Schools in Collaboration
Last week students and chaperones from Dehonian schools in Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas and Quebec were gathered in Houston for “Schools in Collaboration.” It is a moment for students and staff in North America to get to know each other and the Priests of the Sacred Heart, pray together, and simply have fun. Among the SCJs who helped with the gathering this year were Br. Diego Diaz, Fr. Henry Nguyen, Frater Hung Pham and Fr. Rafael Querobin. Fr. Henry is pictured above with staff from OLG School in Houston.
Please remember
Ronald Szatkowski, the father of Fr. David Szatkowski, SCJ, died at approximately midnight last night (June 18). Please keep Fr. David and his mother, Laura, in your prayers. Arrangements are pending.
On the road again
Once again the St. Joseph’s Indian School Bookmobile is making its rounds throughout South Dakota. The bookmobile gives families an opportunity to pick up free books, snacks and drinks. It is also an opportunity for school faculty to reconnect with alumni, who often bring old photos of their days at St. Joe’s to share.
In a typical day the bookmobile has about 100 visitors and gives out over 750 books.
Speaking of St. Joseph’s…
St. Joseph’s Indian School was recently named a “2023 Top-Rated Nonprofit” for the seventh year running by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits.
“We are honored and humbled to be named a top-rated charity by GreatNonprofits,” said Mike Tyrell, St. Joseph’s president. “Every day, our staff partners with Native American youth and their families to educate for life – mind, body, heart and spirit, and this award affirms the dedication to the mission of many.”
The rating and number of reviews that St. Joseph’s Indian School received from volunteers, donors and aid recipients are the basis for the Top-Rated Nonprofit Award. One reviewer writes, “My wife and I visited the St. Joseph’s campus in 2012 and have interacted by phone with St. Joseph’s staff regularly since then. We contribute about every other month during the year and look forward to the newsletters containing stories of the great success of the St. Joseph’s students. Student success is our measure of how effectively our donations are being put to use. We are pleased with our return on investment in St. Joseph’s.”
GreatNonprofits is the leading website where people share stories about their personal experiences with more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those with direct experience with charities as donors, volunteers and aid recipients. Click here to view the complete list of 2023 Top-Rated Nonprofits.
Don’t think that we forgot you!
Recognize that young priest in the middle of the picture above? Last Tuesday, May 13, Bishop Joseph Potocnak, SCJ, retired bishop of De Aar, South Africa, turned 90. The bishop is a member of the Sacred Heart Community at SHML. At just about this time last year he celebrated his 30th anniversary as a bishop. He is pictured above with Br. Gabriel Kersting, SCJ, and Fr. Frank Hudson, SCJ. The three were photographed before heading to missionary assignments in South Africa. Happy belated birthday Bishop Joe!
Feast day celebrations
Last week, Feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated with events throughout North America. In Mississippi, SCJs, Dehonian Associates, and members of the six Catholic Parishes of Northwest Mississippi gathered at Christ the King Church in Southaven, MS, for a dual celebration: the feast day itself, as well as the Centennial of Dehonian ministry in the United States. An afternoon Mass was followed by dinner.
“We celebrate 100 years of Dehonian commitment and charism,” said Bishop Joseph Kopacz of Jackson. The bishop was the presider of the liturgy. “It has been in our midst for generations in this diocese, with ministries that respond… to the broken of the world.
“In that spirit, we give thanks this evening, using the words of Pope Francis. He speaks of encountering, accompanying others and showing them the face of Christ. We can certainly say in the reality of Sacred Heart Southern Missions and the 100 years [of the Priests of the Sacred Heart] in our country, that so many in the Dehonian community… have revealed the loving Sacred Heart of Christ.”
Other celebrations included a Mass at Good Shepherd Chapel at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake with local SCJs, SHML residents and Milwaukee area staff. At Our Lady of Guadalupe, representatives of Dehonian schools in Quebec, Mississippi, South Dakota and Texas celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart as they closed their week together in “Schools in Collaboration.” [See top of page] The parish celebration was in the evening.
And in Ottawa, the Canadian Region gathered Wednesday and Thursday for its annual two-day anticipation of the feast day.
From top to bottom, the photos below: SCJs and Dehonian Associates gather with Bishop Joseph Kopacz for a photo in Mississippi, the feast-day Mass at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake, SCJs in Houston following the Sacred Heart celebration with Schools in Collaboration, and members of the Canadian Region in Ottawa for the anticipation of the feast. Clicking on the first three photos will bring you to a Facebook album with more pictures from the event.
Click here to subscribe to the weekly news (Fridge Notes) via email
