We pray…
God of mercy,
with our founder, Leo John Dehon,
we remember the mysterious ways of your love.
In this time of new birth,
we recall the way of the cross
and we offer you our hearts.
We want to do your will in all things
in the way that Jesus did.
In all the circumstances of our lives,
may our confidence in you never falter.
We make this offering through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer, in part, from This Day of God, prayer book of the Priests of the Sacred Heart
Easter schedule
The Provincial Offices will close at 2:00 p.m. on Holy Thursday (April 17) and reopen on Tuesday, April 22. Please note that there will be no Fridge Notes published on April 21; the next issue is scheduled for April 28.
Have a blessed Holy Week and Triduum!
New leadership team named in SD
On April 10, a new leadership team for St. Joseph’s Indian School was announced during the school’s Board of Directors meeting. Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, will become President of St. Joseph’s and Jennifer Renner-Meyer will become its Chief Executive Officer.
Jenny, who has been with the school for 21 years, will have responsibility for St. Joseph’s, as well as various Dehonian apostolates in South Dakota. Fr. Greg will continue in his role as spiritual advisor, and be responsible for the integration of the Dehonian mission, beliefs and values into all aspects of the work of community in the state, including the school.
Robyn Knecht has been named Executive Director of Child Services; currently director of Counseling Services, Robyn has served at St. Joseph’s for 20 years.
Kory Christianson, Executive Director of Development, will join Fr. Greg, Jenny and Robyn to serve as St. Joseph’s management team. The leadership changes take effect in August, 2025, upon the retirement of Mike Tyrell, president of St. Joseph’s since 2014. He has been with the school for over 40 years, starting as a house parent with his wife, Kim.
Pictured above: Jennifer Renner-Meyer, Fr. Greg Schill, Kory Christianson, and Robyn Knecht
The Biblical canon
Last week was bookended with two lunchtime presentations at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. The first was on Monday, April 7, with Fr. Artur Sanecki, SCJ, who was the latest in the “Voices of Theology” series hosted by the Leo John Dehon Library. The series offers an opportunity for scholars who use the library’s resources to share some of their research and writings with the seminary community.
Fr. Artur’s topic was “Back and forth: The Biblical Canon, a theological problem or hermeneutical possibility?” A member of the Polish Province, Fr. Artur has been on a study sabbatical since completing his term last summer as a member of the General Council in Rome. For the past few months, those studies have been at SHSST.
“In the past, I was mainly involved in religious formation and teaching in the field of biblical studies in our Dehonian seminary and at the Pontifical University in Krakow,” said Fr. Artur. “In Rome, I had the opportunity to work with our congregational theological commissions as well as the Centro Studi Dehoniani. During this sabbatical year, I hope to expand and organize the material related to both my biblical interests and Dehonian theology.”
Fr. Artur’s presentation focused on the canon of the Bible and how it has accompanied the Church. Scripture is often spoken of in terms of spiritual reflection, but “we can also look at it from various points of view and interest: historical, sociological, literary or theological,” he said.
The “Anthropology of Vatican II”
On Friday, April 11, Fr. Mário Henrique da Costa Nunes, SCJ, a student in the ECS (English and Cultural Studies) program at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology was the lunchtime speaker. A member of the Brazil – São Paulo Province, he is also an author with a new book just off the press. The English translation of the original Portuguese title is JOY AND HOPE: The Word of the Catholic Church in Favor of the Human Person, which focuses on what he describes as the “Anthropology of Vatican II”, present in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes.
“Today I’d like to reflect on why each person is so important,” he said to SHSST students and faculty. ” Why is human dignity a fundamental fact and not dependent on one’s own circumstances? As a priest, this theme continues following me. Christ revealed man to himself as a beautiful image in a mirror.”
Fr. Mário Henrique noted that “Pope Francis says that today we are experiencing a profound anthropological crisis, the denial of the primacy of the human being (Evangelii Gaudium 55). Strong words, but in the face of this crisis, the Church has words to share. It has something to say. This is because it has an integral vision of the human being. It has a strong insight into what humanity is. And this profound anthropological vision can positively affect ourselves and others in our daily actions, and furthermore, our pastoral actions.” This is because, he continued: “The Church sees in men and women, in every person, the living image of God himself.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church 105).
