News & Events | April 27, 2026
A time for connection and sharing
Although it was a meeting of the Canadian and US administrations of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, much more than North America was represented in the US Provincial Council meeting room on April 21. Among those around the table (and on the Zoom screen) were Dehonians originally from Vietnam, India, Brazil, Indonesia, the United States, and French and English-speaking Canada. These are just some of the countries now represented in North American Dehonian communities and ministries. An international community serving an international church.
Calling in via Zoom during a home visit to Congo, Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, regional superior of Canada, took SCJs on a walking tour of the Congolese Province’s outreach to refugees. Approximately 1,000 women and children displaced by conflict now live on the community’s property in Kisangani, home to the Monsignor Grison Center. Benefactors from the US and Canada contribute to the SCJs’ ministry there.
Besides welcoming Dehonians from around the world, both North American entities also serve immigrant populations. There is direct service, such as in Montréal where the community hosts five refugee families on its property, and general outreach to international families across the US and Canada through schools and parishes. The councils discussed a variety of immigration issues during their meeting.
Other topics included the creation of a vision statement for what it means to be a Dehonian in North America, as well as some of the more “nuts and bolts issues:” updates about commissions, shared projects, and follow-up to previous gatherings, such as the 2024 conference in Mississippi on climate disruption and nuclear weapons. “We don’t want these moments in our congregation to be isolated events,” said one councilor. “We need to keep revisiting them so that the discussions begun in the meeting rooms don’t stay in the meeting rooms.”
Click here to view a few photos from the meeting.
The councils will next meet on October 27-28 in Toronto.
Dehonian LEADers
From April 20-22, 15 representatives of ministries from across the US Province came together in Hales Corners to take part in a LEAD retreat. This was the second such retreat, following a pilot program last summer.
“LEAD” stands for Leadership, Education, Apostolic and Development. It is a newly created formative program “that seeks to create and support spiritually grounded leaders who embody the Dehonian spirit of love and reconciliation,” said Monica Misey, who, along with Joe Tyrell (St. Joseph’s Indian School and Julie O’Connor (Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology), developed and now organize LEAD.
The initial focus of LEAD is on staff from within Dehonian ministries, but organizers hope to eventually open the program to anyone interested in leadership development based in Dehonian values.
There will be Zoom sessions and other opportunities for participants to connect with and support one another. Each year a new cohort will begin while previous groups continue with ongoing leadership formation. The next retreat is scheduled for May 26-28.
“LEAD gave me the chance to pause and more intentionally connect my daily leadership work to our mission and the Dehonian charisms,” said one participant. “It deepened both my perspective and my purpose.”
Click here to view photos from Wednesday’s closing session and certificate ceremony.
Click here for more information about LEAD.
Please remember
Jerry Jacobs, Divine Heart Seminary Class of 1970, died on April 13. He was married for 42 years and had three daughters. He earned his PhD in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of South Florida and was a long time Professor at the University of South Dakota. He worked all over the world as part of the Disaster Mental Health Institute he co-founded and earned the International Humanitarian Award and Distinguished International Psychologist Award from The American Psychology Association. Click here for his obituary.
Next Dehon Book Club meeting
The next Dehon Book Club meeting is on May 1 at 1:00 PM (Central). Participants can take part in-person at the Provincial Offices or via Zoom at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8342363189?omn=81913121462
Meeting ID: 834 236 3189
Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, director of the Dehon Study Center, writes that “In light of the wars we are experiencing around the world today, we will be reading Christian Social Renewal (1900) by Fr. Leo John Dehon. Our discussion will center on the theme: ‘Dehon’s Vision of Peace.’ The suggested reading is Conference Five, ‘The Social Mission of the Church.'”
Fr. Joseph continues: “Although the theme of “Social Peace” runs throughout Christian Social Renewal, in this conference, Fr. Dehon presents a profound theological vision of peace as the result of justice, charity, and the Church’s social mission. Instead of viewing peace merely as the absence of conflict, Fr. Dehon understands it as a state of social, moral, and spiritual harmony.”
Questions? Contact Fr. Joseph at jmukuna@dehoniansusa.org.
Congratulations!
During their meeting last week, members of the Provincial Council voted to approve Dn. Long Nguyen, SCJ, and Dn. Hung Pham, SCJ, for priesthood ordination. The ceremony will take place in Houston on August 15; Bishop Joseph Kopacz of Jackson, MS, will be the ordaining bishop. More details will be shared in the next few weeks. Dn. Long (left) and Dn. Hung are pictured above at their diaconate ordination in December.
May birthdays
Among those celebrating birthdays in May: Fr. Mark Fortner on May 4, Fr. Byron Haaland on May 6, Fr. Bryan Benoit and Fr. Jack Kurps on May 7, Fr. Guy Blair on May 8, Fr. Paul Hoang on May 9. Fr. Jean Claude Mbassi on May 10, Fr. Anthony Kluckman and Fr. Elie Ngoy on May 12, Bishop Joseph Potocnak on May 13, Fr. Jim Casper on May 20, Br. Andy Gancarczyk and Fr. Jerzy (George) Mordalski on May 24, Fr.. Wayne Jenkins on May 25, and Fr. Stephen Huffstetter on May 31.
“Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World”
Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, along with Fr. Roger Schroeder, SVD, will be the presenters at a May 16 online public lecture sponsored by the Australian Province of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). The lecture will be the first in a series with the theme: “Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World.” Frs. Vien and Roger will focus on “Biblical and Mission Perspectives,” exploring key biblical and mission perspectives on integral human development in today’s fragmented world, offering valuable insights for scholars, missionaries, and others interested in faith, culture, and global challenges.
Anyone is welcome to view the online lecture; no registration is required. It begins at 1:00 p.m. in Sydney, Australia, on May 16. HOWEVER, due to the time difference, in Chicago (central time) the lecture starts at 10:00 p.m. on May 15, not May 16. Zoom info:
Date: May 16 in Asia; May 15 in North America
Time: 1:00 p.m. on May 16 in Sydney; 10:00 p.m. May 15 in Chicago
Zoom ID: 387 534 4942 – Passcode: MER.AUS26
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3875344942…
Dehonian bishops gather in Spain
From April 26-30 Dehonian bishops from around the world are gathering in Puente la Reina, Spain. It is the first time that that group has met since their last meeting in 2018 in Rome. There are currently 24 SCJ bishops; approximately half are retired. The largest number of active bishops is in South America.
Click here to read an interview with the superior general about the gathering. Photos and other information from the bishops meeting will be posted on the DehoniansWorldwide Facebook page. The SCJ bishops are pictured above with members of the general administration and sisters from the Church of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Puente la Reina.
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