When is Fr. Justin leaving and why?

Fr. Justin is retiring from St. Mary’s in June, 2009 and will be moving to Minnesota. He has been at our parish since 1992.

How does the Diocese select a new pastor for St. Mary’s?

The Diocese considers many factors in selecting a new pastor for a parish, including a comprehensive report that is submitted from a Parish Transition Team. The report will help the Diocese Personnel Board and the Bishop determine who will be the best match for St. Mary’s. The Personnel Board makes a recommendation and the Bishop makes the final decision.

Are there other parishes in the Diocese also having a pastor change?

Yes, there are 4 other parishes that are having a change in pastors at the same time as St. Mary’s, with the possibility of additional parishes.

Does the parish have any input? Do we get to interview candidates?

The input from the parish is the report prepared by the Parish Transition Team and a meeting between the Transition Team and a representative of the Diocese Personnel Board. No one at the parish will be informed of who is being considered to be our pastor. The Diocese will announce the new pastor after the Bishop has made the decision.

What is in the parish report?

The report includes a summary of the results of comments from parishioners in response to six discussion questions posed by the Diocese, plus information on facilities and financial records.

Who is on the Transition Team?

Does the Transition Team have other responsibilities beyond the report?

Yes. The Parish Transition Team will continue through the transition and the first few months of the new pastor’s residence at St. Mary’s. We will continue to answer parish questions about the transition, and serve as a resource for the new pastor as he learns about our parish.

When will the new pastor be announced?

It is expected that the new pastor will be announced in the spring, most likely in the March-April timeframe.

When will the new pastor come to St. Mary’s?

The new pastor will begin at St. Mary’s on July 1, 2009.

Will the new pastor be available to us before July 1?

The new pastor may visit St. Mary’s prior to July 1 and may begin to meet with the Transition Team and/or staff to become familiar 1?
with St. Mary’s, but it is at his discretion. He may be quite busy with final details at his current parish.

Could St. Mary’s be assigned a priest from outside the Diocese?

Parish pastors are selected from within the Diocese. They are not “recruited” from other geographic areas or religious orders, such as the Jesuit priests at Bellarmine or Santa Clara University.

Could St. Mary’s be assigned a leader who is not a priest?

There has been only one parish in our Diocese whose leader was not a priest in the past five years, and this was for a short time. Although it is possible that St. Mary’s could be assigned a lay leader, it is not likely at this time.

Will there be a farewell event for Fr. Justin?

Yes, there will be a farewell dinner for Fr. Justin in Howley Hall on Saturday, May 16, following the 5:00 mass. More details will be provided on the event as it gets closer. The dinner will be in lieu of the Parish Picnic this year.

Some parishioners may want to organize small, private going-away events to say goodbye. Cards and letters are also welcome. For information on making a financial gift to Fr. Justin, please contact the Transition Team at fjretires@yahoo.com.

Prepared by the St. Mary’s Parish Transition Team • updated 10/6/08