JOIN US IN WELCOMING FATHER DAVID FORADORI!

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to extend my deepest sympathies upon the death of your beloved

Pastor, and my personal friend, Fr. Michael Allison.  I know that Fr. Mike was a good

priest and friend to you during his nine plus years here in Grove City and his death will

leave a void in our lives and in our hearts.  Also, I want to announce to all of you that my first

weekend Mass at Beloved Disciple, on Saturday August 22^nd will be a Mass of Remembrance for Fr. Mike.  This Mass will celebrate his priesthood and his leadership – with a homily geared toward a remembrance of him personally and spiritually.  If you cannot attend, the Mass will be live streamed on the parish facebook account and our website so you can watch and pray from home.

We are in the midst of difficult times with the COVID pandemic that is affecting our

nation and world, and as we began to deal with that “new normal” God calls Fr. Mike

home.  I understand your feelings of loss and I share them as well.  But during this time we are invited to live the faith that Fr. Mike professed so well in support and encouragement of one another – and that will be my goal as your new pastor.

I arrive at Beloved Disciple with thirty-four years of ordained ministry and will be returning to Grove City as I served as sacramental help for Fr. John Biscey in the mid-1990s.  Much has changed since then, especially the new and beautiful church, office, faith formation and social center, but our faith walk remains the same.  A little about me:  First, I am from Brockway originally, and lived eight years in southern Virginia during my seminary years.  I have one sister (and brother-in-law); one niece (and nephew-in-law); one nephew; and two wonderful great nieces – so I have a small immediate family.  But my mother was one of twelve and my father one of six – so my extended family is vast and you will meet many of them along my journey with you.  Second, I attended Gannon University and Saint Mark Seminary for my college seminary process and Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland for my major seminary education and am proud of the education I received.  Third, I am a devoted Penn State fan being raised near Happy Valley and am devoted to the Pittsburgh professional sports teams – the fastest way of making conversation with me does evolve around faith or sports.  Lastly, my father instructed me as a young priest that I had “Five minutes most to make a point during my homily” then he was walking out.  That has been my goal in preaching ever since – direct, thought provoking, and brief.

This is just a note to honor Fr. Mike and introduce myself to you.  I am pleased to be with you and want you to know my door will be open to you.  As we begin this journey, I promise to pray for you daily and ask you to remember me as well.  May God bless you and may Saint John, the Beloved Disciple, intercede for us always.

In God’s love,

Fr. David Foradori