“Our life is a continuous dying. Every moment slips away from us until we have exhausted all the time that God has allotted to us. Our life is a short series of relations with God, with others, and with ourselves. Our actions have an almost infinite value if they are done in the grace of Jesus Christ because then they are united to his.”
– Fr. Leo John Dehon, SCJ, Daily Notes, March 26, 1868
On this All Saints Day we pray…
Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I give myself to you in life and in death.
I wish now to live only for you
according to the rule set down
in my consecration to you,
so that I can say with St. Paul,
“It is Jesus who lives in me,
it is no longer I who live.”
I desire to die in your love,
and if it pleases your Father,
to die from an excess of that love.
Amen.
Based upon the “Resolution” concluding Fr. Dehon’s 6th Meditation of the 4th Mystery in his second volume of Crowns of Love for the Sacred Heart. Adaptation by David Schimmel.
NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1, 2021
All Dehonians invited to take part in General Conference
The theme of the IX General Conference is “Dehonians in Social Commitments.” The in-person event will be held in Rome from February 13-18. Due to travel uncertainties during the pandemic, only the superiors of provinces, regions, and those districts dependent on the Superior General, have been invited to Rome. However, all Dehonians, including laity, are welcome to take part remotely. The conference will be livestreamed and have several interactive sessions for remote participants. Many of the sessions will be recorded for later viewing.
Organizers cite three objectives for the conference: 1) inspire Dehonians through Fr. Dehon’s passion for social justice which is rooted in the love of the Sacred Heart; 2) help Dehonians rediscover their identity through social commitment; and 3) pass on the Dehonian heritage to the next generation, inspiring them to engage in social commitments.
The General Administration encourages Dehonians – professed and lay – to prepare for the conference starting as soon as possible. All are encouraged to pray the prayer written for the conference. Click here to access it.
Everyone is invited to read the Instrumentum Laboris. Click here to view it (it begins with a description of the conference logo). And click here to access a survey related to the conference theme.
The General Administration encourages Dehonians to talk about the theme, and to share their reflections in writing. Dehonians are also welcome to submit videos about social projects that are a part of their ministries.
Click here to access the General Conference webpage.
Hello, welcome and safe travels!
Last week Fr. Ed Kilianski, SCJ, visited with SCJs from the Congolese Province who gathered to wish Fr. Jean Robert (far right) safe travels; he left the ECS (English and Cultural Studies) program at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology last week to return to Rome to continue his studies there. Frs. Floribert and Patrice will remain in ECS until December 21. Fr. Ed also welcomed Fr Bienvenue (far left), the superior of the SCJ District of Angola, who will be a student in the ECS program through the end of the semester.
Why get married in the Church?
In the ninth of a series of “Heart to Heart” interviews, Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, talks to Dr. Michael Brummond about the sacrament of marriage. Dr. Brummond is an associate professor of Systematic Theology at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. He is married, and has two children. He and his wife have also been active in marriage preparation in their parish.
Why get married in the Church? Marriage is a sacrament, but what does that mean? Why does it matter?
To answer that question, Dr. Brummond said that we must start with the idea that we are “created in the image and likeness of God. If we are created in the image of God, it is a God who is love. And so fundamental to who we are as human persons is a call to love. That call to love, to be a gift of self, is stamped right into our humanity, who we are as a human person. It is inscribed right into our bodies, male and female, to be a gift to one another.”
The sacramentality of marriage “offers us a vision,” he continued. “Having a vision of something shapes how we live it and approach it. The vision [of a sacramental marriage] speaks deeply to our hearts, to our desire for comprehensive love.”
Click here or on the image above to view the interview. Click here to access all of the Heart to Heart videos.
Red Ribbon week at St. Joseph’s
Friday, October 22, marked the beginning of St. Joseph’s Indian School’s annual observance of Red Ribbon Week. Students enjoyed late afternoon pizza with a movie in the Rec Center.
During the week of October 25, students celebrated five drug-awareness-themed dress-up days. Monday was pajamas to teach everyone to follow their dreams. On Tuesday, students wore their favorite team’s jersey to send the message, “Team up against drugs!” On Wednesday, everyone donned the school’s colors – blue and gold – to say, “St. Joe’s is proud to be drug-free.” Thursday was the day for the school’s Halloween celebration (moved because the holiday falls on Sunday when some staff and students aren’t on campus). Friday capped off the dress-up fun in red for Red Ribbon Week.
Students participated in Intercom Trivia in campus residences to build drug-and-alcohol-prevention awareness throughout the week. St. Joseph’s Indian School has actively participated in Red Ribbon Week for 20 years and develops updated drug and alcohol curriculums that relate to each age group.
Red Ribbon Week began as a tribute to fallen Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique Camerena, who in 1985 was murdered by drug traffickers. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program.
Mass with Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre
Between October 26-28, Archbishop Christophe Pierre visited Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology for the “Collegial Gathering Among Brother Bishops.” He also gave the homily at Wednesday’s Mass. Archbishop Pierre spoke on Luke’s Gospel and the Gospel’s theme of “reversal of fortune”. Click here to read the homily.
After Mass concluded, Archbishop Pierre blessed the newly renovated wing of the building. The crucifixes shown in the picture above were blessed and hung in the classrooms.
Updates
Fr. Tom Westhoven, SCJ, is at the Congregational Home for rehabilitation following a hospital stay. His contact information:
Room 1173
13900 W Burleigh Rd
Brookfield, WI 53005
Phone: 1-262-703-5563
He is welcoming visitors at this time.
Please remember
+ Fr. Jan Kania, a member of the Polish Province, died October 29. He was born in 1931, professed in 1950 and ordained in 1957.
Dehonian Esprit de Coeur
The Dehonian Associates Committee is seeking someone to take on the position of director of the Dehonian Esprit de Coeur, a group of SCJs, former SCJs and SCJ seminary alumni. David Schimmel organized the group during his time as director of Dehonian Associates. He has since retired and new leadership is needed.
The best candidate would most likely be an SCJ or an alumnus of an SCJ seminary. That person would be responsible for maintaining contact with alumni and former SCJs, and creating communications to help them stay informed about each other and the Priests of the Sacred Heart. The position comes with a stipend, as well as administrative support from the Provincial Offices.
If you would like to learn more about the position, click here to contact Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ.
Halloween fun
Our thanks to Fr. Yvon Sheehy, SCJ, for sharing a few photos from Halloween shenanigans at Sacred Heart Monastery. Click here to view a few more on the province Facebook page.
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