Weekly News: May 16, 2016

Frater Joseph Vu with his newly earned diploma
Frater Joseph Vu with his newly earned diploma

Congratulations!

Frater Joseph Vu received his MDiv (Master of Divinity) from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago last Thursday. While attending CTU, Frater Joseph was also active ministering at St. Henry Parish and the Br. David Darst Center. “I really do enjoy spending time with the youth and helping them on their faith journey,” he said. “The ministries at these places have helped me grow so much as a person.”

It was through his own participation in a youth group that he came to know the SCJs. Professed in 2010, he says that “My vows continually remind me of my dedication to live my life’s intent on being united with the Heart of Christ and to be in community with my brothers.”

Newly added

Session Ten of the Spiritual Path is now available from the Dehonian Spirituality section of the province website. Click here to access all ten sessions for the formative guide.

Redesigned layouts of the Dehonian Associates Rule of Life and the Dehonian Associates Prayer Book are also available on the website. Click here to access them.

20 Questions with Fr. Jan

Fr. Jan
Fr. Jan

Favorite color? What makes you happy? What are you good at? What is your greatest fear… “Twenty Questions” is a regular feature in which SCJs and those with whom they minister and collaborate share a bit about themselves in an informal Q&A, each answering 20 questions.

This week we turn the spotlight on Fr. Jan de Jong, retired president-rector of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. Inspired by his uncle, who was a missionary, Fr. Jan joined the SCJs and served as a “missionary” to the United States from his native Holland. “I worked in our seminary and in hospital ministry, and as novice master,” he said. “My interest in the SCJs has always been our commitment to work with and for the less privileged people… To be a Dehonian means to promote God’s Reign of love in ‘hearts and societies.’”

Click here to read Fr. Jan’s responses.

Click here to view previous 20 Question interviews.

 

Video clips available

Mark Peters, director of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation for the US Province, has posted short video snips from the March 30 Panel Discussion on Immigration held at the Provincial Offices. The brief video excerpts include responses on “We define who is legal,” “Who are the displaced in the Middle East?” “What about the terrorists,” “Unintended consequences of increased border control measurers,” “Is radical Islam really the issue?” and “The need for a spirituality of persistence.”

Click here to go to the JPR website; scroll past “Headlines” to access the video links. The video clips are between one and six minutes long.

Writing from the Philippines

Fr. Tom with a student in the Philippines
Fr. Tom with a student in the Philippines

As we noted last week, after several months in India Fr. Tom Cassidy is now in the Philippines. One of his journal entries has been posted on the province blog.

“This morning I had my first class. There are six Vietnamese and five Filipinos. The Filipinos speak very good English and will only be in the class for a couple of days. Fr. Khoa said he wanted them to hear an American accent. They’ll be going on the Dehonian Youth Mission as are all those preparing to enter the postulancy program. The six Vietnamese have been here for almost a year and, I believe, have already passed their proficiency test for entrance into the university for their philosophy studies.”

Click here to read the rest of Fr. Tom’s entry.

Latest SCJ News

The most recent edition of the SCJ News is available as a PDF on the province website. Click here to access it.

The print edition is in the mail.

Provincial’s Time

Fr. Ed Kilianski begins the week in St. Louis, where he is visiting with Fr. Bryan Benoit; Fr. Ed is expected back in Milwaukee late Wednesday. May 22-27 he will be on retreat.

Closing shot

Fourteen seminarians, clergy and lay students graduated from Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology on May 6. Dr. Mary Meehan, president of Alverno College and chair of SHSST’s Board of Directors, gave the commencement address. Fr. Ed Kilianski presided at vespers.

SHSST grads