Well, not always: sometimes it’s just a relief all round.

Martha Tatarnic is leaving St. Hilda’s!

The Reverend Martha Tatarnic has submitted her resignation as Administrator of St.Hilda’s, and Curate at St.Jude’s, Oakville, effective December 31.  Martha has accepted a position as Rector of St. David’s and Holy Cross in Orillia, beginning January 1.

The Diocese of Niagara does seem to be running through diocesan priests willing to squat in St. Hilda’s at an alarming rate. Could what’s left of their consciences be pricking them?

First we had the pastorally obtuse Brian Ruttan, Diocesan Terminator with his congregation of zero; his opening gambit at St. Hilda’s was to import a pseudo congregation from other parts of the diocese and sing this little ditty: “Straight and gay, welcome to the city; bi and trans, welcome to the city; lovers all, welcome to the city; twelve gates to the city…” during the Eucharist.

After that, no-one attended his services – not even those he bribed the first time.

So, then, along came Martha Tatarnic, curate at St. Jude’s Church in Oakville. She didn’t have a congregation either, so she imported a rent-a-crowd from her parish at St. Jude’s. Poor Martha wasn’t given a budget by the diocese so, even though St. Hilda’s ANiC continues to pay for building maintenance and utilities, Martha had to convince St. Jude’s to pay to print her bulletins; it tears at the heartstrings.

Martha, I trust you will be leaving the piano and keyboard for your replacement. After all, you did complain when we took our instruments.

The question is, who will replace her? I hear Ralph Spence is between jobs. We could widen the doorways for him; at our expense, of course.