NOTE: Due to the Easter holiday the Fridge Notes are being posted on Tuesday instead of the usual Monday.

Resurrection of the province blog

It seems fitting that on Easter our province blog was resurrected after having been dormant for several months. Fr. Johnny Klingler provided a post about his first days in the Philippines; he arrived during Holy Week.

“Just a little news,” writes Fr. Johnny. “I arrived in Manila on Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. Fr. Vincent Sri Herinati, superior of the community, was there to welcome me. It was a very long journey. I finally got to bed at 2:00 a.m., Holy Thursday. I left Chicago on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m! I could only sleep about three hours due to jet lag and it being so hot. I was happy to have a fan in my room as the temp was 83 degrees…

“Good Friday services took place at one of our SCJ parishes which is located close to a large garbage dump in a very poor area. Many of the people scratch a living from it by looking for recycle material that they can sell. I read that 45% of the people of the Philippines live on $2.00 a day. I went with Fr. Vincent Sri, who is pastor of the parish, and a visiting Holy Cross brother. I sat on a bench in the very small church. It was simply celebrated with a children’s choir. The entire service was said and sung in Tagalog. The people were so friendly and welcomed you with a blessing: taking your hand and putting it on their forehead with a bow. I in turn placed my hand of their head or shoulder.”

Click here to read the full blog post.

As have several members of the U.S. Province before him, Fr. Johnny is in the Philippines on a two-fold mission. Several years ago the region extended an invitation to SCJs in the U.S. Province to spend time with students in the country to give them a sense of the wider congregation.

“They said that they were looking for ‘older’ SCJs to come and be a presence to the young people,” said Fr. Johnny. “They want the students to learn about the congregation through stories of our experiences.

“Right away, I thought ‘I’m perfect for this!’” Fr. Johnny has been provincial superior, mission secretary and served on the General Council. “I’ve been able to travel to and experience much of the congregation.”

Click here to read more about Fr. Johnny’s travels to Asia.

What do YOU have to say?

We encourage SCJs, co-workers and other collaborators to write for our province blog. The text does not need to be long; just a couple of paragraphs about something interesting that happened to you or in your ministry. Write to recognize someone or a program that is important for others to learn about. Write about a new experience, as Fr. Johnny Klingler is doing in regards to his visit to the Philippines.

Or simply reflect on something that strikes you as “Dehonian.” What have you done or experienced today that seems to really follow in the footsteps of the founder, embodying the charism and spirituality of Fr. Leo John Dehon?

Click here to visit the province blog. Click here to submit a blog post, or contact Mary Gorski at the Provincialate Offices at 414-427-4266 to learn more about doing so. Again, we welcome not only SCJs, but co-workers and other collaborators to share their thoughts on the blog.

SCJs formalize presence in Chad

On March 31 Fr. Léopold Mfouakouet, provincial superior of Cameroon, and Bishop Miguel Sebastian of the Diocese of Lai, signed an agreement which puts into writing the relationship of the congregation in the diocese. Until now, the presence and work of SCJs from Cameroon in Lai was only with an informal verbal approval of the bishop.

There are three SCJs in Chad. The written agreement, or convention, is an important step for the gradual insertion of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Chad, giving legal parameters for the congregation’s presence there.

Province jubilees and assembly

Members of the U.S. Province are reminded to make plans to be in Hales Corners July 9-12 for the Province Assembly. The gathering begins at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 9, with the annual jubilee celebration. Jubilarians this year include Fr. Tom Cassidy, Fr. Mark Fortner, Fr. Pat Lloyd and Fr. Steve Pujdak (50 years), and Fr. Don Barnd and Fr. Bernie Rosinski (60 years).

A full day of activities is planned for both Tuesday and Wednesday, with a visit from ComedySportz on Tuesday evening. ComedySportz is an improv, suggestion-based comedy show.  Two teams of comedians/actors work with suggestions from the audience to create scenes onstage and compete for laughs. The show will take place at the Provincialate Conference Center.

The assembly ends mid-day on Thursday.

SCJ News available online

The latest issue of the SCJ News is available as a PDF from the province website. Click here to go to the download page.

Print editions will be in the mail soon.

St. Joseph ‘s Indian School highlighted

Christian Brothers Services, the non-profit organization that insures the U.S. Province, highlighted the SCJs’ St. Joseph’s Indian School, along with Red Cloud Indian School, in Outreach, a magazine produced by CBS for its member organizations.

“I think when we look at what we’re trying to do here,” said Fr. Stephen Huffstetter in the article (Fr. Steve is St. Joe’s executive director), “I like to use the word holistic. We try to use the integrated approach. We’re looking after the body, heart, spirit and mind of our students.”

If you would like to read the full article, click here to download a PDF of the magazine. The story begins on page 18.

World Catholicism Week at DePaul

World Catholicism Week 2012, “Real Presences: Eucharist, Society, and Global Catholicism,” will take place next week (April 16-20) at DePaul University in Chicago. The event is open to the general public. Themes and keynote speakers include:

Real Presences: Eucharist, Society & Global Catholicism with William Cavanaugh, DePaul University, Maria Clara Bingemer, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Emmanuel Katongole, Duke Divinity School, Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago and Virgilio Elizondo, University of Notre Dame.

Time for God: Working Catholic Spirituality Into My Schedule with Thomas Rosica, CSB, CEO of Salt + Light Television.

Solidarity Across the Borders: Catholic Education in the Americas Today with José Morales Orozco, SJ, President of Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City and Dennis H. Holtschneider, CM, President of DePaul University.

In the Chicago area next week and want to attend? Click here for more information.

Provincial’s time

Fr. Tom Cassidy is in South Dakota this week for C-POSH board meetings.

Election Assembly thank-you

The next Province Election Assembly will take place the week of June 3, 2013. The province thanks Fr. Jim Casper of the Canadian Region for agreeing to moderate the assembly. Several Canadian SCJs have previously assisted the U.S. Province in its election process, including Fr. Greg Murray, Fr. Peter McKenna and Fr. Adrian Visscher.

Upcoming meetings and events:

April 15: Easter Concert at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology (2 p.m.)
May 2-3: North American Councils meeting, Hales Corners
May 15: Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, SHM/SHST (1 p.m.)
May 30-31: Provincial Council Meeting (budgets)
June 15: Feast of the Sacred Heart (11 a.m.)
June 28: Provincial Council Meeting (conference call re: formation)
July 3-4: Provincialate Offices closed for Independence Day.
July 9-12: Province Assembly, Hales Corners
July 16-21: General Conference, Neustadt, Germany
July 23-25: SCJ Major Superiors Meeting, Neustadt, Germany
October 12: Dedication of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake

2013:
April 8-9: Mission Education Conference, St. Joseph’s Indian School
Week of June 3: Province Election Assembly.