End Of The Year Luncheon

I told you about the basket and card we put together for Irish Pastor. Today we had our year end luncheon at a local Italian restaurant. We presentedthe gifts to him there along with some heartfelt words and a few limericks by yours truly. The food was great. I took some pictures, some of which are posted below, followed by the limericks which I wrote. Some of the people I have posted about are in these pictures, so perhaps you will be able to put some faces and names together.

Fr. Aiden and our Parish Manager, Cathy

Counselor John, retired Sister Josephine, and Fr. Tommy

Part of our "International" staff...
Housekeeper Fatima (Italian), Housekeeper Marlene (Puerto Rican), Fr Wal (Polish) priest that oversees the Hispanic Ministry (he speaks five languages!), and Yolanda (Mexican) who is the Administrative Assistant for the Hispanic Ministry.

The infamous "Mary" our
Director of Religious Education
and Tim, the Rectory Cook

Kim is Mary's assistant in charge of Children's Ministry

Sr. Pat who is in charge of our
Ministry to the Elderly and Homebound,
Laura who is one of our preschool teachers, and
Sandy who is the Director of our Little Nazareth Preschool

Lynn who recently left our staff to go into business
with her son and Fr. Joseph our Korean priest

This is the set of limericks that I wrote for the luncheon today...

There once was a fella named Aiden
Butler's Bridge was the town that he played in
He grew up to be
A fine priest now you see
Patrick's Isle is the best place they’re made in

There once was a pastor named Aiden
Whose workload did make him feel laden
He decided to leave
Oh the staff they did grieve
In their tears poor Aiden was wadin

Retirement we once thought a tease
Surely Aiden would continue to please
He'd stay on and on
And when we were gone
He'd quietly slip overseas

With this parish he’s not totally done
He’ll still be around for more fun
Let him visit some pubs
And use his golf clubs
He’s earned more time off in the sun

Fr. Aiden has agreed to help out
So some weekends you’ll see him about
After Mass you can hug him
But please don’t you bug him
Of his caring you need have no doubt

And now his retirement's near
As our Pastor this is his last year
We’ll see how he survives
Without all his “wives”
For our Pastor let’s all give a cheer!