What would you like to know about St. Joan of Arc? Do you have a story about our parish or of general interest that you think others would like to hear? For story ideas, contact Jeff Rholl, jeff@stjoan.com.

Recently I visited with our pastor, Fr. George Wertin, to inquire about his future plans upon retirement. This past winter, George announced his decision to step down as pastor at St. Joan of Arc this July 1st. It will complete a 13 year term. He actually extended a year over the common assignment for pastoring. As he told me: “Many of my friends told me I would know when the time was right and I did.”

In the first part of January, following the announcement, he held an afternoon dialogue with the parishioners. Mostly it was filled with his intentions for the parish in the upcoming months of transition. I asked to meet privately with him for a conversation to gain a more intimate perspective for our parishioners. Barring little, he shared a few tidbits of information. Enough, at least, to see he is content with his and our future prospects. The dialogue below outlines his feelings, dreams and hopes for himself as well as all of us. Fr. Wertin showed a commitment to SJA that already has stood many a test.

The following is a conversation hopefully filled with a bit of insight.

Knowing your assignment is coming to a close, are you looking forward or are you reminiscing about the past?

I don’t know my plans at this point. Really it’s been that I've been so busy with so much to do that I need to sorts things out. Then I’m going to take quite a few months off to get some perspective and decide what I want to do. I have things that I like to do and things on the back burner and a home filled with little projects that I want to do.

What kind of projects?

Some research projects. Just a lot of reading in various areas and exploring different options and of course TRAVELING!

You want to travel?

I love it. Yet, I haven’t traveled globally except that I studied in Italy. I like Italy . It‘s my second home. I love European culture and the (historical) background. I sometimes think I should spread my wings and go forward. I’ve done Central America, of course. I did it before Sister Parish and then I was on a Sister Parish group in ‘98.

Do you speak any languages ?

I speak Italian and can get by with Spanish.

Have you seen a change in your outlook since you announced your retirement?

Yes. Yes, it feels real funny. Because all of a sudden it becomes a reality. But, all my friends are retiring all around me. I was talking to my younger cousin who lives in California who just retired at the age of 60, and she said “George, you will just know when the time is right” ......and the time is right! It’s just an intuitive thing. There are certain aspects of being a pastor that make it a challenging job. It’s full of surprises and you’re always dealing with a lot of wonderful pastoral things which I do but, also I’m dealing with a lot of administrative things and personnel issues that nobody knows happens.

So is there a bit of relief in your future role?

Oh, most definitely. I love doing ministry, the ministry part of it, but there’s also all the responsibilities that go with the demanding job description.

Therefore in a sense you are redefining yourself.

Exactly. They say you go through seven career changes in your life span. Well, I’ve taught high school, I’ve been an associate pastor, I’ve done college work in campus ministry then I’ve come back to pastor in a large parish, and have done some social justice things in between. So, I’ve had several careers in there, but I think I have one more in me!

Do you think you’ll completely dismiss yourself from St. Joans?

Oh, it’s going to be real hard. It’s kind of a difficult thing because I’ve always made it a point in the past of the places I’ve left to make it a pretty clean break. BUT, I still have friends from various places that I’ve had over the years. It’s always been that when I’ve left other places I’ve moved away. But, this time I’m intending to stay in my house and stay based here for the indefinite future. We have a lake place in the family. I intend to spend some extended stays up at the lake with relatives and by myself. I love being by myself too. More and more as I get older I cherish some time alone.

Being so involved with the good work at St. Joans it must be hard to leave.

Well it is, yet, I’ve always been an adherent of a priest not staying too long in one place. I think the archdiocese guideline of 12 years is appropriate. I’ve worked with priests who have overstayed. When you’re doing ministry you need different leadership styles. It’s time for someone else to bring their gifts and talents to St. Joans. Not that I don’t think we’ve meshed beautifully. This is the longest time I’ve ever been in one assignment and it’s gone very fast....It’s gone very fast!

Considering the causes you care about at St. Joans, will you find them in other areas?

Well that’s what I have to sort out. I want to explore and see if there’s something I want to put my energy into. I hope I have a passion for justice in some sort of area. In my present position I’ve sort of backed off from being involved in any one particular ministry although I’ve generated a few of them....you know the Sister Parish was something I proposed to the parish council years ago. Also, the adoption ministry I proposed and I was really involved in the housing when it got started along with the peace movement. I tend to get things started and then it’s wonderful at St. Joans because if the project seems worthwhile the people of St. Joans pick it up from there and run with it! But, I think it’s my role to generate that interest and get new things started.

I really want to see if there are some projects I want to get involved in. I really have a backlog in cultural reading that I would like to do. In theology too because if there’s one thing I believe I do well is that I keep up in theology. But, there is also a challenge to explore in other areas too.

In the coming months before July, what do you anticipate will be your goals?

I have a full plate. I have the usual activities through Lent and Easter. Then May and the end of the year activities. But, then we’re trying to work on the transition . Even today, I had an informal meeting with Peter (Eichten) ...just talking about some things down the line and how we should handle these things because I won’t be around ...... how we should implement some of these things. I just have to see that those things get covered. You know I’ve got to work till the last day I’m here!!! There’s no slacking!

Do you feel there is pressure to complete work or tie up loose ends before you leave?

