Last March Bishop LaValley asked me to begin meeting with my friend and brother priest, Fr. Joe Giroux, to bring our parishes together. I announced it here at St. Mary’s with a heavy heart. I mistakenly believed the linkage was going to be all-at-once and right away. I figured that the linkage (with one pastor and another priest—probably one newly-ordained) would happen by June ‘22. Maybe Christmas. Maybe June ‘23 at the latest.

Happily, we seem to have been blessed with more time. The linkage will still happen. At least one of us pastors will still have to let go of his beloved parish(es), but the Bishop knows that this is something that we don’t want to rush into. There are many moving parts that we are considering, and the whole process will take time to be done well.

Today, we take a big step: a New Mass Schedule. Each of the three parishes (Canton, Potsdam, & Colton) will reduce their schedule by one Mass. This will allow for greater pooling of resources: lectors, greeters, servers, musicians, parishioners, and clergy alike will not be spread so thin. The schedule will be implemented the first Sunday of Lent (Feb 25/26).

For those of you who regularly attended the 5:00 PM Saturday Mass, we are asking you to make a big change. Either the day, time, or location will need to change. As your pastor, I hope you will roll over to one of the Sunday Masses here in Canton, but I know it won’t be possible for everyone, and for that, I am sorry. The good news is that we have more time together. Eventually even greater changes will happen, but I’m very happy that I get to be with you for the time being. Please keep me, Fr. Giroux, and all the members and Working Group in your prayers as I assure you, we do for you.