Dear family and friends,
I just wanted to give a short update regarding where I am currently and what I am doing. Thank you all for your ongoing prayers and support. You are in my thoughts and prayers too. I’ll try sending a brief update monthly to keep you all in the loop.
I came back to my home town of Watsonville, CA on July 30th to start conversations with the bishop about receiving a pastoral assignment in the diocese of Monterey for three years and try a full time parish experience to see whether the Lord might be calling me to transition into diocesan priesthood at the end of that period. With the permission of my superiors I am living on my own (currently with my Mom). The bishop was transferred a couple of weeks ago to Austin, TX, and an auxiliary bishop from Los Angeles, Bishop Slawomir Szkredka, has been appointed administrator for the diocese to keep things functioning until the new bishop is named. During this period I am still a Legionary of Christ and will be for years, but I am not living in a Legionary community or working in Legionary or Regnum Christi apostolates.
The diocese at the Legion’s request has extended my permission to work in the diocese until April of next year, so I have reached out to the parishes in and near south Santa Cruz county and I’m serving as a “supply priest”: a priest who helps with ministry without a formal assignment at one parish. I’ve been in conversation with the Vicar for Priests of the diocese and for my request to move forward the new bishop has to be named and installed as bishop before an assignment can be considered, since Bishop Slavomir’s assignment is to keep the ordinary business of the diocese running without making any major changes.
The local parishes have given me plenty of work (you can see my schedule of public ministry at any time on this calendar: https://fathernikola.org/events). I am happy to report that this process of seeking an experience to see if a change is in order was started with some serious diabetes issues in February that have dramatically improved since I moved out of a Legionary community and started working in parishes and spending time with my friends and family. Just one example: my A1C (an indicator of average blood sugar) in February was 8.3 (uncontrolled), and by the end of August it was down to 6.9 (well controlled for a diabetic). This also improved my eyesight by twenty percent, requiring a new prescription after only a year.
So I am at peace and grateful to the diocese for working with me and giving me an opportunity to serve at parishes while we await the new bishop. I’m also grateful to my family for a roof over my head while a parish assignment is being worked out. Having more time with family after years has been a blessing. Please reach out if you have any questions.