From the Pastor

by Fr. David Halm, C.S.C.  |  06/04/2023  |  Pastor's Letter

Thank you so much to everyone for your messages of prayer and offers of help as I begin the pastor's ministry here at St. John Vianney Parish. I am humbled to follow in Father Paul's footsteps, and I am really grateful to him for his wisdom, example and brotherhood the past year since I arrived; also, to my brother priests Father Tom (who was also my novice-master and has been source of priestly wisdom and inspiration since 2004!), Father Andrew, and Father Brian. Please keep praying for me! My Spanish and my jokes will get better, I promise!

I've shared with many of you that for a long time in Chile I had been praying to someday become the pastor at SJV. Fr. Drew Gawrych was there with me and he too hoped to come back here as pastor. God answered my prayers more quickly than Father Drews... although he keeps me posted that he's really enjoying his new assignment in Rome, working with our Holy Cross Superior General. He's visiting many of our Holy Cross parishes and schools around the world, most recently in LeMans the birthplace of our order! Hopefully he'll be visiting us here in Arizona very soon.

It's been a whirlwind few weeks since we began the pastor transition and I am slowly getting caught up with emails and texts thank you for your patience! will respond promise! Other than a few days in Notre Dame in June I'll be home in the West Valley for a while now and I am really looking forward to having some more relaxed time in the summer to get to know each other better.

Though "relaxed", this summer is still full of a lot of good stuff in the Kingdom of God. We have Mass each morning and on the weekends, as well as confessions. If you know anyone who has been putting it off, the summer is a great opportunity to come back to Church. We are also kicking off the "Summer Adult Catechesis" on Tue, Jun 13. Classes will be every Tuesday at 7:00pm for 10 weeks and are preparing adults for their First Communion and Confirmation. Give us call if you or a friend are interested! There are also lots of families and couples getting ready for baptisms and weddings. Let's keep them all in prayer. Congratulations to the 11 little ones who were baptized last weekend as well as Juan and Maribel, who were married.

You'll notice a new tabernacle in the vestibule this weekend. We'll be placing it in the sanctuary next weekend, the feast of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ), but in the meantime I hope you'll take a look at it "up-close. "It is where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved while not exposed in Adoration or taken to the sick and shut-ins. Normally we don't see the tabernacle too closely because of where it is located so this is a nice way to see the new one. It is a gift to our parish from Father Rob Clements and the All Saints Catholic Newman Center at Arizona State University. I told Fr. Rob that we would pray for him and his flock there in thanksgiving for this generous gift. Go Sun Devils! Have a very blessed week and remember that the family that prays together, stays together.

Peace!

Fr. David Halm, C.S.C.
Pastor