Happy Easter! Yes, we are still celebrating Easter! One of the challenges of writing bulletin columns around the holidays is that they often need to be written well in advance so they can be printed and delivered on time. As I write this, it is the Monday after Easter. Looking back on our celebration of the Easter Triduum and Easter Sunday, I find myself filled with gratitude.

I am deeply grateful for the many volunteers and parishioners who helped make those liturgies so beautiful and prayerful. This year, despite a number of staffing changes and vacancies, our parish was still able to celebrate the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection with reverence and joy. That did not happen by accident. It happened because people from across our six church communities stepped up. Yes, there were stressful moments. Yes, there were times when we did not know exactly what would happen next. But people showed up, and so did the Holy Spirit. For me, that was a real sign of hope. It reminded me that when people take responsibility, share the work, and surrender themselves to the Holy Spirit, the Lord can do much more than we imagine.

This weekend in the Gospel, we hear the familiar story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Two disappointed followers of Jesus are walking away from Jerusalem, confused and discouraged by all that has happened. They had hoped that Jesus would redeem Israel, but now He has been crucified. As they walk, the risen Lord comes near to them, though they do not yet recognize Him. He listens as they speak about their confusion and grief. Then He opens the Scriptures to them and helps them understand that His suffering was not a failure, but part of God’s saving plan. Finally, at table, He takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. In that moment, their eyes are opened. They recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, and immediately they return to Jerusalem with renewed faith and renewed mission.

There is an important lesson here for us as a Catholic community, especially when it comes to navigating difficult times and seasons of change. The risen Jesus does not begin by scolding the disciples from a distance. He comes near. He walks with them. He asks questions. He listens. Then He interprets their experience in the light of God’s larger purpose. Only then are they ready to see clearly and return to mission. That is a pattern worth remembering. The Emmaus story reminds us that renewal often begins when our expectations have been shaken. The disciples say, “We were hoping.” Many of us know that feeling. But the Lord meets us there. He does not abandon His Church in moments of uncertainty. He walks with us through them.

That is part of how I have tried to approach these last couple of months as we have worked to fill several important parish office positions. It has been a challenging season. I have tried to pray, discern carefully, consult with the appropriate groups, and involve parishioners in the process. While it has perhaps moved more slowly than I would have liked, I am very pleased to share some good news.

Please welcome Michele Paradis as our new Office Manager. Michele is an active parishioner, eager to begin, and brings valuable experience from running a call center. By the time you read this, she should already have started. Please also welcome Nicole Clavette as our new Business Manager. Nicole will begin next week. She comes to us with experience as a business manager at another diocesan parish. Nicole lives in Sidney and already has a family connection to our community, since her daughter is a graduate of St. Michael School.

There are still other positions that need to be filled. Now that Michele and Nicole are coming on board, I would especially like to move toward hiring another Buildings and Grounds staff member to help Jim Pino. This is a practical but important role, helping care for our parish buildings and grounds through cleaning, maintenance, groundskeeping, snow and ice removal, setup support, stocking supplies, and basic repairs. If you know someone who may be a good fit, please share this information with them. Anyone interested may apply by emailing me at [email protected] .

As we continue through this Easter season, let us ask the risen Lord to do for us what He did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus: walk with us, open the Scriptures to us, make our hearts burn within us, and lead us forward together in hope.