Reflecting on God’s love
“I have daily experiences as an elementary school principal [of witnessing] where our love regenerates,” wrote Bridget Martin in this month’s As a Rule, reflecting on Rule No. 20 of the SCJ Rule of Life. “Students learn that giving love isn’t about the material goods you have to give, it is about the sacrifices you are willing to make for the good of others
Bridget is both an alumna and principal of Sacred Heart School in Southaven, MS. She reflected on the school’s service programs:
“One group of our alumni that stands out in my mind is a group of boys that are about 25 years old now. They encountered a somewhat disheveled man while they were volunteering at the Sacred Heart Southern Missions Flanagan Center. When the man was ready to leave, he thanked the students for showing him kindness and wished them well. He told them to remember you never know what will happen in life. He once was a banker that lost his wife and daughter to a drunk driver and struggled to recover from the loss, but their kindness gave him hope. The boys still speak of that encounter more than ten years later. That day both the gentleman and the young boys felt God’s love. Each year, we have alumni come back to be part of our projects because of the love they felt from the experience.”
Sr. Clary Joy Palasan, TMM, was the second writer in this month’s As a Rule. In her text, she reflected on the challenges she faced in accepting the call to serve as a missionary in South Dakota. but that she came “to realize that my ‘yes’ to God is not just a commitment but an expression of my love and obedience to Him. After all, He is the One who first loved me and called me to this mission. This journey has certainly been challenging, as I’ve had to adjust to a new culture, language, and weather. For the past one-and-a-half years, together with Sr. Yollie, I have been immersed in Native American communities. Despite the challenges, I’ve found joy in obeying God’s will. It has been a deeply fulfilling experience as I see how our presence impacts and inspires those around us. Through every challenge, I am reminded of God’s unwavering love and how His plan for me is unfolding in ways I never imagined.”
Click here to read Sr. Clary Joy’s and Bridget’s full reflections.
Please remember
+John Wisdom, a long-time friend of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, died on Saturday, April 5. John and his wife, Pat, were among the first occupants of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake. During their years at SHML they restored, planted and weeded the grounds around the Sacred Heart Shrine, Mausoleum, the benches on grounds of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, as well as the Stations of the Cross behind the seminary.
About a year ago, John suffered a stroke that was followed by complications and illness. Approximately, a month ago the couple moved to Florida to be closer to their children. John’s family said that he died peacefully. His body will be brought back to Wisconsin and his Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Martin of Tours parish, where he will be buried. Details are pending.
Music at the cathedral
On April 3, Dehonians in the English and Culture Studies program at SHSST attended a concert of the Grammy award-winning group “Chanticleer” at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity.
Pictured above with members of Chanticleer are Fr. Jerry Mwembo Mutebo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fr. Ed Zemlik (chaperone), Fr. Mario Nunes of Brazil, Dcn. Rafael Flores (Xaverians) and Fr. Jean Neves of Brazil.
Book pre-launch
Speaking of the ECS program, on Friday, April 11, ECS student Fr. Mário Nunes, SCJ, will discuss his new book, The Anthropology of Vatican II, a theological approach based on Gaudium et Spes, during a lunchtime presentation. Anyone is welcome to attend. Grab your meal on a tray in the dining room and bring it to Room 201.
Leadership skills based in Dehonian spirituality
One of first things that Monica Misey did after being named Director of Dehonian Associates was to reach out to province ministries to learn first-hand what they needed from her office.
“I was expecting to hear requests for bulletin content, posters, and other materials about Fr. Dehon, not leadership formation!” said Monica. But in province ministries increasing led by lay people, leadership formation – based in Dehonian spirituality – is something that many cited.
“As I spoke with people across our ministries, they were excited about leadership formation at all levels as a way of better integrating Dehonian spirituality in their work,” she said.
During the past few months Monica has worked with a team of lay leaders “who are passionate both about exercising good leadership and about the Dehonian charism.” They include Dr. Julie O’Connor (Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology), Joe Tyrell (St. Joseph’s Indian School), and Andrea Vincent (Sacred Heart Southern Missions).
Under the umbrella of “The Dehonian Leadership Institute” the group hopes to offer several programs. The first is “LEAD.” Its mission is “to form spiritually grounded leaders who embody the Dehonian spirit of love and reconciliation,” said Monica. It is designed for SCJs and for collaborators across the US.
LEAD will kick off with a three-day pilot retreat for six to eight people in June. This will be followed by a fall retreat with 12 leaders from across the province. There will also be two skill-specific training sessions each year open to anyone serving in province ministries, including SCJs.
Upcoming Vocation Masses
The next Mass for Vocations will be Monday, April 14, at 11:00 am. In honor of his anniversary of priesthood ordination that day, Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, has been invited to be the main celebrant of the Mass. In May, the Vocation Mass will be on May 1, in honor of Religious Brothers Day.
Anyone is welcome to attend the Vocation Mass, which is held in the chapel of the Provincial Conference Center. Questions? Contact the Province Vocation Office.
SCJ speaks at World Catholicism Week event
“In his recent Spes Non Confundit (‘Hope does not disappoint,’ Romans 5:5), Pope Francis declares hope the central message of the 2025 Jubilee year. In this conference, we will look for signs of hope amid mounting global challenges that drive many to anxiety, cynicism, and despair. Coming from a variety of disciplines, our speakers will discuss the following topics: theologies of hope; politics, violence, and resistance; caring for creation; and ecclesial practices of community and culture.”
Click here to register for the conference. This is the 16th year that DePaul has hosted the event.
News from the Dehon Study Center
Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, director the Dehon Study Center, shares a few updates. He noted that on March 10, the International Dehonian Spirituality Committee, of which he is a member, held its second Zoom meeting. Among the topics discussed was a proposed logo for the committee, pictured here. Designed by Fr. Quinto Regazzoni, SCJ (an ECS alumnus), the artist describes it as follows: “It is a simple reworking of the Coat of Arms of our Congregation. Blue represents Heaven and the Universe, yellow is the cross of Christ, light that illuminates the world, and the red in the Heart of Christ is at the center of the universe, spreading his fire of love.”
The commission’s next Zoom meeting is on May 12.
On April 10, the North American Theological Commission will meet via Zoom to discuss its participation in the 2026 International Dehonian Theological Seminar in Taubaté, Brazil. Fr. Joseph and Fr. John van den Hengel, SCJ, are the lead writers of the North American contribution, focusing on Fr. Dehon’s spiritual text. Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, also a member of the commission, will be the lead responder of the African commission’s reflection on Fr. Dehon’s correspondence.
Postcard from Rome
Fr. Charles Brown, SCJ, writes from our Generalate in Rome: “I have spent the past week working for the Centro Studi Dehoniani in Rome; specifically I gave conferences for students in the Dehonian Studies Scholarship Program. My focus was on New Testament theology and spirituality in light of our Dehonian charism. It was a wonderful time of reflection and creativity with confreres; lots of sharing and interchange about our vowed life, grounded in the scriptures. Pictured here L to R are Fr. Socrates, Fr. Mahenintosa, me, Fr. Jose Valdina, and Fr. Victor (head of the CSD).
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