This article was originally published on Fri, 14 Aug 2020.
 
A companion is a person with whom one travels. I believe this best describes Penny Warne, our pastoral associate.  Penny is not only a member of our staff here at Holy Spirit, but someone who journeys with all of us. She became more active in ministry when Fr. Brendan asked her to become part of the staff.  Penny is a woman with many gifts and someone who wears a multitude of hats in our parish. In addition to being the parish administrator, she serves on the Liturgy Committee, Social Justice Ministry, Parish pastoral and Finance Councils, school leadership and a few more.  As Fr. Brendan would often say, Penny kept him straight. She made sure his bulletin articles were submitted and he arrived at his appointments close to the time he was due to arrive. She’s also a sounding board to many of the staff.  She could come across as tough, but that’s because she genuinely cared for everyone - a caring so deep that she knows almost every parishioner by name.  Penny made my transition to this parish very smoothly. When she found out about my appointment as pastor of the Holy Spirit, she immediately phoned me and assured me of her support. Then with patience and clarity, Penny explained to me to the vision and mission of this parish and immediately worked with me in strategically and tactically planning parish activities, specially during this time of pandemic.  As she embarks on a journey to a distant place, please join me, Fr. Edgar and Fr. Brendan in thanking Penny for a job well done and what she has helped create will continue to benefit all of us in this parish.  We may miss her physical presence but her legacy will continue to be felt within our faith community. Emotionally and spiritually, she will remain as close to us as the air we breathe... and the sun than warms us.  Together, let us pray for Penny and her husband, Brad, that they will also have a smooth transition to the other sunny side of this land - Florida.  Floridians love to think that “Life is better in flip flops.”  I’d say, now that Penny is on her way, the best is yet to come!