HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-08-23, Page 11News
Parishes in Dublin and Mitchell welcome new priest
The Huron Expositor .R August 23, 2006 Page 11
Hilary. Lon
The Roman
Catholic parishes in
Mitchell and Dublin
have a new priest to
help them as the
Diocese of London
goes though parish
reorganization.
Father Mark Poulin
came to St. Patrick's
in Dublin and. St.
Vincent de Paul in
Mitchell in June and
says it has been a
good experience so
far.
"People have been
extremely welcoming
and very supportive,"
he said. "I've been
impressed with their
warmth, their open--
ness, their ownership
of the parish and how
they take great pride
in their two parishes.
"It is a very
involved community,
both of them, and I'm
very impressed so
far," he said.
Poulin is ` originally.
from Windsor. He'
was born, raised and
graduated in the city,
then went to St.
Clair's College where
he graduated from
with a diploma in
advertising/market-
ing.
From there he went
to Toronto and
worked for a compa-
ny in Yorkville, a gold
mining company, and
an electrical compa-
ny.
"In 1982 I left
Toronto and went
into the seminary
and in 1988 I was
ordained," he
explains.
"I worked in the
business world and I
found it just wasn't
satisfying to me," he
said of why he chose
the priesthood. "I
wanted to do some-
thing more. I wanted
to have a more last-
ing impact and that
is why priesthood
became important to
me. •
"It has been a grow-
ing experience for the
last 18 years," he
said.
His first assign-
ment was as an asso-
ciate pastor at St.
John the Divine in
London and then as
associate in Windsor.
"In 1994 I received
my first pastorship
which was in St.
Joseph's in Clinton
and St. Michael's in
Blyth," he said,
adding he was there
three years before
being moved to Delhi
and and finally
Windsor.
Poulin was then on
sabbatical in
California until April
when came back and
did some assistance
work until the bishop
called him and reas-
signed him to Dublin
and Mitchell.
But, he says this
may not be a perma-
`It is_
involved
community,
both of them,
and I'm very
impressed so
far, '--
New priest of St. -
Pafrick`s and St.
Vincent's de Paul
parishes Father
Mark Poulin
nent placement.
"Right now we (the
Diocese of London)
are in a transition
mode. In these two
communities, within
the next year as the
diocesan parish reor-
ganization
plan Kap-
p e n s ,
Dublin will
be reclus-
tered with
St. James in
Seaforth
and St.
Vincent de
Paul will be
reclustered
with St.
Patrick's in
Kinkora,"
said Poulin,
adding that
is to happen
in June of
2007.
"That will
mean that,
No
right now there are
three priests looking
after those four com-
munities, there will
only be two. One will
be leaving and who
hasn't been decided,"
he said. -
"My first and fore-
most role is to help
these two parishes
with the transition to
that new cluster situ-
ation.
"I see my call as to
serve first in this
community to serve
the pastoral and spir-
itual needs of the
people of these two
communities - and
from there, in the
whole idea of service,
I also see my call is to
inspire, to motivate,
to challenge, to do
whatever I can to
help these people
draw closer to God, to
their faith and to
their relationship
with Jesus and the
community."
He said he is look-
ing forward to the
next year to work
with the two commu-
nities and getting to
know them.
"I'm looking for-
ward to being a part
of who they are and
just take it one day at
a time, grow with
them and hopefully
they will grow with
me," said Poulin.
"Hopefully we
make this transition
as smooth as possible
for them and every-
one involved," he
said. "Huron and
Perth Counties have
served me well and I
was open to coming
back. I welcomed it
and I have a good
sense this will be a
good assignment."
Poulin said he
enjoys reading, music
(although he does not
play an instrument),
and writing.
"I'm also very inter-
ested in computers
and in technology
and how we can use
it more effectively,"
he said.
Story
Idea?
Call Susan
or Jeff
527-0240
Hilary Long photo
Father Mark
Poulin, who recen-
ty became the
new priest at both
St. Patrick's in
Dublin and $t..
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Mitchell:
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