Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I want to say thank you to all the people who by their hard work and presence made it such a special occasion. I want to thank Bishop Conlon who earlier in the week had laid his mother to rest and still came to be with us on this special day. The parish staff were magnificent along with all the councils that are part of the parish community. I want to say particular thanks to the people I got to know with my work for the St Patrick Fathers, who hired the bus and came by car out from Chicago. Many of them are long standing friends of many years. Their comments as I walked with them to bus or car was “what a lovely place and the people are so nice they made us very welcome’ Thank you St Francis Xavier you did yourself proud. Over the next year as a parish community I hope we can begin to organize a number of social events where we can put ourselves on display and give others a taste of our hospitality and welcome. Hopefully they will also raise a few dollars for a parish development fund as we try to put together plans for the future. In my short time here you have made me very welcome and I have seen how you pull together to get things done. We may not have huge financial resources but we do have a spirit that enables us to do what seems to be impossible. Thank you for that resourceful spirit. Thank you for allowing me to be here. Keep me in your prayers as we journey together, laugh and cry together and tell stories that bring us closer to the God who is our way our truth and our life. Pray for me as I pray for you, Fr Karl