News

Kathy Freiburger Signs Off, After 41-durful Years…

Dear Parishioners of Our Lady of the Wayside,

As many of you have heard, after 41 happy and fulfilling years, I am retiring from my role as Parish Secretary/Director of Office Services. My final day is January 4, 2021. While I am happy to have leisure time with my family, I will deeply miss my work and all of you. As such, I wish to express my gratitude for the many good wishes and congratulations I have received through your visits to the Parish Center, cards and emails sent, and even Facebook posts. Your outpouring of congratulations and love have been humbling and will remain with me forever.

OLW has been more that a place of work; it has been my family’s parish for more that 50 years. It has also been the primary school education of not only my three children, but my eight grandchildren as well. It has been where most of my friendships have been found. It has been where my own spirituality and faith has been strengthened. I consider myself very fortunate to have spent my full career at a place that has been much more than a job. It has been a home and where many of my fondest memories have occurred.

I thank you for the excellent support you and the Parish Staff have offered over the years, and for the meaningful friendships we have share. I will miss mostly our conversations. The times I have spent with you planning some of life’s more joyous occasions as well as times when we relied on our faith to muster through the hard moments. You allowed me to be part of your journey and that has been the most rewarding and precious experiences of my years at Our Lady of the Wayside.

Now and after four decades, five pastors, dozens of associate pastors, and countless ministers, I step down as a Wayside staff member but remain as a committed parishioner. I am not good at saying goodbye so rather, I will just say I look forward to seeing you and praying with you in church.

May God continue to bless you and Our Lady of the Wayside community. May the blessing of Christmas be yours everyday of the New Year.

Kathy Freiburger

Tribute from OLW Parish Staff…

After 41 years of service to Our Lady of the Wayside parish, you undoubtedly will be very missed. I am very grateful to you for your dedication, leadership, and hard work that have enabled the parish office to function well throughout all of these years and, more recently, have made my transition as your new pastor very smooth.

As you begin this new stage in your life, I would like to wish you much joy and well-deserved rest. May you enjoy days filled with the presence and love of your children and grandchildren throughout your retirement, and may Our Lady of the Wayside watch over you and guide you to Heaven.

I along with the members of Our Lady of the wayside pray that God repay you generously for your years of faithful service. With sincerest gratitude

~ Fr. Arthur Marat

Kathy Freiburger has been an indispensable partner in every phase of my deacon ministry for 33 years. Hundreds of bulletin articles, schedules for preaching, arranging home and hospital visits, scheduling my baptisms, weddings, wakes and funerals are just a few of the behind the scenes work we did together for the Wayside community whom we both love very much. I thank God for my journey at OLW deeply appreciating her dedication, fierce loyalty, and professionalism. I wish Kathy a well-deserved rest from her 24 hour a day pledge striving to do her very best to serve meeting the highest standards. I shall miss her willing attitude and welcoming smile always lifting my spirits.

~ Deacon Don Grossnickle

I was saddened when I heard of Kathy’s impending retirement – she has been a key player for the twenty years we have been active at Our Lady of the Wayside. I thought of what she has meant to us: She has a deep trust in God; she can rejoice with others; she can emphasize with their sorrow and hurts; she has a servant’s heart; she is totally dependable in what she says she will do – and then she does it. She has truly earned her retirement. So, THANK YOU Kathy for all you have done: for our parish and community; for our pastors and staff; and most definitely for Irene and me. God Bless!

~ Deacon Tom Corcoran

I have had the privilege of working with Kathy very closely since I was hired as Director of Music 16 years ago. She warmly welcomed me with her infectious smile as she has done for all of our parishioners and anyone she encountered in her position through the years. She has always been a cheerful, classy, compassionate, professional and pastoral person in every endeavor, of which there are many, she undertook. She set a high standard of excellence in our parish office and I will miss her presence, as will so many others. Thank you Kathy for everything!

~ Dan McMahon

We first met Kathy in 1983 when we first moved to Our Lady of the Wayside.  Through a number of pastors, she has always been a constant. Kathy’s love for the Lord, his Church and in particular the people of Our Lady of the Wayside. She reminds me of our first pastor at Wayside, Fr. Dick Ehrens, who closed every homily with “God loves you he really does.” Kathy we really love you and all you have done for the parish.

~ Jerry and Ronnie Brennan

Kathy, we will miss you as the point-of-contact for many inner workings of OLW Parish.  Your experience and expertise will not be easily replaced.  I thank you for your dedication to Our Lady of the Wayside Parish and wish you a long, happy, healthy, fulfilling and—most importantly—blessed retirement.

~ Deacon Paul Onischuk

I have been on staff with Kathy for 23 years. We have not only worked together, but are good friends. She is a wonderful person, very conscientious and devoted to her job as Director of Office Services.   Many times over the years, I found Kathy working late at night or on weekends to complete scripts for Mass and Services, especially for Christmas and Easter. Kathy was always supportive of the Religious Education Program, and made personal phone calls as a reminder to have an article in the bulletin, in case we were not aware of a different due date.

We enjoyed many years together at staff meetings, luncheons, and dinners. We had many laughs and fun times together. Most of all, we prayed for each other when prayers were most needed. I will surely miss Kathy greeting me at the Parish Office.

May God grant Kathy a happy, peace filled and healthy retirement. I feel very blessed in having Kathy as part of my life at Our Lady of the Wayside Parish.

~ Sister Joan Sheilds