Pastor's Posts

A few weeks ago, I shared some reflections as I was saying goodbye to my Good Shepherd parishioners. A staff member suggested it might have been helpful to share those thoughts when I first arrived in Orlando, not just at the end of my time there. It is not great wisdom I share, but an attempt to highlight the values and activities I see as important and will incorporate

into my leadership ministry at St. Ann.


• A strong and complete sense of the La Salette ministry

Learning the message of Our Lady is GOOD, BUT making it felt, known and lived is most important.
My experiences developing the La Salette laity program, working on missions, journeying to La Salette, France, and coordinating five laity summits (with the next one in Atlanta in 2025), enable me to share the reconciling charism of our community. I will try to help you, my fellow disciples, understand what makes a La Salette tick and how the heart of our belief is for all of us.


• A fundamental belief in the rights and power of laity to be partners with

clergy, staff and parish leadership

We call it stewardship in practice, but it begins with a profound sense of the baptismal priesthood that we all share and the role of disciple that we are all challenged to live. We build community life together as we work, play, sing, dance, eat and drink together. Jesus taught the disciples more when they were travelling, eating, sleeping, learning and practicing the values that he proclaimed. St. Ann’s community depends upon each one of us sharing ourselves and being committed to love each other.


• An acceptance of community diversity as a treasure and a grace

We come from different states and countries, we speak various languages to others and to God and we have different understandings of what is important, valuable and sacred. We eat different foods, we enjoy various activities, we have our individual preferences, likes and dislikes. We are rich or poor; we are well-educated, or we struggled to learn; we are unique. This is NOT a problem, NOT a difficulty or NOT something to divide us. It is our greatest strength when we allow the uniqueness of the individual to prosper and grow.


• A goal of being one as a community

There is no place for “them and us” in any shape or form. We build one community by praying together, learning together, socializing with one another and by a common commitment to support and nurture each other.
We know we must love one another as Christ loved us. Amazingly, we do that more often than not.

We are each called to do our best and even though we all fail, we continue to dedicate ourselves, trying to create that ideal community, that sacred people, that loving and generous group that is willing to help those who
are struggling. We welcome the stranger, the immigrant, the struggling, the sinner, the difficult person, the talented one, the singer and the silent. In all of this we find the very fabric of community. Acceptance, love and encouragement are the values that can make us great.


• A commitment to church is more than an hour each week at Mass

It is living out the Eucharist in a sacred and dedicated way so that we bring Jesus Christ into the world, our homes, our life moments. We make God’s glory evident in all we are and do. We meet for prayer, food and support to truly become a church. We are a pilgrim people that in our travels meet God in one another.


• A continued commitment to parish formation

You have grown so well into a unified dynamic community. We need to continue to do that in the future. Whatever St. Ann’s previous pastors and all who served this magnificent community were able to do, whatever you did together, and all that is valuable, sacred and important needs to continue. I am not here to change your successes, but hopefully help us in our continued journey and growth as a pilgrim church.

In welcoming a new pastor with his visions and priorities, the values you have found sacred and successful will continue. New ideas and ideals will abound and make our community even stronger.

Thank you for your welcome to St. Ann. I hope I will offer you my best in all I do as I assume this daunting task of leadership. Each day you will be in my thoughts for the wonders of your past, in my prayers for your needs and ministry of the present, and in my hopes and dreams that we will continue toward a better future.


Father Jim

Jhenaultms@st-ann.org



July, 2023

Good morning! My name is Father Jim Henault, MS a missionary of Our Lady of La Salette was born in Fitchburg Massachusetts in 1953 my birthday is at the end of July. I grew up in La Salette parish. St. Joseph Parish was half a block away from the rectory, and one away from the church, and the school was crossed the street from our apartment. I’ve been a La Salette person all of my life: my neighbors were La Salettes and our parish had over 50 vocations to the Priesthood and Brotherhood over the years. Some of you might know, my classmate Fr. Tom Leclerc, MS, who not only was ordained with me, but was in kindergarten with me and everything in between.

