From Mother Susan:
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!! We are in the 50 days of Easter – a time when the Risen Christ is among us in a particularly powerful way. I continue to experience many blessings during this time of treatment for cancer, even as I miss being with you, particularly for the Holy Week and Easter liturgies. As you may know, this treatment compromises my immune system, and so I have severely limited my contact with people outside of my own family for these past months. This month sees the end of my chemotherapy treatments! Then my body will need time to recover and grow stronger before my surgery, which is now scheduled for early June. After the surgery the doctors will have the information they will need to prescribe the amount of radiation that I will require.
Thank you all for your prayers which continue to sustain me, and for the wonderful cards and food that have been nourishing us so well. Bishop Dabney has kept in touch with me and visited me a few weeks ago. Fr. Allen+ brought me Easter communion last week and I am in contact with our Sr. Warden, Terry Bechtel, during this time. I trust that this summer will offer you many gifts from the wonderful supply priests who will be covering the liturgies – all of whom you know from previous years. I give thanks, again, for Fr. Allen+ whose presence has been a great comfort to me, as I knew that you were well shepherded during these first months of medical leave. I look forward to his return with us next December when we will be working together as colleagues! I give thanks for Terry and Lance, your wardens, and for Brenda, who continues to do a magnificent job keeping everything running from the office. And I look forward to my return in September when all of this treatment will be completely done! I know that when I return, not only will I have changed from this experience (internally and externally – who knows what my new hair will look like?) but you also will have changed. New people have come and become part of the parish family. You have carried on without a full-time priestly presence, which has called forth more leadership from the parish, particularly in the areas of pastoral care and worship. I give thanks for all of you and continue to keep you in my prayers.
In Christ,
Mother Susan+
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From Father Farabee:
Dear People of St. Catherine’s,
I am writing to thank you for the lovely brunch last Sunday. It has been my greatest pleasure to be with you this winter. You are kind and hospitable and it was a constant joy to preach for you, preside at our worship, lead some interesting if sometimes rambunctious discussions, visit some of you and mostly to walk with you through this difficult time when Mother Susan has been fighting a life threatening illness. Galen and I will fly back to Buffalo on Thursday, May 4 but we will miss you very much. We’ll be back in town late in August for Claire’s birthday and our son John’s 40th birthday. Then we’ll be back for the winter in December.
You have blessed my life immeasurably. Thank God for such graces.
Yours in Christ
Allen W. Farabee