On March 16, Archbishop Aymond announced the following pastoral assignments which affect St. Catherine of Siena Parish: 

REV. GARRETT O'BRIEN, J.C.L.
St. Patrick, Pastor
effective July 1, 2019

REV. ANDREW GUTIERREZ
St. Catherine of Siena, Parochial Vicar
effective July 1, 2019

LETTER FROM FR. TIM

Dear St. Catherine of Siena Parishioners,

It is hard to believe it has been a year since the last round of priestly assignments was announced.  Thank you for all of your love and support as I assumed my new role as pastor.  I ask for your continued prayers for me as I seek to be a good shepherd.

Over the last year, we have been blessed to have Fr. Garrett O'Brien serving as our parochial vicar.  He has done a great job of balancing two pastoral assignments: parochial vicar at SCS and serving on the Metropolitan Tribunal.  Archbishop Aymond named Fr. Garrett as the next pastor of St. Patrick on Camp Street.  While serving as pastor, he will also remain on the Metropolitan Tribunal.  Although his new assignment does not start until July 1, Fr. Garrett will be taking some well-deserved vacation time before starting his new assignment.  His last day at St. Catherine will be June 17, 2019.  Everyone is invited to Fellowship Sunday on June 2 to thank Fr. Garrett for his time at SCS.

While we are sad to see Fr. Garrett leave, we are happy to welcome back Deacon (soon to be Father) Andrew Gutierrez as our next parochial vicar!  Deacon Andrew will be ordained as a priest of Jesus Christ on June 1, 2019 at St. Louis Cathedral at 10 am.  Everyone is invited to attend his ordination.  If you have never witnessed an ordination, I highly encourage you to attend because it is a powerful event.  Fr. Andrew's assignment to St. Catherine is effective on July 1, 2019.  I am looking forward to serving with Fr. Andrew Gutierrez!  I am sure everyone is looking forward to welcoming home Fr. Andrew.  I am not sure what you all did to be blessed with two Rummel priests in the same parish!  I apologize in advance for any excessive amounts of Raider Pride in the rectory!  

This summer, St. Catherine of Siena will also have a seminarian intern.  The seminarian intern, who will be announced at a later date, will serve during June and July. We are looking forward to serving as a mentor parish for another seminarian preparing to serve as a priest.

I visited with Fr. Ronnie on Monday, and he is doing well!  He asked me to tell you hello and to thank you for all of the prayers. He returns to MD Anderson this weekend for his next checkup with his doctors. I will keep you posted when I hear an update.  Please continue to pray for Fr. Ronnie daily!

Please continue to pray for our parish daily too! Please pray that we will use this time of Lent to draw closer to Jesus!  Please pray that each of us will be more open to following the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives!

St. Catherine of Siena…pray for us!
Fr. Tim

 

LETTER FROM DEACON ANDREW

Dear St. Catherine of Siena Parish,

As I knelt before the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena during my pilgrimage in Rome this past winter break, I asked St. Catherine - whom I had developed a true friendship with during my internship - to care for me wherever I would be assigned a priest. A sense of peace came over me, and I've been confident of her protection and intercession. Although  I did not know it then, she knew I would be assigned back under her patronage.  And now that I'm officially assigned to be your parochial vicar beginning July 1, 2019, I'm more ecstatic than I had imagined I'd be. 

My five months at the parish last year were amazing, and I'm excited to see what God has in store for us as a parish community. My deepest desire is that each of us grow in deeper relationship with Jesus. I promise to pray for you daily, and I beg for your prayers as I approach my ordination on June 1, 2019. By your prayers and support, I know the Lord can form me into the holy priest that he desires me to be.

Sincerely in Christ,
Deacon Andrew Gutierrez