Two Unexpected Departures

Try as we might, we can't stop things from changing. God continues to bring new people into our collaborative parishes, volunteer ministries, and Pastoral Team, but He also leads some to new opportunities and new beginnings. With this column I am sad to announce that Diana Zeller is stepping down from our Pastoral Team, and that Sr. Diane Dube will be moving out of the Jesus & Mary convent and our parishes.

Sister Diane Dube, local superior of the Religious of Jesus & Mary community in Plainville, has faithfully led their retirement community and has been involved in our parishes since she arrived, especially as a very active member of the St. Vincent de Paul conference at St. Martha Parish. Having recently survived a major heart attack, Sr. Diane continues to receive medical treatment and has requested to move to a convent closer to her doctors in the Providence area. She will be leaving by the end of January.


While Diana Zeller is not moving, she has accepted a full time job offer with CVS corporate offices that was “too good to refuse.” Diana was a parishioner before she was hired and will remain among us. It will be hard to fill the shoes of someone with such versatile skills and variety of service in our Pastoral Team. Diana worked with our Faith Formation directors Bob Collins and Sharon Guerin, and later Maggie Hoagland and Brian Sousa, to make our St. Martha & St. Mary collaborative Faith Formation program our first major success together. When our Local Pastoral Plan called for more Adult Faith Formation, Diana was able to shift focus to lead a team of parishioners in making our ChristLife program an opportunity for hundreds of adults to “re-discover Christ.”

While it will be hard to fill their shoes, our collaborative parishes will continue their steadfast commitment to lifelong faith formation and service to those in need. Sr. Diane has brought new organization and spiritual growth to St. Vincent de Paul. Diana has helped put our Faith Formation Team in very strong position for continued ministry to our children and youth under the direction of Maggie (FF for Children), Brian (FF for Youth), and Trish Moore (HS Youth Ministry), with support from Michelle DeLorenzo and Maureen O’Brien. Our Adult Faith Formation Team will start “Discovering Christ” on Feb. 12 as planned.

On behalf of our Plainville-Wrentham Catholic Collaborative, I want to thank Diana Zeller and Sister Diane Dube for their wonderful contributions to our parishes. We all wish them well in their new endeavors and will strive to continue their good work!