From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
My final weekend at St. Mary’s happens to coincide with the 24th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood (June 26, 1998). As I look back on 24 years, my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude. I feel grateful that God called me to be a priest and that He has given me the chance to serve as a priest in a variety of ways. I am thankful that God gave me the opportunity to complete my doctoral studies in Rome the first two years of priesthood. I am thankful for being able to serve as a parochial vicar for a year and a half and for the two stints I worked in the Bishop’s Office. I loved my time in Chico as a Newman Center Chaplain and Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish. And, I cherish greatly the last six years that I have served at St. Mary’s Parish.
It is difficult for me to articulate all the blessings that I have received from you over this time. And I hesitate to put into words my gratitude because I am sure that whatever I might write would not adequately express the gifts that I have received. But I will try! To be sure, one of the wonderful blessings of the parish priesthood is the gift of celebrating the sacraments, day in and day out. When we priests celebrate daily and Sunday Masses, we are buoyed by the faithfulness of the parishioners. To be sure, that has been my experience at St. Mary’s. Even though it was disheartening for many of you to endure the squelching of the public celebration of Mass for almost three months in the spring of 2020, you still made visits to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament during those months and you enthusiastically came to our outdoor Masses that were celebrated throughout the summer of 2020. Sometimes the weather was hot. Other times it was cold. It even rained on occasion. But you kept showing up! It was such a wonderful example and great encouragement to Fr. Steven and me. With regard to the other sacraments, it is true that hearing confessions can be challenging for us as priests at times. Still, it is so edifying to experience a faithful parishioner desiring to “put it all out there” and humbly receiving God’s mercy. Baptisms, weddings, first Communions, confirmations and funerals are occasions filled with joyful, and in the case of funerals, sorrowful, emotions. It is such an amazing honor and privilege for us priests to be invited to participate in these occasions of grace.
Yet, I realize that ultimately it is not really about you or me. No, it’s about Jesus Christ living in us and working through us. In his farewell last summer, Fr. Steven noted that if we recognize the goodness and holiness in each other and if we rejoice in it, we rejoice because we recognize Christ in each of us. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and Son of the Father, who was born of Mary, lived among us, died for us, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father, brings us joy because we know that He loves us beyond bounds and would do anything to help us come to that realization. Jesus reminds us that our journey together in this world is to prepare us for our being together with Him in heaven. Pondering our ultimate destiny brings joy to us. And being around other faithful who are preparing for heaven also brings joy. Witnessing the love that each of you has for Jesus, the sacraments, the Church and her teachings, will be a memory that will stay pressed on my heart for a very long time. Thank you parishioners of St. Mary’s Parish for your faithfulness and thank you for all that Christ has given to me through you over these last six years. Finally, as I have said before, this is not a farewell, but a “see you later”. And I look forward very much to seeing you later. May you have a blessed week!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Father Berg
