WEEK ONE @ OLOL COMPLETE.....AS I BEGIN PASTORING THIS PARISH COMMUNITY..........

The first week of my pastorate of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish is completed and as I begin my second week pastoring the parishioners of Del Paso Heights / Rio Linda, I am getting into the groove of being the primary servant-leader of this community of believers. As my unpacking and settling in continues, I am being called upon for pastoral appointments and arranging for the maintenance needs of the parish, beginning with groundskeeping and a part-time rectory cook/housekeeper. Esperanza Perez, a longtime parishioner, who previously cooked and kept house for Fathers O'Rafferty and Traynor,while they were Pastor of OLOL,has agreed to return for me and will cook dinner Mondays,Tuesdays,Thursdays,Fridays, and clean and do laundry on Wednesdays. In addition to an increasing number of phone calls and drop in visits, I was called to a parishioner's home today in Rio Linda for the Commendation of the Dead, the grandmother of a young girl I know from Sacred Heart Parish the past six months. The funeral will be held here at the church so I await word as to the funeral arrangements. I am also learning my way around the neighborhood, finding the bank, pharmacy, post office, among other things as I get familiar with my new surroundings. It has been a very good first week as this next chapter in the book of my priestly pastoral ministry gets underway. As I finish this blog column a request for a drop in Confession has been made,and then a set of parents and godparents are coming to watch the Baptismal instruction video, so I sign off for now.....In The Peace Of Christ And The Intercession of Mary Our Mother, Our Lady Of Lourdes,..........Fr. Troy