Thank you, Fr. Edgar & Welcome, Fr. John!

 In Pastor's Notes-Fr. Ritche

In one of my bulletin articles, I reflected on one of Heraclitus’ sayings, “You can’t cross the same river twice.” I believe he meant that the river is always moving because it is alive, so it’s never the same. Every day, people change because they have new experiences which shape them. We know that change is inevitable, and we all go through it in life – may it be professional or personal.

That is so true even for our parish community. We have seen and experienced many adjustments in our lives over the past two years. Covid has affected the way we live our lives. No one wants change because it can be very difficult and painful. But change can also be good because it makes us grow. It allows us to re-evaluate our lives and make the necessary adjustments.

Priestly life is not immune to change. Priests are moved to different assignments depending on the needs of the parish. The bishop, in consultation with the clergy personnel board, makes the decision where a priest is assigned. The assignment can vary – it can be a term of six years or more or, in some cases, less. Again, this is determined by the needs of the Diocese.

With that said, I would like to inform you that Bishop Cantú has accepted the recommendation of the clergy personnel board to transfer Fr. Edgar Elamparo to a new assignment as parochial vicar at St. John the Baptist Parish in Milpitas, effective July 1, 2022.

Fr. Edgar has served as parochial vicar here at Holy Spirit since 2018. We have seen him grow in his ministry which I believe makes him ready to transition to a new parish and ministry. His smile, gentleness, and willingness to serve have all made a difference in our community.

On your behalf, I thank him for his dedication and commitment especially during the time of my transition and during the changes brought about by COVID-19. He will be missed.

As Fr. Edgar transitions to St. John the Baptist, Bishop Cantú has assigned Fr. John Hoang to Holy Spirit. He will begin his ministry here on July 1, 2022. Fr. John was born and raised in San Jose. He received his degree in theology from Mundelein Seminary in Chicago. He was ordained in May of 2019 and is presently assigned at St. John Vianney. He is a gentleman with a contagious smile. He is hardworking and faith-filled, loves working with people from all walks of life. As one of our newly ordained priests, he is very open to learning. I am certain that, with all of us guiding him and loving him, he will continue to grow in his ministry. Join me in welcoming Fr. John to our community.

Let us all pray for Fr, Edgar, Fr. John, and our parish community. We ask the Holy Spirit to guide all of us during this period of yet another transition. And may Mary, our Mother, pray for us!

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