dad is dealing with some health issues. The reason I hesitate to mention such things is due in part to the connections my family has within the parish and the desire to preserve their privacy within it. It would be one thing if my family was a bit further removed from the parish community. But my whole family is involved in the parish in their own ways. Mom attends daily Mass, is part of groups like Walking with Purpose and the Women’s Circle, and teaches Religious Education. Dad likewise goes to daily Mass and is part of the Holy Name Society. My brother is a cantor and a lector and even chaired the Carnival. So they are all known throughout the parish from years of being involved.
That said, I know myself and I tend to bottle things up, especially when dealing with something challenging. That’s my natural disposition and there’s nothing wrong in wanting to be private about things, especially when dealing with the sensitive nature of the health of a family member. That said, I also recognize that when I am stressed about a particular thing, it does tend to affect my ability to navigate other aspects of life, and not in the most positive way. And so, in the upcoming weeks, if I seem a bit distracted or if I perhaps am a bit more curt in my interactions with you, I hope you can afford me a bit of grace as I try to navigate what’s going on with my dad’s health. It’s not my intention to give anything less than my best to serving the parish, but I know that I’m dealing with some challenging things on the home front right now.
And if I could ask you all to keep my father in your prayers, I’d appreciate it. Without getting into specifics, he is getting the medical attention he needs and is progressing through his treatment plan, but it’ll take some time before he’s through all of it. Also in your kindness, please don’t bombard my mom or brother with questions about dad. It’s lovely that so many are concerned, but it’s a lot when 50, 100, or 200 people ask about such things.
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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