Dear Parish Family,

We celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday this weekend. As Christ's flock, we know Him and follow Him because we recognize His voice as the fullness of truth and life as our Shepherd. I have some exciting announcements in my column today, so read on!

We are blessed to receive Deacon (soon-to-be Father) Sean Neville as our next Parochial Vicar! Deacon Sean will be ordained to the Priesthood on Saturday, May 16 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, and will begin his assignment at St. Mary’s in Chardon and St. Patrick’s in Thompson on Tuesday, June 9. His home parish is St Mary of the Falls in Olmsted Falls, and he is finishing his transitional diaconate assignment at Holy Rosary in Cleveland. Please keep Deacon Sean in your prayers this month as he prepares for his priestly ordination next month! Please see Dc. Sean's comments in today's bulletin.

I'm also excited to announce that Ben Baratian has been assigned as a seminarian intern to St. Mary's and St. Patrick's for the upcoming year! Ben is in his third year of Theology at St. Mary Seminary. The internship year helps seminarians engage fully in parish life and ministry, enter into rectory life with the priests, and deepen their vocational calling to diocesan priesthood. I knew Ben as a teen in the St. Mary Hudson Life Teen program, and I still remember him telling me his senior year (about 6 years ago!) he wanted to be a priest! Ben's internship will begin on August 28, 2026 and conclude on April 25, 2027.

We are creating a Tribute Book for Fr. Fabian. This is a chance to share your memories of Fr. Fabian, what he taught you during his time with us, and to send him your best wishes and prayers as he heads back to Korea at the end of June. Please visit our web page for information related to Fr. Fabian's Farewell that we will plan, and for the Tribute book link (https://stpatrickthompson.org/fr-fabian-farewell) or visit https://account.alifeuntold.com/contributor/tribute-for-fr-fabian-han for the direct link to the Tribute Book. Deadline for contributions is Sunday, May 31.

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow