Peter's Corner: Something personal and some big changes at Saint Stephen’s

My most recent Father Peter’s Corner essay was posted in late August/early September of 2019, and though I had the best intentions to get these words on the website, here it is coming in March of 2020. A number of things took place which made it difficult to get this essay to you in a timely way.

First, there were several meetings with the Diocese about how Saint Stephen’s might have more of a Diocesan presence in Center City and what form and function that might take. I was tasked with writing several of the outline summaries, and, as a result, a number of new possible elements of Saint Stephen’s ministry came about: we identified a number of new program initiatives, one of which would be the on-site presence of some of the Diocesan Canons who would use Saint Stephen’s as their hub as they do their work in the Southwark Deanery. (This Deanery is the Diocesan organization of city parishes, most of which are in the center of the city.) While the Diocesan presence at Saint Stephen’s is still very much a work-in-progress, it is clear that it can help strengthen Saint Stephen’s and perhaps allow its work to have more visibility and our form of ministry to be more widely understood and even modeled in other church communities.

The second major reason for my slowness in getting these words to you was my decision to step down as Vicar of Saint Stephen’s with the hope of serving in a part-time role as “priest in residence.” In 2019, I turned 75 and I thought it was important that I think seriously about some kind of transition to retirement. And then, unexpectedly, a Providential opportunity to stay at Saint Stephen’s as “priest in residence” and serve part-time emerged for which I am very grateful. The week of December 9, 2019 was to have been my last week as full-time Vicar, but on December 2, I entered Penn Hospital where I spent nine days in the ICU dealing with a heart problem that came out of nowhere. The last time I was in a hospital as a patient was when I was in the 8th grade, so my hospital experience this time was very unsettling. The care, however, was wonderful, as has been my experience with my new cardiologists. I was away from Saint Stephen’s for nine weeks and returned in early February to begin my service as “priest in residence.”

Thankfully, Saint Stephen’s has a new Vicar, effective December 1 (2019), The Rev. Dr. Michael Giansiracusa. I have known Father Mike for several years and have always hoped that someday, in some capacity, we could serve together in the same parish. My hope has been realized and I am very pleased, as the more I work with Father Mike, the more I realize how wonderful it is to have a colleague who understands Saint Stephen’s and already knows the model we have been trying to develop. And, what is especially important is that Father Mike has his own way and has already brought greater clarity to our ministry and its main tenants: (1) Caring for souls through (2) Sacred Encounters by (3) Redefining Congregation. Father Mike will retain his service as Vicar at Saint Gabriel’s parish in Olney. Eventually, his hope is that there can be collaboration between the two communities, which perhaps could become another new model of parish ministry. 

So, quite appropriately, this will be the last installment of Father Peter’s Corner. The next “corner” author will be Father Mike. Meanwhile, I’ll stay in touch with some occasional short essays about “Church things” I am thinking about. I am grateful to everyone for your care and support. May our communication continue…..

Faithfully,

Father Peter K.