Na Svidenje!

This week to the day, my priestly assignment for 49 years at St. Vitus Parish ends.

I first arrived at St. Vitus Parish as an associate pastor to the late Father Rudoph Praznik. I was all of 28 years old. In 1979, when Father Edward Pevec left St. Vitus to take on a new position at Borromeo College, Bishop James J. Hickey appointed me pastor of St Vitus Parish. I gladly accepted the challenge of ministering to St. Vitus parishioners, who over the many years have become to me, by the grace of God, my family and dear friends, and I to them in return.

I wish St. Vitus parishioners to know that in the midst of ups and downs of shared parish life, I have mostly experienced God’s indescribable providential care of me along with the loving friendships of parishioners far beyond anything I would have dared to ask or deserved. Whatever good I may have accomplished as your priest, I count that as God working through me. Upon leaving St. Vitus Parish, I feel blessed, fulfilled, and grateful. God bless everyone, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

NA SVIDENJE!

–Rev. Joseph P. Božnar