September 8, 2015
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Please join me, along with President David Esterline of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, in congratulating the Rev. Canon Dr. Cathy Brall upon her appointment as the seminary’s Director of Field Education.
As you know, Cathy has served for the past two years as our Canon Missioner. In that capacity, she has helped a number of congregations address critical issues, particularly concerning periods of transition and the parish’s potential for growth. And we all remain indebted to Cathy for her previous service in shepherding Trinity Cathedral through the painful years of our diocesan split and the rebuilding that followed.
In her new position, Cathy will provide administrative and pastoral oversight of the seminary’s program for placing students in the best suited locations, with the best possible site supervisors, to further the student’s understanding and practical skills in ministry. Cathy is particularly called and well suited for this task. She herself has been a site supervisor and part of the seminary’s mentoring ministry, and she has served on the seminary board since 2013. Her appointment further strengthens our ties to PTS, where several of our clergy have studied and parishioners have taught or served on staff.
While it is sad to lose Cathy as a member of the diocesan staff, I am very happy that she will continue to contribute to the well-being of our diocese, not only through the care and training of future leaders she will provide at the seminary, but also in a more direct way as the part-time priest-in-charge at St. Thomas, Canonsburg. I am appointing her to this position subject to the final details to be worked out with the vestry of St. Thomas.
Cathy will begin her work at the seminary in early October. I ask your prayers for God’s blessing on her, her students, and all of us as we seek to serve His kingdom.
Faithfully your bishop,
(The Rt. Rev.) Dorsey McConnell