Farewell, Maureen, from the Rector
June 6, 2024My dear parishioners and friends,
This letter is much harder to write than any other I have written in the past 18 years.
From the start my assistant, Maureen Hurley, would take my rough drafts and produce a written product that fit the occasion or need beautifully. As she grew to know me she incorporated that knowledge into whatever she would write or edit from the Rector’s Office. She is the best editor – no one is any better. You can imagine my apprehension as she prepares to leave her position at St. Matthew’s, though she will stay for a few weeks to orient her successor, who will join the staff as Director of Communications, on our various communications platforms.
Growing our communications & going digital
While Maureen initially focused on my correspondence and scheduling, I also gave her responsibility for Cathedral communications, which she has steadily built up. In this role she has stayed up to date on activities and events across our parish ministries and organizations, creatively promoting these, and using tools to "get the message out" on behalf of our pastoral leaders, e.g., our Choral Highlights debuted on the website in 2016 (running through early pandemic days), our Social Justice blog in 2020, and our Mystical Word reflections in 2022.
In 2017 Maureen launched digital versions of the Rector’s letters and parish updates and added Instagram to the Cathedral social media. During the pandemic the Weekly Updates became the critical link with YOU and remains our main channel for sharing the latest parish news and events.
New website & Cathedral virtual tour
Most recently Maureen managed the year-long design and creation of our Cathedral parish website, working with Lattice Group, Inc. and collaborating with Fr. Benson on key elements. Fr. John’s livestreaming project, which included the launch of the Cathedral YouTube account, has a dedicated webpage on the new website. From there you can navigate to all our livestreamed liturgies and to a saint-of-the-day series with Fr. Hurley. Maureen also oversaw the creation of our Cathedral Virtual Tour by volunteer videographer Bob Bryer, also housed on our website.
The Cathedral parish on social media
On parish social media Maureen has kept us abreast of news and activities at the archdiocese, in the community, and at the Vatican, as well as in the parish. Managing these accounts has meant working during off hours, on weekends or holidays, but she has always gotten the news out.
I could stop there and you would say Wow!, but she also has produced our Advent and Lenten brochures and other print media, taken the lead in our Advent and Lenten Penance Service planning, and coordinated our vocations efforts.
Thanks and God Bless
How on earth could Maureen do what she has done and do it so well? I have an answer: her faith, her love of the Lord, her love of the Church, and her deep love for St. Matthew’s. I am so grateful for all she has done to get us where we are. I hear from pastors in this archdiocese and others, Who do you have working on your website and social media? They are simply amazed.
We have been so blessed. We know she wants to spend more time with her family. I hope they will know how blest they are to have such a wife, Mom, and grandmother. Maureen, thank you so much from all of us. We have become closer to the Lord, and to one another, because of you. God bless!
Gratefully,
Msgr. Jameson
