COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEM!
One of the traditional aspects of the season are office parties. At the diocese, we decided in light of the economy and budget short-falls that we would forego the big dinner we sometimes have and cook and serve the homeless at Pinellas Hope instead (see blog entry below Light Shining in the Darkness). Nonetheless, various offices have been getting together for smaller seasonal gatherings and tonight I had my personal staff at my house for a “Honeybaked Ham” dinner. I consider myself to be a very lucky person in many ways, one of which is the competence, dedication, loyalty and patience of my own staff.
Father Bob Morris is a wonderful Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. He misses parish work and particularly pastoring very much but makes the sacrifice to assist me and the diocesan Church. Joan Morgan, the Chancellor, keeps the records, statistics, requests for faculties, etc. all the while being a real “mother” to the priests. No one hangs up the phone after speaking with Joan without thinking, what a great woman she is to them. Elizabeth “Betty” Deptula has been with me for about ten of my years as Secretary for Administration. She oversees the work of the Finance and Accounting offices, Human Resources, Construction and Real Property offices, Information Technology, and has built the new addition of the Bishop Larkin Pastoral Center, as well as Bishop McLaughlin High School, the Bethany Center, the additions to the three existing high schools and assisted all the parishes in completing and paying for their building projects. Frank Murphy is Secretary for Pastoral Programs and at the same time President of Catholic Charities of the diocese. He is a man of indefatigable energy and provides the energy as well as insight for Pinellas Hope. At the Pastoral Center Frank would supervise the offices of Faith Formation, Education, Pro-Life, etc. and also serves as the Diocesan Communication spokesman.
Supporting us are only three wonderful women; Cecilia Svab, Vivi Iglesias, and Andrea McSorley. You keep them busy with your phone calls and we keep them busy with the usual and sometimes the unusual demands of a very busy office. Stress is not a stranger to our operation. Come to think of it, I personally might just be a source for some of it.
I have a housekeeper at my residence who comes a day and a half a week and a very occasional cook who helps me when I have guests for meals which amounts to about one night a month, except during this season of the year. For food the rest of the time, well, there’s McDonalds.
Anyway, the Advent/Christmas season provides an annual opportunity to express thanks to those who help in the triple ministry of teaching, governing and sanctifying and that is what I and others did tonight. Thought you might wish to see what the women and men in my life look like so I am attaching two photos taken this evening.
Left to right, Andrea McSorley, Joan Morgan, Betty Deptula, Vivi Iglesias, Father Bob Morris, Frank Murphy (Cecilia Svab was unable to join us tonight and is missing from this group picture)
Jerry Toth (housekeeper) and Lori Foynes (cooking)
+RNL
Tags: Christmas, Elizabeth Deptula, Fr. Bob Morris, Frank Murphy, Joan Morgan, Photo, Pinellas Hope, Staff