Parishioners Welcome New St. Patrick's Pastor

"Welcome Fr. Bob!" a banner proclaimed in an unusual font Sunday at St. Patrick's Church. The letters were made out of colorful handprints, the work of the students who attended the parish school next door.

It hung underneath the balcony—almost eye level to the chancel—where the new full-time pastor, the Rev. Robert Mitchell, presided over Mass in the sanctuary for the first time.

Mitchell, previously the pastor of at St. Jude Parish in Budd Lake for 12 years, said he was very grateful for the warm and welcoming congregation.

Moving to a new parish made him feel like a "child" again, he said. It was the little things that did it. He didn't know where the light switches were, for example, or how to use the microphone. But church members have made the move easier, he said—the banner was only one of the ways they've shown support.

"I could not have asked for a better welcome," he said. He added that congregation members came to his house with food and cards. On Sunday, children also created cards out of colorful construction paper which decorated the lobby and church front lawn.

Mitchell replaced the Rev. Edward Hinds, who was found dead in the church kitchen last October. Former church janitor Jose Feliciano has been charged with the crime.

Some congregation members who attended the 11 a.m. Mass said that while they were still affected by Hinds' death, they were relieved to finally have a full-time pastor after four months.

"It's a big relief, and we're very happy," said Victoria Cadaviv, who is a teacher at the parish school and has been a member of the congregation for 10 years.

Kevin Smith, who has been attending St. Patrick's for more than 15 years, says he thinks there is understandably "a lot of anxiety" surrounding the pastor situation.

"Now we can begin to move on," he said.

Marianne Hauck, who also has been attending for 15 years, drew a parallel between the pastoral replacement and Easter. The holiday draws on themes of renewal, and Mitchell's appointment has brought out similar themes.

"Easter's going to have a whole new meaning this year," she said.

Several congregants also drew comfort from the fact that Mitchell was highly admired by the church members at St. Jude Parish.

"People loved him very much," Cadaviv said.

Peggy Gentile, a St. Patrick's congregant for 25 years and a pastoral assistant, said she has friends who go to St. Jude Parish. Knowing that Mitchell was needed so badly at St. Patrick's made her friends feel better about the fact that they were losing a pastor they were fond of.

In addition, she said, the church will welcome the continuity Mitchell will bring. For the last four months, a revolving door of pastors have been holding Mass at the church. Now the church will again have a steady leader at its helm.

"It's very exciting," she said.