A MESSAGE FROM FR. FRED

June 20, 2022

Dear Friends,
As I begin this letter, I am reminded of the passage from Ecclesiastes reflecting on the meaning of time and the limits that time sets for our lives. It reads: “Fore very thing there is a season, a time for every action under heaven. A time to plant and a time to harvest…. Nine years ago, I drove up to the parish full of anticipation and concern for what was to come. I was in my early 70s and I knew that this would probably be my last assignments unless… ? My ministry had always centered on school administration and academics. Before I retired, I asked the provincial to give me one opportunity to be a pastor. This was going to be that chance. Years earlier, Father Leo McCarthy had invited me to visit him in Florida. He showed me Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish -Osprey with great pride and hinted rather directly, as only Leo could, that this would be a great place for me. Well, here I was.
Nine years later my heart is filled with humility and gratitude as I reflect with wonder on how the Lord has blessed me. You are that blessing. You have changed my life and showed me how to be a healer, a sanctifier and forgiver as well as an administrator. I loved working with youth, faculty, parents and the community but parish life brought me closer to the Lord as consoler, preacher, teacher, priest, counselor, and convener of the community in times of joy, celebration, shock and sorrow. St. John left us with the message, “God is love, and those who abide in Love abide in God and God in them.” If I can leave you with another message, it is a passage taken from Psalm 107, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, His kindness endures forever.”
Your new pastor, Father Anthony Armstrong O. Carm. is probably having some of the same thoughts that I had;  “Am I up for it?” Will the people accept me?” How can I best serve these people? Well, I can tell you that he is a good and holy man, completely committed to his ministry as a priest, with a wonderful sense of humor and compassion. He is an enthusiastic servant of the people. I ask you to help him, as you have always helped me to bring these attributes of his to full flower by your cooperation, participation, affirmation and affection as a people called to Holiness. Yes, you are a HOILY PEOPLE.
Father Anthony’s vision and model of a parish may differ in some respects from my own. Be patient ant learn from him. Rest assured that his training and background are solidly planted in Vatican II theology and his formation and experience in pastoral ministry is contemporary and very Carmelite.
Father Anthony has asked me to continue living in the rectory for at least a year so that we can sustain our Carmelite community life of prayer, fellowship and service together.  I will gladly help him when asked but my duty is to stay out of his way and let him be your pastor. If I can provide counseling, spiritual direction and/ or sacraments, I will be available by appointment or at his beck and call.
Please keep me in your prayers as I face the challenges of retirement. I would like to leave you with the same sentiments that St. Paul felt for his favorite church of Philippi. “I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God bless you,
Father Fred Tillotson, O.Carm.