Tonight, we celebrated our last choral Evensong with Fr. Carl and Barb Reid, then had a thanksgiving dinner in their honor in the parish hall.
It was a joyful occasion, graced by the presence on not only our beloved Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, but also the new Apostolic Nuncio to Canada Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi. Fr. Scott McCaig, general superior of the Companions of the Cross, was there also as he often celebrated our Anglican Use Mass for us while we waited for Fr. Carl’s ordination to the Catholic priesthood.
The sisters of the Queenship of Mary prepared a marvelous meal for us.
Now the sadness of our loss is beginning to hit. Our loss;Victoria’s gain. What a wonderful example they set for us. We have been very blessed to have them ministering to us in Ottawa all these years.
Deborah,
You wrote: Tonight, we celebrated our last choral Evensong with Fr. Carl and Barb Reid, then had a thanksgiving dinner in their honor in the parish hall.
I’m sure that this was, in many ways, a bittersweet occasion for all of you. Farewells are always difficult, but God is glorified when members of our communities go forth from us to serve elsewhere in obedience to God’s call in their lives — and the fact that God is glorified should bring us great joy.
I pray God’s blessing upon Fr. Carl Reid as he goes forth from you to his new ministry, and also upon your congregation Fr. Kipling Cooper and Fr. Doug Haymans as they assume their new roles as your pastoral leadership!
Norm.