You know I think it’s very good having such an excellent Parish Council and Staff along with this pastor search committee. I think they are really a strong committee and people who are going to be really out there and taking the initiative. And that’s really important because nobody is going to be handing us anything on a silver platter...HAHA....and you have to take care of yourselves. We’re going to be working with some other parishes in the transition process that are going through the same things we are. I think it’s going to go slower than people think it is. I’m not going to be gone one Sunday and the next Sunday someone else is up there saying I’m in charge now. It will be much more of a flow and maybe someone who comes in on a short term basis.

Can you comment on your personal hopes for SJA from this point forward?

People have known for sometime now that my retirement was coming sooner rather than later. I wanted both to create something else for myself and I want to also see that something else is there for St. Joans ..so that there’s new blood in the leadership .... looking for new things to do. I think at our parish meeting that Sunday afternoon people seemed to think that things were pretty much on course and looking pretty healthy. So, this is good.

Would you ever consider coming back, say, to speak at SJA?

I would conceive of doing that but, not interfere. Yes, I could see that and maybe beyond St. Joans ....be a resource person or do something like that.

Can you tell in detail your hopes and dreams for SJA?

You know I think that St. Joan of Arc is in a good place. It’s a very strong healthy community. Through our efforts in the Peace movement and our challenges in the Gay and Lesbian issue it has helped define us ...who we are. I think theologically we understand what we are about and how we operate and what’s really important to us. So I think it‘s about continuing to grow and expand in various ways and keep up to date because as we develop the housing ministry , as we develop the adoption ministry , as we develop the peace ministry ....the ecospirituality ministry... each one of these areas ....well they just flow out of the interaction we have with our culture and the world. That’s very important for keeping up and we seem to be in no danger of not keeping up or becoming insulated.

And the parishioners....

Where else do you find such a talented and self initiating group of parishioners. St. Joan people aren’t just going to stand around and say what does the pastor want us to do. That’s not the way we operate and the style of leadership that I have. So I’d like to see that continue.....the key word here is “Collaborative”. Everything from the staff meetings to the choir .....everyone pitches in and just gives it their all.

Do you have any hobbies?? Reading? Cooking? Travel? Movies? Gardening? Exercise?

Reading, of course. My Dante group. I will continue that and my Small Christian Community group. And cooking ...I haven’t done any in years. I used to cook a lot when I lived in North Dakota. I just haven’t had the time to do it. I like my cross-country skiing in winter, my canoeing in the summer at the lake and water sports. I’m not a fisherman, but when I’m at the lake I swim at least twice a day. I also like the cultural things. I like music and to do the theater and art museums. Yesterday I went to the Art Institute. That was very therapeutic!

What kind of cooking do you do?

Italian!

What's your favorite ice cream?

It’s that Pavorotii at Sebastian Joe’s.

How would you measure your accomplishments of your lifetime of service? Are you pleased with your challenges? Has it met your expectations?

Oh YES, no question about it. Because wherever I’ve been in my ministry I’ve always enjoyed watching people grow. I’ve been in more traditional churches than St. Joans. I would always go in and start something like a social justice committee to find where the interests was or do something in communications to try to get people to interact more and breakdown the barriers because people come into church and they don’t even talk to each other. So, I’ve always done that and tried to challenge people theologically and stretching them and when I can see the growth in their movement .....that’s the thrill for me. So, I think I’ve been able to do that ....yes.

When you first came to St. Joan of Arc did you feel that it was going to be a different challenge?

Definitely, yes. Oh no question about it! I knew enough about it. At first I said … Oh, I’m not interested. I had been in Faribault and had taken on some challenges that weren’t finished yet. Then when I came up to St. Joans and took a look at it and became “energized”. I said “ Oh what the heck, WHY NOT!” But, I think there’s been a blend there. I‘ve grown through St. Joans and St. Joans has grown through me. It ‘s a complimentary sort of process. But, it’s just been so exciting to be living in a time when there’s such an explosion of spirituality in a good sense.

What message would you like to leave SJA?

Stay the course! Keep unfolding and exploring the interaction because it’s dynamic ... it’s going to change and be receptive to that. The vision will continue to grow as the needs change and shift and people's spirituality shifts and changes too as well as our relationship with the world. I just want to see that St. Joan of Arc stays open to the world and keeps that social justice thrust with the underpinning of the spirituality that sustains it. But, there’s no road map to where that goes because it still has to unfold. There’s all sorts of surprises out there and you never know what’s going to happen. I trust people to use their gifts and make that difference.

St. Joans has taught me that word of JOYFUL in our mission statement. To me that really says a LOT. You can only do difficult things if you have that joyful spirituality to sustain you and we do! Along with generosity of heart. We have been Blessed!


and
Peg LaSota comes from a photography background. She now works in the digital world, computer instruction, and with "videography" and the restoration of family films. She is enthusiastic about capturing family memories and preserving them digitally. Along with that, her time is spent with her family and her love for learning Spanish, piano, recorder.....and of course singing with the choir!
In reflection of George Wertin’s years in service, it's significant the impact one person can make. Whimsically, he states the phrase "Change is good!' and in doing so, keeping a healthy perspective on the events to come. Passing through these next few months, I believe the messages we hear from George will reiterate his conviction for all of St. Joan of Arc to remain ‘awake’ in our daily journey. His retirement is in place and it will play out with us in mind. He has dutifully governed this parish. Respectfully, he played a vital role in steering it in a promising direction. In the remainder of his term, let all of us enjoy the next few months together and convey to him our deepest "Thank You"!

Other Features