Dear Parishioners & Friends of the Parish,

You can imagine how baffled I was last week when I received a phone call from Bishop Zubik early one morning asking me to see him as soon as possible.  You can imagine how stunned I was when that meeting took place and he told me that Fr. Dave was going to be assigned to St. Nicholas Parish in Freedom, WI as their new pastor, effective January 8, 2007.  And believe me, there was no one more surprised than Fr. Dave himself.   None of us saw this news coming at this time.

I know that Fr. Dave has all the right qualities to address the challenges of his new assignment.  I know that I am going to miss him very much.  I know that you are as stunned by this news as I was when told of his new assignment.  I know that you will miss him dearly.

You will be kept well informed of the special events being planned for Fr. Dave over the next couple months. I would also ask that you please keep the parishioners of the former Sacred Heart Parish in your prayers at this time.

At the same time, we welcome Fr. John Schuetze as the new Parochial Vicar (Associate Pastor) to St. Francis of Assisi Parish. Fr. John was ordained in 1997 and is a native of Manitowoc.  As is customary of our parish community, we welcome Fr. John with a deep sense of radical hospitality as he comes to share with us his abundant gifts and ministry of priesthood, beginning on December 4, 2006.

As we have done so often the last couple of years, we turn our groans over to the Holy Spirit who alone has the power to give us strength and courage, as well as new life and new hope.  I know that Fr. Dave is trusting in the Holy Spirit at this time and wants us to do the same.

St. Francis, St. Clare & St. Nicholas, pray for us!

Fr. Dan Felton