All Saints Day in Toronto

The Priests of the Sacred Heart minister to two ethnically diverse parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto: St. Thomas More and Our Lady of the Rosary. At St. Thomas More alone over 40 nationalities are represented. Masses are celebrated in several languages, including English, Spanish and Portuguese. The pastoral team is also diverse: the pastor, Fr. Willyans Rapozo, is from Brazil, as is associate pastor Fr. Benedito Machado. Fr. Aegidius Warsito, another associate, is from Indonesia.

Click here to view a few photos from yesterday’s All Saints Day Masses at the two parishes.

An invitation to OLG

Fr. Duy Nguyen, administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston, extends an invitation to SCJ priests for “help with the marathon of Masses on December 11-12” for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

If you can help, please email Fr. Duy at: zwee00@yahoo.com

New publication

Starting this month the Dehonian Study Center in Rome will publish a monthly e-mail newsletter. The newsletter will share information about the activities of the Dehonian Study Center in Rome, various Dehonian theological commissions, and other initiatives linked to Dehonian studies and reflection. The newsletter will be produced in English and Italian and is edited by Fr. Stefan Tertünte, director of the center.

Click here to be added to the subscriber list.

 

A new bishop

“I have been called to episcopal service with you,” said Bishop José Ornelas Carvalho at the end of his episcopal ordination in Setübal last week. “Pope Francis expressed this call in a way that shows me how to act in the way of God: ‘I do not impose you, but I ask you to go to be bishop of Setúbal.’ It is a gentle proposal of God’s love for me and for you, which reaches us within the mother Church, by the mouth of Pope Francis and now sounds in this cathedral by the reading of the apostolic mandate. From that meeting with Pope Francis I accept this proposal with a full heart as a gift and a call from God, trusting in the presence of his Spirit and in your prayer, communion and cooperation.”

SCJs from around the world, including several bishops and members of the general administration, were among those present for the ordination. Fr. Ed Kilianski and Fr. Jack Kurps represented the US Province and Fr. John van den Hengel, represented the Canadian Region.

Click here to read more about the ordination.

Click here to view photos from the ordination.

Click here to download a PDF of Bishop Ornelas’ concluding remarks (English translation).

Click here to view photos from Bishop Ornelas’ Mass of Thanksgiving with SCJs in Portugal.

Click here to view a video from the ordination.

Remembering Fr. Don

Fr. Don Barnd, 93, died October 23 in suburban Milwaukee. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Community at SHML with residence at the Congregational Home in Milwaukee.

Originally from Morris, Minn., Fr. Don entered the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 1952 after six years in the Navy.  Initially, he served the province as a brother. He ministered at St. Joseph’s Indian School in South Dakota, the novitiate at Ste. Marie, Ill., Divine Heart Seminary in Donaldson, Ind., and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Lenox, Mass., before volunteering for the missions in South Africa in 1968.

Fr. Don returned to the United States in 1970, and said that he noticed a change in himself after South Africa.  “I wanted to go back to school,” he said.  Challenged by other SCJs, he began to think about the priesthood.  He entered Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in 1975, and on his mother’s 81st birthday in 1978, he was ordained to the priesthood.  Years later in his retirement, he returned to school again and earned his bachelor’s in religious studies from Cardinal Stritch University in suburban Milwaukee and a Master’s of Divinity degree from SHSST.

As a priest he served at the Kateri Indian Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., at St. Martin Church in Murdo, S.D., and as a “help-out” priest in parishes too numerous to list. Services for Fr. Don were held at Good Shepherd Chapel on October 29.

Update

Fr. Joe Dean is continuing to recover from surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumor near his brain. Some of his recent milestones: he was able to walk without a cane from the office to the church to celebrate Mass and he has begun to drive short distances. “It was only six miles to the gas station but it’s a start!” said Fr. Joe.

Keep in prayer

John Lemke, the father of Br. Duane Lemke, had a heart attack last week. Br. Duane writes that “blockage of the main artery has been removed, but some blockage of deeper veins remains that can hopefully be treated with medication.” Br. Duane is home in South Dakota, assisting his mother, who is also attending to her brother, Jerry, who is in the latter stages of cancer. “Mom was shuttling between three floors of the hospital: dad on six, Jerry on ten, and then two for Jerry’s surgery.”

Also keep in prayer Richard Curley, the brother-in-law of Fr. Greg Speck, who is being treated for a rapid heart rate. Resultant fluid build-up has been a cause for concern.

Provincial’s Time

Happy birthday to Fr. Ed Kilianski, who turns 61 today! He celebrates the birthday in Mississippi where he has board meetings and a visitation. Fr. Ed returns to Milwaukee on Nov. 9 and has council meetings Nov. 10-11. On November 13 he celebrates the Spanish Mass at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.

Also, he has set his visitation calendar. The dates are as follows:

Mississippi Community: November 3-8
St. Joseph’s Community (4th floor, SHML): November 15-18
Sacred Heart Monastery: December 8-10
Texas Community: January 7-12
St. Francis Community (Woods Road): January 20-21
Pinellas Park Community: January 24-28
Sacred Heart Community at SHML (including the Congregational Home and Dehon House): February 14-20
Dehon Formation Community, Chicago: February 29 – March 5
South Dakota Community: April 15-20

Closing shot

Fr. Greg Speck sends a photo of Br. Gabriel Kersting taken last week and notes that he is in good spirits. You can contact Br. Gabe at: Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation & Nursing Services, 10800 Temple Terrace, Room 208, Bed 2, Seminole, FL  33772.