The Rev. Michael Quinnan of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Gilbert is starting a new chapter in his life.

After 12 years of tending the sheep at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Quinnan will be leaving to start a new chapter at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Stroudsburg.

The diocese only allows pastors to stay at a church for 12 years, and then they have to move to a different parish. It wasn’t always that way, but Quinnan said, “I think it is good, because after so many years, it is too easy to become comfortable, and that is something I never wanted to happen,” he said.

When Quinnan came Our Lady Queen of Peace, it was his first experience serving a congregation. Before that, he worked as an assistant to the vicar in Scranton.

“The congregation was fairly large back then because people wanted to get out of the city and I was happy because I always wanted to work with the parishioners,” he said.

One thing that helped the transition from Scranton to Gilbert was Quinnan spent his youth in Pen Argyl and then in Mountain Top.

“Gilbert is much like where I grew up, so I felt at home when I came there,” he said.

What has changed in 12 years?

In 2010 when people realized commuting their jobs in the city wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be, the people started moving back to the city. Suddenly the schools were empty and church attendance dropped.

“Churches all experience times of changes in the church’s attendance, and that is when you really need to reach out,” Quinnan said.

Despite the bad press the Catholic Church has encountered during the past few years, he said he tries to remind parishioners they need to be missionaries and disciples.

Quinnan said he still believes in the goodness of Jesus, and that is something we need to share with others.

Thinking about the differences he has made in his time in Gilbert, “I was able to empower the people in the church to get involved and talk seriously to people about their faith, and that is important to me,” he said.

When asked what he will miss, he was quick to say it will be the people and the wonderful relationship with his caring staff.

“We care for each other like family,” he said.

Right now, Quinnan said he is sad when he thinks of all the people he will be leaving and is treasuring his final days at the church.

“It is hard, I have 12 years of memories, but I really feel I have done what I came to do and now it is time to look ahead to new things,” he said.

His last day will be July 20.