A Message from Father Nathan | First Letter from Father Nathan to the St Gabriel Parish

My dearest People of St. Gabriel!

May the peace of Risen Christ dwell upon you. On 5/6/2019, Most Rev. Archbishop called me and told me the delightful news that I am assigned to be with you at St. Gabriel’s. From that time on, I am keeping you all in my humble prayers that God may bless each one of you and our parish by His choicest blessing. May God, who walked along with Emmaus disciples, continue to walk along with our community. My prayers….I came there in person to St. Gabriel and met Fr. Liam Quinn the pastor.  I was, over the moon to learn from him the exuberant things about the parish. God bless you all.

I know that you will be all curious and anxious to know about me, as I am, hence Please allow me to pen something about me. I was born and brought up in the remote village in southern-east India, a state called Tamilnadu. I entered into the seminary right after my 8th grade. I had about 16 years of rigorous formation and ordained in the year 2004. Right after my ordination I was appointed as the associate pastor at the cathedral, and later a year made as the pastor of an only slum parish in my diocese. I was fortunate also to be the secretary to the communication commission for my diocese.

I came to USA in the year 2009. I had the privilege to take care of the three parishes after few months of acclimation in Wisconsin. Following two years of ministering the three parishes, I was assigned to cater one of the big parishes of that diocese in Wisconsin until 2015. I came to this esteemed archdiocese in the year 2015, after six years of wonderful and incredible time over there in Wisconsin. I do miss my people a lot. Awesome and amazing time over there which I will cherish it rest of my life.     When I came over here, it was like day and night to me. Tremendous changes in term of places and cultures but I believe being here for the past four years in St. Agatha again, chiseled my life spiritually for the better.  Every day is a learning process and I am trying to learn life and grow better at it. May God be praised.

Let me also share few more things with regards to my educational background as well. Excluding my studies in philosophy and theology, I have bachelors in Economics. I have one Masters in Mass Communications and Journalism, one Masters in Theology and one more in Masters in Business Management (Preliminary). After coming over to Florida, I attended two semester Spanish courses but I am not good in Spanish. I had also the advantage to go for two years of Good Leaders and Good Shepherds course. It’s a psychological and spiritual course for the pastors to lead the parishes. I gained a lot out of it. I had also undergone Accent reduction course for American English for one whole year. I am still pursuing it too. I have a crave and yearning to learn a lot, because I feel in the world of knowledge, I feel I know little.

On coming back to my family. My father left to heaven as I was a child. My mom lives in India . I have one elder brother and three younger brothers and one younger sister. All of them got married. Now I am blessed with five Nieces and six Nephews. Everyone lives in India. 

My dear people, finally, let me make it clear to you, I have no one here, no family and no friends whatsoever here in USA hence it’s all and you need to be, and you have to be for me please. If you ACCEPT me and LOVE me, I will be the happiest person. When I am happy, I will be able to serve you better, if not I will be zonked drowned. I am jonesing and longing to be with you and minister to you.

May our good lord and our good shepherd bless you all. May our blessed mother, protect all protect all of you under her mantle. My humble prayers.

 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 1:3

With lots of love and blessing,

Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan