St. Joseph's students dressed in traditional Lakota costumes were a part of the opening prayer service at the Mississippi In-Service. Native American studies teacher, Larayne Woster, is in the background.

Bringing a bit of South Dakota to Mississippi

For over a dozen years the U.S. Province has hosted Mission Education gatherings. Held at SCJ ministry locations around the country, it is a time for staff, volunteers and others associated with SCJ ministry to spend time together and better learn about the Priests of the Sacred Heart and SCJ spirituality.

Fr. Jack Kurps, executive director of Sacred Heart Southern Missions.

While many people have been able to attend Mission Education, it is difficult (and costly!) to bring everyone from a ministry to the national gatherings. Generally, just a few representatives from each ministry attend Mission Ed.

Looking for a way to extend the Mission Education experience beyond the larger conferences, St. Joseph’s Indian School and Sacred Heart Southern Missions teamed up to do a Mission Education day for the SHSM staff in Mississippi.

Each year SHSM has an in-service day for its staff. For this year’s in-service on October 11, SHSM invited representatives from St. Joseph’s to spend a day sharing their ministry with their Mississippi colleagues. “We couldn’t bring all of our staff to St. Joseph’s so we brought St. Joseph’s to Mississippi,” said Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ, executive director of SHSM.

Approximately 20 people from St. Joseph’s, including teachers, house parents, administrators, social workers and students, came to Mississippi, as well as Fr. Bernie Rosinski, who shared the works of the Lower Brule Pastoral Team (which is supported by St. Joseph’s benefactors). The day was a mix of large group gatherings, where Lakota traditions and the history of St Joseph’s was shared; and short, small-group sessions where individuals –– such as a house parent –– talked about his or her area of involvement with the school.

Donna Dean shares the history of St. Joseph's through the diary entries of religious sisters who ministered at the school in its early days.

The day after the in-service, students and teachers visited Sacred Heart School in Walls and Holy Family School in Holly Springs. There, they shared Lakota culture and traditions with the Mississippi students.

“It was eye-opening for me,” said a teacher from Sacred Heart School. “I didn’t know how extensive the mission of St. Joseph’s is and how the work they do with students goes well beyond the classroom. That benefactors support the work fully was something that I did not know.”

Next year it will be Mississippi’s turn to present its mission and ministries to the staff of St. Joseph’s.

Keep in prayer

Fr. Steve Wiese will have knee replacement surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee on Monday, October, 25.

In Rome

Fr. Tom Cassidy and Dn. David Nagel are in Rome this week for the SCJ major superiors’ meeting. It is a way for the leadership of the congregation to dialogue with the superiors of provinces, regions and districts about common topics of concern, as well as provide a forum for information sharing.

Leading off the week-and-a-half meeting will be a presentation by Fr. J.M. Abella, superior general of the Claretians. He will speak on leadership in religious life and the church.

Fr. Tom and Fr. Bill Marrevee from the Canadian Region, are there in their roles as superiors of the U.S. and Canada. Dn. David attends as a member of the General Finance Commission. Fr. Tom hopes to share a few brief reports from the meeting during the next week. Watch the website for more news.

Ministry begins in Chad

This month marks the beginning of a new SCJ presence in Chad. Frs. Cyrille Mindzie and David Dagsou (Fr. David is an ESL alumnus) have started ministry in the Diocese of Lai (Tandjilé Region). Sponsored by the Cameroon Province, it is Cameroon’s first missionary venture.

Construction woes

Visitors to the Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology campus (including the Provincialate and Vocation Offices) and Villa Maria have a few more road hazards to negotiate. Left turn lanes are being installed on both sides of Highway 100 (Lovers Lane Road) between the two properties. Traffic is reduced to one lane on each side during the construction. Please use caution.

Volunteer and child — A volunteer with the Daughters of Charity makes a new friend on the Lower Brule River Reservation

Worlds apart, yet much in common

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the South African Province. Although South Africa did not become a province until 1995, the German Province first established the SCJ presence in both the United States and South Africa in 1923. The two “siblings” have long had a close relationship.

Immigrants began both missions, and now both missions continue with the assistance of international SCJs. In South Africa, ministry is a joint effort of German, American, Polish and most recently, Indian SCJs who work together with indigenous South Africans to continue the congregation’s commitment to the country.

In South Dakota, American SCJs now minister with the help of the Indonesian Province. Since January, Fr. Christianus Hendrik, SCJ, has been a part of the Lower Brule Pastoral Team. He is the first of several Indonesian SCJs who are expected to serve in South Dakota.

Features on the SCJs’ birthplace in South Dakota, as well as ministry in South Africa, have been posted on the province website. Click here to read the story on South Africa and here to read about South Dakota.

Provincial’s time

Fr. Tom Cassidy is in Rome this week, where –– as noted earlier –– he will take part in the SCJs’ major superiors meeting through October 27.

He returns to the States on October 30, after which he has a visitation with the formation community in Chicago. November 3-4 he has council meetings at the Provincialate.