Celebrating Independence day

God, source of all freedom, this day is bright with the memory of those that declared that life and liberty are your gift to every human being. Help us to continue a good work begun long ago. Make our vision clear and our will strong; that only in human solidarity will we find liberty, and justice only in the honor that belongs to every life on earth. Turn our hearts towards the family of nations: to understand the ways of others, to offer friendship, and to find safety in the common good for all.

We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

– Prayer from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Have a wonderful holiday!

The Provincial Offices will be closed next Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day (July 4). No Fridge Notes will be published next week; the next edition will be Monday, July 12.

The Catholic Church is a Biblical Church

“We are a Biblical Church, the bible is embedded in the very life of the Church,” said Fr. Charles Brown, SCJ, in the most recent edition of “Heart to Heart” conversations. Fr. Charles is an assistant professor of Scripture Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. He has also taught scripture in a variety of international settings, including South Africa and India.

Explaining what it means to be a “Biblical Church,” Fr. Charles continued, noting that for Catholics “the most important part of our life, the Holy Mass, is basically the scriptures, the Bible proclaimed and prayed. And so the best that we bring to God is a celebration of the Holy Scripture. We are a Bible church.”

Quoting the teaching of the Catholic Church, Fr. Charles noted that “Just as the word of God Jesus is the word of God in human flesh, so too the Bible is the word of God in human language.“

Click here or on the image above to view Fr. Charles’ conversation with Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ.

Fr. Charles recommended several books for Biblical studies: Catholic Study Bible by Donald Senior, Berit Olam Series on the Old Testament, Sacra Pagina Series on the New Testament, and An Introduction to the New Testament by Raymond E. Brown.

Heading home

Today, June 28, Fr. Praveen Kumar Richard, SCJ, begins his journey from South Dakota back to India. The first leg is by car, driving from Chamberlain, SD, to Hales Corners, WI. There, he will have some time to get organized before flying home to the Indian District. Last week, the Dehonian communities in Lower Brule and Chamberlain hosted Fr. Richard for a “Farwell and Good Luck” meal; joining the SCJs were students in South Dakota on summer ministry. Fr. Richard has served in South Dakota for the past two years.

“Thanks for being with us Fr. Richard!” said Fr. Christianus Hendrik, SCJ, local superior of the South Dakota community. “It was only a short time, but you colored our lives with enthusiasm, laughter, refreshment, and love. Have a safe trip to India and God bless you with your new assignment and ministries.”

Fr. Richard is pictured above (second from right) with SCJs and students in Lower Brule.

Busy in Mississippi

Frater Hung Pham, SCJ, and Frater Truc Tran, SCJ, seminarians at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, share a few photos from their summer ministry assignment at Sacred Heart Southern Missions in northern Mississippi.

“We have been here for four weeks now,” wrote Frater Hung. “The SCJ community is very welcoming and takes care of us well. It is hot and humid, but we love nature and the people that we meet here. For the next seven weeks we are volunteers for a summer camp at Sacred Heart School where we assist children with drawing, painting, and other activities. Working with the children is fun because they ask us many interesting questions. We also volunteer at the Sacred Heart Food Pantry. Last week, we went to the Landers Center in Mississippi to distribute food. We worked outdoors, it was hot, but we liked it. This week, we are helping with Vacation Bible School in our Dehonian parishes.”

July birthdays

First, a shout-out to Fr. J. Claude Bédard, SCJ, who celebrates his birthday today, June 28. Those with birthdays in July include: Fr. Edgard Biankeu (July 4), Fr. Bill Marrevee (July 5), Fr. Johanes Yuliwan Maslim and Frater Long Nguyen on July 15, Fr. Richard Woodbury and Fr. Willyans Prado Rapozo on July 19, Fr. Petrus Murwanto on July 21, Fr. Dominic Peluse on July 22, Fr. Vien Nguyen on July 27, and Fr. Peter McKenna on July 29. Happy birthday!!

Family shelter blessed

After months of delays brought on, in part, by the pandemic, the Sacred Heart Chacon Family Shelter in Eagle Butte, S.D, was dedicated on June 22. Bishop Peter Muhich of the Diocese of Rapid City led prayers; Lakota music filled the air.

“This building is a testament to the power of a vision that goes back to 2012 and the power of sustainability and commitment on the part of the Priests of the Sacred Heart,” said Mike Tyrell, executive director of St. Joseph’s Indian School. The family shelter is an outreach of St. Joseph’s (through the Sacred Heart Center), one of the oldest ministries of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the United States. Br. Frank Presto, SCJ, a previous director of the center (and now provincial secretary), cut the ribbon to open the doors.

Click here to read more.

First ECS outing

Kelly Kornacki, VP of Intercultural Preparation for Ministry at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, notes that the first session of the summer ECS program is underway. Besides academics, the program also offers students regular outings so that they can practice their English language skills outside of the classroom. The initial field trip destination? Nearby Whitnall Park. Last summer’s ECS program was on hiatus due to the pandemic. Kelly says that it is wonderful to have international students back on the SHSST campus, “another step toward ‘normal.’”

The beginning of the congregation

On June 28, 1878, Fr. Leo John Dehon made his religious profession. It was the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the day of the foundation of our Congregation. Only a few close friends were present. His was an act of faith which might have seemed like a dream with no future. Instead it marked the birth and the beginning of a long posterity, what he called the Work of the Sacred Heart. In that rich experience of faith, our Congregation finds its origin and its identity. Fr. Dehon recalled this strong conviction of faith in his Spiritual Testament: “I leave you the most wonderful treasure: the Heart of Jesus. He belongs to everyone, but has particular tenderness for… those who are consecrated to him and are entirely dedicated to worship, love and reparation as he asked. However, they must be faithful to this beautiful vocation ”(LC 407). This vocation, this charism that Fr. Dehon left as an inheritance is not something to be kept hidden. It is a living treasure. It is a love that is renewed every day. From this charism entire generations of confreres have lived, finding in it the inspiration and strength for a spiritual and apostolic life, spent entirely for God, for the Church, for the mission, and for “the reign of the Heart of Jesus in souls and society”.

Above text from Bishop Virginio Bressanelli, SCJ,  “An updated reinterpretation of our charism,” Dehoniana 1994/2, 15-22,.

Click here to access a prayer service for the day.

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