Fr. Mário Henrique concludes his studies with the ECS program at the end of April, and several weeks after he will join the international Dehonian mission in the Netherlands.
Click to read the full article on the province website.
Please remember
+Dcn. Alfred “Bud” Jetty died on Friday, April 4, at Oak Park Place Memory Care in Wisconsin. Dcn. Buddy served with several SCJs in South Dakota. Click here to read his obituary, including funeral details.
+Richard Johnson, the husband of Carole Johnson, administrative assistant at Sacred Heart Southern Missions, died on April 9. Carole and Richard had been married 47 years; Richard was in hospice care when he died. Carole has been a key person behind the scenes at many gatherings in Mississippi, including the North American Conference on the Dual Threats of Climate Change and Nuclear Weapons.
Funeral for John Wisdom
As we noted last week, John Wisdom, long-time friend of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, died on April 5. The visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Martin of Tours church on Wednesday, April 23. Visitation is from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. with the funeral at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow in the church narthex. Click here to view the obituary.
NORAM Theological Commission meets
On April 10, several members of the North American Dehonian Theological Commission (NADTC) met via Zoom. Participants included Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, Fr. John van den Hengel, SCJ (chairperson), Fr. Vando Marques Gomes, SCJ, and Fr. Ziggy Morawiec, SCJ.
Among the topics discussed: 1) NADTC’s contribution to the International Dehonian Theological Seminar in Taubaté, Brazil, from July 30 – August 4, 2026. The NADTC will present on Fr. Dehon’s spiritual writings, particularly his work “The Crowns of Love.” Frs. John and Joseph will co-author the presentation, though it will be reviewed by the entire commission. 2) Reflections on Dilexit Nos; the commission has invited several SCJs to write on various sections of the document. Also, Dr. Jeremy Blackwood’s article on Dilexit Nos, written for Dehoniana, will be ready in June. 3) The statutes of the commission. And finally, 4) Fr. Joseph’s reflection for the Holy Year: “Fr. Dehon and The Already and Not Yet,” which will soon be available on the general website as a contribution from the NADTC.
The commission will next meet via Zoom on June 19.
International congregation reflected in updates
Fr. Greg Speck, SCJ, of the Sacred Heart Retirement Community in Pinellas Park, FL, shared photos of a recently updated guest room at the house. He notes that “over the years, we have little by little renovated the public areas as well as the private rooms throughout the house. The most recent project, now complete, was the room Fr. Pat Lloyd, SCJ, occupied during his residency. We have dedicated the suite to Fr. Leonard Tadyszak, SCJ, who had occupied the room during his early years of retirement. Because Fr. Leonard was a missionary in Africa, we decided on an African decor. Other rooms have Asian themes and Native American themes.”
If you are in Milwaukee for Triduum
Fr. Andrzej Sudol, SCJ, pastor of St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin, WI, invites anyone in the Milwaukee area during Triduum to join the parish for liturgy and prayer.
“The Paschal Triduum will begin with a solemn Last Supper Mass on Holy Thursday at 7:00 pm,” writes Fr. Andrzej. “An adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows Mass until 10 pm. On Good Friday we will have the Stations of the Cross – led by the children’s ministry – around the parish cemetery. Then, we will serve a simple soup dinner at 4 pm. The Veneration of the Cross ceremony will begin at 6pm. Finally, the Easter Vigil will begin at 8 pm.
“Easter Sunday Masses are scheduled as regular Sunday Masses at 8.30 and 10.30am. After 8.30am Mass we will serve a simple breakfast for clergy, seminarians and those who minister during Masses.
“Priests are very welcome to concelebrate with us. Just bring your alb and join us anytime you are available.”
Questions? You can contact Fr. Andrzej at: [email protected] or call 414-209-7677 (office). Click here to access the parish calendar for details of events.
Closing pics
Once again Mother Nature was kind to the parish community at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston on Palm Sunday, allowing for the traditional procession to begin outside in front of the Shrine. Among those pictured below are Fr. Jerzy Mordalski, SCJ, who will begin his first term as pastor of the parish this summer, Fr. Rafael Querobin, SCJ, the current pastor, and Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ, who is doing an extended visit with the parish community.
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