Fr. Tom Cassidy brings the Election Assembly to a close while Fr. Greg Murray (moderator) and Br. Frank Presto (provincial secretary) look on. A transitional assembly as a preparation for the new administration will be held at the Provincial Conference Center July 26-27.

Election Assembly wrap-up

The deadline for SCJs to share their thoughts on the recent election assembly has been extended to July 7. Please fax or email your comments to Br. Frank Presto. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

The current and in-coming councils will review the assembly at their meeting next week.

A preliminary –– unapproved –– copy of the minutes from the chapter is available under the Members’ section of the province website. All North American SCJs have the same access information for the Members’ section. If you have difficulties utilizing this area of the site, please contact Mary Gorski.

Provincial’s time

Fr. Cassidy will be in the Milwaukee area this week and next. He has his last meeting with the current Provincial Council (with the new council in attendance) on July 12-13. The newly elected council will also take part in the meeting and then have a meeting of its own on July 14.

Fr. John van den Hengel of the General Council will be with the current and in-coming councils on July 12 to discuss the general administration’s six-year plan.

Province Assembly

The Province Assembly will begin at 1:15 p.m. on Monday, July 26 and run through the end of the day on Tuesday, July 27. Those attending need to let Br. Frank Presto know by Monday, July 12, so that the kitchen staff can make meal arrangements. Members of the province are asked to make their own lodging arrangements at Sacred Heart Monastery. To reserve a room, call Marlene at 414-425-8300 and hit “0.”

SHML update

The owner’s representative for the construction of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake has put together a brief newsletter with updates on the project.

“Over the past month the wood framing of the first and second floors has been completed and is prominently visible from Hwy 100,” states the newsletter. “…Other activities that are not quite as outwardly visible are the pouring of the concrete slab in the basement parking structure and the installation of the plumbing piping inside the building along with the outside utilities, such as the sewer and water service.”

Click here to download a PDF of the newsletter.

Four to be ordained

Next Monday, July 12, the Indian District will celebrate the ordination of four SCJs to the priesthood. They include Deacons Abraham Lazar, Dharmaraj Akula, Michael Augustine and Sunderaj Mallavarapu. The ordination will be done by Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu at the cathedral in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh.

Several members of the U.S. Province have assisted with the formation program in India, including Frs. Charlie Bisgrove, PJ McGuire, Michael van der Peet, Wayne Jenkins and Rick DiLeo, Br. Lenny Zaworski continues to serve in the district. Also, Fr. Tom Fix, an American SCJ who is now a member of the Indonesian Province, has worked with the Indian formation program.

Celebrations north of the border

The SCJ community in Montréal is hosting a local celebration of anniversaries in the community on Wednesday, July 7. Those being honored include Fr. Claude Bédard (50 years of profession), Br. Dieudonne Tchouteau (25 years of profession) and Fr. Walter Van As (60 years of ordination).

Please remember

Fr. Rich White, CMF, who studied at Sacred Heart School of Theology and preached missions at several SCJ parishes, died from heart complications in early June. He was in residence at a Claretian parish in Chicago: Immaculate Heart of Mary-Holy Cross.

New appointment

Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City –– well known to many SCJs who have ministered in South Dakota –– has been appointed bishop of Spokane, Washington. He succeeds Bishop William Skylstad, who will be retiring.