Recently, the Catholic community in Camarillo gathered on a Saturday morning to thank one of their priests for the ministry and friendship he shared with them over the past few years. The hotel lobby where the party took place was crowded with groups of people smiling and chatting as they waited in the informal receiving line to greet the priest.

Walking in to join the festivities, I was struck by one overwhelming thought, "This is a day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad." The passage is part of Psalm 118, a song of thanksgiving that begins and ends with, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good." It was a perfect fit, as there was so much to be thankful for that day.

It was supposed to rain; instead the sky was bright blue. The hotel offered plenty of room for visiting and a great place to share breakfast. And while those in attendance were reluctant to see Father Bill Lowe move on to his next assignment, they were happy and grateful for knowing him and being part of his journey from Episcopal priest to Catholic priest.

The party was a grassroots effort organized by friends of Father Bill and his wife Linda. There was no formal invitation; the organizing committee relied on e-mails, phone calls and word-of mouth to spread the word about the celebration. The ballroom of the hotel where the breakfast was held was full. In fact, by the time my husband and I walked into the room we had trouble finding two empty seats together.

The community was well represented: older and younger people, parish leaders, seminary professors, priests, deacons and many who had served with Father Bill and Linda on social justice and outreach projects. Some of the people attending knew Father Bill from the time he spent with them as they grieved the loss of a loved one. Others knew him from the Landings Ministry that welcomes Catholics back into the Church. Most simply knew him as the cheerful and helpful priest who offered them hope and understanding.

We become quite attached to our priests. Some touch our lives more than others and when their time of serving at one parish is over and they are given new assignments, we react --- sometimes in sadness, other times in anger. Father Bill's departure brought both reactions from the community. After all, no one wants a relationship that is working to change.

However, could it be that God's will trumps our will? That what many feel is a loss might also be a blessing? The community was able to join together to honor someone they loved in a way that did not follow the normal channels of meeting after meeting, worrying about printed invitations and fancy food. The community simply made a decision, chose the date and spread the word. The blessing of this, I think, is that the Church did what it needed to do when it needed to do it --- simply and efficiently.

The further blessing is that Father Bill will take his charism, his gifts, to another community --- in this case to the United States Navy, to support families as they live out their faith. He will teach and preach and help military families at a time when they face challenges that are different from those at a suburban parish, in many cases far more difficult.

Psalm 118 is 29 verses long, each verse with words that speak to the experience of Father Bill, the community he leaves behind and the one he enters. It also reminds us that God listens in times of desolation, that God is merciful and just, and that God does answer.

Anne Hansen is a member of the Camarillo Catholic community. Her e-mail address is familymail@aol.com.