The volunteer season
Fr. Greg Schill, second from the left in the above photo, poses with volunteers from four Sacred Heart Southern Missions’ parishes who took part in a recent Young Men’s Volunteer Retreat. Twenty volunteers and their chaperones worked on projects at three SHSM client homes, the Garden Café and Dehon Village.
Participants in the young men’s retreat are among the many volunteers who have donated their time to projects in northern Mississippi in recent weeks, doing painting, plumbing, window repair, and wheelchair-friendly retrofits (such as porch ramps).
More photos from recent volunteer efforts can be found at the SHSM Facebook page.
Please remember
+Fr. Johannes van Kaam, a member of the Dutch-Flemish Confederation, died July 2. He was born in 1922, professed in 1945 and ordained in 1951.
+Joseph M. Rico, 86, the brother-in-law of Fr. Ray Vega, died June 25. He had been married for 66 years to Fr. Ray’s sister, Marie.
Prayer requests
Fr. Bob Naglich is in the ICU at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee being treated for internal bleeding.
Fr. Tom Burns was scheduled for surgery July 1 but surgery was postponed when the medical team determined that his esophagus and airways were compromised. Further consultations with the oncologist and other specialists are being scheduled. Fr. Burns has returned to the Pinellas Park community.
Jubilees
Tonight the US Province celebrates the religious jubilees of 11 SCJs, among them, Fr. Zbigniew (“Ziggy”) Morawiec, who commemorates 30 years of vows, but also 25 years of priesthood. On June 21, he celebrated his silver jubilee of ordination with members of the Polish Province, where he is originally from. He is pictured above with fellow Polish jubilarians, including Fr. Janusz Burzawa (Philippines), Fr. Ireneusz Kmieć (Germany), Fr. Andrzej Woźniak (Belarus), Fr. Władysław Mach (Austria), Fr. Andrzej Sobieraj (Ukraine), and Fr. Andrzej Gruszka, Fr. Stanisław Wowra, Fr. Krzysztof Dudek, Fr. Mariusz Tomaka, Fr. Kazimierz Dadej who all minister in Poland.
The rest of the jubilarians to be honored today at Sacred Heart Monastery include Fr. Steve Wiese (60 years of profession); Br. Frank Snider (50); Fr. Edward Kilianski, Fr. Gary Lantz, and Fr. Robert Tucker (40); Fr. Christianus Hendrik (25), and Fr. Joseph Thien Dinh, Br. Andy Gancarczyk, Fr. Quang Nguyen and Fr. Edward Zemlik (20).
Photos of the US Province ceremony will be on the province Facebook page.
Welcome back!
Fr. Mark Mastin completes his active duty as a chaplain with the US Army at the end of July and begins a 3.5-year commitment with the reserve component. He just settled in with the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago.
In recent months Fr. Mark has been busy with the Wounded Warrior project and a visit to the Holy Land. We’ll hear more from him soon about his travels and his ministry with the military.
Updates
Fr. Patrick Lloyd and Br. Michael Fette are now members of the Sacred Heart Community in Pinellas Park, Fl.
Fr. Pat has a new email address: frpatll@aol.com.
Happy birthday!
Belated birthday greetings to Fr. Bill Marrevee who turned 79 yesterday, July 5. Other July birthdays include Br. Long Nguyen (36) and Fr. Johanes Yuliwan Maslim (51) on July 15, Fr. Richard Woodbury (71) and Fr. Will Prado Rapozo (33) on July 19, Fr. Dominic Peuluse (69) on July 22, Fr. Vince McDonald (84) on July 25, Fr. Vien Nguyen (42) on July 27 and Fr. Peter McKenna (66) on July 29.
Deacon celebrates 30 years of ministry
Dn. Harold Condon, who, with his wife Geraldine, served with SCJs on the Cheyenne River Reservation for many years, celebrates his 30th anniversary as a deacon this year. On May 17 he was honored by parishioners at Sacred Heart Church, Pine Ridge, SD.
In an 1990 interview with Extension Magazine the Condons said that they credit their former pastor, Fr. Larry Rucker, SCJ, with the strength of their marriage and the success of their counseling ministry with other couples. “We had struggles at the beginning of our marriage,” recalled Geraldine. “Fr. Larry counseled us and never gave up on us.”
Recently reflecting on his ministry in an interview with the West River Catholic, Dn. Harold said that “Being a deacon has helped me to grow spiritually –– helped me to look at the gifts of both my culture and the Catholic church and to be able to use those gifts to impact lives and proclaim Tunkasila (God). It has helped me to let others know that it’s one God that we serve. The sacraments and ceremonies really helped in my time of need. Living the life of a deacon has been a blessing both in my culture and in the life of the Church.”
Former Marquette president among those named to SHSST board
Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology appointed three new members to its Board of Directors: Fr. Robert Wild, SJ, Suzanne Felan, and Sebastian Thachenkary.
Fr. Wild served as Marquette University’s president from 1996 to 2011, and as interim president in 2013 and 2014. Suzanne Felan is a 2008 graduate of Sacred Heart’s Master of Arts Program. She is a career educator with multiple certifications, and has served in many teaching and school administration positions. Sebastian Thachenkary is the director of marketing communications at Alverno College in Milwaukee. He previously served as vice president and marketing communications manager for Johnson Financial Group.
“We are extremely pleased with these additions to our board,” said Board Chair Dr. Mary Meehan. “The diverse experience and perspective represented in our new board members will be of great value as we work to meet the formation needs of dioceses and religious orders across North America,” she said.
“At the same time, we are redoubling our efforts to expand our Master of Arts Program, which strives to prepare lay people for service to the Church and her people, and enrich the educational experience for seminarians who seek an especially challenging curriculum,” she added.
The appointments were effective July 1.
Latest SCJ News
The most recent SCJ News is now available; click here to download a PDF. Print copies are in the mail.
