Fr. Chuck’s Column, May 17, 2020

I sincerely hope you are all well during the economic downturn, the isolation, the steady stream of sobering and sad news. Our Chris-tian faith is getting a work-out! Our ultimate hope is not in the economy, nor any political party, nor in the advancement of science, but in the Lord. That is a blessing and an ad-vantage. Alleluia!
I have some very happy news to share. Paulist transitional Deacon Paulo Puccini, CSP, has been assigned by the Paulsts to join the parish staff beginning this July. He will actually arrive in early June, and hopefully that month he will be ordained a priest. Because of the pandemic, and the iffy-ness of what will be open when, and the difficulty of travel in this time, the plans for his ordination are still rather fluid.
Paulo is from Texas and his parents live in the Houston area. Pau-lo attended the University of Texas at Austin, and attended the University Catholic Center. Since he is the only Paulist being or-dained this year, we hope to have his ordination here in Austin. That would be much more convenient for his family.
I am hoping that we will have the ordination here at St. Austin Church. That would be WONDERFUL. However, given the re-strictions of the pandemic, and whether it will spike again or fade away, Paulo may be ordained with the ordinandi of the Diocese of Austin at their ceremony, or he may be ordained in a separate ceremony here at St. Austin.
These and other details, such as if he will draw a salary or not, are still being worked out. In any case Paulo will be ordained, and we are most happy that he will be joining Fr Rich Andre (who will remain here next year) and myself on the parish staff. I am partic-ularly happy as the parish/school development project will con-sume a great deal of my time and energy this coming year. Hav-ing a third priest on the staff would free me up for more endless meetings. Oh joy!
It will also be a blessing for our local Paulist community, since Fr John Duffy will be returning to New York City, and Frs. Larry Rice and Jimmy Hsu will be moving on since they will no longer be staffing the University Catholic Center.
Please add Deacon Paulo Puccini to your prayers. I look forward eagerly to his joining us on the parish staff.