Funeral homily

Approximately 800 people attended the April 15 Funeral Mass for Fr. Charlie Bisgrove, including area police and fire personnel.  Fr. Charlie had been a chaplain to the Franklin Fire and Police Departments.  Besides posting an honor guard during the visitation, the fire department honored Fr. Charlie before the start of Mass by ringing a fire bell.  The tradition is reserved for the funerals of firefighters.

Among those who came to the visitation prior to the Mass was Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee.

Fr. Tom Cassidy gave the homily at the Mass, held at St. Martin of Tours parish, Franklin.  Click here to read a text of the homily.  A brief slideshow from the funeral is also available on the webpage with the homily.

If you would like to receive a memorial card from the funeral, please contact Mary Gorski at the Provincialate Offices.

New chapel

On April 1, at the request of Fr. Tom Cassidy, Archbishop Jerome Listecki designated the SCJs residing at the Congregational Home as a religious house. With this designation comes the right to set aside a chapel to celebrate Mass and to reserve the Blessed Sacrament.  The province recently obtained space at the Congregational Home for a chapel. The chapel is located in Suite 2105.

Visitors are welcome to spend time in the chapel when they go to see SCJs at the Congregational Home.

Congregational news

Laity join SCJ leadership in discussion of Dehonian spirituality

The major superiors of Europe met in Neustadt, Germany, from April 11-15, to discuss “Spirituality:  what holds us together as Dehonians?”    Joining them in their discussions were four lay representatives.

“It was an historic gathering,” said Fr. Heiner Wilmer, provincial superior of the German Province and chairperson of the gathering.  “Never before has our European leadership met to discuss this as a singular topic.”

In one exercise participants were asked to reflect on ten words and phrases common to the SCJ tradition, including “oblation,” “adoration,” Sacred Heart” and “reconciliation.”   In small groups they discussed the words in light of scripture and tradition, as well as in public discourse (such as print, web and audiovisual media).  During the discussions some participants said that they found that several of the words and phrases need to be reviewed and perhaps redefined to remain relevant.  The general administration was asked to spearhead a process for this.

Newsletter from the Generalate

The general administration has begun publishing a monthly newsletter that offers a roundup of news that has appeared on the congregational website during the past month, as well as an editorial on a monthly theme.  The first issue begins with a reflection by Fr. Claudio Weber, general councilor, on the March 14 general letter commemorating the birth of the founder.  He notes that Fr. Dehon was a pioneer in bringing the gospel message of social justice to society.

Although the initial newsletter is in Italian, there are plans to include more languages in future issues.  Click here to read the newsletter.

Final vows in Canada

Br. Brian Tompkins, a member of the Canadian Region, will profess his final vows on May 5 at Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Ottawa, Ontario.  Br. Brian did his novitiate in the United States with Brs. Clay Diaz and Long Nguyen.

Congratuations!

Congrats to Hugo Armando Londoño Gallego, a former SCJ candidate, who will be ordained for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 21.

Don’t forget

RSVP cards for the priesthood ordination of Dn. Greg Schill are due by April 28.

Please remember

John Burns, the uncle and godfather of Fr. Tom Burns, died April 15.

Fr. Israel Batista de Carvalho, a member of the Central Brazilian Province, died on April 11.  He was born in 1949, professed in 1976 and ordained in 1982.

Barefoot in the Philippines

As we noted previously, Fr. Bernie Rosinski will be in the Philippines for the next few weeks.  There he will help the district prepare an administrative directory as well as assist with the formation program.

“I am now in Cagayan de Oro with the SCJs,” he wrote. “I arrived Sunday night in Manila and stayed at Dehon House. While there I got to see some sights, visit the shrine of a national hero, and say Mass barefoot. In the United States we would consider ourselves undressed if we did so, but in Asia we would be considered irreverent if we didn’t.

“People have been extremely nice and good to me. I have met Filipinos, Indonesians, Poles, Brazilians, Indians, and Vietnamese. This district is a true ‘melting pot’ of SCJs.”

Fr. Bernie will spend most of Holy Week settling in before starting English classes with the students.

Provincial’s time

This week Fr. Tom Cassidy heads to Rome for CMSM meetings.  He will be there until May 5.

Easter break

The Provincialate Offices will be closed Friday, April 22 through Monday, April 25, to commemorate Easter.  The next Fridge Notes posting will be on Tuesday, April 26 instead of the usual Monday.

Upcoming meetings and events:

May 1: Easter Concert, 2 p.m. (SHST)
May 9-11: Provincial Council meeting (budgets)
May 17 & 19: Masses for the anointing of the sick, (SHST) 1 p.m.
May 21: Dn. Greg Schill’s priesthood ordination (San Antonio)
May 23-24: North American councils meeting (Chicago)
June 11: Ordination of Dn. Duy Nguyen to the priesthood (Sacred Heart Monastery)
July 1: Feast of the Sacred Heart, Mass at SHST, 11 a.m.
Week of July 11: Province Assembly, Hales Corners, Wis.
August 30-31: Provincial Council Meeting
October. 2: Pet Blessing (SHST)
October 4-5: Provincial Council Meeting
November 14-16: SCJ Retreat, Pinellas Park
December 14-15: Provincial Council Meeting
December 18: Advent Concert, 2 p.m.