Painter and priest
When he was a student, Fr. Honoré Razafinarivo, SCJ, saw a member of his religious community working on a painting. He asked if he could give it a try. That quick “try” has led to a love of portrait painting. His preference is working with oil-based paints, and one of his favorite subjects is the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, Ven. Fr. Leo John Dehon.
Fr. Honoré is a Dehonian priest from Madagascar. For the past few months, he has been a student in Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology‘s ECS program (English and Culture Studies). In-between his English studies, he painted two portraits of Fr. Dehon: one for the Provincial Conference Center and one for the SHSST dining room.
The portrait for the seminary dining room was unveiled during a ceremony on October 3. After, Fr. Honoré and two of his fellow Malagasy SCJs received their graduation certificates from the ECS program; they returned to their home entity on October 6.
The painting for the Provincial Conference Center was received by Dn. David Nagel, SCJ, province treasurer, in September.
Click here to view photos of the October 3 ceremony and the delivery of the second painting to the Provincial Conference Center.
Sharing the international Church
As we noted last week, on October 2, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology hosted its annual fall Multicultural Mass featuring the music and languages of its ECS students from around the world. The main chapel was filled for the liturgy, but not just with members of the SHSST community. Joining seminarians and staff were approximately 150 students and chaperones from three Milwaukee-area Catholic high schools.
Following the Mass, the high school students joined the Sacred Heart Community for lunch, where ECS students shared stories from their homelands.
“It was fun,” said one of the visitors. “The music, and learning about others… I am happy that we could be here and experience so much.”
Pictured above: Fr. Ari Saputra, an SCJ from Indonesia, shares the mic with visiting high school students.
North American Conference
Nearly 100 SCJs, coworkers and other collaborators are gathered in Olive Branch, Mississippi this week for the North American Dehonian Conference on the Dual Threats of Climate Change and Nuclear Weapons. The conference begins this evening and continues through midday on Thursday. Updates will be posted on the province Facebook page.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us…
On Saturday morning, October 5, Sacred Heart Monastery hosted a “Walk With the Rosary” led by SCJ Fathers Dominic Peluse, Mark Mastin and Floribert Bulo Dhelo. Participants walked from the Sacred Heart Shrine to the stations of the cross and onto the mausoleum. The group is pictured above, walking across the SHSST drive.
Anniversaries and ordinations
On September 25 the Indonesian Province held a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Dehonian presence in the country and the 50th anniversary of the province. Also, a part of the anniversary weekend was a the ordination of four SCJ priests and one deacon. SCJs from around the world took part in the celebrations, including Fr. Carlos Suarez Codorniú, SCJ, superior general. Representing North America were Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ (superior of Canada, he is pictured above) and Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ (US superior) and Fr. Mark Fortner, SCJ (a missionary from the US who served for over 30 years in Indonesia).
Click here to read more on the general website.
Oops!
Our apologies to Br. Dieudonné Tchouteu, SCJ, whose birthday we forgot in last week’s listings. It is on October 14. Happy birthday!!
Native American Scholar Builds Career with St. Joseph’s Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship
Taivin Fallis (pictured above) will graduate next spring from Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, SD, as a Build Dakota Scholar. Fallis is in the school’s Building Trades Technology Program.
A 2023 graduate of St. Joseph’s Indian School’s High School Program, Fallis is one of this fall’s 113 Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship recipients. He attended St. Joseph’s from fourth through 12th grades.
So far this year Native American scholars nationwide are receiving a total of $228,264. In fall, the Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship was granted to 36 St. Joseph’s alums, 30 alum family members and 47 other scholars enrolled in a federally recognized tribe who are pursuing higher education.
Čhaŋkú Lúta is Lakota for the “Red Road,” a commitment to live life in the best way possible with respect for oneself, others, all of creation and the Creator. For Christians, it is the road that Christ walked in giving His life to others. The Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship exists to support students pursuing higher education who exemplify the Čhaŋkú Lúta way of life.
Through the generosity of donors, the school has awarded scholarship dollars to Native American students since 1985. Scholarship applications are accepted for the full academic year or by semester. The scholarship awards are based on financial need, alumni status, proof of tribal enrollment, number of applicants and available funds.
Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
“See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10).
Last week Our Lady of Guadalupe School celebrated the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. Fr. Rafael Querobin, SCJ, OLG pastor (pictured here), blessed each student and gave out prayer cards.
Click here to subscribe to the weekly news (Fridge Notes) via email
