DESPEDIDA MASS MARKS DOMINICANS’ PARTING WITH ST. ANN PARISH

SAN ANTONIO • A despedida Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, on Saturday, May 28, at St. Ann Church, marked the transition from Dominican pastorship of St. Ann Parish back to the Archdiocese of San Antonio, which will become final at the end of June. The Dominicans (Order of Preachers) had provided pastoral care for the parish for the past 17 years.

Assisting at the Mass were: Father Chris Eggelton, OP, provincial of the Dominican Friars of the Southern Province (Saint Martin de Porres); Father Wayne A. Cavalier, OP, San Antonio prior; and Father John G. Restrepo, OP, current pastor at St. Ann Church.

Other Dominicans who had served the parish over the years returned to participate in the farewell event and included: Father Luis R. Aguilar, OP, Father Aaron Arce, OP; Father David Caron, OP; Father Joe Determan, OP; Father Jaime A. Diaz, OP; Father Ramon Gonzalez, OP; Father Victor Laroche, OP; Father John Markey, OP; Father Gustavo Montanez, OP; and Father R.B. Williams, OP.

At the homily, Archbishop Gustavo noted the mass provided an opportunity to assess feelings ranging from gratitude to the Lord for the presence of the Dominicans in our community to sadness at their leave-taking.

The day's Gospel message centered on the call to love, with Jesus saying, "If you love me, keep my commandments," and God's sending of the Holy Spirit to help us love as Jesus loves. "The Lord placed people to help us to comprehend the call to love," said the archbishop, "and to comprehend in that love his commandments that lead us to life," adding that we need God's help through the Holy Spirit and we need people like the Dominicans "who will present to us and articulate for us that love."

"Thank you, brothers, for your commitment with truth," he said to the Dominicans, "for the dedication of your lives to speak the truth." He then encouraged the people of St. Ann to carry on with what they had received from the Dominicans as a parish community. "It is not just to turn the page in a chapter, which is a part of life," he said regarding the Dominican's departure from St. Ann, "but it is to carry on what we believe, to carry on what we see, to carry on what we have become."

Expressing his thanks to St. Dominic for founding the order, he said, "We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue guiding you ... to know the truth, to proclaim the truth, to live the truth." As a sign of appreciation to the Dominicans for their ministry here, he then led the congregation in praying the Hail Mary.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Father Eggelton addressed the parishioners of St. Ann, noting that while the day's "wonderful celebration of the Eucharist" was a time of grieving, it was also a time of new life and resurrection. "There is a time to sow and a time to tear," he said. "A time to be born and a time to die."

He noted that Father R.B. Williams, OP, the first Dominican pastor at St. Ann in September of 1994, was present, as was current pastor, Father John Restrepo, OP, and that the Dominicans unable to attend had all expressed the wish that they could have been present to share in the day's bittersweet joy and sadness. Speaking of Dominicans now deceased, who had served St. Ann, he recalled Father Ray Corr, OP, Father John Keefer, OP, Father Clement Collins, OP, Father Philip Lamberty, OP, and Father Vicente Peña, OP. "They are all here too in spirit and in love," he said.

"We have each other for awhile, on loan," he related, noting that while it is true the parish has learned from the Dominicans' preaching, he had heard from the Dominicans serving here that "we also, over these years, have taken your wisdom and your preaching by the ways in which you live the life of Christ. So we have one longing meeting another longing - a longing to be Christ for one another." He noted the Dominicans will continue to be present in the San Antonio area.

On behalf of the Dominican family, he then thanked the parish. "Keep preaching to us as well through your lives lived in the truth of Jesus Christ," he said, with a final "gracias" to Archbishop Gustavo as "Good Shepherd of this archdiocese." At this, all rose and broke into spontaneous applause, with Dominicans and parishioners facing one another in the pews.

Promising to keep the Dominicans "in our prayers and in our hearts," the archbishop said that they would be included in his and the archdiocese's prayers for vocations. "May the Lord give you vocations to carry on the charism of preaching the truth and love," he said.
Following the Mass, Dominicans and parishioners gathered in the gymnasium for a meal, with blessing given by Father R.B. Williams, OP, and musical entertainment by parishioners, the Estrada family. Old friendships were renewed and warm partings made, with Father Restrepo handing out group photos of the Dominicans who had served St. Ann as a farewell gift from the Dominicans. A basket was later passed for free will love offerings from the parish to the Dominicans.

From the stage, Denis Perez, parish council president, echoed the sentiments of those present, saying that while the Dominicans may be leaving St. Ann, "They will never leave our hearts."

Addressing the Dominicans, he added, "You will always be with us - in our hearts and in our prayers, and for this we are truly grateful."