Provincial’s Time
Fr. Cassidy starts the week with CMSM meetings at Our Lady of Snows (the retreat center where the province held its January gatherings). March 10-11 he meets with the Provincial Council.
A new house on the web
The websites of the U.S. Province and provincial vocation office (www.scjusa.net and www.scjvocation.org) are merging into one this week. The URL for the new, combined site, will be www.sacredheartusa.org. If all goes as planned, the new site will “go live” on Wednesday, March 10. However, while the files are being moved there may be a period of time on Tuesday, March 9, in which none of the sites will be accessible.
The Fridge Notes will continue to be updated each week as they are now but will appear under a general “News” tab that will include feature-length stories, a calendar, links to the SCJ News and To the Letter, and a necrology page. For those who have requested it, Fridge Notes will also continue to be sent as text-e-mail. If you would like to be added to that list, please contact Mary Gorski.
Many of the features of vocation site will be on the new combined site, such as “Meet an SCJ,” and the ability to order printed materials available from the vocation office.
The site will feature a “Members’ section” just as www.scjusa.net did. However, SCJs will need a new password to access the area. This new password, as well as a username, will be e-mailed to the membership early this week.
Please view the new site as a base from which we hope to grow with options for blogs, videos, and commentary – from an SCJ perspective – on current events and issues.
Your comments on the site are welcome. Either hit the “Contact Us” link on the new site or send an e-mail to Mary Gorski at marygorski@sbcglobal.net.
Also, please keep in mind that just as a newly constructed house often has a few mice in the basement and glitches to fix, a new home on the web may also have a few bugs as well. We appreciate your patience this week during the transition. Please let Mary Gorski know if you have any difficulties with the new site so that the bugs can be exterminated as quickly as possible.
Health updates
FR. STEPHEN HUFFSTETTER shares the following: “On March 16 I return to Rochester, Minn., to continue my chemotherapy, take more scans and tests to see how the tumor is responding, and start five weeks of radiation. I will be staying at Hope Lodge, run by the American Cancer Society, about two blocks from the Mayo Clinic.
“I have some folks slated to visit the first few days, and March 24-26, but if anyone wants to stop by I am open to receiving visitors. One or two of the weekends –– if I’m feeling well –– I may go back to Chamberlain, but I plan to stay for the bulk of the time. We’re still looking at surgery around May, depending on how everything else goes.
“Thanks for all the cards, notes and prayers.”
FR. CHARLIE BISGROVE continues to be treated at St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for a severe foot infection. He received a skin graft last week as a part of his treatment. He said to “please express to the province my appreciation for the prayers, cards, e-mails, and phone calls. They are truly a source of strength.”
Fr. Charlie can access the internet in the hospital. If you would like to send him an e-mail his address is: charlesbisgrove@rocketmail.com
BR. LARRY GAUTHIER is making a slow recovery from his pneumonia; it is hoped that he will return to the Congregational Home early this week.
FR. MICHAEL VAN DER PEET continues to make slow progress following his stroke. He will remain at St. Luke’s Hospital for another week of intensive therapy. It is anticipated that he will then be transferred to the Congregational Home for continued therapy.
FR. JOSEPH GOLE has returned to the Congregational Home. After having surgery to repair a broken hip he will now have physical therapy to help him build his strength and regain better mobility.
New address
FR. TOM WESTHOVEN has a new e-mail address:
tomwescj@live.com.
BR. TIM MURPHY will join the Villa Maria community in Franklin this month.
SCJs missed the worst of Chilean quake’s damage
On February 27, Chile suffered an earthquake that measured 8.8 on the Richter Scale. Hundreds of people died, many more were injured, and the damage from the quake has left the nation in a “state of catastrophe,” said Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. Large aftershocks continue.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart have several communities in Chile; thankfully, no member of the community was hurt nor were the families of SCJs.
“As far as our works are concerned, I can report the following,” wrote Fr. Julián Braun, SCJ, provincial superior of Chile. “In the parish of Santo Cura de Ars there is a large crack which has to be evaluated yet. I do not know whether the damage is structural or superficial. In the Centro Dehon we will have to examine the second floor. In the Fátima parish, the ceiling presents problems: pieces of stucco have come down. However, there is no danger of the ceiling collapsing.
“In the house of the community of San Bernardo there was little damage. In the Instuto Sagrado Corazón in San Bernardo, the oldest part of the building had to be closed for reasons of safety until a more thorough investigation can be made. In the Colegio San Juan Evangelista there was damage in the computer lab where some of the spotlights have fallen down.
“At Sagrado Corazón (a rehabilitation center for those with substance abuse issues) there is no damage. At our main community house there were only superficial cracks.
“This is just a preliminary evaluation; we will have to wait until a more expert analysis can be made of the damage. However, it does not appear that we have suffered irreparable damage.”
Founder’s Day
Fr. Leo John Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, was born on March 14, 1843. The date is celebrated as “Founder’s Day” by SCJ communities throughout the world.
If you would like to share what your community did to commemorate the day, please contact Mary Gorski.
Remembering those who built the province
As we have for the past several months we will continue to share a bit of information about deceased members of the province on or near the anniversary of their death. This week we remember Fr. Tom Sheehy, who died on March 14, 1994:
‘Fr. Tom Sheehy is a firm be liever in putting his peace and jus tice ideals into practice.”
The quote, from a 1987 Pax Christi publication that featured Fr. Tom, aptly summarizes the life of the SCJ priest.
Originally from Chicago, Fr. Tom joined the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 1955. He did his studies in philosophy and theology at Sa-cred Heart School of Theology, and studied Spanish at the Catholic University of Ponce, in Puerto Rico.
His first assignment after ordi-nation was as prefect of students at St. Joseph’s Indian School in South Dakota. He was named provincial secretary in 1958, and in 1960, he became novice master at the SCJs’ novitiate in Ste. Marie, Ill.
He remained there for three years until being named associate pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in East Chicago, Ind. In 1966, he headed to Divine Heart Seminary in Donaldson, Ind., where he spent two years as rector.
His next assignment, as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ray mondville, Texas, began a 25-year ministry to the people of Texas. He died of a heart attack while serving as pastor of Holy Name Par ish in Houston.
For me, the whole idea of God’s love incarnate and how that should infuse our lives as religious, has been a real source of inspira tion for me,” wrote Fr. Tom about his vocation several years before his death. “I especially find that my life is centered much more on the simplicity of the gospel rather than on the complexities of the institutional church.”
