Graduation and home

After almost four years of study, and three since he was in his home country, Fr. Donatus Kusmartono is graduating this Saturday, December 17, from Cardinal Stritch University (Milwaukee) and returning to Indonesia. He will receive a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, which will help him in his next assignment as an administrator at St. Antonius School in Jakarta.

Fr. Donatus first came to the United States in January, 2008, and was a student in the ESL program at Sacred Heart School of Theology. It was a delayed start to a study sabbatical that he was to have taken three years earlier. A personnel need in Indonesia forced him to postpone his sabbatical. By the time he was able to leave for the ESL program, another personnel need came up. This time it was in education. The Indonesian Province needed SCJs trained in educational administration. So a six month sabbatical to learn a little English turned into a nearly four-year assignment in the United States, first learning English and then taking up graduate studies.

On December 18, the day after his graduation ceremony, Fr. Donatus will return to Indonesia for the first time since 2009 when he went home to attend his father’s funeral.

Check the province website later this week for a feature on Fr. Donatus. When it is available, a link to the article will be posted on the province Facebook page.

Death of Fr. Bill More

Just weeks after celebrating his 85th birthday, Fr. Bill More, a member of the Canadian Region, died on December 8.

Originally from the Netherlands, Fr. Bill came to Canada in the mid-1950s to teach at the SCJs’ minor seminary in Delaware, Ont. He prepared for the task by first earning a degree at the University of Ottawa.

He taught at the seminary until it closed its doors in 1969. Soon after, he began ministry with the Family Life Office in the Archdiocese of Ottawa. Much of his work was with those preparing for marriage, but after some time with the office he realized a need for ministry to the separated and divorced. He did coursework at Notre Dame University and became increasingly involved in the apostolate as it developed in North America.

In Ottawa, he and a co-worker held monthly sessions for those coming to terms with their separation or divorce. Fr. Bill also produced a monthly newsletter and several brochures to help people deal with the challenges of a broken marriage and understand the Church’s position regarding divorce.

“For those dealing with divorce Fr. Bill was a voice of a loving and merciful God,” said a member of his Ottawa community.

Fr. Bill was also very involved with the local Kiwanis Club.

He made his first profession with the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 1949 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1955.

The Mass of Christian Burial is today, December 12, at Resurrection of the Lord Church in Ottawa where Fr. Paul Tennyson is pastor.

Also remember…

Hans (Johannes) Soetanto, the uncle of Fr. Vincent Suparman, died on Sunday, December 12. He was 69 and had been suffering from cancer the past eight months.

Keep in prayer

Fr. Leonard Tadyszak had surgery Friday to repair a fractured hip which he sustained in a fall late last week.  The surgery went well and his spirits are said to be good.

District becomes a region

Fr. Tom Cassidy shares the following from Fr. Benedito de Mores Machado, district superior of the Philippines:

“Greetings from the SCJ Philippine District,

“We are very happy to inform you that on November 9, 2011, the General Council has approved our request to become a Region. On our part, we consider this decision as a blessing and great honor and for this we thank God. We were looking forward to and working toward this moment for a long time and now our dream came true. On the other hand, we are aware that this would never happen without help and support from other entities of the congregation, among them from the U.S. Province, which has always been generous to us. On this occasion, we want to say ‘Thank you’ for your friendship and patronage, for your financial support and being with us.”

The new regional administration will be put in place on March 14, 2012, the anniversary of the birth of Fr. Leo John Dehon. The U.S. Province hosted the first group of SCJ missionaries preparing for the Philippines and has continued to offer financial, educational and personnel assistance to the district.

Fr. Bernie Rosinski spent several weeks in the Philippines last spring teaching ESL and assisting the district with administrative tasks. Click here to read about his experience.

Updates

Fr. P.J. McGuire is now a member of the Sacred Heart Community at SHML, 7330 S. Lovers Lane Rd., Franklin, WI 53132-1849

Holiday schedule

Please keep in mind that the Provincial Offices are closed December 23, 26 and 30, as well as January 2, for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The last Fridge Notes of the year will be posted on TUESDAY December 27. There will be no Fridge Notes the week of January 2. We will return to the regular schedule on January 9.

If you have information that you would like included in the Fridge Notes, please contact Mary Gorski at the Provicincialate Offices.

Transitions

Anthony Nguyen left the province formation program at the end of the fall semester and returned to Minnesota. The formation team notes that his presence will be missed; he was a vibrant member of the community. Anthony is considering pursuing studies in culinary arts.

If you would like to keep in touch with him, Anthony’s email is tnguye91@gmail.com

Posada Navideña

Staff and students at Sacred Heart School of Theology recently celebrated a Posada Navideña, a Mexican Advent tradition which usually begins nine days before Christmas. The Posada is intended to prepare one’s heart for the coming of Jesus and to remember the time Joseph and Mary spent searching for lodging until they found shelter in a stable before the birth of Jesus.Through such multicultural observances, the seminary honors the traditions of its many Hispanic students, and builds awareness of Hispanic faith traditions among Anglo seminarians who will be serving the rapidly growing Hispanic segment of the Catholic Church in the United States.

The Posada began with the praying of the rosary in Sacred Heart Chapel and continued with a procession throughout the building, ending with an evening meal and celebration in the dining room.

Provincial’s Time

Fr. Tom Cassidy is in Hales Corners for meetings with the Provincial Council this week.

Upcoming meetings and events:

December 14-15: Provincial Council Meeting
December 23 and 26: Provincial Offices closed for Christmas
December 30 and January 2: Provincial Offices closed for New Year’s
February 7-8: Provincial Council Meeting
March 27-28: Provincial Council Meeting
April 15: Easter Concert at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology
May 15: Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, SHM/SHST
May 30-31: Provincial Council Meeting (budgets)
June 15: Feast of the Sacred Heart
June 28: Provincial Council Meeting (conference call re: formation)
July 9-12: Province Assembly, Hales Corners
July 16-21: General Conference, Neustadt, Germany
July 23-25: SCJ Major Superiors Meeting, Neustadt, Germany