He followed his childhood dream

Diagnosed with cancer in January, Fr. Tom Fix, SCJ, died April 21 in his adopted home of Indonesia. He was 79 and had been a member of the Priests of the Sacred Heart for over 60 years.

Being a missionary is something that Fr. Tom dreamed of doing since he was in third grade. And while many people lose enthusiasm for their childhood dreams, Fr. Tom never did. Four years later when Fr. Jim Alexander, SCJ, visited Fr. Tom’s school, Fr. Tom was anxious to study with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. “I learned they had missions –– I wanted to join them,” said Fr. Tom.  That was in seventh grade.  A year later he went to Divine Heart, the province’s minor seminary in Donaldson, Ind.

Fr. Tom professed his first vows in 1951 and was ordained in 1958, still holding onto the dream of serving in the missions. When he heard that there was a need for priests and brothers in Indonesia he quickly volunteered. He became one of eleven SCJs from the United States to serve in the country.  Among the first to arrive, he was the last American to remain in the Indonesian Province.

A Funeral Mass will be held for Fr. Tom in Indonesia; Fr. Johnny Klingler, SCJ, who is in the Philippines teaching English, will represent the U.S. Province.

On Thursday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m., there will be a Memorial Mass for Fr. Tom at Sacred Heart Monastery in Hales Corners, Wis. Fr. Mark Fortner, SCJ, will be the homilist and Fr. Charles Yost, SCJ, will be the main celebrant; both SCJs also served in Indonesia.

Click here to read more about Fr. Tom.

Second week of school

Fr. Johnny Klingler, SCJ, made another post to the province blog from the Philippines, where he is spending much of April and May teaching English.

“The  second week of school went well and I continue to feel very positive about what I am doing,” he wrote. “Besides being in the classroom the students call on me to help them with their punctuation and writing assignments. They are eager to learn and all need individual  help. I have already used film and popular songs  to help them. I recall my days at the seminary in Kilroe teaching writing and multimedia.”

Click here to read the full post.

3 profess final vows in Vietnam

“On Sunday, April 15, we had the great joy to have in Vietnam the profession of perpetual vows of our brothers Thai, Loc, and Khoa,” wrote Fr. Rino Venturin, SCJ, superior of the SCJ community in Vietnam, in a letter to Fr. General. “It was the first time that our hymn “Non tingat aras” was sung in this blessed land of martyrs. We hope and pray that it will happen many more times in the future!

“The vicar general of the diocese presided at the Eucharist, concelebrated by eight SCJs and 12 diocesan priests.

“The church was packed with religious, relatives and friends of the three brothers; a meal with over 200 followed.”

Leasing begins

Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake opened leasing to the general public earlier this month. The contractor anticipates that the second wing will be ready for move-ins on August 1.

There has been steady visitor traffic at the property and already 17 people have put down deposits for apartments. “Not bad for the first two weeks,” said a member of the rental staff.

For information about rentals, or to tour the site, call 414-409-4848, or email sacredheart@oakbrookcorp.com.

Retirement dinner

On Friday, April 27, Fr Jan de Jong, SCJ, will be honored at Sacred Heart School of Theology for his many years of service to the seminary as a teacher, and in recent years, as its president-rector. He retires at the end of this semester.

Check the province Facebook page after the event for a few photos.

Happy birthday

May is literally just around the corner! Those SCJs celebrating birthdays in May include Fr. Charles Yost (80) and Fr. Mark Fortner (72) on May 4, Fr. Byron Haaland (63) and Fr. Vincent Suparman (49) on May 6, Fr. Bryan Benoit (50) and Fr. Jack Kurps (61) on May 7, Fr. Guy Blair (61) on May 8, Fr. Anthony Kluckman (65)  and Fr. Elié Ngoy (45) on May 12, Bishop Joseph Potocnak (79) on May 13, Fr. Thi Pham (37) on May 14, Fr. Jim Casper (74) on May 20, Fr. Bob Tucker (60) on May 21, Fr. Wayne Jenkins (65) on May 25, Fr. Stephen Huffstetter (53) and Fr. P.J. McGuire (70) on May 31.

Traveling SCJs

Bishop Joe Potocnak, SCJ, returns to the United States this month from South Africa. He has been alternating his retirement in the South African and U.S. Provinces.

Dn. David Nagel, SCJ, province treasurer, is also traveling. He is at the Generalate in Rome through the week for the meeting of the congregation’s treasurers. Besides being the treasurer of the U.S. Province, Dn. David also goes in his role as a member of the General Finance Commission. Fr. Maurice Légaré, SCJ, from the Canadian Region is also at the meeting.

Please remember

The 89-year-old mother of Bishop Adam Musialek, SCJ, of De Aar, South Africa, died last week in Poland. Bishop Adam is an alumnus of the ESL program at Sacred Heart School of Theology where he learned English in preparation for his first assignment in South Africa.

Provincial’s time

Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, is in the Milwaukee most of this week. On April 29 he leaves for Mississippi.

Upcoming meetings and events:

May 2-3: North American Councils meeting, Hales Corners. Note: all SCJs in the Milwaukee area are invited to join the North American councils for dinner at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake on May 3. The social begins at 5 p.m. and dinner will be at 6 p.m. SCJs outside of the retirement community at SHML are asked to let Mary Gorski know if they are coming.

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.