I made this announcement last week at all the masses, but in case you were away, it is worth repeating here.  As you know, we do not assign ourselves but are at the disposal of our superior, the provincial.  My job as Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe is to ensure that this parish has sufficient priests to keep adequately serving the pastoral needs of this community.  I also have made it a personal mission to make sure we are true to our mission of standing up for immigrants, which is something we Jesuits have done for the almost 100 years we have been here.

Let me share with you some changes.  Fr. Hung has been called back to his provincial to serve in South Dakota.  We know he has been away from the parish these past few months, and we respect his need for time and space, including his own departure without a despedida.  We are grateful for his four years here and we assure him of our prayers.  Fr. Brad has to go on to the next stage in Jesuit formation, which is tertianship, which is preparation for final vows.  We rejoice with him as he takes this step deeper into Jesuit life.  His final Sunday with us will be the first Sunday in September, Labor Day Weekend, and you can give him a goodbye hug then.

Now, the good news!  Fr. Bill Ameche will come and help us for the months of September, October and November.  You all will remember him—he served here several years back.  We look forward to his joyful presence. In December, a newly-ordained Jesuit priest, Fr. Victor Yanez, SJ, will be permanently assigned to us.  Victor is a wonderful, young Jesuit—you will delight in him. We are grateful to have a number of Jesuits who come and help us, like Fr. Javier Hernandez from Chiile, who will leave us in this week after a really wonderful summer.  And then Jeff Sullivan, SJ will join us for the month of August.  Meanwhile, for the time being you are stuck with Fr. Pepe and myself, who are grateful to keep serving at Guadalupe.  Like the person in the gospel, we find great joy in serving at Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Thank you for your patience with us Jesuits. Let us pray for those coming and going.