"Things End when God wants them to."

by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.  |  10/29/2023  |  A Message from Our Pastor

In the romantic comedy, Wild Mountain Thyme, that debuted in 2020 and which takes its name from the Irish tune woven throughout the film, one of the main characters played by Christopher Walken laments the possible loss of the farm that has been in his family for generations. At the deepest moment of his fear, another character, played by Dearbhala Molly, said to him, "Things end when God wants them to." Her words were intended to provide comfort and assurance to this elderly man that if he is to lose his ancestral farm, it is because God believes it is the proper time for that loss to happen. In the end, it becomes a matter of trusting that God’s providential will is always designed for our best interests.

"Things end when God wants them to." I reflect on this phrase whenever I encounter loss, -- whether it is the loss of someone through death, or the imminent end of a religious community, or the departure of someone who has served in the workplace. Regarding the latter, there were times when I wished God would have acted a bit sooner and there have been times when I wished God would have acted slower.

With all this in mind, I am sad to announce that Leanne Van Gronigen, who has served as our Director of Finance and Administration at St. Joan of Arc parish and school for the past four years, will be leaving us as of November 3. Leanne accepted a new position at Visitation Parish in Elmhurst that is surely a promotion and is more in keeping with the type of work that she feels called to at this phase in her life. Things end when God wants them to. Having endeared herself to our parish and school community we are saddened by her departure, and yet we take comfort in knowing that this is all a part of God’s mysterious design for how life should unfold. The Diocesan Office of Finance will assist us in hiring a new Finance Director and will do all that it can to ensure a seamless transition. Our prayers and best wishes go out to Leanne who will continue to be present at our parish especially as a lector at our Sunday Liturgies.

While we bid farewell to Leanne, we are happy to welcome Barbara Banach as our new, full time receptionist replacing Lynne Passarella. Barbara was born in Krakow, Poland which she left in 1981 and moved to Germany where she lived for almost four with her husband Christopher and their son Tomasz. Their family then emigrated to the United States in 1984 to the state of Maine and eventually made their way to Downers Grove where they currently reside.

Barbara has a vast array of work experience having served as a diet counselor, a licensed real estate broker, a certified cardiologist technician, a school bus driver and a franchise owner for a commercial cleaning company. One might wonder why, with this diversity of employment, would Barbara want to take a position as a parish receptionist? The answer is multifaceted. One reason is that Barbara has excellent organizational and communication skills. She also works effectively as an individual and with groups of people. She is efficient in managing time, and is dutiful in learning any task she has been asked to undertake. Steeped in her Polish heritage, Barbara is a devout Catholic and has recently become a member of our parish. If all that were not enough, Barbara has a joyful presence and radiant smile that exudes warmth and hospitality. So if we believe that things end when God wants them to, we can also believe that things begin when God wants them to as well. I am convinced that Barbara’s beginning with us, is God’s will. Welcome Barbara. May God bless you for responding to the needs of his people here at St. Joan of Arc Parish.