VOTE OF THANKS

At the end of the 11am Mass on Sunday 7th September David Thomas looked at the fourteen years of Redemptorist stewardship and thanked Fr Tim and the Redemptoroists for all they have done.

TEXT OF DAVID'S  VOTE OF THANKS

Father Tim, on behalf of all of us at Saint Mary’s, I want to express our deep gratitude to you, for all you have done as our Parish Priest over the last 14 years.

Since the Bishop Eton community took on the pastoral responsibility for our parish, you have faithfully guided us. You brought with you the rich charism of the Redemptorists, gently nurturing us and encouraging us to listen more deeply to the Scriptures, to respond to the signs of the times, and to prepare for an ever-changing future with hope and trust in God’s providence. I wonder if our next chapter as a Parish is in response to your open letter…

You have always made sure that everyone feels welcome and at home here, never wanting to be known as a ‘Church Policeman’ but rather responding to Pope Francis’ approach that all are welcome. You have continued to develop the ecumenical spirit of Woolton and strengthened our bonds with fellow Christians in the area especially through your example of prayer. I am sure that you will continue to ‘dine out’, as you always say, on the events surrounding the Requiem Mass of Cilla Black, which further embodied that spirit of cooperation and welcome.

You have encouraged our children to know that God loves them and entertained us all with your Freddie Freckles stories. Our schools deeply appreciate your visits, guidance and encouragement. I have always been impressed with your attention to detail and your remarkable memory for dates, people and places, which we have all come to admire.

We were especially grateful for your commitment to keeping us united during the difficult days of the pandemic – through your weekly recorded messages and online Masses, you kept us connected as a parish family, something that you continue to do five years on.

You have constantly reminded us to look for the connections in life, to notice how God is at work among us, and to place our trust in God’s loving care. As you often say: “…try to be attentive to those moments when we see God’s providential hand at work in our lives.” You reminded us again this morning, “I have not had far to look for the connections which so fascinate me…” I wonder if there has always been something of a connection at St Mary’s with the Redemptorists, there always being an Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in our church and the same image features in our rose window.

Thank you for your ministry, your faithfulness, your humour, and your care for this parish family. You go with our love, our prayers, and our gratitude. We also owe a debt of gratitude to your Redemptorist Confreres who have also served our Parish, notably Fathers Barrie, Richard, Charles, Jim and Andrew.

Though you will no longer be our Parish Priest, we know you will remain part of our wider family of parishes. We know you will keep in touch, continue to keep us updated on Sunderland’s ups and downs, keep an eye on the clock in the sacristy and never stop encouraging us to “take heart.”