As a Rule – Dehonians USA

The Constitutions trace the lines of our spirituality. They sketch the manner of living our religious life as Priests of the Sacred Heart, and they indicate our apostolic orientations. They are for us ‘This Day of God’ (144). They tell us how to ‘make this charism effectively live by responding to the urgent needs of the Church and of the world’ (1). For each of us, they are the book which, after the Gospel, reminds us of what is essential if we are to live our religious consecration faithfully.”

-Fr. Antonio Panteghini, former superior general

For 20 years, beginning in 1992, the US Province published a simple, two-page photocopied newsletter titled As a Rule. Starting with No. 1 and concluding with No. 144 (the entirety of the SCJ Constitutions at that time; there are now 147), the publication featured reflections by SCJs on each of the Constitutions.

Just as there is no one commentary on scriptural passages, there is no one reflection on the Constitutions. We brought back As a Rule ten years after its last issue so that we can continue the dialogue on what it means to live SCJ spirituality. Much of the reboot of As a Rule is similar to the first 20 years in that it features a passage from the Constitutions along with one or more reflections. However, instead of going sequentially, each issue will focus on a topic. Reflection questions are included. Reflections are written by SCJs, but also by employees, Dehonian Associates, and others whose lives intersect with the Dehonian charism and SCJ spirituality.

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Click on the desired issue to download it:

October 2024 – Constitution No. 9, theme: “Our Faith Experience,” Vicki Johnson and Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ

September 2024 – Constitution No. 18, theme: “Availability for all,” Fr. Hendrik “Ardi” Ardianto, SCJ, and Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ

No August 2024 issue

July 2024 – Constitution No. 35, theme: “Attentive to the needs of the world,” Fr. Floribert Bulo Dhelo, SCJ, and Sr. Yollie Nababos, TMM

June 2024 – Constitution No. 131, theme: “The general government,” Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, SCJ, and Fr. Francis Vu Tran, SCJ

May 2024 – Constitution No. 80, theme: “The Eucharist,” Fr. M. Ari Saputra, SCJ and Corrie Christiaansen

April 2024 – Constitution No. 143, theme: “Providing for the development of our works,” Kory Christianson and Pam Milczarski

March 2024 – Constitution No. 140, theme: “The administration of goods,” writers: Fr. Paul Tennyson and Dn. David Nagel

February 2024 – Constitution No. 84, theme: “Eucharistic worship,” writers: Joe Tyrell and Mark Mastin

January 2024 – Constitution No. 77, theme: “The Word of God,” writers Victoria Stirek and Frater Hung Pham.