What a week!
“The Joy of Community Expressed in Our Mission” was the theme of the 2017 Province Assembly. It began with the Jubilee Celebration on June 5 and continued through the week with presentations on a wide variety of topics. We have a bit of a longer Fridge Notes than usual, sharing highlights from the week. Click here to read the full article about the assembly posted on the province website.
Click here to view online photo albums from the week.
What color are you?
Dr. Young Hoang is a psychologist who works with local, state and federal agencies, as well as the Church. He led all of Tuesday’s sessions, beginning with a presentation on personality exploration, helping people to understand their own personality traits and those others. “We all have four temperaments, but generally one dominates,” he said. SCJs did an exercise to determine their dominant traits, and then followed up with several activities to understand how people live and work together. In what situations do some people thrive, while others would be frustrated?
Why do I want to be an SCJ?
Wednesday began with a video produced by Frater Joseph Vu. “It celebrates our history and shows where we are now, what gives us as individuals and as a community joy,” he said introducing it. Following the video were testimonies from the province’s students who spoke about what attracted them to the Priests of the Sacred Heart and why they decided to pursue their vocation with the community.
“There is joy, spiritual joy, in our community,” said Phong (Paul) Hoang who has been a candidate for three semesters. in August he will enter the novitiate. “My favorite part of the day is Mass in the morning. We are there together in a sense of belonging, leaving each other with support for our day. We connect at meals; we connect in labor, doing dishes together. In the SCJ community I feel like myself and can actualize who I am; I feel at home, I feel that I belong.
“When I first came to formation, I missed home, my family and friends in Houston. Now, I am happy to go back to visit, but when I am in Houston, what I miss is Chicago [the formation community].”
Now “home” for Paul, is with his SCJ community.
A new chapter at SHSST
Fr. Tom Knoebel, a familiar face to many from his years at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, briefly visited with the assembly. He will serve as SHSST president-rector for the next year, a role he has filled twice before. “I can’t imagine a more fulfilling way to live out my priesthood,” said Fr. Tom, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, about his 30+ years with Sacred Heart.
“The seminary is at the edge of an exciting new chapter in its history,” he continued “Major renovations are about to begin on the 50-year-old building. This summer we will see our largest summer ESL class ever.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to work with and for you,” he concluded. Fr. Tom also noted that the Papal Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, will give next semester’s Dehon Lecture.
The challenges of migration
“How marvelous God is! He will help you with what you need when you are doing the right thing, when you are doing good.”
The words were spoken by Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, executive director of Catholic Charities in the Rio Grande Valley. She has first-hand experience with migrants at the southern border. Many, she said, are fleeing horrific situations in their home countries; she felt compelled to do something to help. That “something” became the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas. In three years the center has assisted over 73,000 migrants, all with donations. The Priests of the Sacred Heart are among those who continue to financially assist Sr. Norma with her efforts.
She talked about going to the border detention facility and the officers who were brought to tears seeing her pray in cells filled with terrified migrant children. “They [the officers] thanked me for helping us to realize that they are human beings,” she said.
“We are the most powerful nation in the world,” said Sr. Norma. “We must do better.”
An impossible system
Sr. Norma spoke about the devastating situations that prompt people to flee their countries and come to the United States, as well as the pain and frustration that they continue to face once they cross the border.
Barbara Graham, director of Legal Services for Immigrants for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, identified the many challenges migrants face as they try to legally pursue residence in the United States.
“We are asking people with limited educations to go through an impossible system,” she said.
“What can we do?” asked one of the SCJs.
“Get out and talk about Catholic social teaching,” she said.
“Community” is organic
Returning to speak again this year was Grant Silva, PhD, an assistant professor of Philosophy at Marquette University. He talked about the role of community in the immigration debate.
“What are the factors that alienate us from community, stop us from making communal ties with each other?” said Dr. Silva. We need an understanding of community as a dynamic, ongoing, living thing.”
A community changes when the people in it change; the culture of the community changes. “Culture is an important thing, and there are elements of a culture that are substantive. But as we think of the material foundations of a culture we must to ask ourselves, ‘What unites people, what creates culture?’ Political membership is important but something more important is the day-to-day lived experience…
“We have to learn to build ties that bring people together in the community.”
