A Blessed and Happy New Year 2020! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and have ushered in the New Year with joy and hope.
Permit me to write these few lines to inform you that I am going on a sabbatical. As I leave the parish I wish to express my pro-found thanks to each of you. It has been wonderful to be among you and to work for and with you. I was blessed to share the experience and expertise of my fellow-clergy, Frs. Steve and Ashley, Deacon Sean and over the last few months Deacon Duncan. I am grateful to them for the kindness, love and concern shown to me. I am grateful to Barbara, Rosemary, Johnny, Rae and Ursula for all their goodness and kindness, and to Von, who has been so motherly towards me.
I will treasure the fond memories of every one whom I have encountered. Thank you for your kind words, your concern and love which you have so warmly and generously bestowed upon me. St. Edmund’s was truly my home, away from home.
If I may have wronged anyone in any way, I ask for your forgiveness.
As I embark on my sabbatical, I am planning to take some time off and also to pursue some studies, God willing.
If anyone wishes to contact me, I will be available on my email address sipu29@gmail.com. God willing, I will sometimes return to St. Edmund’s during my sabbatical, as I will only be across the Channel.
Please keep me in your prayers as I promise to keep you in mine.
Thank you for everything.
Till we meet again!
Simplicio D’Souza