“Fr. Dehon” and Fr. John travel the province
The novitiate is on the road this month, visiting the communities and ministries of the province. “Novices have always found this trip to be significant in their discernment journey,” said Fr. John Czyzynski, novice master. “It is an outstanding indication of how our whole province (our professed members and our lay collaborators) contributes to the formation of our men in initial formation.”
After a treacherous winter drive from Chicago to Nesbit, Miss. (14 hours!), Fr. John and Novice Justin Krenke arrived at St. Michael’s Community House early last week.
“The visit has been wonderful,” continued Fr. John. “This is like homecoming week for Justin. He has been here in summer ministry and it is so good to see how folks who know him welcome him back. And since Justin played Fr. Dehon at our Mission Awareness days in South Dakota we are often introduced as ‘Fr. Dehon and Fr. John.’ I always have to smile.”
After Mississippi, Fr. John and Justin will visit SCJs in Houston and Pinellas Park before returning to Mississippi and back to Chicago.
Could you spare a Misal Romano?
The Hispanic Ministries program at Sacred Heart School of Theology needs three Misal Romano (Spanish missals) to use through the end of 2014. New ones will not be published until later in the year.
The Spanish missals will be returned to their owners at the end of the fall semester.
If you can help, contact Fr. Jim Walters at jwalters@shst.edu.
Updates
Fr. Quang Nguyen will be moving to Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake as of February 1 and begin work with Vocation Central.
Also, Br. Mike Fette is now with the community at Dehon House in Franklin.
Water, water EVERYWHERE
SCJs at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake woke up to the sound of the fire alarm at 2:00 Friday morning (January 10). Thankfully, there was no fire. However, a burst pipe in the sprinkler system caused extensive damage on all four floors of the SCJ wing of SHML. Clean-up was already underway before dawn. Repair work is expected to be done some time in February. Nine SCJs are living in temporary quarters while their rooms are being attended to.
On January 6, a loose hot water line damaged three apartments in Phase II of the complex (rental apartments).
Residents affected by the damage on January 6 were placed in guest space at the complex. Repairs are expected to take up to two weeks on these units.
Nine SCJs were displaced from Friday’s water damage. They have been placed in guest rooms in the SCJ wing. Repairs in this area are more extensive than in Phase II. Walls and insulation are being replaced, and other work is being done. Those affected are now in guest rooms at SHML.
Because of the damage, no guest space will be available at SHML until repairs are complete. If you need a room in the upcoming weeks please contact the front desk at Sacred Heart Monastery at 414-425-8300.
A few photos regarding “the flood” have been posted on the province Facebook page. Click here to see them.
Welcome!
With the start of the new year the province welcomed two new employees. As we noted last week, Mark Peters has been hired as the province director of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation. He settled into his office last week. You can find him in what has often been called “The Bubble.” It is the windowed office between the front doors of the Provincial Conference Center and Vocation Central. Previously, a computer for general use was available there. That is now in the council meeting room so that visitors can still print out plane tickets and check email.
Also new to the staff is David Schimmel. A familiar face to many, he will serve in the newly created role of director of Dehonian Associates.
“David is a former SCJ who brings a strong background in spirituality and spiritual direction to the role,” said Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, provincial superior. “He has a deep understanding of Fr. Dehon and an exceptional ability to articulate Dehonian charism.
“The mission of the Dehonian Associates is to promote Dehonian spirituality and charism beyond the members of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. David’s main responsibility will be to create, implement and evaluate efforts to promote, develop and sustain the Dehonian Associates within the US.”
David will work from his home office in Chicago, but it is anticipated that he will also be spending time at the Provincial Offices, as well as other SCJ locations. Next week he will meet with the Dehonian Family Committee, chaired by Mike Tyrell of St. Joseph’s Indian School, to brainstorm on possibilities for the future.
“We’ve always had great ideas when we meet together as a committee,” said Mike, “but all of us have full-time commitments in other areas. Having someone dedicated to developing and implementing the dreams of the committee is very exciting.”
Honesdale not much different
Fr. Tim Gray wrote about holiday travels that included a stop in Honesdale, Pa., site of one of the province’s former seminaries.
“While in Honesdale I visited the Hnatko family, who are well known to many SCJs,” wrote Fr. Tim on the province blog. “They lived at the building at Kilroe for over a year as caretakers before it was sold. It was so good to see Marge and much of the family; they send their greeting to all the SCJs
“Of interest to even more SCJs is the status of the building at Kilroe. It continues to serve as the headquarters of the Himalayan Institute, a center for growth and healing, which has used the building since 1979. It is absolutely fascinating to me how familiar it still looks! Very little has changed – the person giving me the tour pointed out how durable both the building and the furnishings have been. Almost all the original equipment in the kitchen and laundries is still in service. There are still chairs from the visiting rooms, in colors that have since come back into style.
“Fascinating is that the building continues to be filled with people dedicated to a spiritual life, who spend months or years living in the same conditions as we seminarians did.”
Click here to read the full post on the province blog.
A seven-year journey
Prior to e-mail and websites, a hard copy of the Fridge Notes was mailed each Monday to SCJs in the United States, and to many locations around the world.
Last week, one of those Fridge Notes mailings made its way back to Hales Corners after a seven-year journey around the world to an SCJ who is now deceased.
The envelope, mailed to Fr. Jerry Sheehy in the Philippines on March 26, 2007, came back to the Fridge Notes offices on January 8 marked as “Not Deliverable as Addressed.”
Fr. Jerry, a member of the original group of SCJ missionaries to go to the Philippines, died of cancer in his native England in 2012.
Headed to India
Fr. Tom Cassidy leaves for India tomorrow (January 14) where he will spend the end of the winter assisting at the theology community. He will also represent the province at the January 26 dedication of the SCJs’ first parish in the country: Sacred Heart in Nambur.
Get them in!
Br. Frank Presto reminds members of the US Province to send their “In Case of Emergency” papers to him (green information sheets mailed to SCJs in December) as well as documentation of their training hours for Praesidium accreditation.
Questions? Contact Br. Frank at 414-427-4263 or email him at provsec@usporvince.org.
Please remember
Fr. Jerome A. Nowacki, a 1993 SHST grad from the Diocese of Marquette, died on Dec. 14. He was 90 years old.
Ouch!
Keep Fr. Duy Nguyen in your prayers. Last week he tore his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. He is expected to be in a cast for four weeks.
SHST rector in the news
Msgr. Ross Shecterle, president-rector of Sacred Heart School of Theology, was quoted extensively in the Green Bay Compass regarding the appointment of Fr. John Doerfler as Bishop of Marquette, Mich. The bishop-elect had been an instructor at SHST.
““Incredible; I was absolutely delighted when I heard the news,” said Msgr. Ross in the article. “He will be a great bishop. It’s a great loss for us, but wonderful for the people of Marquette.”
Click here to read the full story.
Make the invitation!
Do you know of someone in the Milwaukee area who might be interested in learning more about the priesthood or religious life?
On March 1 Vocation Central will sponsor “Looking to the Future,” at the Provincial Conference Center. Young people will have the opportunity to visit with representatives from men’s and women’s religious communities in the Milwaukee area and join them in prayer. Displays will be open from 6-8:30 p.m., Adoration is from 7-8 p.m. Refreshments follow.
Make the invitation –– encourage a young person to come to the gathering to learn about vocational possibilities, or simply to join in prayer and fellowship.
Questions? Call the vocation office at 414-427-4272 or email vocationcentral@wi.rr.com.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Stephen Huffstetter is in Pinellas Park, Fl., for his first visitation of the year.