Gratitude for diversity
On the final morning of the assembly SCJs talked about their experience at the assembly and shared how they found “joy in community.”
“It is wonderful to see so many young people here, so many people from different countries,” said Fr. Johnny Klingler. “They give me hope for our province.”
“I was so powerfully touched by listening to our youngest members and candidates talk about their experience of us and their joy to be a part of us,” said Fr. John Czyzynski. “I am grateful to see that the SCJ message is alive in them.”
“I looked at the logo a lot this week [a collage of the province’s membership within the SCJ heart and cross logo], said Fr. Bob Tucker. “I was awed as I looked at the faces, looked at all the people who are a part of the province, who are a part of me. Something pulled us together this week and the logo represented that.”
“We have become more diverse as a province and I am happy about that,” said Fr. Ed Kilianski in his closing homily. “We come from different backgrounds but God called us all to be sons of Fr. Dehon, to spread the love of Christ in souls and society wherever we can. It doesn’t matter what we call ourselves – Dehonians, SCJs, Priests of the Sacred Heart – what is important is what is in our hearts.
“Thank you for being my brothers.”
690 years of religious life
As noted above, the assembly began with the province jubilee celebration. The jubilarians included Fr. Jan de Jong, Fr. Richard MacDonald, Fr. Anthony Russo and Fr. Frank Wittouck (60 years); Fr. Nick Brown, Fr. Leonard Elder, Fr. Tim Gray, Fr. Paul Grizzelle-Reid, Fr. Wayne Jenkins and Fr. Dominic Peluse (50 years); Fr. Robert Naglich (40 years); Br. Duane Lemke, Fr. Vien Nguyen, Fr. David Szatkowski and Fr. Chuck Wonch (20 years); and Br. Clay Diaz, Br. Long Nguyen and Br. Brian Tompkins (10 years).
Click here to view photos from the jubilee celebration.
Click here to read profiles of our jubilarians.
The “Johnny Klingler JP Award”
Recently, the Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission lost its longest-serving member. “We finally allowed Fr. Johnny Klingler to retire!” said Mark Peters, province JPR director. “Not that it’s slowed him down much…
“The history of the province’s involvement in justice and peace ministry is pretty much the history of Fr. Johnny Klingler. He was the very first director of what was then called the Office of Peace and Social Justice for the US Province, appointed to that position in 1974.”
To acknowledge his years of work for social justice, the province established an annual “Johnny Klingler Justice and Peace Award to acknowledge an SCJ or someone nominated by members of the province who, like Fr. Johnny, has worked tirelessly for social transformation,” said Mark.
The first recipient of the $1,000 award was Fr. Johnny himself. He was surprised with it, and the creation of the award, during last Tuesday’s assembly dinner.
Please remember
Fr. Mario Pelliccioli of the Argentine Province died June 8. He was born in 1930, professed in 1947 and ordained in 1956
Fr. Cornelius P.M. van Paassen of the Dutch-Flemish Confederation died June 5. He was born in 1932, professed in 1953 and ordained in 1959.
Novitiate established
The Sacred Heart Novitiate in Raymond, WI, received official, canonical status as a community of the province from the General Council on June 6. Fr. Byron Haaland is novice master. Last week, the Provincial Council voted to approve Henry Nguyen and Phong (Paul) Hoang for novitiate.
Other formation news
Congratulations to Frater Juan Carlos Casteñada Rojas, who received approval from the Provincial Council to begin his final vows program. Fr. John Czyzynski will be his director; he will begin his sessions via Skype from Brazil. Frater Juancho will return to the United States in August.
The council voted to approve Frater Joseph Pham Vu for vow renewal; he is currently in the middle of his final vow program. Frater Joseph was also approved to receive the ministry of acolyte.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Ed Kilianski will be gone most of this week; he left this afternoon for Missouri where he will visit with Fr. Bryan Benoit. June 29 through July 8 he will be with family in Buffalo. The next Provincial Council meeting is July 11-12.
Closing shot
Our 2017 “Family Photo.” Click here to view all the photos from the assembly.
