After 17 years at St. Joseph Parish and School in Lake Orion, Michigan, the Rev. Mike Verschaeve said it's time to say goodbye.

He said his time at St. Joseph was "a great joy and privilege" in the weekly parish bulletin.

The Rev. Jim Kean was appointed the new pastor of St. Joseph. Newly ordained the Rev. John Carlin will serve as the associate pastor.  

"These priests come with their unique gifts and talents and they are very eager to serve you," Verschaeve said in the bulletin. 

He asked that parishioners welcome them with open arms, warmth, and love like they did when he first arrived at St. Joseph. He said the change in pastoral leadership is a new beginning. 

"In these difficult times, God will use their shepherds' voices and pastoral hearts to walk with you and to inspire your faith," he told parishioners, the bulletin reported. 

He said he'll miss the parish family at St. Joseph, and in particular, the pastoral staff, ministers, volunteers, and those who he shared ministry during his time at the church and school. He told the congregation they will continue to serve the parish and school community with love and dedication. 

He ended his message to his parish family with a quote from the novel "Diary of a Country Priest" written by French author, George Pernanos, "Tout est Grace." Verschaeve said his preferred translation of that phrase is "everything is a gift."

"I thank God for all of you, and you will ever be in my heart," he wrote in the bulletin. 

The parish community thanked him for everything he's done in his almost two decades of service at the church.  

"Your loving care has blessed us and made a difference to us in so many ways," they wrote in the bulletin in a full page of thanks for the many ways he's gone above and beyond to serve the St. Joseph Parish community.