Remembering Br. John
“He was one of the first SCJs I met,” said Fr. Byron Haaland, SCJ, the homilist at last week’s Mass of Christian Burial for Br. John Monek, SCJ. Fr. Byron, pictured above, would later spend many years ministering with Br. John at St. Joseph’s Retreat Center in Baileys Harbor, WI.
“Br. John’s gift of hospitality was paramount,” said Fr. Byron. “And isn’t that our vocation as Priests of the Sacred Heart? To always welcome, to open our doors, to open our hearts to people, no matter who they are.”
The gospel reading for the Mass was the Parable of the Talents from Matthew. Fr. Byron said that the reading spoke to who Br. John was. “He was a man with not one, not two, but five talents, talents that he grew,” said Fr. Byron. “He was a cook, a bookkeeper, a gardener, a builder, but most importantly, he was a builder of relationships. He had the talent of hospitality.
“Br. John took his talents and used them to bring about the reign of God in the hearts of people. He had forever in his heart No. 23 of our Constitutions, how we as SCJs understand reparation as a welcome to the Spirit, a response to Christ’s love for us.
“For Br. John, everything was a response, a response to God in his life.”
Br. John died on September 27; he was 92. The Mass of Christian Burial took place on September 30 in Good Shepherd Chapel at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake.
Click here to view photos from the funeral.
Click here or on the image above to view a video of the Mass of Christian Burial for Br. John.
Pinellas Park administration
After consultations via Zoom, Fr. Ed Kilianski, SCJ, and the Provincial Council appointed the following as local leadership for the Sacred Heart Community in Pinellas Park, FL:
Fr. Vincent Suparman, SCJ – superior (2nd term)
Fr. Pat Lloyd, SCJ – 1st councilor
Fr. Greg Speck, SCJ – 2nd councilor
Fr. Steve Pujdak, SCJ – treasurer
The new term began as of October 1.
A devotion that calls for action
David Schimmel, familiar to many for his work as Director of Dehonian Associates for the US Province, was the afternoon respondent at last week’s Dehon Lecture at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. He addressed the theme of the “Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy” by sharing his personal journey with the Devotion to the Sacred Heart.
“I found myself walking toward the Heart of Jesus in the company of Fr. Dehon, who taught me that devotion to the Heart of Jesus was a doorway to a relationship with the Divine,” said David.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is not a passive devotion. “The love that the Heart of Jesus has for me urges me to address the lasting effects of slavery, colonialism, racism, runaway capitalism, American exceptionalism, individualism, and clericalism,” said David. And if the call to action seems hard, “the Heart of Jesus tells me to find a way to do my part.”
Dr. Robert Stackpole was the morning presenter. A former Anglican priest, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1994 and holds a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the “Angelicum”). He is now director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy based in Stockbridge, MA.
Click here to read more about the lecture on the province website.
Click here to view photos from the day.
Our final episode of “Ask a Dehonian”
In our sixth and final episode of “Ask a Dehonian” Frs. Byron Haaland, SCJ, and Andrzej Sudol, SCJ, answer questions such as “Why did Jesus have to die for us?” “What do the colors that the priests wear mean?” “Why do we bury the ‘alleluia’ during Lent?” “What color represents God’s love?”
Click here or on the image above to view the video.
“Ask a Dehonian” is a series in which students from our Dehonian schools are invited to ask questions about the Church, their faith, and current events. You can find previous episodes on our YouTube Channel, “DehoniansUSA.”
Celebrating DHS
From September 24-25, Divine Heart Seminary alumni gathered in Lisle, IL (just west of Chicago) for an all-school reunion. The reunions have been held every four to five years. Most of the confirmed 88 former seminarians attended; many were joined by their spouses.
Keith George (’75) and Mike Whalen (’77) have been the primary organizers behind the reunions since 1988. Fr. Mark Mastin, SCJ (’75), assisted with audio visuals and served as emcee.
Fr. Steve Huffstetter, SCJ, Msgr. Bernard Galic (former SCJ) and Fr. Mark concelebrated Mass for the group. Joining them was another alumnus, Dn. David Krajewski, as well as Bill Koch (’71) who served as music minister.
There was an In Memoriam video to honor faculty and alumni who had died in recent years. Among those noted: Br. Ben Humpfer, SCJ, Fr. Michael Burke, SCJ, Fr. Paul Kelly, SCJ, Fr. John Young, SCJ, Br. Tim Murphy, SCJ, John Davis (‘74), Len Glewwe (‘74), Pierre Hams, (’75) and Tim Pieszchala (’75). Karen Davis, wife of John Davis, and her daughter, Julie, were both honored during the Mass. In memory of her husband John, Karen Davis donated a chalice and paten to the SCJs to be given to the next ordained priest. Also honored during the weekend was Msgr. Galic, who was presented with a plaque commemorating his jubilee of ordination. Other former SCJs in attendance: David Schimmel (retired director of Dehonian Associates) and Mike Bucaro.
“We all had such a great time catching up on current family life and sharing never-ending tall tale stories of past experiences at DHS,” wrote Fr. Mark Mastin. “One of the most repeated themes was how Donaldson (DHS) helped shape students into the successful men that they are today. It is a success that isn’t just found in their occupations, but in their marriages, family life, faith, values and continuing service to the Church and local communities. Vivat Cor Jesu – Per Cor Mariae.”
You are invited!
Fr. Willyans Prado Rapozo, SCJ, will be installed as pastor of St. Helen’s parish in Toronto on October 17 at 12:00 pm. The Mass will be in English and Portuguese; Bishop Robert Kasun, CSB, (Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto) will preside.
The address: St. Helen’s Parish, 1680 Dundas Street, West Toronto, ON M6K 1V3. If you are planning to attend, RSVP to Fr. Will at frwillscj@yahoo.com.br
SCJ participates in international conference on migration
From September 20-22, Br. Diego Diaz, SCJ, took part in a global conference on migration sponsored by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), the Union of Superiors General (USG), and the Scalabrini Institute for International Migration (SIMI). Titled “Migrants and Pilgrims as our Ancestors,” it brought together international biblical scholars, theologians, and pastoral agents to present and discuss their research, and respond to the reality of current migratory movements.
“In every migrant’s story, God meets us,” wrote Br. Diego. “Many stories are loaded with traumatic experiences; however, God in that story and in that sharing allows for the healing, the ‘repair’ of migrants. The experiences of migrants help us to focus our attention on the reality of the many men and women who are forced to migrate due to social, political, economic and ecological conditions. Today it is clear that there is a great global refugee crisis. There is a danger in being trapped by a globalized and politically correct indifference. The issue of migrants at the borders is not a reality show.”
Click here to read Br. Diego’s full reflection.
Click here to access a PDF of a text by Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, titled “Migrants and Pilgrims as Our Ancestors.”
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