I come from a family of mom and dad and a brother and sister my brother Mike is a year older than I my sister Becky is 10 years younger my parents are now deceased. Our extended family is large and I have about 40 cousins around the country, we keep in touch and get together often for celebrations or at the beach or at special times. As a young person I grew up summers at the beach in Maine where the water is so not hot and enjoyed the companionship of the greater family who also went to Maine every year. I still enjoy the beach, I enjoy swimming and the swimming pool that we have here in my parish - which I will dearly miss – however, there are pools around in Marietta as well.

I entered La Salette College Preparatory Seminary in 1967 and then continued in college at our junior college seminary and then went to Merrimack College - where I graduated with a bachelor’s BA with a double major in history and philosophy summa cum laude. The next year was in our Novitiate where we learned about religious life and the ins and outs of my community. On August 15, 1976, we took our first vows and officially became members of the Missionaries of La Salette. I continued my education at the Catholic University of America and graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Sacred Theology. I professed my perpetual vows and was ordained a deacon in 1979. I was ordained to the e priesthood on May 17,1980. 

After I was ordained, I was assigned to Our Lady of Sorrows parish in Hartford CT. In those three years I was part of a Pastoral Team of three priests and two sisters who shared the leadership of the parish. It was a perfect start for my life of parish ministry. Three years later I took my next assignment as co-pastor of St Peter’s Parish in Dagenham, Essex, England I served in England for 8 years and helped in the transition of that parish to members of the Polish province who still served there in England. I was heavily involved in educational activities as head of local school boards and a member of the Board of Education of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the Diocesan Education Commission. I also enjoyed touring the country: seeing the sites and most especially enjoying the West End which was my normal hangout on my day off every Thursday In that time I saw hundreds of plays and musicals and the occasional movie. Living in England also gave me the chance to tour the continent with pilgrims from the parish, with my family members and more recently with friends, and I enjoy people’s company. One of the realities of living in England was having guests from all over the La Salette world at various times and I just loved showing them the sights. 

After England I went to St Clement’s Parish in Calhoun GA where I served as pastor for almost three years. It was a beautiful experience celebrating in a brand-new church with a magnificent but small community of believers. In 1993 I was asked to come to Florida and serve as pastor of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church where I began the project of building their new church and renovating the rest of the facilities. In 1997 I was elected, by my community, to be Vicar Provincial and at that time it was a full time position so I moved to Hartford and found every possible thing I could do for the community. I served as a vocation director, as provincial secretary, as Executive Secretary of La Salette Leadership Conference, as an occasional mission speaker and had the chance to visit our missions in Argentina and Bolivia where I would later return to begin my Spanish education. During that time, I did my best to help the process of unification of the four provinces into one in the United States. After a sabbatical where I studied Spanish, I worked in Argentina for part of the summer, and went to various continuing education and La Salette programs. I was appointed as pastor of St Oliver Plunkett Catholic Church in Snellville where I served for 13 years. In 2003 we began Hispanic ministry in the parish, so I went to CIRIMEX Language School in Guadalajara Mexico to try to improve my Language skills. In 2012 I was again elected Vicar Provincial, part time for this one, and serve as provincial treasurer and I continued my ministry at St Oliver’s. 

In 2014 I left Georgia and moved back to Orlando FL where for two years I served as the national director of La Salette Laity in North America. I chose to move to Orlando because our parish there is close to the airport that I frequented often. For two years I was on the road throughout the United States and in other countries to promote La Salette and develop Laity and to start welcoming members to this new ministry. After two years it was time to have a layperson in charge of laity and so in 2016, I moved to Good Shepherd Catholic Church where I still serve for now as pastor of a multilingual multicultural community with a Catholic School and a variety of activities and events. Living in Orlando once again I continue to be a tour guide to any of the theme parks or sites of Central Florida and of other places that enjoy going to as well. (In fact, I’m heading to the Animal Kingdom in Magic Kingdom with a guest tomorrow.)

And as you know in a month’s time, I will be joining you all at the Catholic Church of St Ann. From my times in Georgia, I have seen and know much about St Ann, but I’ll be learning from you all about who you are, your needs, your dreams, and your hopes for a parish. As I arrive, I’ll share with you my values of ministry and service that are foundational of a La Salette Reconciling Parish and Community.
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